Re: Opinions regarding Packeteer Packetshaper & alternatives

[Anthony Maszeroski <maszeroskia3 () SCRANTON EDU>]

We use a 4500 and have no issues obtaining the latest image files under
our support contract. It looks like you were given bad information.

Paul Younker wrote:
> We were told both by the VAR from which we purchased the Packetshaper,
> and by Packeteer technical support, that we would no longer be able to
> receive updates after the end-of-life date, so we did not renew our
> contract. I spoke to someone at Packeteer on two separate occasions
> regarding the issue and received the same answer both times - that
> support was being discontinued for the 4500 and that we would not be
> able to receive software updates, even with a contract in place. Could
> it be that you have access to the software because you have a valid
> contract for your 8500 unit? I suppose it also could be the case that
> Packeteer received enough complaints and reversed their position. Either
> way, we have decided to move on and are happy with that decision.
>
> I would like to know if we received bad information (from multiple
> sources), however.
>
> Paul Younker
> Associate Director of Information Technology
> Greenville College
> Greenville, IL
>
> 618.664.7072
> 618.664.7172 fax
> paul.younker () greenville edu
>
> I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up
> where I intended to be. - Douglas Adams
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cal Frye [mailto:cjf () CALFRYE COM]
> Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 2:22 PM
> To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Opinions regarding Packeteer Packetshaper &
> alternatives
>
> I've been able to download and install the latest image files on my
> 4500. I just this moment had it update itself to 7.2.1g1. It's not
> automatic like Clean Access, and that's for the best, IMHO. I don't see
> the obstacle you're seeing.
>
> --Cal Frye, Network Administrator, Oberlin College
>    www.ouuf.org, www.calfrye.com
>    Say Yes Twice for Oberlin Schools!   www.oberlinyesyes.com
>
>   "I am not blaming those who are resolved to rule, only those who show
> an even greater readiness to submit." --Thucydides.
>
>
> Paul Younker wrote:
> > When you say manually update, do you mean researching and identifying
> > new types of traffic and manually creating rules? If so, I don't have
> > the staffing level to spend the time it would take to use the unit
> > manually. That was our initial plan after the discontinuation of
> > service, but it was proving to be a severe productivity drain on my
> > staff trying to keep up with new types of traffic.
> >
> > Allot referred us to a VAR for the NetEnforcer. I can give you their
> > name off-list if you would like.
> >
> > Paul Younker
> > Associate Director of Information Technology Greenville College
> > Greenville, IL
> >
> > 618.664.7072
> > 618.664.7172 fax
> > paul.younker () greenville edu
> >
> > I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended
> > up where I intended to be. - Douglas Adams
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Cal Frye [mailto:cjf () CALFRYE COM]
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 1:59 PM
> > To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> > Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Opinions regarding Packeteer Packetshaper &
> > alternatives
> >
> > You can manually update the 4500. We have an 8500 and a 4500, and both
>
> > are operating at version 7.01.g1. It's still doing what we need it to
> > do.
> >
> > Where did you get your pricing for the Netenforcer? Our indications
> > were it was rather more than our Packetshapers.
> >
> > --Cal Frye, Network Administrator, Oberlin College
> >    www.ouuf.org, www.calfrye.com
> >    Say Yes Twice for Oberlin Schools!   www.oberlinyesyes.com
> >
> >   "A witty saying proves nothing." - Voltaire (1694-1778)
> >
> >
> > Paul Younker wrote:
> >
> > > We had a Packetshaper 4500 series running on our network for a little
> > > more than 12 months. We didn't use it any longer than that because
> > > Packeteer designated the product as end-of-life and discontinued the
> > > software updates for the product. Without the software (and protocol
> > > identification) updates, the product's usefulness is severely limited.
> > > Our only option with Packeteer was to spend an additional significant
> > > amount of money to upgrade to a 6500 unit a little over a year after
> > > buying the 4500 unit.
> > >
> > > We are now in the process of evaluating a demo (new) NetEnforcer.
> > > Based upon the information we have received, it appears unlikely that
> > > Allot will arbitrarily discontinue updates for the products they sell.
> >
> > > Our very initial impressions of the NetEnforcer are that it is
> > > superior to the Packetshaper for a substantially smaller investment. I
> >
> > > will be extremely reluctant to purchase any products from Packeteer in
> >
> > > the future.
> > >
> > > Paul Younker
> > > Associate Director of Information Technology Greenville College
> > > Greenville, IL
> > >
> > > 618.664.7072
> > > 618.664.7172 fax
> > > paul.younker () greenville edu
> > >
> > > I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended
> > > up where I intended to be. - Douglas Adams
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Gaddis, Jeremy L. [mailto:jlgaddis () IVYTECH EDU]
> > > Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 3:44 PM
> > > To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> > > Subject: [SECURITY] Opinions regarding Packeteer Packetshaper &
> > > alternatives
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I am interested in hearing opinions on Packeteer, Inc.'s PacketShaper
> > > product as well as any opinions of competing devices.  I am looking to
> >
> > > perhaps deploy the Packeteer to shape outbound traffic and send some
> > > of it to the bitbucket ("net radio", P2P, etc.).
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > -j
> > >
> > > --
> > > Jeremy L. Gaddis     <jlgaddis () ivytech edu>
> > > Special Projects Manager
> > > Computer & Technology Services
> > > Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
> > > 812.330.6156 (w)  812.797.6176 (m)

--
- Anthony Maszeroski
-----------------------------------
Network Security Specialist
The University of Scranton
email : maszeroskia3 () scranton edu
phone : 570-941-4226
-----------------------------------