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Contents 
Introduction
Exinda Optimizer 4700
eTrust Network Forensics
Observer 10.1
Fluke OptiView Series II
PacketShaper 6500
Specifications
How we tested
Editor's choice
About RMIT |
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Fluke OptiView Series II Integrated Network Analyser
The Fluke OptiView is a complete network analyser that combines network monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities into one handheld tool.
This product can give you a complete insight of your network in seconds. It offers a seven-layer protocol analysis, traffic analysis, and also tests your patch cables.
The OptiView is essentially a mobile PC which features a large touch screen and runs on Microsoft Windows XP. Previous versions we had seen were running on Windows 98.
The device includes three USB ports, 10/100 BASE Ethernet, Fibre 100 BASE FX, Fibre 1000 BASE-X, VGA, and PC Card Slot. By having an all in one device such as this it will save you carrying around a laptop when on the road. And if you need a word processor or you need to check your e-mail on the road you can do so from the OptiView.
When we connected the OptiView to our 100Mb network it configured itself with a valid IP address. So where it can't gain an IP address through a DHCP server it will look at your local traffic and give itself an IP address.
The look and feel of the user interface is impressive. Real-time results for devices, networks and problems were displayed in a format which was easy to read and navigate.
The OptiView has a discovery process, which scans your entire network for devices, networks and problems. The devices on your network are discovered by monitoring traffic and by actively querying hosts.
The Expert software summarises the address or name of the stations involved, and the position of frames in the capture file that trigger the Expert System to identify the problem. It also recommends what actions you should take to correct the problem. There are many other options to do with VLANs, WANs, wireless, and reporting that you can add, and the overall price of this device can really blow out.
You can also point a Web browser at the IP address of an OptiView so you can use your PC to obtain remote access to an OptiView analyser over TCP/IP and you can run up to seven multiple sessions on a single analyser. There is also a rack-mounted version of this product. The box is an OptiView analyser minus the touch screen and Windows front end. This option is also considerably less expensive.
The OptiView is ideal if you want an on-the-go troubleshooting device. None of the other devices have this sort of flexibility. It also has the advantages of being able to address problems in the bottom few layers of the OSI model much better than any of the other solutions.
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