Network management took a big leap of faith when it jumped from its traditional Unix grounding to Windows NT. The shift was expected to fortify the ease of use--an NT hallmark--of network management systems, but questions regarding usefulness and sizing remained. Not anymore. Tivoli Systems' TME 10 NetView 5.0 popped up with right answer after right-click answer. It not only wins our top award in this category but takes home honors as Network Computing's choice for Well-Connected Software Product of the Year, as well.

Tivoli's TME 10 NetView, originally an offshoot of Hewlett-Packard Co.'s Network Node Manager, is clearly casting shadows, rather than standing in them. NetView on NT goes beyond being easy to use--Tivoli also has made it useful. Not only does the carefully designed interface make finding and using tools efficient, it's intelligent. When we needed a function, it was there.

Especially outstanding was the encouraging arrival of useful applications. DHCP awareness kept the map from turning red in the afternoon when users started to go home. Tracking of the network node's availability was intelligent. Correct calculation of network utilization as a default statistic just made sense.

Besides brains, TME has plenty of muscle. The completely rewritten multithreaded design of the product handled 6,000-plus nodes. But we needed more proof and loaded the server with thousands of traps. TME didn't miss a step--processing these events and maintaining good console response didn't draw so much as a bead of sweat. This combination of brains and power makes TME 10 tough to beat.

Those receiving honorable mention in this category warrant praise, too. Trailing just slightly behind TME 10, Computer Associates International's Unicenter TNG boasts both network and systems management capabilities. Unicenter TNG is well-known for its 3-D GUI, but not everyone is aware that it also sports a full complement of systems management tools. Although its coverage was wide, it was focused enough that its network management on NT was very good.

Surprise might summarize our reaction to HP OpenView Network Node Manager's third-place finish in our product review last year. HP, usually the favorite with its Open View Network Node Manager, couldn't match the power embodied in the products from Tivoli or CA. Nevertheless, in the network management Olympics, HP saved its jump with a solid two-foot landing. This seasoned veteran worked right out of the box, no questions asked.

TME 10 NetView 5.0 $5,000 per server up to 1,000 nodes, $15,000 per server more than 1,000 nodes,
Tivoli Systems,
800-2-TIVOLI, 512-436-8000.
www.tivoli.com