UK networking specialist and Sintrom Group Plc subsidiary Logic Replacement Technology of Reading, Berkshire, has come up with a network management system that is claimed to prevent downtime by measuring the quality of signals on an Ethernet network, allowing a manager to spot potential problems before they become serious. The Network Quality Analyser uses digital signal measurement to identify network degradation without interfering with network traffic. Operating at levels 1 and 2 of the Open Systems model, the Analyser measures network bias, jitter, DC and AC signal components, fall time and bit rate, which are displayed on the portable unit as graphical comparisons with the IEEE 802.3 network specifications, diagnosing and reporting on the exact location of network anomalies, and therefore combining the individual functions of network monitors and test tools. Before launching the product, the company conducted a survey of 70 large network users in the UK, all of whom had suffered from degradation problems that they could not easily solve. The company looks to sell up to 200 of the systems in the UK by the end of the year, and will also be selling French and German versions: it is currently looking for a major US distributor. The Analyser incorporates two 68000 processors, and costs UKP15,000 in the UK, and $25,000 in the US.
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