Grooming networks for VoIP

As VoIP services continue to grow, vendors are rolling out new management tools to help IT departments deploy and manage their VoIP systems.

Computer Associates and Visual Networks have both released new VoIP management and assessment tools. “Companies are spending a lot of money to do pre-assessments before they make VoIP deployments,” said Jeff Schmitz, senior vice president of marketing at Visual Networks. “They also need tools to monitor VoIP traffic once it is deployed.”

Visual Networks last week added a VoIP management module to its Visual UpTime Select network and application-performance management suite that monitors VoIP traffic in real time and helps judge network IP capacity. The Select VoIP MRI (Management, Reporting, and Integrity) module includes features that assess a network’s capability of handling planned VoIP rollouts, monitor VoIP traffic after deployment, and manage and report problems.

The Select VoIP MRI also aids pre-assessments by providing information such as how many IP phones a site can handle.

Earlier this month, Computer Associates added a VoIP network performance assurance and assessment component to its Unicenter NSM (Network and Systems Management) software. CA integrated Viola Networks’ NetAlly RealTime with its Unicenter NSM to provide a single network-management console for VoIP and data management.

The U.S. VoIP market will hit $19 billion in 2009, up from $1.3 billion last year, according to a report by NewMarket Technology.