Protocol Analyzer

A troubleshooting tool for network engineers that brings relevant protocol-based information into focus

Your Challenges

As operators manage the most recent technology turn and prepare for the next, they need to ensure successful and cost effective infrastructure and service rollouts. Problems need to be identified and corrected before they compromise profitability. Network engineers need a troubleshooting tool that allows them to capture and view real-time or historical traffic from a combination of interfaces and monitored nodes in the network. They need to quickly isolate specific data required for troubleshooting from huge amounts of traffic. Expert Tier 3 support personnel need the ability to analyze the data by every imaginable view in order to solve the most difficult issues in the network.

How We Can Help

Tektronix Communications Protocol Analyzer troubleshooting tool offers network engineers a composite view across mixed protocol stacks and sub-networks, supporting both real-time and historical Protocol Data Unit (PDU) investigation from a common platform. Protocol Analyzer's sophisticated filtering options enable users to quickly zero in on relevant data, reducing troubleshooting time. Once captured in real time or collected and stored for recall to the capture buffer, PDUs are available for display in sequence view, hierarchical view of a selected PDU by protocol layer and HEX/BINARY/ASCII view. Utilizing optional historical store and recall functions, operators can save important information before, during and following an event for more detailed investigation.

Features and Benefits

  • Multi-technology, multi-probe support makes it possible to offer a composite view across mixed protocol stacks and sub-networks. Users can harvest network monitoring information from multiple probe types used for network monitoring into a single data capture for a complete, “time-stitched” view of network activity. The result is faster problem investigation and analysis resulting in a significant reduction in the mean time to repair.
  • Powerful filtering capabilities make it possible to use data capture filters to reduce input and display filters to sift through and analyze input. Advanced mode enables sophisticated, multi-level relationship building between PDUs and protocol types. Wireshark-style shortcut filtering offers a quick way to select a displayed element and turn it into a filter.
  • Wireshark display option allows users to access a familiar interface to reduce training time while obtaining greater flexibility in timing and range of data capture.
  • PDU save and export options are ideal for sharing with third parties that do not have access to Protocol Analyzer or the network. These options are designed for situations where the problem can be captured in a concise set of PDUs.

Applications

  • Reproducing a Network Problem for Advanced Troubleshooting
  • Data capturing for root cause analysis
  • Enhanced Protocol Analysis

Reproducing a Network Problem For Advanced Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting the toughest customer problems, it is sometimes necessary for expert support personnel to work directly with an individual subscriber to reproduce the problem. Protocol Analyzer’s real-time data capture capabilities provide a timely, focused capture of the subscriber’s problem sequence. The support person can set data capture filters to match the subscriber’s traffic, ask the subscriber to reproduce the problem, then instantly analyze the situation. Repeat network monitoring sessions are easily set up and started and capture and display filters relevant to this case can be saved for later use. This approach provides faster problem resolution resulting in higher customer satisfaction. Support personnel save time by being able to set up and repeat sessions faster than ever before.

Data Capturing For Root Cause Analysis

Normally, the operator support team uses the Protocol Analyzer troubleshooting tool to capture live or historical traffic traces to diagnose the subscriber’s problem. Then they often need to provide detailed data to network equipment manufacturer (NEM) support teams or third parties for further root cause analysis. Protocol Analyzer provides two options to save PDU data for further analysis. One is the Save function, which supports Tektronix-defined RF5 and PCAP formats. Protocol Analyzer also provides various file save capabilities. Users can export PDU data to an HTML report and view 200 PDUs per page in a Web browser. Exported HTML files can be passed on to the NEM support team or third parties. Instead of needing to make another trace in the operator’s network monitoring center, experts can immediately study the cause of the problem at any place, without using Iris tools. This shortens the overall time to resolution.

Enhanced Protocol Analysis

Wireshark is the de factor industry standard for protocol analysis so many engineers and technicians are familiar with its operation and decode results. But this tool is presently limited to real time usage on a single link and cannot capture historical data. The Protocol Analyzer troubleshooting tool enables users to launch Wireshark directly from the Protocol Analyzer graphical user interface as the display engine for the session. The tighter coupling of Protocol Analyzer with Wireshark makes it possible for users to take advantage of Protocol Analyzer’s support for multiple probes and historical capture while working within the a familiar interface. Wireshark users can leverage Protocol Analyzer's extensive ability to capture real time and historical traffic across probes, including SpIprobe and G10 probe types. Traffic from either historical or real-time capture sessions can be displayed in both Protocol Analyzer and Wireshark.

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