Start-up PacketTrap Networks this month will unveil its network management platform the company says offers advanced monitoring and reporting features at a competitive price.

PacketTrap's Perspective platform monitors network performance (Compare Network Monitoring and Management products), manages faults and reports on device availability data on small to midsize networks -- and offers the capabilities to take on larger environments as well. Targeted at companies with between 100 and 5,000 employees, Perspective could also be put to work in departmental implementations at large enterprise companies, PacketTrap officials say.

"We are including features that customers really need to use every day and giving them the requirements they need to manage network environments and monitor applications," PacketTrap CEO Steve Goodman says. "We offer ease of use and less complexity without requiring customers pay six figures to get results.

Perspective, available via an early access program now, includes baselining capabilities that record normal network behavior and identifies when abnormal activities occur. The software also includes simulation features that lets network managers recreate traffic flows from any location on the network. For instance, if a remote office is experiencing problems with a VoIP application, network managers in the main office can use Perspective to take over the network infrastructure at the branch office and recreate the problem to speed troubleshooting efforts.

PacketTrap also designed Perspective to be configured to take automated corrective action to restore services. For instance, the software can restart failed applications and Windows services, and it can reboot servers and execute existing scripts. Network managers can also manage Cisco's NetFlow and define role-based access controls with Perspective. The software also includes customizable monitoring dashboards, real-time and historical reports and event alerts and notifications.

Perspective, priced starting at about $2,000 and ranging to $20,000, is the second software application launched by the market newcomer, which competes directly with SolarWinds and its Orion platform. Earlier this year, PacketTrap introduced its pt360 free utility.

While pt360 loads onto a network manager workstation, the Perspective software downloads to a dedicated Windows server and auto-discovers the environment it is designed to manage. PacketTrap recommends that a software agent -- Perspective Remote Agent -- be installed in remote locations to accommodate multi-site network management.

To take part in PacketTrap's early access program for its Perspective network management software, visit the company's Web site. 

Denise Dubie is senior editor with Network World.