Fluke Networks released new software this week that helps eliminate risk associated with deploying or expanding VoIP services by assessing the current state of the network and previewing the service before it is deployed on that network.
Fluke’s NetAlly VoIP Assessment and Troubleshooting Software can shorten installation time periods by performing proper network assessments, detecting deficiencies in the network and pinpointing where corrective actions and fine-tuning are needed. NetAlly provides an accurate preview of the VoIP service as it will be delivered over a production IP network. It isn’t network simulation software; it generates traffic over the actual network and provides responses based on real-world measurements.
Gartner Research said in a recent report (Ignore IP Telephony Network Assessments at Your Own Risk) that despite numerous discussions of how the introduction of IP telephony impacts the enterprise data network, some enterprises and integrators still do not perform proper pre-deployment assessments of the enterprise network. “This often leads to unplanned additional costs or deployment delays. Properly performed network assessments are mandatory to reduce this risk,” the report said.
NetAlly software helps determine sufficient network capacity to support a proposed VoIP project. It also will discover the network devices and verify that QoS is enabled. The software will also calculate how many simultaneous VoIP calls can be supported and determine expected MOS quality at various levels of usage. Service levels by location and by time of day can be collected and documented. The user can then adjust device settings and/or QoS configurations to reach the expected level of service.
The NetAlly Test Center user interface runs on Fluke Networks’ OptiView Integrated Network Analyzer. This gives the user the ability to define tests, change test parameters and view results from anywhere on the network, combined with OptiView’s enterprise-wide vision and VoIP-specific diagnostics. The new version of NetAlly will also run independently on a stand-alone server. NetAlly version 7.0 is the result of Fluke Networks’ acquisition of key technology from Viola Networks, announced in August 2008.