The system, called Visual Performance Manager, provides a single view for network managers so they can quickly identify performance degradation within a network. They also can execute root cause analysis of performance issues to get maximum function out of a network and make sure that voice and data applications don't experience hiccups.

Fluke Networks is part of the Danaher group of companies, which design and manufacture a variety of technologies. It first entered the enterprise performance management market in 2002 with the introduction of distributed analysis products for local area and wide area networks. Visual Performance Manager is a result of the company's integration of two recently acquired product lines -- Visual UpTime Select and NetFlow Tracker -- into a unified management suite.

Network managers typically don't have the tools necessary to assess application and network performance, said Naresh Kannan, business development manager for Fluke Networks' enterprise performance management group, in an interview. Visual Performance Manager is designed to address problems related to quality of applications, voice over IP, and network performance across enterprises with many branch offices.

"Enterprise performance management is a $600 million market, but less than 50% of IT executives are aware of that fact and the tools available to them," said Jeff Lime, Fluke Networks' senior VP of marketing, in an interview.

By deploying the system, IT departments can roll out new business and application services faster by having a detailed view of resources used and by being able to associate a problem with the relevant network, server, or application. It includes visual management tools that use information from different data sources, such as data collected from enterprise management systems.

Fluke Networks plans to officially roll out and make Visual Performance Manager commercially available on Oct. 29.