About a year ago, Network World shined its spotlight on 10 IT management companies poised to challenge industry veterans. The newcomers took on network, systems, applications, security and more.

Here’s a brief look at what these companies have done for you lately.

CiRBA

Why it made the list: CiRBA's DCI (Data Center Intelligence) software detects detailed configurations, changes and differences across heterogeneous environments, helping customers with data-center consolidation and virtual-server planning. "This is going to be something the big guys will want to have as virtualization adoption moves more aggressively into production," says Evelyn Hubbert a senior analyst at Forrester Research.

Highlights from past year: CiRBA recently at VMworld detailed its latest release DCI 4.4, which is fully integrated with VMware. Also IBM Global Technology Services and Unisys Enterprise Solution Services in August separately announced they would standardize all server consolidation and virtualization analysis engagements on DCI.

FiveRuns

Why it made the list: FiveRuns Systems Management is delivered using a software-as-a-service model, which offers small-to-midsize companies short on IT staff the means to bring enterprise-level monitoring in house. "FiveRuns offers some interesting management tools for SMBs," says Rich Ptak, principal and founder of research firm Ptak, Noel and Associates.

Highlights from past year: The company launched its new platform Rails Management Suite in May and has signed some 60 companies as customer to date. Ruby on Rails is an open source Web framework on which FiveRuns built its management platform. The company made available this year two components of the suite, RM-Manage and RM-Install. The latter is a freeware application, which has been downloaded hundreds of times and that helps customers develop, deploy and manage Rails applications.

Kace

Why it made the list: Kace packaged its IT management and provisioning software applications on easy-to-install KBOX appliances targeted for small-to-midsize customers.. The company also received a stamp of approval from former Cisco CIO Peter Solvik, whose venture capital firm Sigma Partners invested in the company's second round of funding. Solvik sits on the board of directors at Kace.

Whitepapers

• Monitoring and Managing App Performance
• Monitoring and Managing VoIP
• SNMP Monitoring: One Critical Component to Network Management
• SNMP Monitoring: One Critical Component to Network Management
• A Modern Approach to On-Demand Email and Data Security
• Best Practices for HP Servers and HP Enterprise Virtual Array in a Microsoft Exchange

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Webcasts

• Key Considerations for a Successful 802.11n Deployment
• Best Practices for Deploying WAN Optimization for Disaster Recovery
• Tips and Techniques for Remote Data Backup and Delivery
• WAN Optimization Landscape
• Lowering the Cost of Email Archives
• The High-Touch Remote Helpdesk: Centralized Support for the Decentralized Organization

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Special Reports

• Network World Executive GUide: The Virtualization Equation
• Application Performance Management Executive Guide
• Executive Guide: Building a Service Oriented Architecture
• Optimizing Your Network Management Strategy for Today's Economy
• Get More From Your WAN
• Executive Guide: Storage Heats Up

View more NETWORK MANAGEMENT special reports