New Products

GLOBEtrotter Software has announced two new versions of its electronic licensing software, FLEXlm 5.11 and FLEXadmin 1.3. GLOBEtrotter also announced the immediate availability of FLEXadmin-lite 1.3, as free software asset management from the http://www.globetrotter.com Web site. Product enhancements improve software asset management for large organizations that need to monitor or enforce user compliance with license terms. The tools also facilitate electronic commerce for software.

According to GLOBEtrotter, FLEXlm is the de facto standard for license management, "Over 15,000 software products use FLEXlm, ..., in more than $20 billion of installed sofware products." GLOBEtrotter is looking to Internet distribution. They state: "in 1996, over $4 billion of software licenses were distributed via the Internet using FLEXlm." FLEXlm 5.11 increases the flexibility of the tool. FLEXlm 5.11 enhancements include extensions to the pay-per-use technology, an emerging software licensing approach; expansion of lenient licensing models, for software vendors who want to provide only software asset management to customers without controlling software use; and greater control for systems administrators in allocating license resources between different groups.

FLEXadmin was introduced in 1995 as a tool to support software asset management as well as the management of license servers and certificates.

FLEXadmin is designed for system and network administrators and provides services for installing, controlling, monitoring, and reporting on the use of license servers and software licenses across networks from a central graphical interface. Administrators can manage increasing numbers of licenses over worldwide heterogeneous networks from a single station. FLEXadmin 1.3 includes the addition of Project Accounting Capability; enhanced "Unattended Management" with more alarms and triggers; improvements to and broading of reporting capability; and integration of usage data across an enterprise - supporting consolidation of data from multiple license servers.

For more information, contact GLOBEtrotter Software, 300 Orchard City Drive, Suite 131, Campbell, CA 95008; (408) 370-2800; Fax: (408) 370-2884; WWW: http://www.globetrotter.com.

Workstation Solutions Announces Quick Restore for Windows NT and DEC ALPHA

Workstation Solutions has announced Quick Restore V2.2, a backup and recovery system for heterogeneous Windows NT and UNIX networks. From a central management console, Quick Restore can automate backups for Windows NT and UNIX clients to a variety of storage devices. Quick Restore provides a GUI-based Restore Browser that provides an integrated view of Windows NT and UNIX files to simplify retrieval.

Quick Restore provides automated scheduling, support for over 80 robots and tape drives, and a POSIX-compliant backup format. Quick Restore uses custom device drivers in the interest of performance, exploiting a hardware feature called "direct-to-block positioning." Quick Restore adheres to the industry standard for TAR-compliant data backup (ISO 9945), so data can be recovered using other POSIX-compliant utilities if necessary. Quick Restore V2.2 allows backup and recovery of the NTFS (NT File System) and FAT (File Allocation Table) file systems, as well as data objects such as the NT Registry file, ACLs, extended file attributes, and alternate data streams. Quick Restore also supports the NTFS Unicode character set and internationalized file and directory names.

Server software packages are priced at $5,400, including an unlimited number of clients of the same architecture in the same administrative domain. Client software is priced at $1,800 per type of client architecture and includes an unlimited number of clients of the same architecture in the same domain. Windows NT client software is priced per client, which can be distributed across multiple media servers as long as they are in the same administrative domain. Prices range from $2,250 for five clients to $15,000 for 200 clients. For more information, contact Workstation Solutions, Inc., One Overlook Drive, Amherst, NH 03031-2800; WWW: http://www.worksta.com.

FacetCorp Updates FacetWin

FacetCorp, has announced the release of FacetWin Version 1.1. FacetWin provides a solution for Windows95 and Windows NT to UNIX integration, including file and print services, terminal emulation, PC backup/restores, email and modem servers, and remote computing support. FacetWin version 1.1 includes enhanced server and terminal emulation features.

FacetWin is based on the Common Internet File System (CIFS), formerly known as SMB. This is the primary system that Microsoft Windows uses for networking PCs. FacetWin provides a UNIX CIFS server and avoids the need for additional software on the PCs to access UNIX file and print services. FacetWin's terminal emulator was designed as a native 32-bit application for Windows 95 or Windows NT, leveraging the technology from the FacetTerm product line.

Version 1.1 provides new server features, including: centralized messaging from the UNIX system administrator to all FacetWin users; "guest accounts" for users without UNIX login accounts who need file or print access; mixed case file name support; PPP proxy support; simple administration menu; and status utilities. New emulator features include: complete keyboard mapping; function key programming; improved support for non-U.S. languages and keyboards; National Replacement Character keyboard modes for compatibility with older 7-bit applications in non-U.S. locales; the ability to launch PC applications from a UNIX server; enhancements to emulator performance; and wide-column mode support under application program control.

FacetWin 1.1 is a point release and is available free of charge to existing licensed users, as is technical support. Any FacetWin licensed customer may download and use this version without re-registering the software. Pricing is $195 for a single-user license of FacetWin, with multi-user discounts available. FacetCorp offers a free 30-day evaluation copy of FacetWin. FacetWin Version 1.1 is available for download at: www.facetcorp.com. For more information, contact FacetCorp, 4031 West Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75093; (972) 985-9901; Fax: (972) 612-2035; WWW: www.facetcorp.com.

BAPCo Releases SYSmark/NT 4.0

The Business Applications Performance Corp. (BAPCo) has released SYSmark for Windows NT 4.0, a standard tool for measuring the performance of computers running popular business applications under Windows NT 3.51 and Windows NT 4.0. SYSmark/NT 4.0 permits performance comparisons across both Intel and Alpha architectures.

SYSmark/NT 4.0 was designed for five basic market segments: corporations that are migrating to Windows NT; end users making purchasing decisions; testing labs; systems developers interested in analyzing and tuning product performance; and VARs/resellers.

Benchmarking workloads in SYSmark/NT 4.0 represent word processing, spreadsheet, project management, computer-aided design, and presentation graphics programs. SYSmark features include: an automated point-and-click Windows NT Workload Manager; automated setup of the operating environment for consistent workload execution; collection and storage of data for user-specified projects; automatic generation of BAPCo's Full Disclosure Report (FDR) for consistent reporting results; statistical consistency for all categories of testing; a run option for executing the NT Performance Monitor in parallel with the workloads to provide data for analysis and system tuning; and support for testing by networked users.

Workloads based on the following applications for Intel and Alpha platforms are included in SYSmark/NT 4.0: word processing - Microsoft Word 6.0 (native 32-bit on all architectures); spreadsheet - Microsoft Excel 5.0 (native 32-bit on all architectures); project managment - Welcom Software Technology Texim Project 2.0e (native 32-bit on all architectures); computer-aided design - OrCAD Layout for Windows 7.0 (PCB design tool) (native 32-bit on all architectures); presentation graphics - Microsoft PowerPoint 4.0 (16-bit Windows emulation).

SYSmark/NT 4.0 is available for $495 on CD-ROM for Alpha and Intel-based customers running Windows NT Version 3.51 or 4.0. Upgrades from SYSmark for Windows NT Version 1 are available for $49. The benchmark was developed and is fully supported by the current BAPCo membership, which includes AER Energy Resources, Amdahl, Apricot Computers, Client/Server Labs LLC, Compaq, Dell, Digital Equipment Corp., Duracell, EMAP Computing Labs, Gateway2000, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, InfoWorld, Intel, Lotus, Microsoft, Motorola, NEC Technologies, Texas Instruments, Unisys, VNU Business Publications Ltd., and Ziff-Davis Labs.

BAPCo is a non-profit corporation that develops computer performance benchmarks based on popular business applications running under industry standard operating systems. BAPCo's SYSmark products can be ordered by calling (800) 321-0457 or (408) 988-7654. For more information, contact BAPCo, 2200 Mission Blvd., RN2-02, Santa Clara, CA 95052; (408) 988-7654; Fax: (408) 765-4920; WWW: http://www.bapco.com.

Red Hat Releases Red Hat Linux 4.1

Red Hat Software has released Red Hat Linux 4.1 for Intel, Alpha, and SPARC platforms. Red Hat Linux 4.1 is an operating system for connecting servers to the Internet. Red Hat Linux 4.1 provides the tools to use Intel PC, DEC Alpha, and Sun SPARC computers as Linux workstations. Red Hat Linux 4.1 includes the Red Hat Package Manager system and the Linux kernel 2.0.27. Also the Red Hat Linux 4.1 installation system uses fill-in-the-blank forms and intelligent automation for network, package, and module configuration.

The Red Hat Linux 4.1/Intel boxed set provides additional development tools, including Sun's Java Development Kit, JDK 1.0.2 for building and running Java applications. Metro-X 3.2 advanced X server form Metro Link and the Red Baron secure Web browser built on Spyglass technology are also included. The Red Hat Linux 4.1 boxed set includes two CD-ROMs and the Red Hat Linux 4.1 User's Guide.

Red Hat Linux 4.1 is published under the GPL and may be downloaded from Red Hat's ftp site: ftp://ftp.red.hat.com/pub/redhat/redhat-4.1. For more information about Red Hat Linux 4.1, contact Red Hat Software, Durham, NC; (800) 454-5502; WWW: http://redhat.com.

Tivoli Introduces TME 10 Security Management

Tivoli Systems Inc. has introduced TME 10 Security Management, which centralizes enterprise security management and extends mainframe-class access control across distributed computing environments. TME 10 Security Management also provides application-centric management views and provides "out-of-the-box" integration with third-party security products. TME 10 Security Management includes two core components: the Tivoli Access Control Facility (TACF) and the Tivoli Centralized Security Console (TCSC). TACF, developed by Tivoli in partnership with MEMCO Software, is modeled after RACF, an access control product for datacenter environments. TACF supports access control to distributed platforms such as UNIX and Windows NT.

TCSC centralizes enterprise security management at a single point of control across host and distributed environments and serves as an integration point for third-party security products. The TCSC uses TME 10 GEM's "Management Integration Services" to centralize security management throughout the enterprise and mask the underlying IT infrastructure. Security administrators can perform security operations across host and distributed platform in a single action. Also by using the TME 10 GEM's "Application Policy Manager" and extensions to Tivoli's Applications Management Specification (AMS), the TCSC lets the administrator manage IT resources from an application perspective. Also, the TCSC supports integration with ISS' Internet Scanner and IBM Global Services' AntiVirus. TME 10 Security Management also supports integration with 12 other security vendors including: AXENT, Check Point, CKS Software, CyberSafe, Cygnus Support, DynaSoft, Haystack Labs, IBM/ISSC, Mergent, Santix, Security Dynamics, and Trusted Information Systems.

TME 10 Security Management supports UNIX platforms, Novell NetWare, RACF, Windows NT. According to the company, support for ACF-2 and DCD is expected in a later release. TME 10 Security Management is priced at $2,000 per server and $75 per client. For more information, contact Tivoli Systems Inc., 9442 Capital Of Texas Hwy. North, Austin, TX 78759; (512) 436-8000; Fax: (512) 794-0623; WWW: http://www.tivoli.com.

Ready-To-Run Announces FrontPage Server Extensions

Ready-To-Run Software has announced Microsoft FrontPage Server Extension for UNIX Web servers. Microsoft FrontPage is a Web authoring and management tool for UNIX Web servers and Windows 95 and Windows NT servers. FrontPage UNIX Server Extension supports Sun Solaris, SunOS, Digital UNIX, HP-UX, Silicon Graphics IRIX, BSD/OS, and Red Hat Linux. Under an agreement with Microsoft Corp., Ready-to-Run Software will assist in providing support for the FrontPage server extension including porting the extension to new platforms, making the extension widely available via the Internet (http://www.rtr.com/fpsupport/download.htm), and providing support via phone and email.

The FrontPage Server Extension includes FrontPage features such as remote authoring, remote site management, and WebBot components. WebBot components let non-programmers create professional quality Web sites by "dropping" into their Web sites features such as full-text search, threaded discussion groups, and registration forms.

Information on Microsoft FrontPage can be obtained at: http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage. For more information, contact Ready-To-Run Software, 4 Pleasant St., P.O. Box 2038, Forge Village, MA 01886; (508) 692-9922; Fax: (508) 692-9990; Internet: info@rtr.com.

Transarc Introduces Internet DE-Light

Transarc Corporation has introduced Internet DE-Light, a Java-enabled client for standards-based distributed transaction processing. Internet DE-Light combines Secure Socket Layer (SSL) with Distributed Computing Environment's (DCE) security service and Transarc's Encina transaction monitor. DCE is an integrated suite of services for developing, deploying, and maintaining distributed applications in heterogeneous client/server environments. Encina provides platform-independent transactional integrity, record-oriented file storage, the XA standard database integration, and secure mainframe connectivity.

Internet DE-Light lets standard Web browsers, such as Netscape's Navigator or Microsoft's Internet Explorer, access DCE and Encina services. Upon connection with the Web server, a Java applet is passed to the browser, making a direct connection between the browser and Internet DE-Light. From the browser to the Web server, SSL is used for data encryption and message integrity. Once the Internet DE-Light Java applet connects with the DE-Light gateway, the DCE security services take over. DCE security offers security on three levels: authentication, which establishes who the user is; authorization, which identifies file access on a user by user basis; and encryption, which ensures the privacy of a file as it travels through the network. Internet DE-Light also offers a Java client library that includes APIs that integrate Internet DE-Light with other application development tools.

Internet DE-Light Gateway supports Solaris and AIX. According to Transarc, Internet DE-Light for Windows NT and HP-UX will become available during the second quarter of 1997. Pricing for Internet DE-Light starts at $2,000 per gateway and $100 per client connection. For more information, contact Transarc Corporation, The Gulf Tower, 707 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219; (412) 338-4400; Fax: (412) 338-6977; Internet: sales@transarc.com; WWW: http://www.transarc.com.

Heroix Announces RoboMon 6.1 for UNIX

Heroix Corporation has announced RoboMon Version 6.1 for UNIX. Features of RoboMon V6.1 for UNIX include universal database monitoring and problem solving, as well as support for SNMP-based frameworks such as OpenView and NetView. A feature of RoboMon V6.1 is the RoboMon Omni-Collector. The Omni-Collector, which monitors Oracle, Ingres, and Sybase databases, lets system managers instruct RoboMon to monitor and take action on problems based on data that can be generated by the computer system. The Omni-Collector can also look at logs and other files generated by application to detect and correct problems. Not only does RoboMon V6.1 detect database problems, but it can also detect anomalies in company data such as sales, inventory, or cash levels.

RoboMon V6.1 supports a specific trap number on the SNMP action, which it uses to report to network managers such as NetView, OpenView, and Sun NetManager. The user can use the trap number as a severity indicator, which provides the network manager with a picture of the problems RoboMon is detecting on each system. By using a TCP/IP server, RoboMon V6.1 for UNIX can interoperate with RoboMon on Windows NT and OpenVMX for transparent multiple-platform monitoring. Also realtime problems and events detected on an operating system can be centralized to a single RoboMon Event Monitor display.

RoboMon V6.1 for UNIX ships with an out-of-the-box rule set that lets system administrators use, extend, and tailor the product for site-specific requirements. Prices for RoboMon V6.1 for UNIX range from $300 to $2,500 per machine. For more information, contact Heroix Corporation, Newton, MA; (800) 229-6500; WWW: http://www.RoboMon.com.

Livermore Announces PORTUS v2.2

Livermore Software Labs has announced PORTUS v2.2, "hacker-proof" firewall protection. PORTUS defends WWW servers; database servers by Oracle, Informix, and Sybase; and Lotus Notes servers while providing controlled user access to Net resources. PORTUS includes a series of security protocols, including Out of Band Authentication (OOBA), in which users must pass a set of security checks to gain network access. Both external and internal users' access can be limited by user, group, time, date, and application. PORTUS is MISSI compliant and lets network administrators customize PORTUS to meet their specific requirements.

PORTUS v2.2 includes a generalized proxy server. The proxy server adds firewall support for new Internet applications without writing a special new proxy. PORTUS also provides a "virtual firewall" system. Web servers are protected by putting them behind the firewall and isolating them from the rest of the network. According to the company, the result is a single firewall functioning as multiple firewalls. PORTUS v2.2 logging features include network auditing reports, monitoring how system resources are being used, by whom, how often, and for how long. PORTUS v2.2 also issues security alerts for attempts to breach the firewall. PORTUS flashes an alarm on screen and will email or page the administrator.

PORTUS v2.2 includes proxies for standard Internet protocols, RealAudio, Encrypted Telnet, SQL, LotusNotes, WebGate (a load balancing secure http gateway) and NOAH (Livermore's application against SYN-Flood attacks). PORTUS supports HP workstations running HP-UX 10, SPARC workstations and Intel-based PCs running Solaris 2.5; PowerPCs by NEC, Motorola, and IBM running AIX 4; and Apple Netowrk Server.

Prices for PORTUS v2.2 range from $3,000 to $10,000 for an unlimited user license. For more information, contact Livermore Software Labs, 2825 Wilcrest, Suite 160, Houston, TX 77042; (713) 974-3274.

J. River Upgrades ICE.Block

J. River, Inc. has upgraded ICE.Block, its network firewall for SCO and UNIXWare servers. ICE.Block Version 2.0 supports remote administration for administering the ICE.Block gateway from any machine (even across the Internet) for supporting multiple firewalls from one location. ICE.Block 2.0 also includes support for both PPP and multiple interfaces on SCO and UNIXWare; audit, log, and alarm features including email/pager alerts; filter performance and protection against IP Spoofing; and a reporting and logging subsystem. Other features of ICE.Block 2.0 include transparent, bi-directional control of authorized services and users, user-defined groups, user-definable alarms with variable event thresholds, and constant monitoring and periodic logging (user selectable) of rejected packet information.

ICE.Block Version 2.0 supports SCO 3.2.4.x, Open Server 5, SCO FastStart, and UNIXWare 2.0 and 2.1. ICE.Block Version 2.0 is priced at $1,495. For more information, contact J. River, Inc., 125 N. First St., Minneapolis, MN 55401; (612) 339-2521.

Rogue Wave Announces The Software Parts Manager

Rogue Wave Software has announced The Software Parts Manager, a cross-platform application that automates installing, building, and managing Rogue Wave's class libraries and development tools. The Software Parts Manager, built with zApp Rogue Wave's GUI builder, comes on a CD-ROM along with Tools.h++, Net.h++, and DBTools.h++ for Sybase DB-Lib and Sybase CT-Lib.

The Software Parts Manager provides access to a specific, purchased product through an unlock process that decrypts the product and prepares it for installation. Once the product is decrypted, The Software Parts Manager prompts the user for configuration specifics and presents build options that provide for multithreaded or single-threaded applications, and shared or static libraries. The Software Parts Manager then builds a version of the library on the user's machine that is compatible with its specific configuration. Online documentation, online help, and examples are also installed.

The Software Parts Manager also includes a viewer that lets customers browse marketing and technical information on Rogue Wave products. The Software Parts Manager supports Sun Solaris, Sun OS, HP-UX, Win95, and WinNT. The Software Parts Manager ships free with a purchased Rogue Wave product. For more information, contact Rogue Wave Software, 260 SW Madison Ave., P.O. Box 2328, Corvallis, OR 97339; (800) 487-3217 or (503) 754-3010; Fax: (503) 757-6650; WWW: http://www.roguewave.com.

Ampex Announces DST Tape Systems Support for NetWorker

Ampex Corporation has announced that its DST 19-mm tape drives and automated cartridge libraries support Legato Systems NetWorker 4.2.5 for UNIX. Networker 4.2.5 is an enterprise storage management tool running on Solaris 2.4 and 2.5. DST tape drives and libraries are designed for high availability, data intensive environments and are suited for a variety of data environments including those requiring backup of large databases, retrieval of archived files, or HSM file migration. According to Ampex, a single DST drive can back up 50 Gb per hour and store 330 Gb on a single cartridge and their DST libraries can access files in less than 25 seconds or 500 100-Mb files per hour. NetWorker provides support for DST tape drives and ACLs through Legato's High Speed Drive Support Module, which optimizes block size and buffer management to take advantage of the data transfer rates provided by Ampex drive and libraries.

For pricing and other information about DST 19-mm tape drives and ACLs, contact Ampex Corporation, 500 Broadway, Redwood City, CA 94063; (415) 367-3888; Fax: (415) 367-4669.

HIARC Releases HIARC GEMINI

HIARC, Inc. has released HIARC GEMINI a software tool for continuous online backup. According to the company, HIARC GEMINI lets users of large data networks ensure that a live "twin" of critical data is maintained on the network for immediate access and recovery. HIARC GEMINI makes a duplicate of the data selected by the system administrator from clients on an NFS network and maintains the stipulated partitions, directories, and files on a local server, including updates and modifications. Once the choices have been made, HIARC GEMINI automatically maintains the operation and the "twin" data is available for access in the event of a disaster.

HIARC GEMINI has its own built-in back-up, so that data can be recovered in the event of a failure. This data is written without going across the network. HIARC GEMINI also writes its data and backups in non-proprietary formation.

HIARC GEMINI runs on Sun server and supports NFS clients. Pricing for HIARC GEMINI starts at $12,000 and depends on the amount of data that requires a live "twin." For more information, contact HIARC, Inc., 305 Second St., S.E. Suite 500, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401; (888) 366-3789; Fax: (319) 366-3773.

Intrinsa Introduces PREfix for UNIX 1.1

Intrinsa Corporation has introduced PREfix for UNIX Version 1.1. The PREfix family of products is based on Intrinsa's Software Component Simulation (SCS) technology which simulates the execution of source code. SCS technology lets PREfix identify and report defects in newly developed coded as well as mature, well-tested code. SCS was designed to detect "crash-causing" bugs, such as resource or memory allocation errors as well as the interaction between software components before they are integrated.

PREfix Version 1.1 for UNIX includes warning messages that let developers identify coding defects. PREfix Version 1.1 also includes warning message reporting tools which allow developers to summarize and prioritize the reported defects. PREfix Version 1.1 also offers optional integration with two emacs editors, in addition to the UNIX command line interface. By using either gnu or Xemacs, developers can integrate PREfix into their preferred environment.

PREfix Version 1.1 for UNIX is priced at $40,000 for a ten-user license. Additional licenses are available on a per-user basis. For more information, contact Intrinsa Corporation, 101 University Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94301; (415) 614-0400; Internet: info@intrinsa.com; WWW: http://www.intrinsa.com.

XCD Announces Print Server for Konica Printers

XCD Incorporated has announced the XCD-101 multiprotocol print server that lets users share a Konica 7050 or 7728 printer on an Ethernet network. The XCD-101 mounts internally to the Konica Image Processor and supports both PostScript and PCL printing. It optionally provides LN03 translation for compatibility with existing DEC applications. The XCD-101 is compatible with SNMP, HP's JetAdmin, and XCD's XAdmin Windows-based utilities. The XCD-101 lets users print simultaneously from major network operating systems, including NetWare, TCP/IP, AppleTalk, Windows NT, Windows 95 Peer-to-Peer, LAN Server/WarpServer, LAN Manager, and DEC LAT/PATHWORKS, with optional Banyan VINES support.

Features of XCD-101 include multiple virtual printer support, IP security, character substitution, and multiple user-defined raw TCP ports. The firmware on the XCD-101 is stored in flash memory and can be upgraded through NetWare, TCP/IP, DEC MOP, Banyan VINES or the serial port. The XCD-101 includes both a thin Ethernet connector and a 10BaseT, unshielded twisted pair connector. A remote console accessible via telnet, NetWare, DEC NCP/NCL, or the serial port is also available.

The XCD-101 Print Server is priced at $395. For more information, contact XCD Incorporated, 3002 Dow Avenue #110, Tustin, CA 92780; (714) 573-7055; Fax: (714) 573-7084; Internet: sales@xcd.com.

Seattle Software Upgrades WatchGuard

Seattle Software Labs has upgraded WatchGuard Security System, its "firewall in a box" and security management system. WatchGuard now blocks the downloading of certain forms of executable code such as Java and ActiveX, as well as browser-enabled automated responses. When activated, the blocking capability filters out the selected MIME types and prevents automated exchanges. The blocking capability also lets systems administrators block identifying information that normally appears in messages using the HTTP protocol, so communications of WatchGuard-protected clients remain anonymous. WatchGuard tracks attempts to contact the Web server and all outbound requests from the network, letting managers track Internet usage at the URL address level. Additionally, WatchGuard can be integrated with a variety of caching servers. The caching servers increase Web access speed from LANs by providing a single path and a single location for Web-page caching. WatchGuard integrates with the inherent security capabilities of these proxy servers.

Prices for the WatchGuard Security System and WatchGuard Firebox start at $3,495. For more information, contact Seattle Software Labs, Inc., 316 Occidental Ave. South, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98104; (206) 521-8340; Fax: (206) 521-8341; WWW: http://www.sealabs.com.

Best Power Ships Two Fortress UPS Models

Best Power has begun shipping the 1020VA and the 1420VA Fortress uninterruptible power systems (UPS). The 1020VA and 1420VA provide no-break sinewave output and include Check-UPS II power management software. The Check-UPS II suite supports UNIX, Novell, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 3.1, DOS, and OS/2.

Features of the 1020VA and 1420VA include Best Power's PowerSteady voltage regulators that correct voltage sags and surges without drawing power from the unit's battery, a battery configuration that allows for "hot-swap" battery replacement, and a front-panel display with digital readout of UPS status and runtime. The 1020VA and 1420VA are also compatible with SNMP adapters, so network managers can remotely manage and control disturbed Fortress UPS and other connected internetworking equipment.

The Fortress UPS Model 1020VA is priced at $799 and the 1420VA is priced at $999. Both models include the CheckUPS II power management software and cabling. For more information, contact Best Power, P.O. Box 280, Necedah, WI 54646; (800) 356-5794 or (608) 565-7200; Fax: (608) 565-2221; Internet: info@bestpower.com; WWW: http://www.bestpower.com.

Tower Upgrades Razor

Tower Concepts, Inc. has upgraded Razor, its integrated tool suite for problem tracking and configuration management. Razor includes both Configuration Management (CM) Tools and Problem Tracking (PT) Tools.

Features of Razor Version 4.1 include support for file version control and release management from Windows NT/95 clients to UNIX-based database servers. Other features include role-based transaction extensions and field sensitivity control.

For pricing and other information about Razor Version 4.1, contact Tower Concepts, Inc., 103 Sylvan Way, New Hartford, NY 13413; (315) 724-3540; Fax: (315) 724-3129; WWW: http://www.tower.com.

Haystack Integrates WebStalker-Pro with FireWall-1

Haystack Labs has integrated its WebStalker-Pro Web server activity monitoring software with Check Point Technologies FireWall-1. Integrating WebStalker-Pro into Check Point's Open Platform for Secure Enterprise Connectivity (OPSEC) architecture via SAMP lets corporations monitor, track, and automatically block suspicious Web server activity. By integrating WebStalker-Pro with FireWall-1, an unwanted Web server intrusion can be communicated to key firewalls. These firewalls can then selectively block intruder access to servers that might be subject to attacks or misuse. The attacker is prevented from accessing the system where WebStalker-Pro initially detected the intrusion but is also automatically blocked from accessing any system behind FireWall-1.

For more information about WebStalker-Pro and Firewall-1, contact Haystack Labs, Inc., 10713 RR 620 North, Suite 512, Austin TX 78726; (512) 918-3555; Fax: (512) 918-1265; WWW: http://www.haystack.com or Check Point Software Technologies, Ltd., Redwood City, CA; (415) 562-0400; Internet: info@checkpoint.com; WWW: http://www.checkpoint.com.

Luminex Offers HFS Support

Luminex has begun offering HFS CD-ROM support for Macintosh clients using a UNIX server. Using Luminex Fire Series MultiNet software or other AppleTalk protocol implementations, UNIX-based servers can act as native HFS CD-ROM and file servers to Macintosh clients. CD-ROM discs in networked CD-ROM libraries show up on the Macintosh desktop with the proper data and resource forks just as any local CD-ROM.

The Fire Series HFS support is available for a variety of Luminex Fire Series CD-ROM libraries and towers. Supported UNIX server platforms include Sun, Silicon Graphics, HP, IBM, and Apple. For more information, contact Luminex Software Inc., 6840 Indiana Ave., Suite 130, Riverside, CA 92506; (888) 586-4639; Internet: info@luminex.com; WWW: http://www.luminex.com.

Ampex Ships Double-Density Tape Technology

Ampex Corporation has announced shipment of its double-density DST high performance tape storage systems. The new DST products double the data density at approximately half the cost per megabyte of previous models. A single cartridge can now store up to 330 Gb of data. The twofold increase was accomplished by doubling the track density while remaining fully compatible with tapes created by previous single-density DST models. Double-density capability reduces the cost per megabyte of storage to less than three cents; simplifies media management, and reduces the overhead required to track and house large numbers of cartridges. The storage density increase also improves file access times as well as backup and restore speeds for large data volumes by minimizing cartridge exchanges.

According to Ampex, the double-density systems can retrieve individual files located within terabytes of data in an average time of 15 seconds, and then transfer the data uncompressed at 15 Mb/second or more than 50 Gb/hour. DST tape systems are suitable for a variety of data-intensive applications, such as very large databases (VLDB), hierarchical storage management (HSM) of network file systems, as well as dealing with multimedia data and high bandwidth data acquisition.

The new line of Ampex DST systems includes: the Ampex DST 312 standalone tape drive, which can accommodate 50 Gb, 150 Gb, and 330 Gb cartridges, with a list price of $115,000. The Ampex DST 412 automated cartridge library can store 2.4 Tb of data on seven cartridges and occupies less than eight square feet of floor space. The Ampex DST 412 is priced at $160,000. The Ampex DST 812 automated cartridge library can be configured with up to four tape drives and can store up to 12.8 Tb of data and provide an aggregate data throughput of 60 Mb per second. The Ampex DST 812 starts at $320,000. For more information, contact Ampex Corporation, 500 Broadway, Redwood City, CA 94063-3199; (415) 367-3888; Fax: (415) 367-4669.

NCE Storage Solutions Introduces AutoXpress Tape Libraries

NCE Storage Solutions has introduced three Emerald Systems AutoXpress tape library families designed to provide high-capacity network backup to a wide range of platforms including Microsoft NT, Novell, IBM, HP, UNIX, and DEC. The new products include the AutoXpress digital linear tape (DLT) Library with 300 Gb, 400 Gb, and 700 Gb models; the AutoXpress-8000 Tape Library, with eight models that use 8-mm tape and Sony AIT ranging in capacity from 140 Gb to 6 Tb; and the AutoXpress-4000 Tape Library, with six models using 4-mm digital audio tape (DAT) technology and providing capacity from 144 Gb to 1.152 Tb.

The DLT Libraries offer the most reliable storage (according to the company): "Media life on these three new devices can reach up to 50,000 passes. All models also feature data transfer rates up to 6 Mb/second and up to 500,000 hours mean-time between failure."

The AutoXpress-8000 Tape Libraries provide transfer rates of up to 1 Mb/second (compressed) and can house from 10 to 120 tapes using 14 Gb or 50 Gb cassettes. The AutoXpress-4000 Tape Libraries provide transfer rates of 510 Kb/second in native mode and 1 Mb/second in compressed mode - for each drive. These 4-mm devices can be equipped with two to four 4-mm DAT drives and can house from 18 to 144 tapes.

Both the AutoXpress-8000 and AutoXpress-4000 provide optional barcode scanning features for media inventory control; an I/O port for importing/exporting data; a lockable front door for media security; and a positive pressure-filtered air system that reduces contamination and protects the media. The tape libraries support backup software including Legato Networker, Cheyenne ARCServe, Seagate Backup Exec for Windows NT, Emerald Systems Xpress Librarian, and Novell NetWare. The AutoXpress-4000 also supports Emerald Systems EmSAVE.

Prices start at $11,995 for the AutoXpress 300 DLT Library, $10,544 for the AutoXpress-4000 Tape Library, and $15,641 for the AutoXpress-8000 Tape Library. For more information, contact NCE Storage Solutions, 9717 Pacific Heights Blvd., San Diego, CA 92121; (800) 767-2587; Fax: (619) 658-9733; WWW: http://www.ncegroup.com.