BOSTON (05/01/2000) - ADC Telecommunications Inc. today took the wraps off IPXpert, a new network management platform that will allow administrators to remotely test, restore and control a network's physical layer via a software interface. IPXpert will be on show at next week's NetWorld+Interop (N+I) event in Las Vegas.
Designed to manage IP (Internet Protocol) and ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) wide area data networks, IPXpert makes it possible for a network administrator to carry out the bulk of required testing and switching remotely from his or her desktop, ADC said in a statement issued today.
The software will help administrators manage their networks more proactively as it will eliminate their need to travel to the site where the physical layer is located for troubleshooting and testing.
As enterprises grow globally, so does the challenge for network administrators, said Rob Koziy, director of copper product management at ADC in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in today's statement. With IPXpert, administrators can work from "a centralized location without dispatching anyone to the site, according to Koziy.
IPXpert enables two modes of switching; alarm-triggered switching and scheduled switching. These two modes allow the network administrator to switch to redundant circuits and equipment remotely when required.
In the alarm-triggered mode, administrators can program IPXpert to generate an alarm and switch to redundant network equipment when trouble is indicated, thereby saving downtime, according to ADC.
In the scheduled mode, the switching can be automated so that traffic is carried over redundant lines while primary lines are tested or reconfigured.
The network administrator can use simple software-based management tools to manage the switching modes from his or her desktop. IPXpert supports common interfaces like Hewlett-Packard Co.'s OpenView for Windows network and systems management software, Telnet and SNMP (simple network management protocol). The software also supports various test instruments including protocol analyzers and sniffers.
IPXpert's chassis is a modular platform that can be populated with line cards as needed to support networks as they develop in size and complexity, ADC said.
Modules are available for RS-232, V.35, Ethernet (10BaseT), fiber-optic, T1/E1, DS3, and other common connector/interface types. IPXpert costs US$200 per interface and is now available for shipment worldwide.
ADC, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, can be reached at +1-952-938-8080 or at http://www.adc.com/.