PKLAMMER%cudnvr@CCNUCD.DENVER.COLORADO.EDU (Pete Klammer 303/556-3915) (06/28/90)
We have an opportunity to procure a LAN analyzer. We budgeted $15,000, but now there is pressure to divert some of this amount to more visible direct user benefits... So now we're trying to strike a compromise on a portable '386sx, with LANWatch from FTP Software. Please comment if you have some relevant experience: would an old luggable 8088 or 8086-based machine be adequate or is the 386sx very beneficial? Is this software/ethercard/PC system going to help us debug sick ether segments or should we hold out (or wait) for the high-priced dedicated hardware solution. Thanks for the help. /** --poko "Please note the new ZIP+4; old addressing MAY be forwarded." Pete Klammer (303)556-3915 FAX(303)556-4822 |pklammer@pikes.denver.colorado.edu CU-Denver Computing Services Campus Box 169 |bitnet: PKLAMMER@CUDENVER 1200 Larimer St NC2506 Denver CO 80217-3364 |uu:!boulder!pikes!pklammer **/
PKLAMMER%cudnvr@ccnucd.denver.colorado.edu (Pete Klammer 303/556-3915) (06/28/90)
We have an opportunity to procure a LAN analyzer. We budgeted $15,000, but now there is pressure to divert some of this amount to more visible direct user benefits... So now we're trying to strike a compromise on a portable '386sx, with LANWatch from FTP Software. Please comment if you have some relevant experience: would an old luggable 8088 or 8086-based machine be adequate or is the 386sx very beneficial? Is this software/ethercard/PC system going to help us debug sick ether segments or should we hold out (or wait) for the high-priced dedicated hardware solution. Thanks for the help. /** --poko "Please note the new ZIP+4; old addressing MAY be forwarded." Pete Klammer (303)556-3915 FAX(303)556-4822 |pklammer@pikes.denver.colorado.edu CU-Denver Computing Services Campus Box 169 |bitnet: PKLAMMER@CUDENVER 1200 Larimer St NC2506 Denver CO 80217-3364 |uu:!boulder!pikes!pklammer **/
CCYILAN@TECHNION.BITNET (Ilan Alter) (06/28/90)
The answer depends on the number of segments you have and the topology.
I am using the sniffer of Network General and I am very happy with it.
If you want some more information mail me.
Regards
XXXXX Ilan Alter
XX Communicaton Engineer
XX XXXX Computer Center
XX XX TECHNION
XX XX HAIFA - ISRAEL
XXX CCYILAN@TECHNION
X TEL. 972-4-292651
FAX 972-4-236212jbvb@VAX.FTP.COM ("James B. Van Bokkelen") (06/28/90)
"Debug sick segments" is a little ambiguous. If your problem is broadcast storms, or "two hosts with the same IP address", or "why do I get 'can't route' messages", or "my Foo can't ftp to his Bar, but Telnet works fine" the absence of special hardware won't hinder you. If your problems are in the cabling or the interfaces themselves, like "some pairs of nodes can't talk to each other, but other pairings work fine", then we can tell you that the transmitted packets are properly formed, or that there is a CRC error at time X - you have to make the corellation that this is when 'such-and-such' tries to send. We don't detect jabber or the like. A Sniffer or a LANAlyzer or a SpiderMonitor can probably tell you more about this sort of thing. However, from what I see on the net, some people prefer either a dedicated TDR (one guy insists on an analog display), or the HP product (LAN Probe?) for hardware issues. James B. VanBokkelen 26 Princess St., Wakefield, MA 01880 FTP Software Inc. voice: (617) 246-0900 fax: (617) 246-0901
wunder@hp-ses.SDE.HP.COM (Walter Underwood) (07/11/90)
However, from what I see on the net, some people prefer either a dedicated TDR (one guy insists on an analog display), or the HP product (LAN Probe?) for hardware issues. The HP prodcuts are LAN Probe, which is a full-time monitor, network mapper, and all that, and the 4972 LAN Analyzer. Originally, the 4972 was mostly a HW-ish instrument, able to genereate illegal packets at 10 Mbits, for example, but now it includes decodes for TCP, NFS, and lots of other stuff. wunder