System information

1
Introduction
About this Guide
Purpose
The Observer Reference Manual comprehensively describes every menu option,
mode, tool and setup dialog in the Observer protocol analyzer. It is intended as a
companion to Installing and Using Network Instruments Observer, which is more
task-oriented, providing tutorials and examples. The content of both manuals is
available in Observer’s online help system.
Intended Audience
This guide is for experienced computer users who are familiar with Microsoft
Windows, TCP/IP networking, and protocol analysis concepts.
Document Conventions
When this document displays a menu path such as File->Save..., it means that you
should choose
Save... from the File menu.
Variables are shown in italic type. For example, when the manual states that “The
format of address entries in a .ali file is MACaddress alias,” it means that you must
supply the actual MAC address and alias pairs in that particular order.
Things to Note
• Observer is shipped with default global options such as: general configuration
options, email options, pager options, and SNMP options (if you have purchased
the SNMP Suite). To change any of these options, go to Options > Observer
General Options.
• Right-click menus are available throughout Observer. To quickly locate and
execute a command, just right-click and a menu will be displayed.
• Some modes are available in both non-switched and switched modes. Any notes
for operating the mode in a switched environment are documented along with the
mode.