What Do You Think ClearSight Networks Network Time Machine?

This week we zero in on ClearSight Networks' Network Time Machine in our ongoing series of profiles and reader evaluations of application performance management products. Born as AppDancer Networks in 2001, the company received a cash infusion from Japan's Toyo Corporation as well as new management and the ClearSight name in 2003. ClearSight's Network Time Machine is a traffic monitoring appliance designed for high-capacity Ethernet links.

Used by carriers, cable companies and large enterprises, the Network Time Machine differentiates itself from the protocol analyzer pack by high capture rates and large storage capacity. The Network Time Machine product family has capture capabilities ranging from 1.6 to 44 terabytes on a gigabit Ethernet link, and can store up to 40 days' worth of data about a single link under typical overall traffic conditions (average of 10% utilization over a 24-hour period).

ClearSight's marketing vice president Steve Wong tells us that that the Network Time Machine "captures every bit, byte, and network event", and can analyze the data as it captures it. According to Wong, the ability to simultaneously capture and analyze is important because "the data is of value only if you can make immediate use of it".

A software module called Atlas indexes and classifies the data for reporting purposes. This enables users to see long-term trends and do capacity planning--and it facilitates forensic analysis. Wong tells us that Atlas is especially well suited for monitoring VoIP protocols. In addition to providing MOS scores, jitter and latency, Atlas can retrieve all packets associated with any individual call. The company also touts the product's ability to monitor real-time video traffic.  

ClearSight recently announced interoperability with the freeware protocol analyzer Wireshark, and Wong tells us to expect other open source-related announcements in coming months (possibly pertaining to Snort).   

Tell us about your experience. If you have deployed ClearSight's Network Time Machine tell us what you think. Has it lived up to your expectations? What were your impressions? A simple "I like it", "I have mixed feelings", or "I hate it" response is fine--but if you have insight to share with the community, then talk all you want. You can post a reply to this blog using your name or anonymously.

• APM
• Application Performance Management
• ClearSight
• ClearSight Networks
• Network Time Machine
• Steve Wong
• Toyo
• Wireshark