BreakingPoint unveils BPS-1000 network-test appliance

Start-up BreakingPoint Systems on Tuesday unveiled its first product, a network-performance and -security test appliance called the BPS-1000, designed to evaluate routers and switches.

According to CEO Des Wilson, the BPS-1000 can be used to test Layer 2 to Layer 7 security in router and switch equipment. The network-test appliance is intended for use by vendors, ISPS and large enterprises, and Juniper is said to be among BreakingPoint’s first customers.

“You plug the router into our product, and it automatically generates reports on sessions and how it’s handling them,” said Wilson. In security testing, BPS-1000 can simulate attacks on security modules which might be part of network equipment, including firewalls, antivirus and intrusion-detection/prevention systems.

The BPS-1000 costs $185,000 and is available now.

Austin, Texas-based BreakingPoint Systems, which has 41 employees, was founded in 2005 by engineers, including Dennis Cox, formerly CTO at TippingPoint. Cox said he was eager to be part of BreakingPoint because he felt there was insufficient equipment in the market that could test network and application layers at the same time.

BreakingPoint has received $13 million in venture-capital, but its founders say the bulk of the financing is angel investments from management.