Network Instruments Troubleshooting Techniques

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Network Instruments Troubleshooting Techniques
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Key Elements
What to look for in network monitoring solutions

• Real Time Statistics
• Visual Network Traffic Flow
• Long Term Trending
• Capacity Planning, Baselining Networks
• Triggers and Alarms
• Proactive Problem Notification
• Distributed Network Analysis
• Single Point of Visibility Into Multiple Segments
• SNMP Management Console
• Standards Based Management for Networks and
  Devices
• Application Analysis
• Troubleshooting Problem Identification

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Example 1 Real-Time Troubleshooting

• Situation A large Law firm has been experiencing
  network slowdowns during peak usage times.
• Solution Determine who or what is causing
  heightened levels of network activity at peak
  times.

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Example 1 Real-Time Troubleshooting
Step 1 Check Bandwidth Utilization, which shows
higher than expected utilization levels
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Example 1 Real-Time Troubleshooting
Step 2 Review Top Talkers to determine active
Backup Sessions during the afternoon are
consuming network resources
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Example 1 Recap

• Situation A large Law firm has been experiencing
  network slowdowns during peak usage times late in
  the afternoon.
• Solution Determine who or what is causing
  heightened levels of network activity at peak
  times.
• Result By reviewing Observers Real-Time
  Statistics, network administrators were able to
  quickly determined that backups were running
  during work hours and promptly reconfigured the
  backup schedule.

Observer provides real-time identification of
network issues for faster troubleshooting.
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Example 2 Proactive Discovery

• Situation Network Operations for a large
  Community College is concerned with Peer to Peer
  client usage and virus activity on their wired
  and wireless networks.
• Solution Monitor both the Wired and Wireless
  environment with Observers Triggers and Alarms.

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Example 2 Proactive Discovery
Step 1 Configure Triggers Alarms for multiple
probes from a single display
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Example 2 Proactive Discovery
Step 2 Define alarms on each probe, customizing
Observer for each network segment
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Example 2 Proactive Discovery
Step 3 Set Variable Alarm Thresholds to help
eliminate false positives
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Example 2 Proactive Discovery
Step 4 Define the appropriate action(s) for each
alarm configured
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Example 2 Recap

• Situation Network Operations for a large
  Community College is concerned with Peer to Peer
  client usage and virus activity on their wired
  and wireless networks.
• Solution Monitor both the Wired and Wireless
  environment with Observers Triggers and Alarms.
• Result Using Observers Proactive Network
  Monitoring tools, the network operations team
  quickly identified a virus outbreak and
  prohibited illegal usage.

Observer provides proactive discovery and
notification of rogue elements.
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Example 3 Application Analysis

• Situation An large accounting firm has the need
  to track and identify application metrics, such
  as response time, as well as troubleshoot
  application connections.
• Solution Application Analysis, paired with
  Connection Dynamics, offers an in-depth view of
  application response time, statistics, and
  conversation flows.

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Example 3 Application Analysis
Step 1 Monitor Application Level Response Time
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Example 3 Application Analysis
Step 2 Examine Application Specific Statistics
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Example 3 Application Analysis
Step 3 Review Graphical Application Flow Detail
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Example 3 Application Analysis

• Situation An large accounting firm has the need
  to track and identify application metrics, such
  as response time, as well as troubleshoot
  application connections.
• Solution Application Analysis, paired with
  Connection Dynamics, offers an in-depth view of
  application response time, statistics, and
  conversation flows.
• Result Isolate and identify application delay on
  the network, to put the responsibility on the
  proper group, and offer faster problem
  resolution for users.

Observer allows you the ability to quickly
differentiate between Network and Application
Performance
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Example 4 Forensic Analysis

• Situation A major retail company has been tasked
  with researching the violations of their
  acceptable use policies by a former employee.
• Solution The GigaStor appliance, featuring a
  time-based navigation interface, allows for
  complete write-to-disk at Gigabit line speed, to
  ensure all necessary data is captured and stored

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Example 4 Forensic Analysis
Step 1 Identify the timeframe of interest using
the GigaStor Time Analysis Interface
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Example 4 Forensic Analysis
Step 2 Determine the stations, conversations, or
ports of interest from the specified timeframe
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Example 4 Forensic Analysis
Step 3 Complex filters can be created
automatically, and will be run against the
specified timeframe
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Example 4 Forensic Analysis
Step 4 Complete reconstruction capabilities
allow an administrator to reassemble original
documents such as emails, IM conversations, web
pages, and even VoIP calls
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Example 4 Forensic Analysis

• Situation A major retail company has been tasked
  with researching the violations of their
  acceptable use policies by a former employee.
• Solution The GigaStor appliance, featuring a
  time-based navigation interface, allows for
  complete write-to-disk at Gigabitline speed, to
  ensure all necessary data is captured and
  stored.
• Result Proactive monitoring allows the
  organization to have relevant information
  available without the need to recreate an issue,
  or, in this case, not have the ability to verify
  a potential conflict with their acceptable use
  policy.

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From Hype to Adoption

• By 2009, there will be over 155 million business
  IP end points in operation
• http//www.instat.com/r/nrep/2004/IN0401446NT.htm
  
• Market researchers expect the number of VoIP
  users worldwide to increase from around five
  million in 2004 to 200 million subscribers in
  2010
• http//www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/64129
  
• VoIP service is expected to grow 18-fold from
  1.25 billion in 2004 to 23.4 billion in 2009
  representing total revenues of 62 billion to be
  spent on the technology over the five-year
  period.
• http//www.techweb.com/wire/networking/172900487

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Enterprise Pricing
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Enterprise Pricing
Expert Observer Includes VoIP 2,895
Observer Suite Includes VoIP 3,995
10/100/1000 Probe Appliance Includes VoIP 2,495
Gigabit Probe Appliance Includes VoIP 11,995
4 TB GigaStor Includes VoIP 35,000
8 TB GigaStor Includes VoIP 50,000

• VoIP Analysis included at no additional charge
• Shipped with a 64-bit Core, with support for
  32-bit systems
• Gigabit and WAN Appliances are all 64-bit systems

Network Instruments continues to lead the
analysis industry in performance and value