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Net Optics

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Net Optics, Inc.
Company typePrivate Company
Founded1996
HeadquartersSanta Clara, California
Key people
Eldad Matityahu, Board Chairman
Bob Shaw, President & CEO
ProductsNetwork taps, Bypass Switches, Media Converters, Aggregation Taps, Regeneration Taps, data monitoring switches
Websitewww.netoptics.com

Net Optics is a manufacturer of network monitoring and intelligent access solutions for physical and virtual networks.[1] The company was established in 1996 by Eldad Matityahu. It is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and maintains a worldwide market presence through partners and reseller networks. Net Optics is a private company and supports approximately 7,500 customers[2] , including Fortune 500 companies, global governments, and network labs.[1][3]

Net Optics’ line of passive network monitoring access devices includes taps, bypass switches, regeneration taps, aggregators, data monitoring switches, and media converters. Products are designed and manufactured in the United States.[4] Net Optics' Network Performance Monitoring and Application Flow Monitoring solutions extend visibility and control into the application layer.[5]

History

Net Optics was founded in 1996 by Eldad Matityahu. The company’s original focus was producing network taps - hardware devices that monitor network traffic. Net Optics now offers a range of network monitoring solutions for telecommunications, banking, finance, government and large enterprise.[6] In 2011, Net Optics introduced the Phantom Virtual Tap, granting users 100% visibility in monitoring virtual network environments.[7]

In 2011, Net Optics surpassed the quarter-billion-dollar revenue mark and celebrated its 15th anniversary, marked by 60+ quarters of consecutive growth. Net Optics solutions are deployed by 85 of the Fortune 100 companies and by 50 percent of the Fortune 500.[8]

In January 2012, Net Optics announced its entry into the Network Performance Monitoring (NPM)/ Application Performance Monitoring (APM) arena with the acquisition of Triplelayer, a private Australia-based distributor, and its sister company, nMetrics, which specializes in network and application analysis software. [9] The first solution featuring the companies’ combined strengths, called the appTap, offers visibility and analytics for remote and branch offices.[10] The company’s Network Performance Monitoring family, called Spyke, extends Net Optics' Access Switching capabilities via an integrated solution that offers application intelligence (statistics, analysis) through deep packet inspection.[5]

Net Optics and Triplelayer have an eight-year history of joint deployments for global telecommunications providers, financial services firms and enterprises across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Triplelayer has been the primary distributor of Net Optics products in APAC since 2010.[9]

Net Optics works with various companies to produce compatible products for their respective industries. Net Optics is currently working with Cisco Systems, F5 Networks, TippingPoint, Oracle, Palo Alto Networks, Hewlett Packard, McAfee, and Imperva.[6][11][12][13][14]


Technical information

Taps

Test access ports or network taps are passive devices that enable tools such as protocol analyzers and security systems to monitor the data on a network link. Taps pass data transparently through their two network ports, while making copies of the data available on one or more monitoring ports. Conventional network Taps provide two monitoring ports, each receiving the half-duplex traffic flowing in one direction on the network link.[15]

Bypass switches

Bypass switches provide fail-safe access ports for in-line monitoring appliances such as intrusion prevention systems (IPS) and firewalls.[16] The bypass switch is connected in-line in a network link, and the monitoring appliance is connected to two monitoring ports on the byapss switch. During normal operation, link traffic flows into the bypass switch, through the monitoring appliance, and back out the bypass switch, completing the link. If the monitoring appliance loses power, is disconnected, or otherwise fails, the bypass switch passes traffic directly between its network ports, bypassing the monitoring tool, and ensuring that traffic continues to flow on the network link.[17]

The bypass switch is a passive appliance, so link traffic continues to flow even if the bypass switch itself loses power.

Some bypass switches send a Heartbeat packet through the monitoring appliance in order to ensure that the monitoring appliance is passing traffic; if the Heartbeat packet does not return to the bypass switch, the monitoring appliance is assumed to be down, and the switch goes into bypass mode, excluding the monitoring appliance from the traffic path.

Regeneration taps

Regeneration taps make multiple copies of traffic on a network link so multiple monitoring tools can observe the traffic simultaneously. Regeneration taps enable identical tools to be connected redundantly for increased availability. Or, different types of tools can be connected so traffic can be monitored simultaneously by groups with different charters. For example, a network security engineer can monitor traffic at the same time a system administrator does performance tuning.

Aggregators

Aggregators are taps that copy multiple traffic streams to a single monitoring port. Port aggregators combine the traffic flowing in both directions on a network link into a single stream that is copied to the monitoring port. Link aggregators combine traffic from multiple network links or Span ports into a single stream that is copied to the monitoring port.[18]

If the aggregated traffic in a port aggregator or link aggregator exceeds the bandwidth of the monitoring port, packets are dropped. However, some aggregators include buffering to temporarily store bursts of high-bandwidth traffic so packets are not dropped (unless the capacity of the buffer is exceeded).

Aggregators may also incorporate a regeneration function, making duplicate copies of the aggregated traffic available simultaneously on multiple monitoring ports.

Data monitoring switches

Data monitoring switches enable a pool of monitoring tools to access traffic from a large number of network links. They provide a combination of functionality including aggregating monitoring traffic from multiple links, regenerating traffic to multiple tools, pre-filtering traffic to offload tools, and directing traffic according to one-to-one and many-to-many port mappings. Data monitoring switches enable organizations to use their monitoring tools more efficiently, to centralize traffic monitoring functions, and to share tools and traffic access among groups.[19]

Media converters

Media converters are devices that pass network traffic between different types of network ports. Port types may include copper, multimode fiber, and singlemode fiber. For example, Net Optics media converters include 10 Gigabit SR to LR, 1 Gigabit LX to SX, SX to TX, and SX to FX. Media conversion functionality may be integrated with different models of Taps and Bypass Switches as well, enabling network links to be monitored by tools with different interfaces. For example, a Converter Tap may enable a fiber network link to be monitored by tools with copper interfaces.[20]

iTap Technology

Some Net Optics products include iTap technology, which provides the ability to remotely manage devices through SNMP and Web-based interfaces. iTap-enabled devices generate RMON traffic statistics including port utilization, peak utilization, packet count, oversize packet count, CRC error count, and other metrics.[21] Programmable threshold-based utilization alarms are also supported.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Business Week- Private Company Information
  2. ^ CRN - Customer Information
  3. ^ Net Optics - About Us. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  4. ^ "American manufacturing: Netoptics style". Clicker.com. October 9, 2011.
  5. ^ a b Cox, Mark (February 27, 2012). "Net Optics announces Spyke network performance monitoring solution for SMBs". eChannelLine.
  6. ^ a b Xavier, Jon (April 15, 2011). "Net Optics grows by finding new ways to tap data streams". Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.
  7. ^ Berndtson, Chad (February 16, 2011). "Net Optics Enables Holistic Monitoring For Physical, Virtual Networking". CRN.
  8. ^ GENTRY Magazine Summer 2011
  9. ^ a b Sibley, Lisa (January 23, 2012). "Net Optics acquires nMetrics and Triplelayer". Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.
  10. ^ Neagle, Colin (January 23, 2012). "Net Optics acquires nMetric, targets network intelligence". Network World.
  11. ^ Janakiraman, Shamila (August 4, 2009). "Net Optics, F5 Networks to Enhance Application Availability and Network Reliability for Businesses". TMCnews.
  12. ^ Increase Application Availability with External Bypass Switches, April 2009 white paper.
  13. ^ Berndtson, Chad (August 23, 2011). "Palo Alto Networks Expands Managed Security Services Program". CRN.
  14. ^ Panettieri, Joe (January 24, 2011). "Imperva Launches PartnerSphere Cloud Alliance (PCA)". Talkin' Cloud.
  15. ^ Processor.com - Improve Network Monitoring
  16. ^ Sys-Con Media.com - Net Optics, Inc. Introduces iBypass for Fail-Safe IPS Security Deployments
  17. ^ The Tolly Group - Net Optics 10/100/1000 iBypass Switch Evaluation
  18. ^ Miu, Denny K and Tim O'Neil - Aggregation Tap versus Tap Aggregation
  19. ^ About.com - Intelligence on Tap
  20. ^ The Network Encyclopedia - Media Converter
  21. ^ The Network Encyclopedia - Remote Network Monitoring (RMON)
  22. ^ Network Computing - Tap Into Easy Network Management
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