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Finalists:
• CiscoWorks QoS Policy Manager 3.0, Cisco Systems, (800) 553-6387. www.cisco.com

• Formulator 2.0, now shipping Formulator 200, Gold Wire Technology, (888) 585-9473, (781) 398-8800. www.goldwiretech.com

The tools we use on a day-to-day basis are often underappreciated, viewed as nonstrategic. But let's face it: They keep things humming. Our analysis and diagnostic tool winner, SolarWinds' Engineer's Edition, comprises a huge grouping of utilities. From the switch mapper, which shows MAC (Media Access Control) and IP addresses attached to a switch, to the fully functional network-performance application, it offers great value and function.

Finalists:
• AppDancer/FA Network Flow Analyzer, AppDancer Networks, (800) 825-7563, (770) 643-6800. www.AppDancer.com

• Boreal for Network Administrators, InterWorking Labs, (800) 459-9817, (831) 430-3610. www.iwl.com

Network-management suites rank among the most complex of NSM products.ÊSmarts' InCharge Solution Suite has taken the evolution of correlation and root-cause science to its highest degree. Layer 2 discovery with object-orientedÊoutputÊprovides a clear view of the network, which is vital in analyzingÊevents. Like a good doctor, InCharge evaluates the symptoms andÊuses its understanding of the system's topology to arrive at an educated deduction of theÊproblem. It offersÊan encyclopedic knowledge of possible statuses that could fit the fields ofÊanyÊevent.ÊAnd the price, while hardly pocket change, is much less likely than its rivals' to induce sticker shock.

Finalists:
• Aprisma Spectrum xsight, Aprisma Management Technologies, (877) 437-0291, (603) 334-2100. www.aprisma.com

• Netcool/OMNIbus, now shipping 3.5, Micromuse, (800) NETCOOL, (415) 538-9090. www.micromuse.com

The job of protecting precious WAN bandwidth falls to products that can monitor, characterize and shape WAN traffic. Our traffic management and shaping solution winner, the PacketShaper 4500, does it all. The product's excellent performance and ease of use yield a return on investment before the ink has a chance to dry on the contract. Additionally, the PacketShaper 4500 characterizes a large number of applications and can identify applications with more than a single signature approach.

Finalists:
• NetEnforcer AC-302 4.2.2, Allot Communications, (800) 204-1364, (952) 944-3100. www.allot.com

• QoSWorks 10000, Sitara Networks, (866) 474-8272, (781) 487-5900. www.sitaranetworks.com

ProactiveNet, the NSM product of the year, is easy to set up and administer, but it really shines in its root-cause analysis, gathering statistical performance data from far beyond the common SNMP network infrastructure, drilling down to pinpoint

performance slowdowns. ProactiveNet uses automatically created performance thresholds, logical groupings and its top-notch filtering ability to tag sources of network trouble without overwhelming users with tons of data.

Finalists:
• Internet Path View 1.2, Adlex, (877) 408-0659, (508) 480-6990. www.adlex.com

• Gomez Performance Network 3.5, Gomez, (877) 372-6732, (781) 768-2100. www.gomez.com

Managing desktops often requires juggling the needs of many users--don't you wish you could be in more than one place at a time? Luckily for harried helpdesk and desktop-support operators, PC remote-control software continues to improve. NetSupport Manager offers up the most complete set of remote control features with the best centralized management currently on the market.

Finalists:
• Net Op Remote Control 7.01, now shipping 7.5, Cross Tec Corp., (800) 675-0729, (561) 391-6560. www.NetOpUSA.com

•pcAnywhere 10.5, Symantec Corp., (800) 745-6054, (408) 517-8000. www.symantec.com

Applications are the reason IT exists, and systems management suites are directly responsible for supporting those applications. It used to be that systems management was for the operating-system-focused, but now the "systems" include the operating system, the Web server, the database ... you get the picture. The data these management suites provide help keep all the plates spinning. BMC Patrol speaks to every one of these components, with the highest level of accuracy and the widest business application support available.

Finalists:
• The Argent Guardian 6.0a, Argent Software, (860) 674-1700. www.argent.com

• PatchLink Update 3.0, now shipping 4.0, PatchLink Corp., (888) 970-1025, (480) 970-1025. www.patchlink.com

Bruce Boardman is executive editor of Network Computing, testing and writing about network management and systems. He has 12 years' IT experience managing networks and distributed computing for a financial service provider. Write to him at bboardman@nwc.com.

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