NetResults

Netscreen-500

SCORE: 4.15COMPANY: NetScreen, (403) 730-6000, www.netscreen.com PRICE: $25,000 (base system; $35,000 as tested). PROS:High performance in a small package; easy to configure; multiple virtual systems; built-in encryption acceleration.CONS:GUI may be too simple for enterprise managers; only three interfaces in current software.

Scorecard Netscreen-500 Performance 30% 5 Features 25% 4 Management 25% 3 Ease of use 10% 5 Installation 10% 4 Total score 4.15

Individual category scores are based on a scale of 1 to 5. Percentages are the weight given each category in determining the total score. Scoring key: 5: Exceptional showing in this category. Defines the standard of excellence; 4: Very good showing. Although there may be room for improvement, this product was much better than average; 3: Average showing in this category. Product was neither especially good nor exceptionally bad; 2: Below average. Lacked some features or lower performance than other products, or than was expected; 1: Considerably subpar, or lacking features being reviewed.

Performance benchmarks Description Performance (less than 0.1% loss) Throughput, 1,280 octet packet size, 20 streams 720M bit/sec Throughput, 1,280 octet packet size, 2,000 streams 720M bit/sec Throughput, 1,280 octet packet size, 20,000 streams 720M bit/sec Throughput, Internet packet size mix, 20 streams 150M bit/sec Throughput, Internet packet size mix, 2,000 streams 140M bit/sec Throughput, Internet packet size mix, 20,000 streams 100M bit/sec Connection setup/teardown, 100,000 connections 13,000 connections/sec Combination setup and throughput, Internet packet size mix, 20 streams 150M bit/sec Combination setup and throughput, Internet packet size mix, 2,000 streams 120M bit/sec Combination setup and throughput, Internet packet size mix, 20,000 streams 60M bit/sec VPN IPSec Triple-DES Encryption, 1,440 octet packets 238M bit/sec VPN IPSec Triple-DES Encryption, Internet packet size mix 100M bit/sec