The 9th Annual Well-Connected Awards

And we've integrated more business analysis into our stories because--let's face it--product performance, ease of deployment, ease of use, scalability, manageability, price, features and all the other factors we evaluate and rate don't mean much if the product doesn't deliver some business benefit--preferably one you can measure in dollars and cents--or the vendor's viability is in doubt.

To say we were impressed by many of the products we tested in the past 12 months would be an understatement. In what has become an annual tradition, we endured some agonizing internal "discussions" in selecting our Well-Connected Award winners and finalists, which span 35 categories in seven core markets, and in choosing the best of the best in each market.

Each year our most heated debates surround the grand prize winner. This year, we zeroed in on SecureLogix ETM (Enterprise Telephony Management). This outstanding product serves as both a management package and a security system for voice implementations, preventing that unauthorized modem from becoming a back door to your entire data network.

Let us know if you like our picks or have some favorites of your own.

--Mike Lee, [email protected]