Asian Service Provider Chooses APCON
Saves Over $600,000 on Network
Monitoring Tool Costs
Case Study
A leading national telecommunications provider in Asia relies on APCON for a unified monitoring solution as
it extends its Internet Protocol (IP) Network to meet customer demand in Data Services. Through its three
principal business groups – fixed line, wireless, and information & communication technology – this company
offers the largest and most diversified range of telecommunications services across an extensive fiber
optic backbone, along with fixed line, cellular and satellite networks. APCON allowed this service provider to
connect multiple data centers in a single intelligent data traffic management system, saving over $600,000
in monitoring tool purchases.
Challenge
▪ APCON enterprise-class network
monitoring switches provide
the 10G Ethernet port density
required for telecommunications
infrastructure monitoring,
along with data management
features and centralized switch
management
▪ New telecom services require
increased data traffic
monitoring with a variety of
tools in several locations
▪ Solution requires network
monitoring switches with
high port density, packet
aggregation, filtering, and
data rate conversion
▪ Customer realized cost savings
of over 50% by reducing
required tool inventory and
maintenance
As part of its IP Network expansion, which included support for data services to
business, media streaming and other similar services, the company identified the
following capabilities as critical:
▪ IP Network Monitoring
▪ Traffic Classification and Analysis
▪ IP Network Data Collection
The tools selected to achieve these goals included a selection of passive TAP devices,
NetScout nGenius monitors, NetScout Infinistream network probes, and an IP traffic
collector. Collectively, these tools provide IP Detail Record Server (IPDRS) information for
traffic classification, real-time monitoring, proactive problem detection, and post-event
forensic packet analysis through a fraud management system (FMS).
The APCON Solution
Core Network
The company asked for proposals to implement
a network monitoring system with filtering, data
rate conversion, scheduling, and full line rate
switching between the production network and
the monitoring devices.
TAPs
Additionally, the monitoring system required a
suitable port density for the size of the project,
the ability to manage the switches from a central
point and scalability and room to grow the
network in the future.
APCON met these requirements by proposing
a system based on its INTELLAPATCH®
Series 3000 switch chassis, populated with
INTELLAFlex packet aggregator blades.
APCON
TITAN
NPM
Probe
FMS
IPDR
Figure 1: Individual Site Network
Monitoring Design, with Connection
After the proof of concept phase, the company
to the TITAN Server.
chose APCON for its combination of packet
aggregation, data rate conversion, and filtering capabilities, along with superior
10G port density, reliability, scalability, and the centralized management features
provided by APCON’s unique TITAN EP software package.
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Asian Service Provider Chooses APCON Saves Over $600,000 on Network Monitoring Tool Costs
To achieve the desired monitoring visibility throughout their network at the central
exchange data center and several satellite data centers around the metro area,
the company purchased several INTELLAPATCH Series 3000 chassis, along with a
selection of INTELLAFlex and INTELLAPATCH 10G blades to populate the switches.
APCON’s TITAN EP™ software was overlaid to provide a single point of control for
all APCON switches at the various network locations.
Results
About APCON
APCON develops innovative, scalable
technology solutions to enhance
network monitoring, support IT traffic
analysis, and streamline IT network
management and security. APCON
is the industry leader for state-ofthe-art IT data aggregation, filtering,
and network switching products, as
well as leading-edge managementsoftware support. Organizations
in over 50 countries depend on
APCON network infrastructure
solutions. Customers include Global
Fortune 500 companies, banks
and financial services institutions,
telecommunication service providers,
government and military, and
computer equipment manufacturers.
At each network location, the passive TAP devices on the primary network links
feed data into the INTELLAPATCH switch populated with INTELLAFlex blades. Data
streams from the TAPs are aggregated in the APCON switch and then multicast in a
many-to-many configuration to the NetScout Infinistream probe and IP Detail Record
Server. The NetScout probe then feeds data to the Network Performance Monitor
(NPM), while the IP Detail Record server feeds the Fraud Management System. The
APCON INTELLAPATCH switches are remotely controlled from the central exchange
offices using TITAN EP, minimizing the need for personnel to enter the network site.
The Network Performance Monitor also displays to the same screens.
This implementation allowed the company to reduce its planned purchases of
many duplicated tools from $1.25 Million to $620,000, along with further savings
in maintenance contracts and staff time.
Central
Satellite 1
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ENTER
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
10 Gbps Ethernet
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Power
INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
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I NTELLA FLEX ™ Blade
ACI-3030-E18-6
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
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ENTER
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
Contact Us
A
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I NTELLA FLEX ™ Blade
ACI-3030-E18-6
10 Gbps Ethernet
2
1
B
Power
I NTELLA FLEX ™ Blade
ACI-3030-E18-6
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1/10 Gigabit Fiber Ethernet
INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
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I NTELLA FLEX ™ Blade
ACI-3030-E18-6
INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
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ACI-3030-E18-6
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
CANCEL
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
FMS
H
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
CANCEL
CANCEL
Please email [email protected]
or call 503–682–4050 if you have
any questions
APCON
Probe
Server
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ACI-3030-E18-6
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I NTELLA FLEX ™ Blade
ACI-3030-E18-6
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TAP
ENTER
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INTELLA PATCH ® Blade
ACI-3010-E18-5
Packet Aggregator
1/10 Gbps
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I NTELLA FLEX ™ Blade
ACI-3030-E18-6
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Power
I NTELLA FLEX ™ Blade
ACI-3030-E18-6
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ACI-3030-E18-6
APCON
A
Power
TAP
Satellite 3
Figure 2: Multi-Site Network Monitoring Design. APCON Switches at Each Satellite
Office Feed Data Back to the Central Data Center.
This installation covers the core network for the capital city in which this company
operates. At this time, all APCON chassis in multiple sites are operational,
monitoring the production network. The company plans future expansion of
this same design into more cities over the next several years, as well as similar
installations in several subsidiaries and related enterprises in the same nation.
APCON, Inc. ▪ apcon.com ▪ +1 503–682–4050 ▪ 800–624–6808
© 2013 APCON, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IntellaPatch® is a Registered Trademark of APCON, Inc.
@APCON ▪
company/APCON ▪ APCON is an Equal Opportunity Employer – MFDV
12060-R3-0713