NETSCOUT boosts observability with Wi-Fi 7, SSL tools
NETSCOUT has updated its nGeniusONE observability platform and nGenius Edge Sensors with new features focused on monitoring remote sites and tracking SSL/TLS certificate status.
The company said the changes address two common operational issues for IT teams. One involves limited visibility into network and application performance at branch and remote locations. The other involves service disruption linked to expired or poorly tracked digital certificates.
Remote Sites
NETSCOUT has added Wi-Fi 7 support to new nGenius Edge Sensors, alongside existing Ethernet monitoring. The company said the sensors perform real-time deep packet inspection over Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
The Wi-Fi 7 support also includes backward compatibility with Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5, according to NETSCOUT. The company positioned the update as a response to organisations extending modern Wi-Fi into operational and distributed environments.
They pointed to market expectations for Wi-Fi 7 adoption. It cited BCC Research forecasts that the Wi-Fi 7 market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 61.5 percent between 2025 and 2030. NETSCOUT linked the projected growth to demand for higher speeds and lower latency, as well as programmes tied to digital transformation and industrial IoT.
NETSCOUT said the new sensors address observability gaps in remote locations. It said IT teams can use the devices to monitor critical applications at remote sites and receive early warning notifications of emerging problems.
The company also said the expanded Wi-Fi support provides visibility for current and future deployments across a mix of wireless generations, including sites with older infrastructure.
Certificate Monitoring
The company also expanded SSL/TLS certificate monitoring in nGeniusONE. They said the update provides real-time insights into certificate validity and highlights certificates nearing expiration.
NETSCOUT said the tool can also discover unknown certificates. It said this includes certificates running on non-standard ports and certificates associated with shadow IT.
SSL/TLS certificates authenticate the identity of websites, servers and services. They also underpin encrypted communications between systems and users. Expired certificates can trigger browser warnings and service failures across web applications and APIs. Organisations often manage large certificate estates across hybrid environments and third-party services.
They cited research from the Ponemon Institute that it said showed 51 percent of organisations do not know how many digital certificates they have. The company argued that limited inventory visibility increases the chance of missed renewals and unplanned outages.
The company also linked certificate problems to wider business risks. It said outages can lead to revenue loss, missed service-level agreements and customer churn. It also said certificate failures can create exposure to security threats and compliance issues.
Product Focus
NETSCOUT described the observability updates as part of a shift in operational approach. It said the changes fit a move away from incident response towards earlier identification of issues.
"Through our observability solutions, we're helping organisations master their complex networks by shifting from reactive fixes to preventative operations," said Phil Gray, Associate Vice President, Product Management, NETSCOUT.
"We aren't just accelerating MTTR; we're giving IT teams the foresight to resolve issues before they touch the business, guaranteeing a high-quality experience for their employees and customers," said Gray.
NETSCOUT recently received recognition from Frost & Sullivan, which it described as focused on innovation, performance and customer impact in network monitoring.
The new Wi-Fi 7-enabled edge sensors and the updated certificate monitoring in nGeniusONE will form part of its ongoing development roadmap for network and service observability.