$25,000 Windows tablet cures network ills

Fluke’s new OptiView XG is one tablet we’d hate to see in the hands of a hacker. This Windows 7 device includes five wired and two wireless network interfaces, seven antennas, 128GB of storage, multiple automatic analysis capabilities — including searching for any word or phrase — and the ability to guzzle data at up to 10Gbps.

 

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Fluke Networks has a long history of providing network analyzers that gladden the hearts of engineers, but the OptiView XG is the most intriguing yet. The tablet-style, battery-operable device includes specialized hardware and software that allows it to “analyze and troubleshoot applications, wired networks (1GbE, 10GbE) and wireless networks from the perspective of either remote or local users,” according to the company.

According to Fluke, the Optiview XG runs a 64-bit edition of Windows 7 via a 1.2GHz Intel Core Duo processor. It includes 4GB of RAM and a 128GB solid state drive that, because it may be removed and replaced with a spare, allows the device to be moved to and from classified environments, the company adds.

Fluke’s OptiView XG
Other basic tablet functionality includes a 10.25-inch touchscreen that provides a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels and two-point multitouch, plus two USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA port, and a port for an external monitor. Two hot-swappable battery packs provide a total cordless operating time of three hours, Fluke says.

To this, Fluke adds three gigabit Ethernet ports (two for network analysis, one for management), one 100Mbps/1Gbps SFP (small form factor pluggable) optical port, and one SFP+ port for 1/10Gbps. The device also packs dual 802.11a/b/g/n wireless adapters — with seven internal antennas and an external antenna input — and a spectrum analysis radio, the company adds.

The OptiView XG has five wired network interfaces and dual WLAN adapters
According to Fluke, the OptiView XG is capable of 10Gbps full-line-rate data capture, and has a dedicated 4GB capture buffer. The device can give network engineers a head start on solving problems by collecting and analyzing granular data for 24 hours, Fluke says, adding that it automatically identifies more than 40 different network problems and offers possible causes, impacts and solutions.

Claimed functionality for the OptiView XG is simply too numerous to list here, but is detailed in full on the device’s data sheet. Some of the abilities that caught our eye, however, are as follows:

* Automated problem detection — Automatically scans for errors in the network infrastructure. These errors are collected in a problem log that can be categorized and sorted. Examples of problems detected are: performance problems, duplicate IP addresses, incorrect subnet masks, default router not responding, and many more.

* Path analysis — Monitors all the interfaces that are along the path of the application. Also provides packet loss, delay and response time at each device. Enables the user to keep a close eye on interface utilization along the path and any other system resources at the server.

* Trace switchRoute — Uses a combination of layer 2 and layer 3 trace routes to identify entire network path between the application client and the application server, speeding problem isolation. During the discovery, if a switch is discovered in the path, Trace SwitchRoute starts its switch path discovery. Displayed results include the DNS name and IP address, the inter-switch connections by port number, together with link speed and VLAN information.

* Free string match — Can match any set of words or phrases when detected (regardless of the position in the packet — payload or header) in real-time. Can capture traffic around any application error message, or identify illicit use of the network via words, phrases, or file names. Can also identify and track applications that are not allowed on the network, such as streaming media that may consume valuable bandwidth, or P2P traffic that may pose a security risk.

* Advanced network discovery — Begins to discover devices on the network as soon as it is connected. Categorizes devices by type: interconnect (routers, switches), servers, hypervisors, virtual machines, printers, SNMPagents, VoIP devices, wireless devices, and other hosts. Additionally, networks are classified by IPv4 and IPv6 subnets, VLANs, NetBIOSdomains and IPX networks, and wireless networks, together with host membership within each classification.

Fluke’s AirMagnet software (above) is one of many functions included in the OptiView XG
According to Fluke, the OptiView XG can also be used to stress a network with simulated traffic up to the full 10Gbps. In addition, it can work with a second Fluke network analyzer to verify LAN and/or WAN throughput. A built-in web server allows remote retrieval of saved reports and capture files, the company adds.

Fluke says the OptiView XG may be used in temperatures ranging from 50 to 86 deg. F (up to 95% relative humidity) or 32 to 122 deg. F (75% relative humidity). In case the network you were thinking of checking is on an airplane, the device works up to 15,000 feet, adds the company.