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Interactive scorecard and NetResults: SLA tools

Network World Fusion, 04/03/00

Every network is unique. This calculator lets you change the weights given to scores from our review to see which product might be best suited for your needs. Here's how it works: In each category, our reviewers rated the apps on a 1-10 basis. These ratings are then multiplied by the percentage weighting, and then added up to give an overall product score. Any score above 9 is considered "world class."

For each category below, assign the percentage weight you think is most appropriate. The percent-o-meter box on the right will keep track of your weightings to let you know when you've reached 100%. When you fill in the last box, hit your enter key, and you'll see how the apps rate (along with our final scores for comparison).

Percent-
o-meter

Category	Our weight	Your weight
Reports	25%	%
Accuracy	20%	%
Traffic and device discovery	20%	%
Protocols	10%	%
Administration	10%	%
Net. mgmt. integration	5%	%
Document.	5%	%
Install.	5%	%

Results table

Below, you'll find the 1-10 score given to each app by our reviewers. To obtain the final score: Multiply each individual score by the weighting given that category, then add up all those resulting numbers.

Visual Up
Time 5.2.3 with Visual Net
works DSU/ CSUs Lucent Vital
Suite 7.1 Con
cord Net
work Health FR Mod. 4.5.1 Net
Reality Wise
WAN 200 probe and Wise
WAN 3.1.1 Para
dyne Frame
Saver SLV DSU/ CSUs with Open
Lane 5.1

Reports 9 8 8 7 7

Accuracy 9 7 7 4 4

Traf. and dev. disc. 9 9 9 6 6

Protocols 8 8 8 6 6

Admin. 5 9 8 9 6

Net mgmt integ. 6 6 6 6 6

Doc. 6 7 6 6 6

Install 9 7 8 7 8

Our total 8.20 7.90 7.80 6.20 5.95

YOUR TOTAL

NetResults

Net Results
Visual UpTime 5.2.3
Starts at $19,995
Visual Networks, Inc.
2092 Gaither Road
Rockville, MD 20850
301-296-2300
Web site
Pros: Accurate, precise SLA monitoring tool
Cons: Drilling down through the user interface for detail is more difficult than with WiseWAN or VitalSuite

Network Health FR Module 4.5.1
Starts at $10,000
Concord Communications, Inc.
33 Boston Post Road West
Marlboro, MA 01752
800-851-8725
508-460-4646
Pros: Excellent vendor-neutral data gathering and reporting tool
Cons: Network discovery and baselining can take a great deal of time

FrameSaver SLV CSU/DSUs with OpenLane 5.1
Starts at $3,000 ($7,985 as tested)
Paradyne Corp.
8545 126th Avenue North
Largo, FL 33773
800-727-2396
727-530-2000
Web site
Pros: FrameSaver SLVs have built-in intelligence for monitoring a link; OpenLane takes full advantage of this intelligence
Cons: OpenLane is less useful with other vendors' CSU/DSUs

WiseWAN 200 and WiseWAN 3.1.1
Starts at $2,495 per link
NetReality, Inc.
2350 Mission College Blvd., Suite 900
Santa Clara, CA 95054
408-988-8100
Pros: Superior user interface; supports traffic shaping
Cons: Trend analysis is rudimentary

VitalSuite 7.1
$44,000 for unlimited servers, 100 desktops and 50 network devices
Lucent Technologies, Inc.
1213 Innsbruck Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
888-767-2988
650-318-1000
Web site
Pros: Full-featured network monitoring tool; intuitive user interface
Cons: Expensive