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How is the competitive landscape for network and systems management going to change? Consider bellwethers Computer Associates, Peregrine Systems and Aprisma.

Although Gartner has given a caution rating to Computer Associates for not having a clear growth-revenue strategy, CA isn't about to go away--it has a strong foothold in the computer room. The company is appearing more frequently in our Real-World Labs® reviews and is holding its own. CA's products continue to evolve and appear to be more focused on solving specific customer problems.

Aprisma, which last year canceled its IPO at the 11th hour due to SEC investigations of then-parent Enterasys, has the timing of Indiana Jones. While the analyst community seems to be taking a wait-and-see stance, the purchase of Aprisma by Gores Technology Group (which some competitors characterize as a play to acquire Aprisma assets for liquidation) snatched Aprisma from the jaws of a very brutal early IPO market. Its flagship product,

Spectrum, is finally free of the weight of being owned by an infrastructure vendor, and Aprisma now has a smart new product bundling, which includes multivendor support.

Finally, Peregrine, which has very strong technology in its InfraTools Layer 2-capable network-management appliance, is in the throes of Chapter 11. Even though it sold its flagship Remedy Help Desk to BMC and reduced its head count from 4,000 to 600, it still isn't being given much of a chance by analysts. But we think Peregrine may emerge. PriceWaterhouse-audited financials are due by press time, and Peregrine plans to be out of Chapter 11 in early 2003. Its InfraTools, a Well-Connected finalist, is still developing, with a new release just out.