What's Behind the Firewall? A Vendor-Specific Look at ISP Computing Infrastructure

This report presents the mindshare infrastructure vendors have among ISP network managers. It shows what equipment ISPs are implementing, and some of the philosophies behind why they selected particular vendors.

• Executive Summary
  
• Methodology
  
• Introduction
  
• Networking Hardware
  
• Systems and Server Hardware
  
  
• Software
  
• ISP Spending and Preferences for
  VPNs
  
• Conclusion

 List of Tables

• Table 1: Spending by ISP Size,
  1998 and 1999
  
• Table 2: ISP Mindshare Toward ATM
  Switch Vendors, 1997-1998
  
• Table 3: ISP Mindshare Toward
  Frame Relay Switch Vendors, 1997-1998
  
• Table 4: ISP Mindshare Toward
  Router Vendors, 1997 and 1998
  
• Table 5: ISP Mindshare Toward
  Remote Access ConcentratorVendors, 1997-1998
  
• Table 6: ISP Mindshare Toward
  Network Management Software, 1998
  
• Table 7: Web Server Hardware
  Purchased by ISPs, 1997 and 1998
  
• Table 8: Primary Web Server
  Hardware Vendor Mentioned by ISPs, 1998
  
• Table 9: Brand Importance for U.S.
  ISPs When Buying Web Server Hardware, 1998
  
• Table 10: ISPs' Choices for Web
  Server Operating System Software, 1997 and 1998
  
• Table 11: ISPs' Choices for Web
  Server Operating System Software (Dedicated Servers vs. Shared Servers), 1998
  
  
• Table 12: Advantages ISPs Believe
  Unix Has Over the Windows NT Environment, 1998
  
• Table 13: Advantages ISPs Believe
  Windows NT Has Over the Unix Environment, 1998
  
• Table 14: ISPs' Purchasing
  Tendencies for Windows NT-Based Systems, 1999
  
• Table 15: ISPs' Purchasing
  Tendencies for Unix-Based Systems, 1999
  
• Table 16: What Role Will NT-Based
  and Unix Based Systems Play in ISP Networks, 1999
  
• Table 17: ISPs' Choices for Web
  Server Software, 1997 and 1998
  
• Table 18: Types of Servers
  Deployed by U.S. ISPs, 1997 and 1998
  
• Table 19: Percentage of Network
  Hardware Budget Invested in VPN Technology, 1998 and 1999
  
• Table 20: ISPs' Preferred Approach
  to VPN Deployment, 1998
  
• Table 21: What Types of Customers
  Request VPN Services, 1998?

List of Figures

Figure 1: Spending Behind
the Firewall: U.S. ISPs' Equipment Investments in 1998