NAI unveils Netasyst for SMBs

Network Associates Inc. (NAI) on Monday introduced Netasyst Network Analyzer, the newest addition to its Sniffer Technologies Division.

The product is targeted at small and medium-size businesses (SMB), offering the ability to ensure network performance and monitor data on 10/100 LAN and 802.11a and 802.11b wireless networks.

Netasyst Network Analyzer conducts packet-by-packet inspection to determine the most affected network areas and employs optional Expert Analysis system to determine root causes, the company reports.

The software is capable of pinpointing misconfigured devices such as routers, servers, or workstations. It also rolls out detailed remediation techniques to rectify brownouts, outages, and network degradation, said Christopher Thompson, vice president of product marketing with Network Associates’ Sniffer division in Santa Clara, Calif.

Thompson dubbed Netasyst Network Analyzer the “little brother of Sniffer portable,” and said the network protocol analyzer offers traffic visibility into Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server. Additional software options, such as Netasyst Voice, provide SMBs with insight into their voice and video communications traffic, he added.

The increasing complexity and infrastructure costs directly related to network expansion and security considerations is leading many SMB customers away from in-house techniques in favor of external support, notes Stephen Elliot, senior analyst of Framingham, Mass.-based IDC.

“There comes a point with every network manager, especially for SMBs, that you’re architecture just gets too big,” said Elliot. “It’s taking too much time and higher cost to continue with home grown solutions.”

However, Elliot said NAI’s foray into the highly fragmented SMB market through a network management proposition, as opposed to strictly security, is a difficult task. 

“Traditionally you don’t think of Network Associates of being inexpensive … building up credibility or perception in the SMB channel is probably [NAI’s] big challenge and history tells us that’s extremely tough to do,” remarked Elliot.

Netasyst Network Analyzer runs on Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP. The product comes in six different forms depending on size and with or without Expert Analysis. Without Expert: Netasyst Network Analyzer – L (10/100 LAN) is priced at $1,395; Netasyst Network Analyzer – W (802.11 Wireless) costs $1,395; and Netasyst Network Analyzer – WL (LAN and Wireless) is $2,790.

With Expert: Netasyst Network Analyzer – L (10/100) costs $3,295; Netasyst Network Analyzer – W (802.11 Wireless) is priced at $3, 295; and Netasyst Network Analyzer – WL (LAN and Wireless) is $6,590.