Stefan Dyckerhoff talks about trends in router platforms available for both the mid-size business and branch office deployment in larger enterprises. One of the key areas discussed is the convergence of security functions into the network core, and what that convergence means for small- to mid-sized organizations.

Security and continuity can rest on seemingly-simple foundations, and protected access to servers and infrastructure components is a key function for any distributed network. In this podcast we talk with Herman Chan of Raritan about the challenges of secure remote access to infrastructure control consoles, and new developments in the tools that answer the challenges.

With all the talk about the convergence of security and network infrastructure, it's interesting to hear from Greg Adams, who comes at the issue from the perspective of the traditional security vendor. In this interview, Adams discusses the importance of partnerships and the nature of the overall network continuity market as seen from a company that has chosen to maintain a focus on the protection of the network, its applications, and data.

This podcast features a conversation with Paul Congdon, the CTO of Procurve Networking by HP.  In this interview, Congdon explores the major directions in network infrastructure components, spends time talking about the nature of the network for smaller businesses, and talks about what it means for the infrastructure when the SMB market is seeking the same capabilities that were once the exclusive realm of the large enterprise.

In this podcast James Messer of Network General talks about new developments in Sniffer and InfiniStream technologies, and discusses ways in which active datastream monitoring can be used for both proactive network tuning and post-problem forensics.

In this interview, we talk with Tom Burns, the senior vice president and general manager of Alcatel's enterprise network infrastructure group.  Last week Alcatel launched the OmniSwitch 6850 family of stackable 10/100/1000/PoE, 10-Gigabit workgroup switches, which are the first Alcatel switches to provide Gigabit power over Ethernet (PoE).  The switch market is getting fairly commoditized, but Burns explains how Alcatel will to try stay ahead of the price-performance curve  by adding new functionality like POE and security to its switches.

One of the big fish at Interop, Nortel, is using the show talk about the company's new Secure Router Portfolio. While this family of routers was announced in late March, it is a major focus for Nortel at Interop this week. The Secure Router family is a direct result of Nortel's acquisition of Tasman Networks in December, and comprises the 1001, 1002 and 1004 models for small office and branch deployments, and the Secure Router 3120 for mid-range deployments. In this interview, Aziz Khadbai (VP and GM of the Converged Data Networks Group) and Bob Reason (Security and Routing Marketing Manager) talk about the new line of routers.

In this interview we talk with Mahboud Zabetian, the President and CEO of WildPackets. At Interop Las Vegas, WildPackets is featuring the first public demonstrations of Omni Distributed Network Analysis Platform 4, which has new capabilities and integrated analysis for VoIP, application monitoring, and network forensics. Zabetian explains how the product can help optimize network services and maximize the uptime for enterprise networks.

At Interop Las Vegas 2006, BlueCat Networks is launching the Proteus Enterprise Internet Protocol Address Management appliance.  The need for a dedicated IPAM appliance such as Proteus is driven by the growth in applications like VoIP, Internet-based video conferencing, and mobile and wireless technology. These and other applications, combined with the growing demands placed on enterprise networks with the Internet's evolution from IPv4 to IPv6, make it increasingly challenging for network administrators to effectively manage IP-based networks. In this interview with Michael Hyatt (CEO) and Richard Hyatt (CTO) of BlueCat, we learn about the new appliance and how IP address management will only get more complicated for companies in the future.

In this interview, Curt Franklin talks with Dr. Michelle Blank, Radware's Chief Marketing Officer, about the company's new application acceleration and carrier-grade perimeter security products that the company is launching here at Interop this week. Blank explains how the products help network administrators optimize their network traffic and enhance security.

In this interview we talk with Neil Lieberman, the VP of Global Marketing for Interwise.  Interwise is launching version 7 of Interwise Connect, an IP-based conferencing application for audio conferences, Web meetings, virtual classes, webcasts, broadcasts and on-demand recordings. Web conferencing can be an important component of corporate business continuity plans in the face of a large-scale disaster like hurricane Katrina or a global flu pandemic, where employees cannot come to work.  In these cases, a rich communications tool can keep employees connected and productive, as Lieberman explains.