Trinagy unveils new network performance management solution

Network performance management specialist Trinagy, available in South Africa from Network Support Services (NSS), has created a new easy to use software solution for network performance management.

Called TREND 4.0, the new software automates the collection and analysis of performance data, warns service providers of impending network problems, and delivers customised reports in HTML or Java with full interactive access for Web browser users.

The software is available as an "out-of-the-box" automated solution as well as an expert toolkit that offers a high level of customisation to meet the most demanding requirements of service providers and their customers.

"TREND 4.0 enables service providers to use any Web browser on any computing platform, from any location to respond quickly to any network performance variables without having to wait hours for report generation," says Eugene McKenzie, solution specialist NSS.

"The products allows users to specify what data to collect, from which devices, and when to collect it," says McKenzie. "Reports can thus be customised to provide multiple virtual customer network views to fulfill service level agreement (SLA) requirements as well as total service provider network views - all from the same database," he adds.

Unlike other solutions, TREND 4.0 does not require a centralised database. Service providers have the expanded flexibility to add more servers whenever they are required to extend and optimise data collection management in a single network-wide database.

Supporting multiple repositories, pollers and clients, the software`s distributed architecture can handle a virtually unlimited number of elements.

TREND 4.0 supports proactive performance analysis of all systems and applications on the networks, troubleshooting, capacity planning, resource optimisation, service-level management, future growth as well as bandwidth usage predictions.

The software simplifies the complex task of custom report generation through Web wizards, drag-and-drop, and other familiar drawing techniques. Users can change report scenarios, view different time ranges, alter network threshold metrics, change graph types and formatting. Charts and tables can also be combined with graphics and text.

Reports include drill-down navigation to related charts for more detailed knowledge of network and device problems, as well as baseline information for comparison against average, maximum and minimum values. Data is stored in an XML file format for easier integration with operational and business support systems applications.

TREND 4.0`s interactive report viewer features secure login authentication, executive summaries for macro views of changes, trends and issues, "hot spot" conditions requiring immediate attention, and "Top Ten" contributors to growth and change.

The software includes TRENDuit, an instruction guide that enables service providers and enterppises to develop customised datapipes quickly and easily. These integrate non-SNMP compliant devices in virtually any format. Imported into TREND`s data store, this information delivers a more thorough and accurate representation of network resources.

TRENDuit has been production network-tested by carriers integrating operational and business support systems based applications like billing for more complete service level agreement verification and inventory management to ensure customer satisfaction and more accurate capacity planning.

"TREND provides the customisation required in a service provider environment to guarantee service level delivery. It also offers the analysis and reporting capabilities that empower enterprise customers," says McKenzie.

"With TREND, service providers can proactively manage service level agreements and optimise existing resources," he says. "Further, they can gain a competitive edge by correlating information from existing OSS/BSS applications with TREND to develop and deliver differentiated, revenue-generating services," he adds.