Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!att!cbnewsh!djh
From: djh@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (daniel.hansen)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: general recommendations on tools
Summary: Network, Hardware, and Protocol Analyzers.
Message-ID: <286@cbnewsh.ATT.COM>
Date: 26 Apr 89 18:30:39 GMT
References: <3763@phri.UUCP> <29783@bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 24

In article <29783@bu-cs.BU.EDU>, kwe@bu-cs.BU.EDU (kwe@bu-it.bu.edu (Kent W. England)) writes:
> 
> 	With respect to Ethernet, you most need a hardware analyzer
> and a protocol analyzer.

I would change that to (in order of importance):

1) a network analyzer -   monitors traffic for all nodes on the network.
                          You can use its information for both
                          debugging and management. 

2) a hardware analyzer -  resolves cable/hardware problems.  You can use
                          its information for debugging.

3) a protocol analyzer -  debugs protocol errors.  You can use its
                          information for debugging.


Both hardware and protocol analyzers are primarily debugging tools.
If you are trying to do real management (load balancing,
segmentation, usage reporting, etc.), you need a network analyzer. 


Dan Hansen