Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Path: utzoo!utgpu!cunews!bnrgate!bcars223!fortinp
From: fortinp@bcars223.bnr.ca (Pierre Fortin)
Subject: Re: LAN Analyzer recommendations
Message-ID: <1990Aug25.013254.18007@bnrgate.bnr.ca>
Summary: See June 26 PC Magazine
Keywords: analysis, troubleshooting
Sender: news@bnrgate.bnr.ca (USENET News System)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ltd. Ottawa Ontario CANADA
References: <576@hhb.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25 Aug 90 01:32:54 GMT

In article <576@hhb.UUCP>, leonh@hhb.UUCP (leon howorth) writes:
> I'm looking for recommendations with respect to a Local Area Network
> analysis and troubleshooting tool. My network is thick ethernet, with
> three separate networks joined by routers. The majority of the systems
> are SUN, with a few DEC and other brands all running TCP/IP protocols.
> Total number of nodes is about 100. 

There is a fairly extensive review of a number of these devices/packages
in the June26th issue of PC Magazine.  
> 
> I'm not nearly as concerned with protocol or software-related problems

For this we use the Sniffer (otherwise, I have a strong dislike for it).

> as I am with physical layer problems. **** I am especially interested in
> being able to efficiently locate hardware-related problems which are

In this case, we use the LANalyzer

> causing excessive collisions or other symptoms associated with degraded

Don't forget:  sometimes all your hardware is fine, the problem is then in 
the design of the LAN...

> network performance.**** Other net management capabilities of a tool are
> nice, but my primary concern is being able to locate
> other-than-disastrous problems without having to make the network
> unavailable to the users. (For example, I have a cable tester which is
> good in case of a decisive failure, but even if it were useful for
> troubleshooting lesser problems, I can't use it unless I'm the only one
> using the network). Nor is it usually practical to go around 
> disconnecting nodes from the net in order to observe the differences
> in network performance.
> 
> I will summarize the responses. Thank you.
> -- 
> Leon A. Howorth			|  UUCP:  ....princeton!hhb!leonh
> Computer Operations Manager	|  ARPA:  leonh%hhb@princeton.edu
> Racal-Redac	 		| VOICE:  201-848-8000 ext. 243
> Mahwah, New Jersey 07430	|   FAX:  201-848-8189