Network monitoring and management is pretty much a must-have technology for the enterprise, especially for those companies that use VoIP and other bandwidth-intensive applications such as video. But for remote sites or branch offices that utilize less than 100Mb of bandwidth, on-site management applications are few and far between. Plus, those that do exist come with a hefty price tag, making the idea of on-site management for smaller offices pretty much a pipe dream.

Net Optics, however, hopes to literally tap this market with its appTap appliance, an integrated network and application monitoring solution designed specifically for remote networks and featuring a built-in network Tap. appTap includes three features designed to make it a must-have for the branch office/remote network crowd: plug-and-play design, a built-in Tap eliminating the need for separate hardware, and an affordable price point (the device starts at about $3,000 for network monitoring).

“Smaller offices usually have an IT administrator but not a fully staffed IT department, so they can’t effectively manage their networks to determine where slowdowns and bottlenecks are occurring,” said Daniel Aharon, director of access solutions at Net Optics. “This solution allows them to manage their infrastructure in a cost-effective manner, giving them visibility right away with no overhead or highly skilled engineers. It’s almost a perfect solution for these remote sites.”

appTap captures and analyzes network traffic, application activity and monitors VoIP calls to determine performance factors such as jitter, underperforming applications or insufficient network bandwidth. Intuitive reports illustrate traffic flow and spell out where bottlenecks or traffic slowdown points are originating, such as bandwidth-heavy applications or websites.

As more companies of all sizes make the shift to IP communications and utilize bandwidth-intensive applications, solutions such as appTap are finding a market, Aharon said.

“We noticed this is an untapped market – no one until now had provided a solution for this space. Of the solutions that do exist, most are out of reach for the size of the office. We also had a very clear push from our resellers to provide this kind of solution,” he said. “The fact that it’s a branch-size location doesn’t mean it’s not important. That lack of visibility is driving the push for solutions such as this in a cost-effective manner.”

Aharon noted the price for appTap will start at around $3,000 for networking monitoring capabilities, and application and session monitoring capabilities will be slightly more, “making it a very affordable and cost-effective solution available for every branch site.” That translates into opportunity for resellers servicing enterprise companies with branch offices, or even small businesses with up to 100Mb Internet connections.

Managed services providers, likewise, may find value in appTap, especially those who manage branch and remote sites for companies. The device can run different streams of network bandwidth for multiple clients and segregate those streams, eliminating any conflict of interest or potential exposure. “MSPs can make great use of this product,” Aharon said.

appTap is slated for availability in the second quarter of 2011.

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