NetEqualizer News: January 2017

February 9, 2017 — netequalizer

We hope you enjoy this month’s NetEqualizer Newsletter. Highlights include a preview of more 8.5 Release features, an announcement of our 8.4 User Guide, our planned 2017 Road Trips, and more!

 

  January 2017

 
8.5 Release Planning is Underway!
Greetings! Enjoy another issue of NetEqualizer News.

As we kick off the new year, I am excited to begin development on our 8.5 Release, currently planned for late spring/early summer. This month, we continue to discuss the features planned for 8.5.img_2686I also like to get out in the field to meet with our customers, and those interested in the NetEqualizer. Check out my 2017 Road Trip plans in this month’s newsletter.

And finally, we have the 8.4 User Guide available, for those of you who like to delve into our features in detail – enjoy!

We continue to work with you to solve some of your most pressing network problems – so if you have one that you would like to discuss with us, please call or email me anytime at 303.997.1300 x103 or art@apconnections.net.

And remember we are now on Twitter. You can follow us @NetEqualizer.

– Art Reisman (CTO)

In this Issue:

:: 8.5 Release Features Preview

:: 8.5 Feedback Received – Thank You!

:: The 8.4 User Guide is Now Available!

:: 2017 Road Trips

:: Time for a Tech Refresh?

:: Best of Blog: Top 5 Reasons Confirming Employers Don’t Like Their IT Guy

8.5 Release Features Preview

We are staring to develop our 8.5 Release!

Continued from November 2016…

In November we talked about Cloud Reporting, Read-Only Login, and NetEqualizer Logout.

This month we introduce several more features planned for 8.5:

1) Pool-specific RATIO and HOGMIN

2) Retain RTR State Upon Reboot

Pool-specific RATIO and HOGMIN

Ever since we first started making NetEqualizers, there has been one RATIO and one HOGMIN setting that applied to all traffic going through the device. Beginning with Release 8.5, however, we’ve enhanced our software to allow for Pool-specific RATIO and HOGMIN settings. This means that each Pool can have it’s own unique configuration with regard to these values. These changes help administrators have more fine-tuned control over when Equalizing occurs and what the minimum requirements for Equalizing will be on a Pool level rather than a network level.

Retain RTR State Upon Reboot

This has been one of the most requested features ever since we introduced RTR, and we are happy to say it will be part of Release 8.5. With this release, RTR will start upon reboot and maintain all your reporting settings so that you don’t need to go back into the device and start the service manually. This is useful in case the device is affected by a power outage or another type of unplanned activity.

Stay tuned to our newsletter for further updates on Release 8.5. We are currently underway in the development process and are still shooting for a late spring/early summer release. As always, the release is free to those with valid NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS) plans. Contact us today with questions!

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8.5 Feedback Received – Thank You!

 We Appreciated Your Suggestions!

We asked for input to our 8.5 Release and you responded with some great ideas – thank you!fancy thank-you

Here are the features that you asked us to consider for 8.5. We will let you know what makes it over the course of future newsletters…

– Quota Enhancements: Email Customer on Exceed Quota, Summary Email before Reset, Quota in the Cloud, Web Portal

– Add sophisticated SNMP logic

– Protocol Tracking Reports

– Traffic by Source IP Report

– Bandwidth Test for Troubleshooting

– Build out Automated Alerts

– Add Real-Time Penalties to RTR Dashboard

– Add Name capability to HL, Masks, VLANs, P2P, and Priority

– Add Visibility to Penalty against what Rule

– Add Host Name from NSLookup to RTR Reports

If any of the above suggestions would also be useful to you and your organization, please let us know!

unnamed-3
The 8.4 User Guide is Now Available!

Dive into the details on NetEqualizer’s features…

We are excited to announce the User Guide has been updated to reflect Software Update 8.4, in several key areas.screenshot-at-feb-08-23-53-34

We have focused on updating the configuration sections, describing our new Batch Entry Screens for setting up Bandwidth Limits, limiting P2P Traffic, setting Bandwidth Priorities, and restricting Bandwidth Usage.

We also have added a new section to the User Guide, which walks through our Perform Quick Edits capability.  Quick Edits is useful when you want to add or delete one or a small number of rules.  We offer Quick Edits for seven (7) types of rules, including Pools, Hard Limits, and P2P Traffic Limits.

You can view the updated User Guide by clicking here or on the picture at right.

Note that the Appendices and Monitoring & Reporting sections are not yet updated to 8.4.

We plan to update the remaining sections of the User Guide to 8.4 soon. Look for an update in an upcoming newsletter!
2017 Road Trips

We’re hitting the road…

Our CTO, Art Reisman, is planning to make a swing up the East coast this spring. Most likely he will be in the Boston and New England area the week of Feb 20th – with some room for flexibility in the timeframe. If you are on the East coast and would like to host a formal on-site Tech Refresh, let us know and we will try to get it scheduled!

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Time for a Tech Refresh?

Re-familiarize yourself with NetEqualizer!

Now that Release 8.4 has been out for 6 months, and many customers have moved to it, you may have questions! Release 8.4 had a lot of changes associated with it that may be slightly confusing if you are used to older GUI versions.

Don’t worry though, we are here to help! If you are current on your NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS) plan, we’d like to offer you a FREE 30 minute Tech Refresh to go over any questions or issues you might have with your NetEqualizer. Contact us today to schedule a time slot with an engineer!

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Best Of Blog

Top 5 Reasons Confirming Employers Don’t Like Their IT Guy

By Art Reisman

ca3b912d-b4a8-40d4-a2a8-320abe66658e

1) The IT room is the dregs

Whenever I travel to visit with my IT customers, it is always a challenge to find their office.  Even if I find the right building on the Business/College Campus, finding their actual location within the building is anything but certain. Usually it ends up being in some unmarked room behind a loading dock, accessible only by secret passage designed to relieve the building of cafeteria waste near the trash bins. Many times, their offices are one and the same thing as the old server computer room, with the raised floor, screaming fans, and air cooled to a Scottish winter…
Photo of the Month
a4b5df23-0e88-48dc-a3c3-82e7b0d74d94
TEDx Aruba

This past fall, a staff member and his wife, Andrea, visited the island of Aruba in the south Caribbean Sea. The official slogan for the country is “One Happy Island,” and this held true the entire trip – all of the people were extremely friendly and welcoming. The purpose of the trip was to present at TEDx Aruba on the topic of sustainability – specifically how our trash plays a role in the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Andrea runs a non-profit based in Boulder, CO that helps educate people on how to reduce their trash and plastic footprint as well as live more simple, meaningful lives. Check out her website and follow her on Instagram if you are so inclined!
APconnections, home of the NetEqualizer | (303) 997-1300 | Email | Website 
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NetEqualizer News: June 2016

June 30, 2016 — sandyapconnections

We hope you enjoy this month’s NetEqualizer Newsletter.  Highlights include our Release 8.4, an update on the ASCUE conference, a note about a possible 20Gbps NetEqualizer, and also a testimonial from one of our airport customers.

June 2016
Release 8.4 is here!
Greetings! Enjoy another issue of NetEqualizer News.

art photo for NL

Wow! It has been hot here in Denver the past few weeks. We went from May snow, to temperatures over 100 in just over 30 days. I prefer the snow, as I am not much of a hot weather person.

Speaking of heat, the pressure has been on us to get our 8.4 Release out this month. Breaking news – just in, the test team has just sent me a note that we are are ready for delivery on 8.4!

If you have feedback, ideas, or questions for me, please email me anytime at art@apconnections.net.

And remember we are now on Twitter. You can follow us @NetEqualizer.

– Art Reisman (CTO)

In this Issue:

:: NetEqualizer Release 8.4 Is Here!

:: ASCUE Update

:: Is a 20Gbps NetEqualizer in Our Future?

:: NetEqualizer at the Airport

:: Best of Blog: Virtual Internet Presence in the Netherlands Thwarts TV Blackout
NetEqualizer Release 8.4 Is Here!

8.4 is now Generally Available

We are excited to announce that Release 8.4 is now Generally Available! You can read all the details on Software Update 8.4 in our 8.4 Release Notes. And for those of you that have not heard already, here are the key updates to look forward to in 8.4:

#1) Graphical User Interface (GUI) Redesign

8.4 introduces a complete GUI redesign, finishing the GUI transition that we started with our 7.1 Real-Time Reporting (RTR) offering. Our new GUI is easier to navigate and more intuitive. Our logical groupings, such as Setup and RTR, make it easier than ever to find what you need. We now also enable you to select the units that you want to see for your entire GUI via Preferences. And now the GUI includes error checking to look for common data validation errors such as properly formed IP addresses and valid positive integers where required.  Additionally, we have expanded our warning and error messaging, to help ensure that your configuration is valid.

#2) The Updated NetEqualizer Dashboard 

The new NetEqualizer Dashboard gives you a quick view into the state of your NetEqualizer and your network, while providing access to all the key features of your NetEqualizer. From here you access our four core areas:
  • Setup – Use this to configure your NetEqualizer
  • RTR – Use this to monitor network connections and report traffic history
  • DDoS – Use this to view possible DDoS attacks
  • Maintenance – Use to view documentation and troubleshoot your NetEqualizer.

You can also utilize shortcuts to four Common Tasks (Start/Stop Equalizing, Show Configuration, View Active Connections, and Run Diagnostics). On our new Dashboard, all icons are clickable, so that you can drill into each area to view more details and edit as needed. We also think that you will enjoy seeing your current network traffic right on the dashboard via our new ticker tape type live monitor.

#3) Batch Configuration!

You now will have the ability to add, delete, and most importantly, modify, all of your Traffic Limits in a spreadsheet-type format from the GUI using Manage Traffic Limits.  This capability is a great feature to have in place when you are initially setting up your NetEqualizer, and also allows you to modify rules as your network changes. Manage Traffic Limits includes defining Hard Limits, Pools and VLAN Limits (Shared Limits), Masked Hosts, and User Quotas.

We also offer batch configuration for your P2P Limits (via Connection Limits) and Priority Traffic.
During batch configuration, we highlight all field changes to help you identify unsaved changes, and also include data validation error checking against your fields.
Please note: Batch Configuration changes require a full Equalizing Restart in order for your changes to take effect.  

#4) Perform Quick Edits

While batch mode can help you to initially configure your NetEqualizer and also support network changes, we also wanted to maintain your ability to make quick changes on the fly without bringing down your NetEqualizer process. Perform Quick Edits enables you to do just that. We have kept the ability for you to delete and add Individual Rules across all areas (Hard Limits, By Pool, By VLAN, Masked Hosts, User Quotas, P2P Traffic, and Priority Traffic), without needing to stop and restart Equalizing.

Please note: Perform Quick Edits do NOT require a full Equalizing Restart, as changes take effect upon saving.  For this reason, Perform Quick Edits does not include rule modifications – for that you use Manage Traffic Limits, Limit P2P Traffic, and Manage Priority Traffic.

8.4 perform_quick_edits

#5) Usability Enhancements

In addition to all the other great features in 8.4, we have added or enhanced the following:

  • You can now set the Date and Time, as well as the Time Zone, via the NetEqualizer GUI.
  • Run Diagnostics now offers the ability to save the generated data as a .txt file, that you can download and email to Support.
  • We have removed the information-only penalty threshold from the NetEqualizer Log, as it was confusing.
  • We have changed the Default Penalty Unit to 1, which works better with video traffic.
  • We have added DNS name resolution to all tabular reports in RTR via DHCP.
  • We have added Password Verification to the GUI.

Contact us today to update your NetEqualizer to Release 8.4!
As with all software releases, the 8.4 Release will be free to all customers with valid NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS).
ASCUE Update

 Shaping Bandwidth – Learning to Love Netflix on Campus

As we mentioned in last month’s newsletter, one of our long-time customers, Hollis Townsend, Director of Technology Support and Operations at Young Harris College, spoke about his experience with the NetEqualizer in his talk at ASCUE.  Hollis’ presentation was titled “Shaping Bandwidth – Learning to Love Netflix on Campus”.

In case you missed Hollis’ presentation at the ASCUE Conference (June 12th-16th, 2016), I have enclosed some of the best excerpts here. Hollis presentation is a great case study into how the NetEqualizer can be used to affordably solve network congestion issues in campus environments. 

When Young Harris was looking to replace their Packeteer in 2007,
their wish list for their new solution was the following:

  •  Needed to be inexpensive to buy
  •  Inexpensive to maintain
  •  Web interface
  •  Easy to Maintain or Self Maintaining
  •  Expandable

After reviewing the market, in July 2007, Young Harris purchased a NetEqualizer to solve their network congestion issues and to replace their Packeteer. They have since upgraded their NetEQ as their network has grown over the years, and currently run an NE3000 with a 1Gbps license.  Here are their results:

They have significantly reduced costs.
  • They have spent significantly less than what they did on Packeteer.
  • They took advantage of our Lifetime Buyer Protection Policy of 50% trade-in credit towards new hardware, when they upgraded.
They find the NetEqualizer self-maintaining.
  • Virtually no time spent running the machine
  • About a 1 hour set up from the box to the rack and fully operational
  • Can view reports when desired
  • Literally months will go by with out anyone checking on it  
Students don’t complain and video can run. They had zero File Sharing notices in 2015 & 2016.
  • Students do not complain about bandwidth, just wireless coverage
  • System looks at flows, when bandwidth is over 80 percent, it starts shaping only the heavy users
  • Email, web surfing, gaming never gets shaped at all
  • Netflix, and most streaming services will adapt to low bandwidth on the fly
  • Most never see that they have been shaped, as once the peak is past bandwidth is returned to normal
  • Encrypted payloads don’t matter as it looks at the stream, not the content
  • File sharing is eliminated / reduced as it also is set to not allow a user to exceed multiple streams (over 45) from any single source.

Thank you Hollis for sharing your experiences with the NetEqualizer! 

ASCUE fitbit_winnerWe are also happy to announce that the door prize winner of the Fitbit fitness watch was Jacqueline Stephen of Mercer University in Georgia. You can see a picture of our happy winner here.

ASCUE is the Association Supporting Computer Users in Education and they have been around since 1968. Members hail from all over North America. ASCUE’s mission is to provide opportunities for resource-sharing, networking, and collaboration within an environment that fosters creativity and innovation in the use of technology within higher education.
Is a 20Gbps NetEqualizer in Our Future?

More Breaking News!

Hot on the heels of our newly-released 8.4 Software Update, we have begun testing a couple of new hardware configurations for our NetEqualizer systems. In our next generation systems, we hope to achieve a commercial version capable of shaping 50,000 subscribers at speeds at or above 20 gigabits.

Look for an update in next month’s NetEqualizer News!
airportNetEqualizer at the Airport

Airport Congestion – No Problem for the NetEqualizer!

eiaThe next time you are waiting in the terminal trying to send a few last minute e-mails over the public WiFi, please don’t blame us.
If your connection is dragging, you are probably dealing with an installation where congestion control was an afterthought.

Airports with NetEqualizers at their head tend to be very responsive. Here is what Edmonton Regional Airport Authority, one of our customers, had to say…

Their NetEqualizer Configuration

“We presently use two NE3000 units for internet traffic control and monitoring in a redundant setup. At present we have a maximum of 600Mbps internet throughput with over 300 IP addresses in use in some 120+ address Pools.

(NetEqualizer is)… A very useful tool for us for monitoring and setting speeds for the many users. Most of the feeds come straight off our Campus network, which is spread over a seven kilometer distance from one end of the airdrome to the other. We also feed a number of circuits to customers using ADSL equipment in the older areas were fiber is not yet available.

Everything runs though the “live” NE3000!”

How the NetEqualizer has helped EIA 

Controllability and monitoring is key for our customers as they pay for the speed they are asking for. With the RTR Dashboard we continually monitor overall usage peeks to make sure we provide enough bandwidth but more importantly with individual customers. Many customers are not sure of how much bandwidth they need so using the Neteq we can simply change their speed and watch the individual IP and/or Pool usage to monitor.

This becomes especially useful now as many customer including ourselves use IP telephony to remote sites, so we need to maintain critical bandwidth availability for this purpose. That way when they or we have conference calls for example, no one is getting choppy conversations. All easily monitored and adjusted with the Dashboard and Traffic Management features.

We also have used the Neteq firewall feature to stop certain attack threats and customer infected PCs or servers from spewing email or other reported outbound attacks, not a fun thing but it happens.”

“Overall a very critical tool for our success in providing internet to users and it has worked very well for the past 8 or more years!”

Willy Damgaard 
Network and Telecom Analyst 
Edmonton Regional Airport Authority, IT Department
 
Thanks for the kind review, Willy!  
Best Of Blog

Virtual Internet Presence in The Netherlands, Thwarts TV Blackout

By Anonymous Guest
 
A few months ago I got rid of my Cable TV.  Other than a few sports networks, I never watched the other 507 channels.  Once free from that expensive local bundle, I  subscribed directly to MLB.tv for 1 year for about $100 a year, less than one months cable bill. It turned out there was one small hitch in my plan. Whenever I tried to watch my local Rockies , it is blacked out on the MLB.tv service in deference to their contractual obligations with their other distributor. ( my old cable company).  It seems the MLB.tv is smart enough to know where you are watching from based on your IP address…
Photo of the Month
 
lebronLeBron James
This photo is a copy of an acrylic painted by one of our staff members, and hangs in the office here in Colorado. Although it is LeBron James with his Miami Heat colors and number, it is a nice reminder of what hard work and perseverance can accomplish.
APconnections, home of the NetEqualizer | (303) 997-1300 | Email | Website 
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NetEqualizer News: May 2016

June 1, 2016 — netequalizer

We hope you enjoy this month’s NetEqualizer Newsletter.  Highlights include updates on upcoming Release 8.4, Seven Network Troubleshooting Tips, a reminder about the upcoming ASCUE conference, and also our complimentary Tech Refresh offering.

May 2016
Release 8.4 will debut in June! 
Greetings! Enjoy another issue of NetEqualizer News.

art photo for NLSpring has sprung in Colorado (finally!).  We are being treated to sunny days, mixed with cool winds and rain.  On the nice days, I like to birdwatch.  If you ever want to read a great story about birders, check out “The Big Year“.  The book is great; unfortunately the movie was a box office bomb!

2016 feels like a Big Year for the NetEqualizer!  We think you will agree that our 8.4 Release is a game changer.  We have added many batch configuration screens, which streamline the whole set-up process. 8.4 is expected to be Generally Available (GA) in June. Read below to learn more.

This month our favorite blog article gives you Seven Network Troubleshooting Tips, useful to those that do not troubleshoot on a daily basis!

Don’t forget that there is still time to register for ASCUE! We will be represented at the ASCUE Conference June 12-16th. Join Young Harris College at their talk featuring the NetEqualizer.
 
And finally, if you have not already taken advantage of our FREE Tech Refresh, what are you waiting for?  Contact us today to schedule your session.
If you have feedback, ideas, or questions for me, please email me anytime at art@apconnections.net.

And remember we are now on Twitter. You can follow us @NetEqualizer.

– Art Reisman (CTO)

In this Issue:

:: NetEqualizer Release 8.4 Debuts in June!

:: Renew your NetEqualizer Knowledge with a Tech Refresh

:: Learn about the NetEqualizer at ASCUE June 12-16

:: Best of Blog: Seven Must Know Network Troubleshooting Tips
NetEqualizer Release 8.4 Debuts in June!

A Few of My Favorite Things about Release 8.4….

Comments by Art Reisman
Last month we detailed some of the new features coming out in our 8.4 Release. To be honest, at the time of the last newsletter, I had not actually kicked the tires on it. These past few weeks I have been using it extensively, and have been really quite impressed. Here are some of my notes on what I love about 8.4.

#1) The Updated NetEqualizer Dashboard 

The Dashboard, with a ticker tape type live monitor, finally provides a clean professional look that the NetEqualizer deserves. From here you access four core areas: 1) Setup, 2) RTR, 3) DDoS, and 4) Maintenance. One change that you will love to see – your key is now listed in Mbps or Gbps. Below you can see under “Authorized to Pass” the key is for 10Gbps. The new curb appeal certainly has had a positive effect on recent customers that have previewed 8.4.

#2) Batch Configuration!

You now will have the ability to edit and modify all of your rules in a spreadsheet-type format from the GUI.  In my opinion, this was long overdue, so I am excited that we have finally been able to incorporate this feature into our GUI.

Previously, this was only possible by directly editing our configuration file.  While certainly efficient, it used to be a risky proposition, as there was no checking for malformed rules. With the GUI front end, error checking is now in place to look for common data validation errors such as properly formed IP addresses and valid positive integers where required.  There are also warning messages to help alert you as needed.  And as you can see below, you can name your Pools to something meaningful on your network (here they are called Test Pool 1, Test 2, and Test 3).

#3) Easily Set Time and Time Zone

The new GUI also has an easy way to set the time and pick a timezone – no more logging in to the NetEqualizer terminal! (enough said)

#4) See Everything in the Units you Choose

You can now choose your units for almost the entire interface!  No longer will you have to convert your trunk up and trunk down when setting those up for Equalizing.  You will now see them in the configuration units that you choose (Mbps, Kbps, Bps).  And you can select different units for graphs and configuration, if you prefer.   

 

Check back next month to get your copy of Release 8.4! 

As with all software releases, the 8.4 Release will be free to all customers with valid NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS).
Renew your NetEqualizer Knowledge with a Tech Refresh

If you have not already scheduled a Tech Refresh, consider it!

Our FREE* Tech Refresh sessions (*with valid NSS) are conducted via webex, so you do not even have to leave your office to renew your NetEqualizer knowledge!Please take advantage of this offering, especially if you have new staff, are upgrading to a new release, or would like to learn more about our new features.  We receive glowing feedback on these sessions – they are only 30 minutes to one (1) hour and are worth the time!

These sessions can ensure that you and your team get the most out of your NetEqualizer!

Here are just a few of the benefits:
  • Learn about new releases – We are constantly evolving and enhancing our product. Tech Refreshes can help quickly get you up-to-speed on what is new!
  • Learn about features you are not using (yet) – Maybe you would like to use DDoS or RTR but need to better understand how they work. You can use this time to get acquainted with all the NetEqualizer has to offer.
  • Quickly educate a new employee – Our Tech Refreshes make training a new staff member on NetEqualizer a breeze!
  • Ask questions and review your configuration – Use this time to make sure that your unit is optimally configured, and ask any NetEqualizer questions that you have been curious about.
Schedule your Tech Refresh today by clicking the link below!
Tech Refreshes are free to all customers with valid NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS).  We also offer full-day Onsite Training for you and your team, contact us for availability and pricing.
Tech Refresh button
Learn about the NetEqualizer at ASCUE  June 12-16

Join Young Harris College at ASCUE! 

Learn how they use the NetEqualizer to solve network congestion

 
It is almost here!  If you work in higher education, join your colleagues at ASCUE this spring, June 12-16th in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  And if you have ever wanted to learn more about how the NetEqualizer is used in higher education to resolve network congestion, you can hear all about it at ASCUE!

One of our long-time customers, Hollis Townsend, Director of Technology Support and Operations at Young Harris College, will be talking about his experience with the NetEqualizer in his talk at ASCUE.  Hollis’ presentation is titled “Shaping Bandwidth – Learning to Love Netflix on Campus“.

Young Harris has been using NetEqualizer to solve their network congestion issues since July, 2007. They have upgraded their NetEQ as their network has grown over the years, and currently run an NE3000 with a 1Gbps license.
We are also happy to announce that APconnections, home of the NetEqualizer, will be a Silver Sponsor at the ASCUE Conference. We will be giving away a great door prize – a Fitbit fitness watch!
It is not too late to register.  Visit the ASCUE website for details!
 

ASCUE is the Association Supporting Computer Users in Education and they have been around since 1968. Members hail from all over North America. ASCUE’s mission is to provide opportunities for resource-sharing, networking, and collaboration within an environment that fosters creativity and innovation in the use of technology within higher education.
Best Of Blog

Seven Must Know Network Troubleshooting Tips

By Art Reisman – CTO
 
Editor’s Note: This article contains some great tips to troubleshoot your network. While our network administrators already know this, others may not.  We hope this helps you the next time you are staring at a “loading…” message, and wondering what is going on!  
To get started you’ll need to get a hold of two key software tools: 1) Ping Tool and 2) a Network Scan Tool, both which I describe in more detail below.  And for advanced analysis (experts only), I will then show you how you can use a bandwidth shaper/sniffer if needed.

Ping Tool

Ping is a great tool to determine what your network responsiveness is (in milliseconds), identified by trying to get a response from a typical website. If you do not already know how to use Ping on your device there are hundreds of references to Ping and how to use it.  Simply google “how to use ping ” on your favorite device or computer to learn how to use it.
For example, I found these instructions for my MAC; and there are similar instructions for Windows, iPhone, Linux, Android, etc.
  1. Open Network Utility (located inside Applications > Utilities).
  2. Click Ping.
  3. Fill out the “Enter the network that you want to ping” field. You can enter the IP address or a web URL. For example, enter http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer to test the ping with that website.
  4. Click Ping.

Network Scan Tool

There are a variety of network SCAN tools/apps available for just about any consumer device or computer.  The decent ones will cost a few dollars, but I have never regretted purchasing one.  I use mine often for very common home and business network issues as I will detail in the tips below. Be sure and use the term “network scan tool” when searching, so you do not get confusing results about unrelated document scanning tools.
Once you get your scan tool installed, test it out by selecting Network Scan. Here is the output from my MAC scan tool.  I will be referencing this output later in the article.
Photo Of The Month

Cross That River

I had no idea that there were still Ferry Crossings along the Mississippi River. I took this photo in April, 2016 while traveling through the area.  Those trees in the background are in Kentucky, and I am standing in Missouri.
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NetEqualizer News: January 2016

January 25, 2016 — netequalizer

January 2016

Greetings!

Enjoy another issue of NetEqualizer News! This month, we introduce our new virtual NetEqualizer offering, highlight our Tech Refreshes, preview a cool new 8.4 Release feature, and discuss our DDoS Firewall option. As always, feel free to pass this along to others who might be interested in NetEqualizer News.
A message from Art…
Art Reisman, CTO – APconnections

Happy New Year! I hope your 2016 is off to a good start. Here at APconnections, we are starting 2016 off with a wonderful announcement:
0fad184f-5ea1-44c3-ad71-1093fd99f808

We are going Virtual! This month, we discuss how we are embracing Network Function Virtualization (NFV). Read below to learn more about this exciting offering!

twitterAnd remember we are now on Twitter! You can now follow us @NetEqualizer.

We love it when we hear back from you – so if you have a story you would like to share with us of how we have helped you, let us know. Email me directly at art@apconnections.net. I would love to hear from you!

In 2016, We Are Going Virtual!

As most of you know, Network Function Virtualization (NFV) has become a viable choice for many networking components. We now believe it is time to consider VM for bandwidth shaping, and are excited to announce that we will offer a NetEqualizer solution (NetEqualizer-VM) that runs on a virtual machine in 2016!

Our first offering, planned for early Q2 2016, will be targeted and tested for 100 Megabit links with 1,000 or fewer customers.

Note: There will always be reliability risks of sharing a hardware platform with other applications, hence we are starting with a relatively small footprint.

Also, in some areas of the world shipping our NetEqualizer hardware is complicated by complex trade policies, and tariffs. Thus, a Virtual offer will shorten the delivery time and reduce the mechanical overhead of hardware shipment.

Right now we are still working out all the details on NetEqualizer-VM pricing and what VMs will be supported.

If you are interested in learning more or participating in the Beta when available, please contact us!

contact_us_box-1

Start The New Year With A Tech Refresh!

Our NetEqualizer Tech Refreshes are a great way to start off the new year! These short, 30 minute WebEx sessions can provide great value to you and your team and help you get the most out of your NetEqualizer. Here are just a few of the benefits:

1) Learn about new releases – we are constantly evolving and enhancing our product. Tech Refreshes can help quickly get you up-to-speed on what is new!

2) Quickly educate a new employee – our Tech Refreshes make training a new staff member on NetEqualizer a breeze!

3) Ask questions and review your configuration – use this time to make sure that your unit is optimally configured, and ask any questions you’ve been curious about with your NetEqualizer!

Schedule your Tech Refresh today by clicking the link below.

Tech Refreshes are free to all customers with valid NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS).

We also offer onsite training for you and your team in full day seminars – contact us for availability and pricing.

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8.4 Release Coming Soon!
User Interface Enhancements

In last month’s newsletter, we talked about changes coming to the regular NetEqualizer GUI. Over the next couple of months, we’ll highlight some of those changes here.

One of the changes we are most excited about is the ability to edit the configuration on the fly. See a screenshot of the Configure Hard Limits Interface below:

This makes even complex configuration changes and setup quick and easy! You’ll now be able to add, edit, and remove hard limits, pools, pool members, priority hosts, and more all from one place.

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As you can see, we are also changing the look and feel to match that of RTR. Check back next month for updates on more exciting changes!

Our time frame for General Acceptance of this release is March/April of 2016.

As with all software releases, the 8.4 Release will be free to all customers with valid NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS).

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NetEqualizer DDoS Firewall In Action873a321d-b492-4f3f-9766-1b79c2231cc7

Just a reminder that our DDoS Firewall Option (DFW) is now installed at several locations, and is making a difference by heading off incoming DDoS attacks, even as you read this!

If you suspect you are being hit with sporadic or persistent DDoS attacks, the DDoS firewall option may be well worth the $3500 installation and consulting fee.

You can read more about DDoS on our blog here.

If you have any questions or would simply like to learn more, contact us!

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Best Of The Blog

Ten Ways To Make Your Life As An Internet Provider Easier

By Art Reisman – CTO – APconnections

From ISPs and WISPs to networks in libraries, businesses, and universities, Internet use is on the rise. Yet, as the demand for Internet access continues to grow around the world, so do both the opportunities and challenges for service providers.

Just as quickly as your user-base grows, the obstacles facing providers begin to emerge.

From competition to unhappy customers, the venture that once seemed certain to succeed can quickly test the will of even the most battle-hardened and tech-savvy business owners and network administrators. However, for all types of Internet providers, there are ways to make the process smoother…
Photo Of The Month
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What is this mountain range?
Tell us and you could win a $25 gift card!
This picture was taken by a staff member during a recent trip. The first four (4) people to email sales@apconnections.net with the name of this mountain range will win a $25 gift card!
The answer for last month is: The Iowa State Court House in Des Moines, IA
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NetEqualizer News: November 2015

November 12, 2015 — netequalizer

November 2015

Greetings!

Enjoy another issue of NetEqualizer News! This month, we officially release the NE5000, help you out with RTR best practices, feature a live customer NetEqualizer installation and Case Study, and ask for your assistance in our 2016 planning. As always, feel free to pass this along to others who might be interested in NetEqualizer News.
A message from Art…
Art Reisman, CTO – APconnections

We are awaiting our first snow here in Colorado, with our first really cold night killing off the last of the garden this past week (22F/-5C). While the garden goes to sleep, we are laying plans for next year, both in the garden and with the NetEqualizer!art

There is still time to give us feedback for 2016. If you would like to contribute to the 2016 NetEqualizer Roadmap, we welcome your ideas. Call or email us with your suggestions. And, for those of you that have already responded, THANK YOU!

This month make it official – our NE5000 powerhouse solution is ready for primetime! If you are thinking of taking your NetEqualizer solution to the next level, read more below.

twitterAnd remember we are now on Twitter! You can now follow us @NetEqualizer.

We love it when we hear back from you – so if you have a story you would like to share with us of how we have helped you, let us know.

Email me directly at art@apconnections.net. I would love to hear from you!

NE5000: Official Release

We often get quizzical looks from customers when they see our price performance numbers. Now pushing 10 Gbps line speeds and the ability to shape 60,000 users, we have heard rumblings that some analysts don’t believe our product can perform at this price point. We just ignore them, as they are mostly in the pocket of our competitors anyway.

With a list price of $22,000 USD, our new NE5000 brings bandwidth control pricing back to Earth.

How do we do it?NE5000_data_sheet

Really, it’s just old-fashioned hard work! At the core of our NetEqualizer technology lies a team of computer scientists that spend their days optimizing the algorithms and techniques to ensure high reliability and performance.

We also go against the conventional wisdom of packet classification – that is our other advantage. Packet Classification is on the way out, and there is no ignoring it any longer.

If you have not had a chance to work with us before, we encourage you to check out our new high-end model and set up a WebEx with our technical team for a demo. Click the button below to contact us!

Here is a link to our NE5000 data sheet to get you started:

The NE5000 Data Sheet

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Real World RTR: Live at Morrisville State CollegeMorrisville Logo #3

When developing RTR and other NetEqualizer features, we are often using simulated data – real system testing occurs near the end of the cycle. During a recent Technical Refresh session with Rob Gaudreau of Morrisville State College, however, we got to see some exciting results from a live NetEqualizer that we wanted to share.

The first interesting graph is their General Traffic History:

GeneralTrafficHistory-1

This is a graph of bandwidth usage for the previous week. It’s great to see how predictable the traffic patterns are, and how useful RTR can be in seeing what occurred historically and how you can use that data to plan for the future.

The second interesting graph is their General Penalty History:

GeneralPenalty-1

This is a graph of the number of penalties that were occurring over the previous week – the same time period used to generate the General Traffic History graph. Notice how the penalty count directly correlates with the busy times.

Those penalties are the NetEqualizer hard at work, shaping the largest connections during congested hours of the day, and letting traffic through untouched during less busy times – all without IT administrator intervention.morrisville_case_study

Morrisville State College – Case Study
We enjoyed talking to Rob so much and hearing about his experience with NetEqualizer, that we decided to turn it into a full case study so that others could hear their story. Check it out, here:

Morrisville State College Case Study

Schedule your Technical Refresh Today!
Our Technical Refreshes have been a huge success! These walkthroughs have proven valuable to both new and experienced customers. We are always enhancing our technology and interfaces, so it’s easy to get to the point where features are new and unfamiliar.

If you are current on NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS), and you are interested in a 30-minute WebEx to see the newest interfaces and learn more about RTR, click the link below!

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How Can RTR Help You? Check Out RTR Best Practices (Part 1)

RTR is great as a simple reporting tool, but it can also be much more! Below we share some helpful ways to utilize the different reports in RTR to better configure your NetEqualizer and understand your network. This is Part 1 of a two-part series – look for Part 2 next month!

1) Set up Traffic History IPs for Graphing
Use Traffic History->Manage Tracked IPs to add your internal IPs (or any other IP you care about) to the tracking system. The first step in getting the most out of RTR is telling it which IP addresses you want to track.

managetrackedips

2) Figure out your Top Users by Monitoring Real-Time Connections
Use Active Connections->View Active Connections and sort by the Wavg column to see your top bandwidth users. Use the C and DNS options below the external IP address to learn more about the connected host (C for Country Code and DNS for NS Lookup). Use the AR and T options below the internal IPs to view rules associated with the IP (AR) and its historical bandwidth usage (T).

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3) See if P2P is an Issue on your Network
Use Active Connections->View Connection Counts to see the IP addresses of users with lots of concurrent connections.

This data can help you determine any P2P users on your network and can also help you establish a baseline for implementing system-wide connection count limits.

Look for outliers and then set a limit such that almost all of your users fall below it with normal network usage. You can also copy the IP of the user with the most connections, filter the Active Connections table for that user, and then view all the different external IP addresses they are connected to.

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4) See What your Bandwidth Pools are Doing Right Now
Use the RTR Dashboard to view real-time pool data. Remember, all traffic falls under “Pool 0,” so even if you don’t use pools in your network, you can use this horizontal bar graph to see when your network is Equalizing (when it passes the red line).

realtimepool

If you are current on NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS), and have a question about RTR or would like a walk through, click the button below!

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Help Us Set The 2016 NetEqualizer Roadmap

We have finalized our Winter Release (8.4), but there is still time to influence our 2016 Roadmap. We will start planning our Fall Release soon, and we would love to add your ideas to the release.

If you have a great idea for us, please let us know!

No idea is too “out there” – we want to solve your crunchiest, toughest networking issues. Click on the button below to email us your idea.

If you have already responded, rest assured that we have collected your feedback and added it to our Feature Request List.

Best Of The Blog

A Cure for Electronic Theft?

By Art Reisman – CTO – APconnections

What if we created a new electronic currency, a-la Bitcoin, with a twist. Let’s start by taking an idea from the Federal Government, and put a watermark on our personal funds – something unique that signifies who legally possesses the currency. Cattle ranchers do this with a brand so nobody steals their cattle. This has worked pretty well for a few hundred years, right?

With our new personal watermark, suppose somebody breaks into our bank, and wires all your money to some idiot in Russia. In today’s world, the only way to find that money is to follow the trail, and that takes a huge effort from a banking forensics person, working with International governments. The money may travel so fast it may not be possible to recover. Now, suppose the funds had an electronic tag that could not be altered by a criminal. For example currency in your possession has a public private encryption key, and only you can authorize a change in possession…
Photo Of The Month
picture
Where was this picture taken?
Tell us and you could win a $25 gift card.
This picture was taken by a staff member during a recent college customer site visit at a cathedral. The first four people to email sales@apconnections.net with the name of the college where this cathedral is located get a $25 gift card!
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NetEqualizer News: July 2015

July 14, 2015 — netequalizer

July 2015

Greetings!

Enjoy another issue of NetEqualizer News! This month, we highlight exciting 8.3 Release features, talk about our experience at edAccess’s Vendor Day, encourage you to sign up for a Tech Refresh, spotlight our Hotel & Resorts offering, and update you on the NetEqualizer DDoS monitoring and prevention tool. As always, feel free to pass this along to others who might be interested in NetEqualizer News.
A message from Art…
Art Reisman, CTO – APconnections

Now that summer arthas officially arrived, we are ready for the heat in Colorado. It has been unusually rainy and cloudy here in July so far, and I would like more sunshine please!

Speaking of heat, this month we turn the heat up on several of our new features in 8.3, which are spotlighted below. 8.3 has been G/A since early June, in case you missed it. We also want you to take a Summer Course, no tests involved, and update you on Art’s latest visit back to school, namely the edAccess Conference. And finally, if you need relief from the heat of potential DDoS attacks, you have come to the right place. Our DDoS Monitor and Firewall can help! Read more below.

We love it when we hear back from you – so if you have a story you would like to share with us of how we have helped you, let us know. Email me directly at art@apconnections.net. I would love to hear from you!

Spotlight: 8.3 Release Hot New Features

8.3 has been G/A since early June, and we have been receiving a lot of positive feedback on the new RTR reports. If you have not yet requested 8.3, what are you waiting for? Click here to request an upgrade to 8.3 from our support team.

This month, we are highlighting two features available in 8.3 – Historical and Active Penalty Tracking. We also talk our activated Management Port, a feature available on all new NetEqualizers!

One of the best features in the 8.3 release is increased visibility into how your NetEqualizer is penalizing traffic. We’ve added interfaces to the 8.3 release that allow you to see both the number of penalties enforced on your network historically, as well as all of the current connections that are being penalized.

Historical Penalty Tracking

The General Penalty Reports page under the Traffic History menu shows the number of penalties enforced on your network at a given point in time. This allows you to see when connections on your network were being Equalized.

penalties

Active Penalty Tracking

The View Active Penalties page under the Active Connections menu shows which connections are currently being Equalized along with their current state (New, Increased, or Decreased). This allows you to diagnose any performance issues and also gives you a real time look at how the penalties are being enforced and who they are being enforced on.

activepenalties

Management Port Enabled by Default on all NEW NetEqualizers

We strive to make setting up the NetEqualizer as simple as possible. In this spirit, last year we moved all new NetEqualizers to a four port model, and started using colored port plugs to help our customers identify the ports. Two ports (eth0 and eth1) are used for network traffic, a 3rd port (eth2) is used as a management port, and the 4th port is a spare. We use four colors: 1) blue (WAN), 2) orange (LAN), 3) clear (Management Port) and 4) black (unused).

Prior to 8.3, only a subset of our customers used the Management Port, typically those on VLANs. As of 8.3, we standardized everything so that our NetEqualizer code automatically enables the Management Port, and ALL customers will use this to configure new NetEqualizers. While not a huge change, we think this will make setup just a little bit easier for everyone.

Please note that this feature is only available on new NetEqualizers.

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You can read more about all of the features of the 8.3 Release here in the 8.3 Software Update. If you would like to upgrade to 8.3, just click on the button below to send a request to Support.

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These features are free to all customers with valid NetEqualizer Software and Support. If you are not current with NSS, contact us today!

We Had a Blast at edAccess!

Art recently joined the edAccess Conference in Mercersberg, PA on June 24th for Vendor Day. It was a great event and was well-attended by small schools and colleges (members come from schools with an FTE of under 1,000 students).edaccess

Art got to visit with quite a few current NetEqualizer customers, as you can see in the picture below:

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Art is on the left of the picture and is shown along with representatives from Williston Northampton School, Choate Rosemary Hall, Blair Academy, Mt. St. Mary Academy, Merceyhurst University, Peddie School, and Groton School.

Art would like to personally thank everyone for a great event…

I’d like to thank John Johnson from Williston Northampton School, Rainelle Dixon from Mercersberg Academy and the entire edAccess steering committee for being such wonderful hosts to the vendors. Mercersburg is such a lovely campus and my drive through central Pennsylvania was also relaxing and fun, I took some time on my return stopping at the various waysides, and even took in a game, featuring the Single A Crosscutters of Williamsport.

Thanks Again!

To learn more about NetEqualizer and how we help educational institutions of all sizes, click below.

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Take a Summer Course! Sign Up for a Tech Refresh

Remember those days? If you ever took a summer course, you know that the key was to keep it short, so that you could get back outside. Our NetEqualizer Technical Refresh is short! – only a 30 minute discussion with you and your fellow team members to help get caught up on new NetEqualizer functionality or answer any other questions you have.

The Tech Refresh is great for both new and longtime customers because we are constantly enhancing our product to give you the most value in managing and shaping bandwidth.

To schedule your Tech Refresh, contact us today!

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Tech Refreshes are free to all customers with valid NetEqualizer Software and Support. If you are not current with NSS, contact us today!

Spotlight: GX2 – NetEqualizer Hotel & Resort Industry Wi-Fi Partner

NetEqualizer’s Wi-Fi management partner for the hotel and resort industry, GX2 (formerly Global Gossip), recently attended the HITEC 2015 Conference in Austin, Texas, and brought along the NetEqualizer. According to their website, HITEC is the world’s largest hospitality conference.hmsio

Visitors to GX2’s booth and luncheon were able to review the NetEqualizer offering, and also walk away with some trade show bling (a foam NetEqualizer soccer ball!).

Here is a screenshot of the GX2 application used in the managed Wi-Fi service offering:

gx2_screen

As we have reported here in the past, GX2 utilizes the NetEqualizer as part of their Wi-Fi offering supporting our National Parks. So, if you have a summer vacation planned at Yellowstone, Mammoth, Mount Rushmore, Zion, Crater Lake, or the Grand Canyon, to name a few, chances are you are experiencing the benefits of NetEqualizer’s traffic shaping.

If you are already on our technology, you have part of the solution already in place. If you have ever wanted to learn more about a managed service Wi-Fi solution for the Hotel & Resort industry, you can read about our joint offering (HMSIO).

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NetEqualizer DDoS Tool Gaining Momentum

We keep getting reports of ongoing Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks from our customers, and are glad to hear the NetEqualizer is helping in many cases. If you are interested in chatting about using the NetEqualizer as a DDoS prevention tool please contact us to set up a time to chat.

Note: We do have a consulting charge for custom activation of firewall rules, but the initial consult is free.

The 8.3 Release includes our DDoS Monitor at no extra charge! In addition, our new DDoS Firewall tool (DFW) can be purchased as an add-on module for an additional fee.

ddos

The new DDoS Monitor shows you some basic metrics on the outside intrusion hit rate into your network. It can be used to spot anomalies which would indicate a likely DDoS attack in progress. The DDoS Firewall tools helps to actually thwart the attack.

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Best Of The Blog

Is Your Bandwidth Controller Obsolete Technology?

By Art Reisman – CTO – APconnections

Although not free yet, bandwidth contracts have been dropping in cost faster than a bad stock during a recession. With cheaper bandwidth costs, the question often arises on whether or not an enterprise can do without their trusty bandwidth controller.

Below, we have compiled a list of factors that will determine whether or not Bandwidth Controllers stick around for a while, or go the route of the analog modem, a relic of when people received their Internet from AOL and dial up…
Photo Of The Month
IMG_2407
Cinque Terre, Italy
This picture was taken by one of our staff while walking the trail that connects the five towns of the Cinque Terre on the coast of Italy. These towns are built into the sides of the tall hills that meet the sea. The trek between each town is a manageable 2 miles and provides picturesque views of the water and surrounding forests.
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NetEqualizer News: October 2014

October 21, 2014 — netequalizer

October 2014

Greetings!

Enjoy another issue of NetEqualizer News! This month, we discuss more details of our upcoming Cloud Reporting offering, highlight two ways to learn more about the NetEqualizer, and preview our new NetEqualizer 8.1 Product Demo Guide. As always, feel free to pass this along to others who might be interested in NetEqualizer News.
A message from Art…
Art Reisman, CTO – APconnections

October in Colorado has been mild to date. This year, I received an early “Halloween treat” – my garden pumpkin plants are still producing baby pumpkins! Normally by this time everything has been killed off by frost – but not this year.art_canoe_picture

We have a Halloween treat for you as well this month. Due to popular demand and very positive feedback, we are continuing to offer our “Tech Refresh” sessions. For those of you looking for a more extensive training, we are also offering On-Site One Day Training Sessions – see below for details on each of these offerings.

We love it when we hear back from you – so let us know what you think of the new RTR! Email me directly at art@apconnections.net. I would love to hear from you!

Here Comes The Cloud!

Have you had a chance to play with our Release 8.1 reporting features yet? There are some nice traffic graphs and other tools to help you find out what has been happening on your network. If you have not already upgraded to 8.1, contact our Support Team at support@apconnections.net to get current today!

tbyip

We are now planning for our 8.2 Release. As always, if you have RTR feedback or other feature requests for 8.2, please email your thoughts to sales@apconnections.net.

Our 8.2 development focus will be centered on long-term data resolution. Data resolution, or the granularity for which you can drill down on historical data in reporting, is based on three factors:

1. Sample rate
2. Length of time you store data
3. Amount of storage available

As you can imagine, the three factors above are interrelated. In order to increase our storage out to a year or more, there are two options. One would be to install larger disk drives on systems. The second option would be to take advantage of the cloud, where storage is essentially infinite and access to the data is fast.

We are choosing the latter option, for the same reasons the rest of the world is moving away from local data storage. We are planning on having NetEqualizer Cloud Reporting (NCR) ready to go by the summer of 2015, with beta trials this spring.

It will be easy to set up with a few clicks, and will be a cost-effective option for keeping NetEqualizer data long-term. Please note that you must be on Release 8.1+ to take advantage of our NetEqualizer Cloud Reporting (NCR).

If you have questions on the above, please don’t hesitate to contact us:

sales@apconnections.net

-or-

303-997-1300

NetEqualizer 8.1 Product Demo GuideScreenshot at Oct 19 16-57-23

Our Product Demonstration Guide has been updated to highlight the new reporting capabilities available in 8.1.

Click here to get the updated guide, which you can use to review key features and functions of the NetEqualizer.

The Product Demo Guide is a great self-guided introduction to the NetEqualizer. If you have new staff members that could benefit from a quick tutorial, I highly recommend giving them this updated guide!

The Product Demo Guide is also available as part of our Online Demo Site. Register here to go to the NetEqualizer demonstration site and use the updated guide for a self-guided tour.

Schedule a Tech Refresh Call

We mentioned this offer in last month’s newsletter as well, but due to popular demand, we are highlighting this again for those of you who missed it last month!

We want to make sure that you are getting the most out of your NetEqualizer, as we are sure you do too! For customers that have been using the NetEqualizer awhile, sometimes with staffing changes over the years, and our new software releases, your collective NetEqualizer know-how diminishes. We would like to help you quickly get up-to-speed on all the features & functions of the NetEqualizer that are new to you, or you might have forgotten.

For customers current on NetEqualizer Software and Support (NSS), we would be happy to schedule up to a 1 hour NetEqualizer “Tech Refresh” call with you and your team. We will set up a webex session to screen-share with you, and walk through the NetEqualizer technology.

Call or email us to schedule your Tech Refresh today:

sales@apconnections.net

-or-

303-997-1300

Want More? On-Site Technical Training

While a Tech Refresh call is a great way to get current on all things NetEqualizer, some of you have expressed an interest in even more!

So, we are now offering a limited number of On-Site One Day Technical Training Sessions in the U.S. and Canada, subject to availability.

Our one day training is great if you would like an engineer to train your team at your location, working directly on your NetEqualizer(s). We can highlight key configuration options, assess your set-up, and help you to review your environment in detail.

Pricing is $3500 USD for one day, plus travel expenses.

Call or email to check availability for On-Site Technical Training today:

sales@apconnections.net

-or-

303-997-1300

Best Of The Blog

QoS Over The Internet – Five Must-Know Facts

By Art Reisman – CTO – APconnections

Twelve years ago we crossed a chasm with our NetEqualizer technology. We found a new and completely novel way to provide QoS without controlling both ends of the connection. In other words we are still the only solution that I know of that can sit in your enterprise and ensure that an incoming VoIP call over your public facing Internet connection does not get drowned out from an incoming download.

There is no doubt that we do it well because every month I talk to a customer that thanks us for helping solve this problem. If you do get into a water cooler discussion with other IT people on this subject, please send them this link from a blog post where I explain this technology and how it is different, you will be doing them a favor.
Photo Of The Month
IMG_0598
Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is one of the most beautiful birds in the Americas. This particular owl spends his time in Lafayette, CO in a staff member’s backyard. Due to its natural-colored plumage, it can successfully adapt to most environments.
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