APCON Company Update

The big news for APCON in 2008 was our launch of the IntellaPatch® Series 3000 Switches. We answered our customers' requests by delivering a line of higher-density switches with redundant controllers for their demanding networking monitoring programs and test lab environments. In addition to increases switching capabilities, Series 3000 switches also offer a platform for expansion - designed to support new products and feature sets that will debut in 2009.

Another key win for APCON is its selection for use in the computer network infrastructure (NOC) deployed at INTEROP industry trade events. For the second year in a row, IntellaPatch switches will be featured at the INTEROP tradeshow expositions in Las Vegas and New York. If you plan to attend INTEROP and would like a tour of the NOC, please contact us. We will also be exhibiting our newest technology in a booth on the tradeshow floor.

I am pleased to inform you that APCON continues to see steady demand for our products. We saw our 2008 annual revenue increase. In 2009 we continue product development of our Series 3000 line and software products including embedded and multi-switch management interfaces. We look forward to bringing you enhancements in 2009.

Cordially,

Richard Rauch

President and CEO

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New High-Density IntellaPatch® Series 3000 Switches

The IntellaPatch Series 3000 family of next-generation switches is designed specifically for today's cutting edge data center and test lab environments, and offers high-density blades – 1U high and featuring up to 36 ports each – that provide critical space savings. Users now can have 144 ports of non-blocking, any-to-any connectivity in a 4U chassis, as opposed to the 9U height currently offered by Series 2000 switches. As a result, the new switches enable management of thousands of critical network segments with a smaller overall footprint, while still achieving 100% network visibility.

The Series 3000 line innovates further with its fault-tolerant, redundant dual controller cards. Unlike switches with single controllers that can halt network operations during a failure, these switches offer automatic fail-over, allowing them to be used in-line, in the production network of an enterprise or test lab environment.

Series 3000 switches are also modular, offering hot-swappable power supplies and field-replaceable fans, in addition to hitless firmware upgrades and a host of advanced diagnostic features. The line is initially available in 72- and 144-port configurations, which will quickly be followed-up with a 36-port offering. Blades initially available include 10/100/1000 Copper Ethernet and 100/1000 Fiber Ethernet, as well as 8 Gbps Fibre Channel and 10 Gbps Fiber Ethernet.

Like the IntellaPatch Series 2000 family, Series 3000 switches allow secure, remote access for multiple users via an embedded web interface and are compatible with all APCON user interfaces.

To learn more visit the IntellaPatch Series 3000 Web page.

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APCON Launches Professional Services Department

APCON's new Professional Services department provides installation, training, support and design services to customers, with the goal of making it easy for any organization to quickly and successfully deploy APCON's switches and software.

Professional Services, which is equipped to address the needs of both enterprise production networks and test lab environments, offers a full suite of services including installation, training, support and system design as part of a standardized package or as a custom-tailored program. The department is also available to assist with special requests, such as automation script development for test lab automation.

The business unit is headed by Jason Perlewitz, who comes to APCON with over 10 years of experience in product development engineering and engineering management at such companies as Motorola, Ciena and Lucent Technologies.

For a full list of services offerings please visit the Professional Services web page.

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Optimized Network Monitoring

Four ways matrix switching streamlines data center operation, reduces costs and positions IT for growth.

Companies rely on their networks more than ever to serve customers and stay competitive in the marketplace. From banking and investment to travel and entertainment, IT infrastructure has become the keystone upon which business is conducted. Thus the “holy grail” for today's savvy IT organization is not only resolving network issues quickly, it's in preventing them from occurring at all. A robust network monitoring program enables your IT group to stay a step ahead – scrutinizing the network and addressing issues before they become meltdowns. But with the budget cutbacks and corporate downsizing affecting corporate America today, how does the intrepid IT manager keep up?

Adding a highly engineered matrix switch or an array of switches, to a data center infrastructure is a significant step in the right direction. Its four key enablers are outlined below. But from the perspective of overall value, the benefits of a matrix switch are that it will:

• Simplify network structure
• Fully utilize available monitoring devices and reduce the cost of expanding network monitoring capabilities
• Provide remote access for multiple users
• Increase physical security of the network

There are numerous matrix switches available in the market today. But not all can or will address the “pain points” an IT manager has to deal with, especially in a complex environment. To this, we submit that if a particular switch speaks to the following four key factors, it is well worth considering.

1. Connectivity
• In this area, a top notch switch offers such functionality as:
• Embedded Firmware
• Web Browser Access
• Signal Regeneration
• Digital Diagnostics
2. Scalability
• Platform for Expansion
• Mix and Match Capability
• Data-Rate Selection
• Media Conversion
3. Flexibility
• Any-to-Any Matrix
• Port Naming with up to 256 characters
• Common Chassis Management
• Import/Exporting Chassis Configurations
• Support for SNMP
• Syslogs visibility to see time stamps per user
4. Security
• Secure, Remote Access
• User Authentication
• Safety Logic that prevents SPAN ports from sending duplex traffic
• Port Locking

Network monitoring systems in the data center industry are becoming increasingly complex, with multiple layers of technology needing to work hand-in-glove and increased security concerns making remote access a priority. With the deployment of a solution that offers both increased flexibility and connectivity, as well as scalability for future expansion, companies have the opportunity to experience an ROI in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours of staff time and increased security.

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New Releases of Embedded Switch Software

Firmware 2.15.1 Upgrade Overview

Release date: 1.29.09
An enhanced version of IntellaPatch embedded switch software has been released by APCON. Version 2.15.1 offers a variety of valuable updates for customers running IntellaPatch chassis models 2058, 2061, 2064, 2065 and 2069 with the ACI-2063 Controller. Highlights include:

New UI Graphics & Menu Structure

The release of v2.15.1 features an update to both the user interface (UI) and menu structure. The new skin and menu structure debuted in v2.50 earlier in 2008, and now have become standard in v2.15.1. The new GUI features a blue background and combines a more intuitive layout, menu structure and naming conventions.

MONITOR-Only User Level

APCON MONITOR, which enables fast, easy device connection control via simple on-screen graphics, is embedded in the WebX interface.* Customers running APCON MONITOR will now have the option to set a user's access level to "MONITOR-only," which enables a user to access only the main MONITOR patching screen and view patches screen.

* Note: MONITOR requires a separate license.

Firmware 2.51.1 Upgrade Overview

Release date: 1.27.09
An enhanced version of IntellaPatch embedded switch software has been released by APCON. Version 2.51.1 offers a variety of valuable updates for customers currently running IntellaPatch chassis models 2065, 2069, 2061, 2064 and 2058 with the ACI-2073 Controller. Highlights include:

Embedded MONITOR Enhancements

• New "MONITOR" user privilege level to provide access only to the embedded Monitor application
• Improved handling of long port names within the MONITOR application
• Ability to set a lock message and lock duration within the MONITOR application
• Set default port rate to Analyzer Tap: Auto

Authentication

• Support for authentication on the RS-232 serial port
• Fully integrated with local user database, TACACS+, and RADIUS
• Ability to enable/disable authentication requirements on the serial port
• Backup/Restore Settings
• Restore local user database settings

*Note: Firmware v2.51.1 requires an ACI-2073 controller to operate and is not backwards compatible with the ACI-2063 controller.

To download the new firmware login to the Support Web Site and go to the Firmware page.

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