NetScout Systems First to Monitor Multiple Enterprise WAN Links with New T1/E1 Probe.

WESTFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 1998--

Multi-Port T1/E1 Probe Extends NetScout Systems' Application Flow

Management Solution by Monitoring Up to Four T1/E1 WAN Links

NetScout(R) Systems, Inc., the leader in Application Flow Management solutions for connecting the network to the business, today announced the industry's first intelligent probe capable of simultaneously monitoring up to four individual WAN or T1/E1 WAN links in an Inverse Multiplex (IMUX) configuration as part of the company's Application Flow Management solution. The new NetScout T1/E1 Probe provides organizations with a cost-efficient way to verify service-level agreements and to track the flow of applications across the WAN, enabling businesses to more effectively measure the impact of applications on the network and on overall business success.

WAN links are among the most critical, and the most expensive, elements of a company's network infrastructure, which makes complete and uninterrupted access to WAN services essential to running the business and staying competitive. Because application traffic often traverses the extended enterprise, monitoring the flow of applications across multiple LAN and WAN segments is essential. The new product offers the highest density T1/E1 monitoring solution in the market, is Page 2 of 5 less expensive and easier to set up and configure. Concentrating multiple ports to a single probe takes up significantly less rack space than lower-density alternatives. This is a real advantage for IT organizations that must get the most use from expensive data center or wiring closet real estate. In addition to monitoring multiple individual T1/E1 links, the new product also supports inverse multiplexing, which has become a popular alternative to expensive T3 links.

"Ensuring the availability of business-critical applications over the WAN creates more complex challenges for network managers who must make the company more competitive through optimum network performance," said Michael Szabados, vice president, marketing for NetScout Systems. "The new T1/E1 Probe allows network managers better access to critical network connections. It lets them spend less time isolating network problems and more time maintaining the health of the network as a strategic business asset."

The NetScout T1/E1 Probe monitors T1 and E1 links at full wire speed and is targeted at large, growing companies with extensive WAN connectivity and a significant investment in their network infrastructure as a corporate asset. The Probe attaches to the network between a router and a Data Service Unit/Channel Service Unit (DSU/CSU) monitor. Because this is a passive connection, it will not affect overall WAN link performance and can be maintained without bringing down a company's backbone. It logs network statistics from both ends of the conversation on all WAN traffic, which means that only a single unit is needed. On Frame Relay links, the NetScout Probe automatically discovers Data Link Connection Identifiers (DLCIs) and Committed Information Rates (CIRs) and gives customers the flexibility to view the entire link or drill down to an individual DLCI. Also, this Probe is the only RMON Probe in the industry that is capable of monitoring on inverse multiplexing (IMUX).

"Inverse Multiplexing (IMUX) four T1 circuits is becoming an attractive option for corporate backbone configurations, providing companies like Ceridian a scalable, lower-cost alternative to a dedicated T3 circuit," said Pat Meyers, network analyst, for Ceridian Employer Services. "NetScout Systems is the only vendor that provides a WAN monitoring solution which supports an IMUX configuration, allowing us to prevent Frame Relay bottlenecks that could threaten our weekly payroll and billing application."

All network traffic statistics can be viewed with NetScout Manager Plus(tm), NetScout Systems' leading network management console and software solution. This suite of integrated applications correlates, analyzes, and displays all information graphically, enabling network managers to quickly identify performance details.

"Enterprise network managers need increased monitoring capabilities over their expanding WAN links, due to the importance of application traffic running on the network infrastructure," said Christopher Nicoll, senior analyst for Current Analysis, Sterling, VA. "NetScout Systems is addressing this need with its new multi-port T1/E1 WAN Probe in a cost-effective system that helps network managers improve network efficiency, capacity planning, performance tuning, policy management and accounting."

The NetScout T1/E1 WAN Probe provides the following:

-- Monitoring of up to four fully-loaded T1/E1 WAN links simultaneously

-- Support for up to 256 DLCIs per probe

-- Monitoring of T1 IMUX (Inverse Multiplexing) configuration

-- Monitoring for DSU/CSU shelf configurations (DL Ensemble)

-- Compatible with existing NetScout Manager Plus products and any RMON2-compliant application

Pricing and Availability

The NetScout T1/E1 Probe is currently available and lists at $4,250 per port for four ports and $6,000 per port for two ports.

About Application Flow Management from NetScout Systems

NetScout Systems' Application Flow Management solution is the most comprehensive enterprise-wide strategy to connect network performance with business needs. The company's leading, standards-based network monitoring and reporting capabilities provide business-critical information by tracking application traffic and activities throughout the enterprise network, including LANs, WANs, intranets, and extranets. Application Flow Management provides a new view into network performance that allows business decision makers as well as network managers to optimize quality of service and deliver on service level agreements. NetScout Systems' Application Flow Management solutions make it possible for all who participate in network management and design to share the responsibility for effecting business strategy through network performance.

NetScout Systems' Application Flow Management products give true visibility into business-critical network segments regardless of protocol or topology, supporting shared and switched LANs, VLANs, ATM, Frame Relay, T1/E1, T3/E3, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, FDDI, and Token Ring. These and other capabilities pioneered by NetScout Systems allow managers to confidently deploy electronic commerce, enterprise resource planning, workflow automation, and intranet solutions -- all without wasting expensive resources and risking network meltdown.

About NetScout Systems

NetScout Systems is the industry leader in Application Flow Management solutions that connect the network to the business. The company is a pioneer of standards-based instrumentation technology for application-aware network planning, troubleshooting, and service level management.

NetScout Systems' achievements as one of the industry's most successful network solutions companies have led to numerous product awards and corporate honors, including 21st ranking among the Inc. 500 fastest growing companies, and Ernst & Young's national Entrepreneur of the Year in the technology division, both in 1997. Founded in 1984, NetScout Systems is headquartered in Westford, Mass. Further information on the company is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.netscout.com.

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NetScout is a registered trademark and the NetScout logo and NetScout Manager Plus area trademarks of NetScout Systems, Inc. All other trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: NetScout Systems, Inc. KHJ Public Relations 

Aline Kaplan Stefanie Guzikowski

[phone] [phone] ext. 121

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