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From: marcus@cpva.saic.com (Mark Jenkins, (619) 458-2794)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans,comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Looking for comments on network analyzers
Message-ID: <5336.27f1d691@cpva.saic.com>
Date: 28 Mar 91 19:42:09 GMT
Organization: Science Applications Int'l Corp./San Diego
Lines: 32

We have been evaluating network analyzers.  The list has been narrowed to the
Network General Sniffer, Micro Technologies LANager, and the Novell LANalyzer.
Our prime protocol requirements are TCP/IP, DECnet, and Appletalk, with Novell,
NFS,  and OSI to follow at some point in the future.  Physical media types are
limited to various Ethernets right now, although being able to snoop on V.35
WAN links (between routers) would be a bonus.

The Sniffer and the LANager are very similar, because MTI buys the Sniffer
software from Network General and supposedly reworks it slightly.  MTI seems to
be able to price the LANager better than the Sniffer.  The Novell LANalyzer is
nothing like the Sniffer or LANager, but costs substantially less (about 1/2
the price with a discount).

Does anyone have experience with any pair of these to offer a basis for
comparison?  We have demo'd the Sniffer and the LANalyzer, but its hard to tell
without extensive use just how handy some of the features are.  Very often
*some* kind of analyzer is better than no analyzer at all.

The protocol decoding and various media support capabilities (Ethernet, V.35
WAN, LocalTalk) of the Sniffer-type analyzer are great, but are they worth the
extensive extra $$$s, especially the extra $$s per protocol suite over the
Novell LANalyzer cost?  Just how does the LANager differ from the Sniffer - are
they exactly the same or substantially the same?

Please email any comments/critiques/information to me below.  I'll send
summaries (including my own information) to persons requesting them via email.

Thanks very much in advance for any help -

-- 
Mark Jenkins, SAIC         CPVA::Marcus - SPAN    [28119::Marcus]
Marcus@CPVA.SAIC.COM or Marcus%CPVA.SPAN@sds.sdsc.edu (elsewhere)