NetIQ To Release New Version Of WebTrends Reporting CenterNetIQ To Release New Version Of WebTrends Reporting Center

NetIQ Corp. this week will unveil a new version of its WebTrends Reporting Center software for analyzing Web-site activity. The release, the first since NetIQ acquired WebTrends Corp. in March, is an effort to expand sales of the WebTrends technology within midsize businesses and large companies.

WebTrends struck gold in 1996 with its first Web log analysis tool. But the company's more sophisticated Enterprise Reporting Server and CommerceTrends analysis tools face stiff competition from vendors such as Accrue, E.piphany, and NetGenesis. There also are questions about the company's fit with NetIQ, a systems-management and security-software vendor. "It's still a challenge for them to figure out where they fit in with the rest of the NetIQ family," says Aberdeen Group analyst Guy Creese.

WebTrends Reporting Center 4.0 can analyze the effectiveness of streaming media and report on wireless traffic to and from mobile phones and Palm devices. Custom reports for managers also can be created with the product's enterprise edition. New data-collection software lets analysts use Reporting Center without archiving, transferring, and managing log files. The new software is available immediately, with pricing starting at $35,000.