System information

305
Switched Observer
Introduction to Switched Observer
Observer provides the ability to gather statistics and capture port data for switched
environments. This ability is unique in the world of protocol analysis and makes Observer
the ideal tool for traffic management and troubleshooting in a switched environment.
Observer offers the following modes for switched environments; all modes display data by
port (with the exception of Packet Capture):
• Discover Network Names
• Packet Capture
• Bandwidth Utilization
• Internet Observer
• Network Errors by Station
• Protocol Distribution (including IP subprotocols and IPX subprotocols)
• Size Distribution Statistics
• Top Talkers
• Utilization History
• Triggers and Alarms
Each mode offers specific switch port information. Documentation on each mode’s
switched display is discussed in this section.
Switched environments have been quite difficult to manage for a number of reasons, but
the main problem has been the fundamental incompatibility between the architecture of
most protocol analyzers and the function of a switch. A switch’s purpose to ensure that
traffic between systems is isolated to the specific switch ports facilitating data interchange.
The purpose of a protocol analyzer is to “listen in” on conversations between systems
without being directly involved in the connection. Here lies the problem: a switch’s job in
life is to ensure that no third party receives data that is not directly involved in the data
exchange—the exact functionality that a protocol analyzer requires.
A switch isolates traffic between sending and receiving stations by instantaneously
creating and removing virtual segments within the switch matrix between ports. For