- April 28, 2008
EVERETT, Washington – Fluke Networks today announced new capabilities for the company's EtherScope Network Assistant that helps Value Added Resellers (VARs) and System Integrators (SIs) expand their network installation business. VARs and SIs installing new networks will find that the EtherScope analyzer's new capabilities help them install, validate, and document LAN installations faster and at a lower cost.Validating LAN performance during installation is made possible by EtherScope’s new Service Performance Tool. Installers, VARs and SIs use this tool to demonstrate and document that those network services that are critical for acceptable LAN operation (DHCP, DNS, web) are available and responsive. Such documentation may be a client requirement, or the installer may use this feature to differentiate his service from the competition. When teamed with Ethernet performance testing, network installers have a powerful new combination of tools to validate that network infrastructure was correctly installed and configured. Validation and the resulting documentation provide assurance that the LAN will perform as designed – resulting in robust network operation, fewer trouble tickets and more satisfied users and clients.These validation results are captured by the EtherScope Network Assistant and turned into easy-to-interpret documentation that thoroughly characterizes LAN and WAN link performance at turn-up. Any performance issues later noted by the customer can be compared against this turn-up documentation. Validation documentation serves as proof of a project successfully completed.Other new installation tests are provided by the expanded Ethernet performance test suite. Users can now measure and assess end-to-end Ethernet performance using new RFC 2544 procedures and other advanced tests, including jitter and bit errors, with customizable pass/fail criteria. The EtherScope analyzer can now also be paired with a low-cost Gigabit LinkRunner Pro packet reflector for end-to-end testing. The smart LinkRunner Pro packet reflector supports layer 2 and 3 networking at a price that allows installers to instrument multiple links or to equip multiple field technicians.Technicians working for SIs and VARs typically spend 70% of their time on deployment issues. EtherScope's new battery of installation validation tests lets installers spend less time on site and helps SIs and VARs save money.In addition to these new installation-centric features, the EtherScope Network Assistant now offers enhanced troubleshooting with the addition of draft 802.11n access point detection and location. "We have a customer who swore there were no unidentified wireless access points on the site," said Jennie Lassig of CompuTech Consulting in Woods Cross, UT. "With EtherScope we found that a user had mounted an unknown AP and was transmitting unsecured."The EtherScope Network Assistant is a handheld network analyzer that helps network professionals quickly solve problems on 10, 100 and Gigabit, twisted pair and optical fiber LANs and wireless LANs. CompuTech's Lassig reported that a "customer had a tech on site for 2 days who couldn’t resolve the problem of slow network performance." With the EtherScope Network Assistant "we went there and within two minutes found a network loop in a switch that didn’t have spanning tree enabled. The customer was thrilled and we gained their trust and confidence in our technical expertise." EtherScope also now supports SNMPv3, crucial for network technicians responsible for devices using this newest version of SNMP.Product availabilityThe EtherScope Network Assistants is available for immediate delivery from Fluke Networks sales partners worldwide. All EtherScope Network Assistants shipped after April 28 will include new version 4 software. About Fluke NetworksFluke Networks provides innovative solutions for the installation and certification, testing, monitoring and analysis of copper, fiber and wireless networks used by enterprises and telecommunications carriers. The company's comprehensive line of Network SuperVision™ Solutions provide network installers, owners, and maintainers with superior vision, combining speed, accuracy and ease of use to optimize network performance. Headquartered in Everett, Washington, the company distributes its products in more than 50 countries.