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ART with GIG sniffer 1
- Thread starter bkirchoff
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If I recall correctly, you cannot use ART with the card that you have because it is designed for capture or monitor only. The newer card does both capture and monitor (a so-called "dual card" - it'[s actually two cards). You can do Gig captures on the Xyratex card and the Sysconnect card is setup to monitor only. There is a setup scenario (the details of which I can't recall) that allows one to have the data coming into the Sysconnect card and stream it from that card over to the Xyratex. It's supposed to improve capture performance and allow real-time Expert if I recall correctly. I think it may also be the key to getting ART to work with Gig.
The bad news - last time I knew the cards were about $18,000. You should check with the Sniffer SE who has responsibility for your account to verify these details and check with your sales rep on pricing. The transition to the new card occurred at about the time my firm stopped serving as a Sniffer VAR and my understanding of the issues is based on recalling conversations with customers and other SE's. Regrettably, NAI still posts little to no useful information anywhere publicly that can help prospective users sort out these details to assess the products - it'[s generally buried in the release notes or the Install guide.
Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
The bad news - last time I knew the cards were about $18,000. You should check with the Sniffer SE who has responsibility for your account to verify these details and check with your sales rep on pricing. The transition to the new card occurred at about the time my firm stopped serving as a Sniffer VAR and my understanding of the issues is based on recalling conversations with customers and other SE's. Regrettably, NAI still posts little to no useful information anywhere publicly that can help prospective users sort out these details to assess the products - it'[s generally buried in the release notes or the Install guide.
Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
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- #4
Wildpackets (Etherpeek NX) and Network Instruments (Network Observer) are both either now offering or are in the process of introducing Gig solutions. They also both utilize the Xyratex card (seems to be the only game in town). They do sell the hardware portions as separate items for use with their software and users can then build the probe themselves (or more typically the technically savvy VAR will build the box for the customer and sell it as a turnkey solution). You may want to see if you can get a card from them.
Another possibility is to get a Sysconnect card 9they're cheap enough), install it along with the EGSX card you already have (which hopefuly is a Xyratex card?) and then try the streaming method. YOu will have to be running v4.2 or higher to do Gig ART no matter what card setup you have.
Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
Another possibility is to get a Sysconnect card 9they're cheap enough), install it along with the EGSX card you already have (which hopefuly is a Xyratex card?) and then try the streaming method. YOu will have to be running v4.2 or higher to do Gig ART no matter what card setup you have.
Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
The expert system does not run on the DSS/RMON Gig solutions from Sniffer so the ART will not work. ART will work on the non-distributed Sniffer Gig systems (benchtop), the UltraBook and the new platform, all of which are fairly expensive. If you are looking for alternatives you can look at Fluke, Finisar, and Wildpackets (which Owen suggested) as alternatives. I would not consider the Network Instruments solution.
JJM
JJM
Jim - Not looking to quibble but I do want to be sure I understand Sniffer's real features vs. what they'd like people to think they can do.
The release notes for v4.2 r3 state the following:
"There are two new Gigabit Appliances supported for this release:
1. EG2S - A combination 1 port 10/100 Ethernet Monitor and 2 port Gigabit SX Monitor with 10/100 Ethernet Transport configuration. This configuration replaces the EGSX. There are two Gigabit cards in the appliance, one dedicated for full line rate capture and analysis and the other dedicated for SPAN port monitoring with limited capture, real-time Expert and ART capabilities.
2. EG2L - A combination 1 port 10/100 Ethernet Monitor and 2 port Gigabit LX Monitor with 10/100 Ethernet Transport configuration. This configuration replaces the EGLX. There are two Gigabit cards in the appliance, one dedicated for full line rate capture and analysis and the other dedicated for SPAN port monitoring with limited capture, real-time Expert and ART capabilities (see Comparison matrix for more details)"
It implies quite directly that ART and is available in monitoring mode. Am I reading it correctly or are they just putting a spin on it? If I recall correctly ART was definitely NOT supported in v4.0 and v4.1
Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
The release notes for v4.2 r3 state the following:
"There are two new Gigabit Appliances supported for this release:
1. EG2S - A combination 1 port 10/100 Ethernet Monitor and 2 port Gigabit SX Monitor with 10/100 Ethernet Transport configuration. This configuration replaces the EGSX. There are two Gigabit cards in the appliance, one dedicated for full line rate capture and analysis and the other dedicated for SPAN port monitoring with limited capture, real-time Expert and ART capabilities.
2. EG2L - A combination 1 port 10/100 Ethernet Monitor and 2 port Gigabit LX Monitor with 10/100 Ethernet Transport configuration. This configuration replaces the EGLX. There are two Gigabit cards in the appliance, one dedicated for full line rate capture and analysis and the other dedicated for SPAN port monitoring with limited capture, real-time Expert and ART capabilities (see Comparison matrix for more details)"
It implies quite directly that ART and is available in monitoring mode. Am I reading it correctly or are they just putting a spin on it? If I recall correctly ART was definitely NOT supported in v4.0 and v4.1
Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
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- #10
AlfSutherland
Technical User
Hi,
Just for Clarification;
1. ART is still not available for Sniffer Pro (portable) or Sniffer Distributed
With respect to the Gig NICs;
1. The Cards are made by Xyratec for NAI, and can't be purchased else where. Similar Xytratec cards can't be used as diferent NIC firmware is required.
2. The original Xyratec cards (NAI P/N - NIC-GBSX-NA-200) (Xyratec P/N of card - NGC-1507401, Model - Gb-EN-PA-SX), requires the use of a "loop-back connector" when used in "end-station" modes. The new cards (NIC-GBSX-NA-300)(shipped since v4.2), have a sticker on them, informing you "Do Not Attach Loop-back Connetcor"
3. For people with Dolch PAC 64s using the GIG cards, they do require a "Power Card". This is because of the following;
The system boards of the Dolch PAC 64, are powered by an "AT" power supply, which means that the board operates using 5 Volts. The Gig cards require 3.3V to operate. The power card is used to convert 5V from the sys board to 3.3V for the card! It is not required to use these "power cards" in any thing other than the PAC64s. (The PAC 65s and the current Dolch FlexPAC, has a sys board voltage of 3.3V, as they have ATX power supplies).
For those people who want some sort of Gigabit application responce times, it's well worth looking at Niksun's NetVCR (
Hope the above makes sense,
Alf
Just for Clarification;
1. ART is still not available for Sniffer Pro (portable) or Sniffer Distributed
With respect to the Gig NICs;
1. The Cards are made by Xyratec for NAI, and can't be purchased else where. Similar Xytratec cards can't be used as diferent NIC firmware is required.
2. The original Xyratec cards (NAI P/N - NIC-GBSX-NA-200) (Xyratec P/N of card - NGC-1507401, Model - Gb-EN-PA-SX), requires the use of a "loop-back connector" when used in "end-station" modes. The new cards (NIC-GBSX-NA-300)(shipped since v4.2), have a sticker on them, informing you "Do Not Attach Loop-back Connetcor"
3. For people with Dolch PAC 64s using the GIG cards, they do require a "Power Card". This is because of the following;
The system boards of the Dolch PAC 64, are powered by an "AT" power supply, which means that the board operates using 5 Volts. The Gig cards require 3.3V to operate. The power card is used to convert 5V from the sys board to 3.3V for the card! It is not required to use these "power cards" in any thing other than the PAC64s. (The PAC 65s and the current Dolch FlexPAC, has a sys board voltage of 3.3V, as they have ATX power supplies).
For those people who want some sort of Gigabit application responce times, it's well worth looking at Niksun's NetVCR (
Hope the above makes sense,
Alf
Alf -
I'm familiar with the two generations of cards you're describing - first the original "loop back cable required" card and then the "no loop back cable" card that succeeded it. Ther is now yet another hardware consifuration available - I believe this is the one referred to as EGSX. It incorporates both the Xyratex card that is used for Gig capture and also the Sysconnect style card that is used for monitoring/RMON only. If I understand it correctly there is a configuration that allows the monitoring card to gather stats and then "hand off" the traffic to the capture card. NAI claims that ART works for Gig with this new configuration and they are areferring to the Distributed appliance. Are they making an incorrect claim or is the box I describe a newr one that you haven't seen yet.
Not questioning your expertise (which is abundant and appreciated by all!) but it would be helpful for all of us to nail this down. NAI is regrettably inadequate when it comes to providing easily accessible information about what their newest hardware and software configs actually do (short of making an appointment with sales and getting the "pitch"
.
Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
I'm familiar with the two generations of cards you're describing - first the original "loop back cable required" card and then the "no loop back cable" card that succeeded it. Ther is now yet another hardware consifuration available - I believe this is the one referred to as EGSX. It incorporates both the Xyratex card that is used for Gig capture and also the Sysconnect style card that is used for monitoring/RMON only. If I understand it correctly there is a configuration that allows the monitoring card to gather stats and then "hand off" the traffic to the capture card. NAI claims that ART works for Gig with this new configuration and they are areferring to the Distributed appliance. Are they making an incorrect claim or is the box I describe a newr one that you haven't seen yet.
Not questioning your expertise (which is abundant and appreciated by all!) but it would be helpful for all of us to nail this down. NAI is regrettably inadequate when it comes to providing easily accessible information about what their newest hardware and software configs actually do (short of making an appointment with sales and getting the "pitch"
.Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
AlfSutherland
Technical User
Hi,
For clarrification;
ART for Gig is available but only on the Sniffer Distributed models EG2S and EG2L (released for the software release v4.2). These models use the SysKonnect card (as you correctly mentioned above).
There is no ART functionality for any either of the 2 portable Sniffer Products (Dolch FlexPac or Sniffer Book Ultra), that I'm aware of.
Something that isn't supported, is putting a gig card into a machine running sniffer pro. The Sniffer GUI will pick the card up as an Ethernet card at 1000Mbps, you do get the ART functionality, but obviously don't get the Channel A and B info in the monitoring and Expert screens. Packet capturing is also a major problem with this setup.
Alf
For clarrification;
ART for Gig is available but only on the Sniffer Distributed models EG2S and EG2L (released for the software release v4.2). These models use the SysKonnect card (as you correctly mentioned above).
There is no ART functionality for any either of the 2 portable Sniffer Products (Dolch FlexPac or Sniffer Book Ultra), that I'm aware of.
Something that isn't supported, is putting a gig card into a machine running sniffer pro. The Sniffer GUI will pick the card up as an Ethernet card at 1000Mbps, you do get the ART functionality, but obviously don't get the Channel A and B info in the monitoring and Expert screens. Packet capturing is also a major problem with this setup.
Alf
To all of you - NAI will upgrade there EG2S and EG2L gigabit appliances shortly.
This means that both units will have one Xyratec and one 2 ports Sysconnect card. There is also the posibility to upgrade recenty bought equipment. The upgrade will be done either directly in the US or on-site by Getronics.
Bjorn
This means that both units will have one Xyratec and one 2 ports Sysconnect card. There is also the posibility to upgrade recenty bought equipment. The upgrade will be done either directly in the US or on-site by Getronics.
Bjorn
It's also worth notingh that they are planning to EOL (end-of-life) the Pentium II platforms very soon. If I recall correctly, you will no longer be able to get support for these boxes beginning with v 4.4 Distributed. Historically, they have always offered fairly generous "trade-in" allowances when the new hardware platforms are required - it may be a good opportunity to upgrade to the new Gig platform (which despite its limitations is still far superior to the older boxes).
Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
Owen O'Neill
Datacom Systems Inc.
Northeastern SE
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