What is it?
This is a recorded movie of the data presented by NetQoS Netcosm, experimental technology from NetQoS Performance Labs. It is the result of a project initiated by Dr. Mike Johns to represent network performance data as gathered and analyzed by NetQoS SuperAgent^® in an accessible, low cognitive burden metaphor.

Is it displaying real data?
The data is real, gathered from our own network.

Are these real packets?
SuperAgent captures and analyzes data in 5 minute increments. This representation takes that 5 minute analysis and recreates traffic that symbolizes what happened within that 5 minute timeframe. Each 5 minute segment takes only 10 or 15 seconds to represent, so Netcosm loops through the last 3 hours of gathered data and represents it in a space-like setting.

What are the graphic elements that are flying back and forth?
The icons moving between the boxes represent the traffic between those hosts. The icon is sized and shaped by the application and data that was transferred. Its color, speed, and other attributes are also representative of the data and the transfer of that data from host to host.

Can I use my own data?
There are no plans at this time. If you feel this would be valuable to your organization, please contact labs@netqos.com.

Is this concept based on existing NetQoS technology?

Yes, the concept is based on the NetQoS SuperAgent product:

Definition: NetQoS SuperAgent is the end-to-end performance monitoring product of the NetQoS Performance Center product suite. SuperAgent analyzes end-to-end application response time passively from every network location to the data center, giving IT organizations visibility into how well the network infrastructure is delivering applications to end users across the enterprise. SuperAgent enables IT organizations to solve problems faster, validate the impact of change, and report the quality of service by:
• Isolating response time delays to the network, server, or application
• Launching automatic investigations into problems
• Measuring the impact of infrastructure changes and reporting service level quality for internal users and external service providers

Differentiation: SuperAgent is the only product in its class that provides simple, actionable information based on deep analysis of complex response time data. For instance, automatic investigations are a key differentiator of the product.

Credibility: SuperAgent is deployed in hundreds of complex enterprise networks.

Why release this movie now?
Besides the fact that we think it’s really cool, we wanted to expose people to a new way of representing network data. From the network engineer to the CIO to your grandmother, everyone can get an idea of what type of traffic is flying around an enterprise network and how it is performing.

Why is this clip worth my time?
New network engineers are entering the marketplace, and these new employees have been working with computer simulations in the context of games all of their lives. From auto racing to golf, video games accurately model the real world, and this is an exciting and novel extension of that phenomenon.

Is this a product?
No. This is the result of a research project into advanced visualization techniques for making complex data simple. It is one example of the projects our researchers are pursuing to make the users of our tools more successful and valuable in their jobs. Even though it is not a product, we would appreciate your feedback on it and we would like to know how you might use it in your enterprise. Comments may be sent to labs@netqos.com.

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