Network hardware
Network hardware products such as routers, switches, hubs, appliances and gateways form the vital infrastructure for successful enterprise IT. We look at the latest trends in technologies in building LANs, WANS and Ethernet networking.
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News
20 Nov 2024
Virgin Media O2 streamlines fixed and mobile service delivery
UK operator claims major milestone in its long-term network evolution strategy by switching on Converged Interconnect Network to rationalise and enhance service delivery Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2024
Essential tech for optical data comms, sensing and AI hits headwinds
Paper on future of optical modulators and integrated photonics reveals research moving beyond traditional silicon platforms to thin-film LiNbO3 and III-V semiconductors for applications in artificial intelligence, quantum information processing and Lidar Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2007
VoIP market evolves in 2007
VoIP will see market changes this year as IP PBX sales increase and market leaders shift their focus. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2007
VoIP performance testing fundamentals
VoIP network performance testing can mean the difference between a VoIP system working at a high level QoS and a weak system that runs so poorly customers could take their business elsewhere. This guide discusses why it is important to run regular performance testing and some of the ways it can be done. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Jun 2007
Unified communication case studies: What you need to know
Learn how others overcame the expected and the unexpected challenges of a UC deployment in our case studies. Continue Reading
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News
01 Jun 2007
Check Point promises more VoIP security, fewer slowdowns
Check Point's enhanced Open Performance Architecture is designed for deeper security of technologies like VoIP without the network performance problems that often come with it. Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2007
Brocade gets into the HBA business
Experts say the move, based on a partnership with LSI, could lower HBA pricing across the board and be the first step toward a Brocade-developed storage virtualization product. Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2007
SAN School: Table of contents
What is a storage area network? What are the benefits and pitfalls of installation? How can a SAN fit into your organization? These questions and more are answered SAN School. Continue Reading
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News
25 May 2007
VoIP advice from the trenches
ITKE, or ITKnowledge Exchange, is simply a cool (and quick) way to get a response to your VoIP-related questions. Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2007
Mobile instant messaging enhances company's business processes
A mobile IM service acquired by a hosted VoIP provider encourages more companies to enhance their business processes. Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2007
VoIP, unified communications adoption continue to rise
VoIP and unified communications adoption continue to rise steadily in the enterprise, according to Infonetics Research's latest report. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 May 2007
4 Gbit Fibre Channel switch purchase considerations
As SANs scale up, data centres often upgrade and expand the SAN switch infrastructure. Here's what to look for when scaling Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2007
Scaling storage networks demands careful consideration
In the Fibre Channel world, scaling often means adding more and faster switch ports to extend the fabric's bandwidth and connectivity. But IP storage (mainly iSCSI) is a growing area of SAN expansion, using ubiquitous Ethernet network technology to pass storage data between storage devices. This requires the use of IP switches and routers, and can involve the deployment of iSCSI TOE host adapters to offload iSCSI traffic from the local server's CPU. This Buying Guide is intended to help clarify the principle considerations involved scaling storage networks and each chapter offers a set of buying points and product specifications that can help readers identify prospective new scaling products. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Apr 2007
Storage consolidation: WAN acceleration and WAFS technology overview
One important avenue of storage consolidation is the consolidation of remote office storage; this is where WAN acceleration and WAFS technology comes into play. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Apr 2007
Storage consolidation: SRM tools overview
SRM tools are an important part of storage consolidation. They allow admins to monitor the storage environment, allocate and organise available storage, and offer insights into future trends. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Apr 2007
IP storage switch and router purchase considerations
The choice of an IP switch or router demands careful consideration of issues including port speed, segmentation, interoperability and security Continue Reading
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News
23 Apr 2007
Weekly compilation of storage news:Dell LTO-4 drive, new Sun array
Dell is first out of the gate with the new LTO-4 drive, which offers native encryption; Sun unveils new array and deepens its relationship with FalconStor. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Apr 2007
Skype to the desk phone saves company a bundle
Skype on the desk phone has helped a Chicago-based furniture maker save a considerable amount of money on long-distance voice charges. Continue Reading
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News
17 Apr 2007
Storage consolidation: Disks and disk subsystems overview
Any storage consolidation effort must involve a serious consideration of disk subsystems and the specific disk types that those systems will contain Continue Reading
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News
10 Apr 2007
Capacity planning software specifications
Gauging storage needs over time is one of the biggest challenges faced by IT administrators, and a new generation of capacity planning tools is emerging to help forecast growth and utilisation of storage resources. Continue Reading
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News
09 Apr 2007
HP renews SMB storage campaign
With the launch of the new All-in-One 1200 and the shifting of executives to a new SMB business unit, HP is focused on its low-end products in an effort to boost growth. Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2007
Goldman Sachs: Interest in NetApp SAN products wanes
A survey by the investment firm shows enterprise storage buyers had a declining interest in NetApp SAN products over the last year. Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2007
Wireless VoIP market to grow rapidly
VoIP and Voice over Wi-Fi markets are expected to be strong in 2007 and remain so through 2012. Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2007
Storage vendors propose FC over Ethernet standard
A group of nine storage vendors led by Emulex is proposing a Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) standard . Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Mar 2007
VoiceCon Spring: A transition show for the VoIP industry
VoiceCon Spring was all about unified communications. Zeus Kerravala provides highlights of the more interesting points from the show. Continue Reading
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News
22 Mar 2007
Midrange storage array specifications
Product snapshots highlighting key specifications for a cross section of midrange storage array products. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Mar 2007
Mobile data services development trends in 2007
Darrell Jordan-Smith takes a look at new data services architectures and development tools emerging in 2007 and the ongoing development efforts of the Java Community and others. Continue Reading
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News
18 Mar 2007
Cisco stamps on Brocade in Q4, Dell'Oro says
For the second quarter in a row Cisco is gaining SAN switch market share on Brocade, according to the latest report by the Dell'Oro Group. But the numbers are causing a firestorm. Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2007
Microsoft outlines software-centric VoIP, UC
Microsoft unveils its vision of a software-based VoIP system to enable unified communications. Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2007
Nortel switch release focuses on unified communications
Nortel today released two new switch series aimed at unified communications deployments. Continue Reading
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News
04 Mar 2007
NetApp stokes midrange fires with new array
The FAS 3040 is a scaled down version of the 64-bit 3070 architecture; NetApp officials say more moves downmarket will follow. Continue Reading
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News
04 Mar 2007
Buzz builds around data reduction for primary storage
Analysts predict that in-band compression offerings from StoreWiz, newly updated this week, are the first step toward a new wave of primary storage deduplication products. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2007
RFID cloning presentation moves forward despite legal threats
Chris Paget, director of research and development at IOActive spoke mainly about the science behind RFID tags and readers and the inherent security issues of the technology. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Feb 2007
RFID dispute: Vendors still hostile toward full disclosure
Many vendors still believe that security by obscurity is still the best policy and make it a priority to silence vulnerability researchers. Continue Reading
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News
27 Feb 2007
Black Hat presenter nixes RFID cloning demo under pressure
A demonstration of a device that could easily clone radio frequency identification (RFID) badges, was pulled from a conference presentation under pressure from a chip maker. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Feb 2007
Outsourced VoIP helps devastated company recover
Outsourced VoIP helped a Berkeley company keep up business as usual after a fire destroyed its offices. Continue Reading
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News
25 Feb 2007
HP announces iSCSI VTL for SMBs
HP's new iSCSI VTL devices include automated backup capabilities for users with fewer than four servers. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Feb 2007
Top 10 VoIP search terms
The top ten VoIP search terms and definitions. Keep tabs on the most popular VoIP terms – updated regularly. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Feb 2007
Download SAN Guide Chapter 3: Switches (PDF)
You asked for it, so here it is -- a printable version of our SAN All-In-One Guide. Download Chapter 3: Switches in .pdf format now. Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2007
Skype makes more enterprise inroads
Skype has teamed with FaceTime Communications to give companies more control over Skype use within the enterprise. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2007
Cisco VoIP management guide: Enterprise VoIP management solutions
Enterprise VoIP management solutions require two considerations: the scale of production environment and the need to extend support resources with a systems integrator or service provider. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2007
Cisco VoIP managment guide: Required management tasks
Comprehensive VoIP management includes the basic network management tasks, but also includes monitoring services such as dial tone delivery, call success rates, telephony delays and impairments, as well as call quality. VoIP telephony management is categorized here. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2007
Cisco management guide: Selecting a VoIP solution
Selecting a VoIP solution means deciding on independent VoIP tools or a VoIP solution suite of integrated products. Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2007
Download SAN Guide Chapter 1: Management (PDF)
You asked for it, so here it is -- a printable version of our SAN All-In-One Guide. Download Chapter 1: Management in .pdf format now. Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2007
EMC plans array-based encryption via PowerPath
EMC's next security move will be array-based encryption through PowerPath by 2008, according to internal documents obtained by SearchStorage. Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2007
Will all storage systems be unified storage in the future?
I don't think that "all" storage systems will be unified... Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2007
What is the advantage of having unified storage?
There is debate about that. Many customers may prefer to have just one storage system, avoiding specialized storage systems, like NAS for file-based access or a complicated block-based storage system... Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2007
HP fills in gaps with product updates
HP announced updates to several of its products, but analysts are wondering what its ultimate strategy will be for storage virtualisation. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2007
Hybrid drives hit NAS boxes
DNF will be making hybrid drives available in all of its storage products, but it doesn't recommend them for IP SANs. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2007
Managed VoIP -- 10 tips for a smooth migration
Migrating to managed VoIP doesn't have to be a headache. Here, Verizon Business offers 10 top tips to ensure you get what you need. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2007
VoIP call features give users more bang for their buck
2006 saw an increase in the popularity of VoIP and encouraged many competing service providers to offer features such as voicemail and Caller ID as standard in their best-selling service plans. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jan 2007
VoIP case studies: What you need to know
Case studies are the next best thing to being there. Learn how others overcame the expected and the unexpected challenges of a VoIP migration in our case studies series. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2007
Brocade unveils McData integration roadmap
McData's directors and FICON routers will remain separate product lines for now; McData's SAN management software will replace Brocade's Fabric Manager. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jan 2007
iSCSI SANs grow in midmarket, enterprise
Because transporting "SCSI over IP" leverages ubiquitous Ethernet networks, that translates to lower cost, easier maintenance and simpler management, which makes SAN deployment more attractive for SMEs. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Jan 2007
EqualLogic CEO says IPO on the way
EqualLogic's CEO talks about the company's plans to go public, its intent to add 10 GigE to its products and why he thinks not all iSCSI products are created equal. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2007
What is the difference between virtualization switches and virtual SANs?
The word "virtualization" is thrown around so much that it's hard to always know what it means... Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2007
What is the difference between InfiniBand, SAS and iSCSI and where does each technology fit?
InfiniBand is an interface; just like Fibre Channel (FC) or Ethernet. As an interface, InfiniBand carries different protocols... Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2007
Convergence, interoperability key in disaster planning
Convergence and interoperability are major factors in ensuring communications continuity in a disaster. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2007
How are switches changing the way SANs are designed and managed?
There is more granularity in the device options today, allowing for more versatile device configuration... Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2007
Storage area network FAQ audiocast
Don't have time to dig into the FAQ text now? Download the storage area network audiocast in MP3 format and listen in the car, at the gym -- wherever you want. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Jan 2007
Why don't we have clustered FC block storage?
Is it odd that the industry has made such serious strides toward incorporating clustering concepts in both file-based storage and IP -based storage, but not Fibre Channel storage? Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jan 2007
Top 10 mobile tips of 2006
Review of the popular mobile technical tips of 2006 from our stable of mobile experts; Lisa Phifer, Craig Mathias, Daniel Taylor, Kevin Beaver and Robbie Harrell. Continue Reading
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News
18 Dec 2006
VoIP hacking exposed in new book
VoIP hacking is a reality, and in a new book, two VoIP security experts outline the tools and tricks to avoid a system-crushing hack. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Dec 2006
Enterprises are open to Asterisk
Organisations have become so comfortable with VoIP and standards that open-source technologies like Asterisk are being given serious consideration over big iron PBX platforms. Learn all about Asterisk here. Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2006
Swindon is broadband capital
Swindon is still the broadband capital of Britain, research on coverage has revealed. Continue Reading
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News
11 Dec 2006
SIP desktop phone blends functionality, style
VoIP desktop phones are no longer the clunky hunks of plastic that take up space on your desk. Siemens yesterday launched a new family of SIP phones that are as slick as they are functional. Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2006
Hitachi, BlueArc announce OEM partnership
What had been rumored to be an acquisition has turned out to be an OEM deal, but HDS has also made an investment in BlueArc, indicating an acquisition could be the next step. Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2006
Storage Decisions in the wild, wild west
Dedupe, iSCSI, backup, virtualisation and cowboys in Stetson hats -- Storage Decisions Las Vegas 2006 had it all. Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2006
Dell, Microsoft tout joint NAS product
The new NX1950 product is vastly more expensive than its counterparts from HP and NetApp, but it scales higher, supports clusters and has redundant controllers. Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2006
Symantec blames piracy for Veritas licensing snafu
Weekly compilation of storage news: Symantec says that software counterfeiting is throwing a wrench in tech support ; FRCP rules take effect. Continue Reading
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News
29 Nov 2006
Video conferencing brings desktop VoIP, app sharing
Voice, video and Web conferencing vendor Genesys adds desktop VoIP and enhanced application sharing to its collaboration lineup. Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2006
Virtual SAN product specifications
Product snapshots that highlight key specifications for a cross-section of VSAN platforms selected based on input from industry analysts and SearchStorage.com editors. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Nov 2006
VoIP convergence: Managing staffing issues
Companies making the transition to IP telephony must find a way to converge their voice and data networks -- and the employees who work on them. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Oct 2006
Production databases find a home on IP SANs
Dow Chemical will be cutting costs with a NetApp system; AirClic goes with EqualLogic's newest SAS array after evaluating both NetApp and EMC. Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2006
E-vaulting's many faces can confuse IT efforts
E-vaulting is the process that describes how enterprise IT departments ship backup tapes and replicate data to remote disk arrays and VTLs. E-vaulting is not a new concept, but more recently it has grown to mean remote backups and replication for SMBs/SMEs using third-party services. This article examines e-vaulting, highlights the major considerations and roadblocks in implementation, examines the impact of e-vaulting on real-life users and looks ahead at future e-vaulting trends. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Oct 2006
What storage managers are buying and why, page 5
What storage managers are buying and why Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Oct 2006
What storage managers are buying and why, page 4
What storage managers are buying and why Continue Reading
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News
23 Oct 2006
Comparing VoIP vendors
For many companies, the tough decision isn't whether to use IP telephony or not -- it's which vendor to choose. We've collected some of Carrie Higbie's tips and tricks for vendor selection, garnered from her "Ask-the-Expert" section. Carrie regularly answers your questions on the topic of "Preparing your network for VoIP." We've included links to her answers about comparing VoIP vendors for further information. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Oct 2006
Nokia E62 thin mobile productivity device
In this product review, John Shepler weighs in on Nokia's new E62 mobile device for Cingular Wireless. Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2006
Tiered storage becoming tried and true
Tiered storage matches the value of data with the performance (and expense) of storage. Ideally, tiered storage can save money, while easing the access demands to any single storage tier. While tiered storage has clearly brought storage costs and performance into focus, it has yet to reach its full potential in the enterprise. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2006
Voice over IP Fundamentals: Chapter 9, 'Billing and Mediation Services'
Voice over IP Fundamentals: Chapter 9, 'Billing and Mediation Services' Continue Reading
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News
14 Sep 2006
Three ways to create clustered storage, page 2
Clustered storage systems run on storage servers, NAS gateways and hosts. Here's how to determine which clustered file-system architecture is best for your needs and storage environment. Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2006
Dell and EMC: Five more years
Dell leans on EMC for support in the face of an SEC investigation and possible delisting from NASDAQ. Continue Reading
- News 06 Sep 2006
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News
06 Sep 2006
VoIP startup untethers would-be mobile workers from wireline office phones
VoIP startup DiVitas Networks has voice-over-WiFi-to-cellular technology in the works that gives endusers access to enterprise apps and puts dual-mode handset management in the hands of network administrators. Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2006
ControlGuard targets rogue devices
ControlGuard Access Manager is an effective tool for controlling what devices users can add to their workstations and how they are used. Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2006
VoIP outsourcing: Save money and gain flexibility
VoIP outsourcing is the way to go for organisations looking to deploy voice services quickly and flexibly without a major investment in skills and upkeep. Continue Reading
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News
04 Sep 2006
Revamped Cisco WAFS worth the wait, users say
Months late, Cisco has finally released a combined Wan optimisation and WAFS product, while startups like Riverbed have been snapping up the customers. But some Cisco beta testers say it has been worth the wait. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Sep 2006
Protecting wireless networks: Step 3
Security testing expert Kevin Beaver covers the tools and techniques needed to find and exploit insecure wireless networks. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Sep 2006
Protecting wireless networks: Step 2
Security testing expert Kevin Beaver covers the tools and techniques you'll need to find and exploit insecure wireless networks. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Sep 2006
Wireless network security testing
Attack your own wireless networks to find vulnerabilities before malicious hackers do. Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2006
VoIP outsourcing: Save money while gaining flexibility
VoIP outsourcing is the way to go for firms looking to deploy voice services quickly and flexibly without a major investment in skills and upkeep. Continue Reading
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News
29 Aug 2006
AT&T breach affects 19,000 customers
Online outlaws hacked into an AT&T computer system and stole credit card data on thousands of customers. AT&T has offered to pay for credit monitoring services for those affected. Continue Reading
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News
28 Aug 2006
Riverbed update offers users more bandwidth, better reporting
Riverbed announced a package of hardware and software updates, which some customers say they've been waiting for. Continue Reading
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News
27 Aug 2006
3PAR adds midrange array for secondary sites
3PAR has introduced a smaller version of its InServ Storage Server, which it describes as a product-line extension into its existing customer base. Continue Reading
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News
21 Aug 2006
Briefs: VoiceCon in the news
This week at VoiceCon we saw everything from managed VoIP services to IP phones made to make mobile workers right at home, wherever they are. Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2006
Cisco says it can't reproduce PIX flaw
Ever since a researcher at Black Hat outlined a flaw in the PIX firewall, Cisco has been trying to reproduce the security hole. So far, the company has been unsuccessful. Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2006
Cisco boosts VoIP certification
The upgraded CCNP midlevel Cisco certification now incorporates VoIP, security and wireless to boost converged network skills among enterprise professionals. Continue Reading
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News
03 Aug 2006
Vendors reject preferential knowledge sharing
While Cisco continues to investigate a potential PIX firewall flaw, it and other vendors say sharing security information quickly and indiscriminately is always the best policy. Continue Reading
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News
02 Aug 2006
Possible Cisco zero-day exploit revealed at Black Hat
Details of an alleged flaw related to SIP and PIX appliances, briefly mentioned in a Wednesday Black Hat presentation, are being kept under wraps as Cisco and US-CERT investigate. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2006
Blue Cross bears burden of 'no wireless' policy
Blue Cross of Idaho had a "no wireless" policy on paper but never really enforced it. That is, until a team of auditors said the company had better do something. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Jul 2006
Case study: A valuable solution
A new telephony and call centre solution from Inter-Tel has transformed the way that e.surv Chartered Surveyors is able to work. Continue Reading