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Securing your network involves firewalls, routers, intrusion-detection systems, authentication schemes and, often, so many data points that gleaning any useful information from it all is almost impossible.

That's where security-information-management tools come in. By combining data-aggregation and -correlation techniques to answer critical questions about specific events and their patterns, these software-based products are designed to help you tackle the problems with the highest impact first.

The first generation of SIM tools do deliver on these promises -- once you get them working. We tested products from Enterasys Networks, e-Security, GuardedNet, IBM, Intellitactics and netForensics, and found them all punishing to configure and use. Furthermore, the products approach the category so differently that it's difficult to do a straight comparison. NetForensics goes for sheer reporting power without real-time data, while GuardedNet's neuSecure stresses a slick Web-based interface and a useful real-time console, and Intellitactics' Network Security Manager enables slightly less experienced security personnel. If you're already an IBM Tivoli or Enterasys Networks Dragon shop, you may even consider these tools.