New bandwidth management device launched

The eXstreamLITE model that optimises Internet traffic.

Expertron, an associate company at The Innovation Hub, has announced the launch of eXstreamLITE, a smart new networking device that optimises Internet traffic. This exciting new ICT product forms part of the eXstream suite of products that is designed, developed and distributed by Expertron.

According to Dr Walter Smuts, managing director of Expertron "...the ability of the eXstream device to shape Internet traffic for a primary as well as secondary bottleneck makes it especially suitable for South African conditions where the upstream international Internet links form a second bandwidth bottleneck".

Whilst firewalls are designed to "regulate" Internet traffic - allowing acceptable and denying unacceptable traffic - Expertron's eXstream bandwidth manager controls the quantity of data transmitted for specific traffic classes. This functionality is similar to the optimising of a highway by creating separate lanes (one for slow moving trucks, one for fast moving motor cars and another for emergency vehicles) which is a well known principle.

Expertron was the first company to join the Business Incubator at The Innovation Hub in September 2000 and graduated to associate tenant status last year. Founding members Walter Smuts and Gavin Ehlers are upbeat about being part of The Innovation Hub's high-tech, innovative environment. "The Innovation Hub has provided us with office infrastructure in an affordable and flexible way and helped us to present a professional image to clients. The most important advantage, however, is being in close proximity to other entrepreneurs," they said.

With the legalisation of Voice over IP (VoIP) in South Africa by the end of February 2005, the focus of companies is once again on quality of service guarantees for network connections. The proliferation of applications using P2P protocols, uncontrolled automatic operating system updates, gaming, viruses and even email, can easily consume the bulk of a company's available Internet bandwidth. This leaves many companies with inadequate bandwidth and response times for business-critical applications. Without the ability to monitor and ultimately control traffic patterns, companies are often left with an expensive bandwidth upgrade as the only option.

Configuring bandwidth management can be extremely time-consuming and requires high-level technical skills. Many medium-sized companies cannot afford these high-end Traffic Management devices, let alone the trained professional with the necessary skills to configure and manage such complex systems.

The eXstreamLITE model has been designed with ease of use in mind. It provides an affordable, pre-packaged solution with standard options similar to the "sport, portrait and landscape" options on modern cameras. This intuitive paradigm enables the administrator to focus on what he wants to achieve through traffic management and not so much on how to achieve this.

The eXstream processing engines are layered upon a robust and secure Linux-based platform.

The Innovation Hub's CEO, Dr Neville Comins, has congratulated Experton on their latest innovation, saying they have had many achievements in the few years they have been associated with The Innovation Hub and have shown commitment to excellence in all their activities.

For more information, contact Dr Walter Smuts or Gavin Ehlers at Expertron at
tel 012 844 0335 or email to info@expertron.co.za or visit their website at www.expertron.co.za

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