As virtualization evolves, so do the challenges of maintaining security, cost-effectiveness, investment value, manageability and compliance. To address all that, Net Optics (News - Alert) offers the Phantom Virtual Tap, part of a suite of solutions that integrate physical and virtual networks.

Phantom Virtual Tap is a software-based network traffic monitoring solution for virtualized and cloud computing environments. It streamlines compliance, security and management – delivering complete visibility of traffic passing between virtual machines on hypervisor stacks. It does that by replicating traffic passing between virtual network interface controllers, then it pushes that information to both virtual and physical monitoring devices.

It integrates kernel-level monitoring into the hypervisor switching system, enabling monitoring and access control in dynamic and distributed virtual environments. It also supports "bare-metal" installations with any virtual switch vendor. And the Phanton Virtual Tap, which offers a web-based GUI interface, is VMware ESX and ESXi-certified, supporting VMware version 4.x at the kernel level.

The solution eliminates the need for expensive dedicated new tools and integrates easily into virtual environments, with no interference with VMs and no modification needed in the VM.

And it works seamlessly with the Net Optics Director series of data monitoring switches and is managed by the Net Optics Indigo Pro solution.

As noted in NGN Magazine, a TMC publication, a recent study by CompTIA (News - Alert) indicates that 72 percent of organizations plan to expand the number and types of cloud computing services they use in the next few months. Eight-five of the survey respondents indicated their interest in these services due to a desire to reduce capital expenditures. About the same number indicated interest in driving down costs. And 81 percent said the new services would allow them to add capabilities not available in current IT models.

“Clearly there is growing momentum behind cloud computing, evidenced by climbing adoption rates and greater awareness,” says Carolyn April, director of industry analysis at CompTIA. “But cloud computing adoption is still nascent. The year ahead will be one of evaluation, trial and error and, most importantly, opportunity as the market sorts through the role IT channel companies will play, best business models, sales and marketing strategies and most relevant technologies.”