I would like to find companies/tools that can model a fairly complex distributed network system. The system includes LANS, a WAN, SANS, tape archives (NOT backup!, many servers, the usual network components (routers, bridges,firewalls, etc.). The modeling tool must be able to include all these components in the model and run simulations of adding new large amounts of new data to storage at one point in the future and over time(years) in the future. The model should also be able to simulate the addtion of new components (especially SAN, tape archive) to the system. The only tool that seems to come close is Opnet - but it appears to have some deficiences. Any thoughts?
May want to check out NetApp's SANScreen. Here's a case study David Floyer just completed on this topic.