ANTenna Blog -- Networking & Communications

As small and medium businesses adopt cloud computing, the need for different network management and security products becomes clear. Cymphonix has been building a business delivering such products and recently upgraded its Cymphonix Network Composer with better reporting features and support for a wider range of end user devices.

In the latest release, Cymphonix added a new reporting engine, one that correlates multiple factors so businesses can more accurately gauge employees’ access and usage patterns. In addition, information is now stored in an enhanced database management system, so network administrators can generate reports via tools, such as SAP’s Crystal Reports, Microsoft’s Excel and Access, or PERL programs.

Cymphonix Network Composer’s Content Identification features were improved so now they have more than 90 content categories and support 21 languages. In addition, the system works with input from a global anti-malware consortium that provides shared code samples and information from multiple honeypots so security features can be upgraded when new threats emerge.

The new iPhone application enables network technicians to conduct real-time monitoring via iPhone and iPod touch devices. While these devices have been targeted at consumers, they are becoming more popular in small and medium businesses. Employees like the intuitive input options and in some cases have been purchasing them without IT department approval.

Cymphonix has garnered some interest in the small and medium businesses market by delivering sophisticated management features at reasonable price points. However, the vendor is a small player in a highly competitive, dynamic market, so long term, the company may have trouble competing against larger, better established suppliers.