Hot New Networking Products

Convergence Technology and Best In Show
VBrick Systems VBXcast (www.vbrick.com)\ VBXcast was also the Best of Interop Grand Prize Winner. VBXcast is notable because it's the first MPEG-4 video appliance to hit the enterprise market. MPEG-4 compression means the VBXcast uses less bandwidth than MPEG-2 predecessors while maintaining high-quality streams. Each box has multiple levels of security and control over audio and video input, along with scheduled streaming sessions via a friendly Web GUI.
Finalists: Cisco Systems IP Phones 7902G, 7905G and 7912G (www.cisco.com), Radvision viaIP 400 (www.radvision.com)

Best Start-Up
Tarari Anti-Virus Content Processor (www.tarari.com)\ Tarari has created a new architecture for accelerated content processing with its XML and antivirus products and the Tarari Content Processor, a plug-in PCI card for servers and appliances that lets developers and resellers deliver higher-performing applications to their customers.

Enterprise Network Infrastructure
3Com NJ90 Network Jack (www.3com.com)\ The NJ90 is a four-port, 10/100 switch packaged into a wall jack, giving new meaning to the term small footprint. It multiplies the capacity of cramped wiring closets by a factor of four while eliminating the disruption, cost and time involved in running and terminating new cable. The icing on the cake: a retail price of $99.
Finalists: EmergeCore Networks IT-100 "IT in a Box" (www.emergecore.com), Sprint SprintLink Frame Relay (www.sprint.com)

Network Applications Software
Computer Associates International CleverPath Portal (www.cai.com)\ CleverPath's Information In Action program lets organizations add high-octane knowledge management and business intelligence to their CleverPath Portal applications by welding business metrics into the dashboard.
Finalists: Enpia CDMaster (www.enpia.net); Websense Enterprise v5 (www.websense.com)

Network Servers and Peripherals
Digital V6 Kaveman 16 (www.digitalv6.com)\ Kaveman 16 sports all the features you'd expect from a high-quality IP KVM switch plus innovative extras, such as access for up to six people via IP with any browser that supports Java or with a VNC client. Kaveman's three integrated serial ports can be used for serial consoles, remote control of the Kaveman 16 with a modem, or for control of other serial devices. Finalists: American Power Conversion InfraStruXure (www.apc.com); Intel Pro/1000 MT Quad Port Server Adapter (www.intel.com)

Networked Storage
Cisco Systems MDS 9000 IP Storage Services Module (www.cisco.com)\ Cisco's MDS 9000 IP combines the benefits of Fibre Channel and Ethernet. This eight-port line card supports both iSCSI and FCIP simultaneously on each port and delivers wire-speed performance.
Finalists: Computer Associates BrightStor SAN Manager (www.cai.com); Sony Electronics SAIT-1 drive (www.storagebysony.com)

Network Test and Measurement
Ixia Optixia & OLM1000STXS24 Load Module (www.ixiacom.com)\ Ixia's new load module, a RISC-based traffic generation blade for the Optixia line, offers interchangeable fiber and copper ports, a centralized software-distribution model and support for 48 independent instances of Linux (one per port).
Finalists: Spirent Communications IPSec Hardware Accelerator (www.spirent.com); WildPackets RFGrabber Solution (www.wildpackets.com)

Network Management
Panacya BusinessAware 2.2 (www.panacya.com)\ BusinessAware helps businesses resolve service-delivery issues quickly with its thresholding and organizational technology. It replaces the usual static thresholds that swell IT maintenance costs with intelligent dynamic thresholds built with baseline, real-time and expert input.
Finalists: Lumeta IPsonar 2.0 (www.lumeta.com); OPNet Technologies VNE Server 1.2 (www.opnet.com)

Security
netForensics 3.1 (www.netforensics.com)\ NetForensics distributes the database for local load-balancing and rules for forwarding events to a central database, improving performance. It manually correlates events across multiple security events, providing accurate naming regardless of the originating sensor. And its Java-based user interface overcomes HTML limitations to offer numerous feature enhancements, such as high-level visualizations and context-sensitive launching of external management consoles.
Finalists: Computer Associates eTrust Security Command Center (www.cai.com); CyberGuard NSP2000B-SSL Half-Height (www.cyberguard.com)