Challenge
TESSCO supplies product solutions needed to design and manage wireless systems through its Global Logistics Center in Maryland and its American Sales and Logistics Center in Nevada.

The company required a solution that would aid in troubleshooting across multiple topologies and help pinpoint whether problems were originating within TESSCO or with the customer.

Solution
For resolving networking problems between the company and the customer, network engineer Tom Weir uses Network Instruments Observer Expert and a combination of Network Instruments software and hardware probes. When customers report issues connecting to the TESSCO web site, Weir uses Observer® to diagnose and quickly settle the problem.

“If the customer is concerned about speed, Observer helps me isolate if the problem is on my end or the customer’s end,” said Weir. “This is easily done by reviewing the number of retransmits and TCP conversations. I use Observer to look at the connection and the details of the connection. With Observer, I then reconstruct the conversation, not just from the layer 3 or layer 4 perspective, but also from the application layer.”

While many administrators see a network analyzer as a reactive tool, Weir appreciates Observer’s proactive capabilities. Features such as Triggers and Alarms allow him to stay on top of network issues.

“Triggers and Alarms helps with specific troubleshooting purposes,” said Weir. “For example, I can setup Observer to sound an alarm if there are escalating HTTP 500 server errors—this allows me to investigate what is happening and notify the appropriate people before the issue turns into a larger concern.”

Multi-instance probes for remote monitoring
“Remote troubleshooting is another benefit of Observer,” said Weir. “We also have a center in Reno. By simply installing a probe in this location, I can look at traffic and diagnose issues remotely.”

QoS strategy
Trending and reporting capabilities helps Weir take the guesswork out of setting Quality of Service across low bandwidth links.

“Observer helps me determine how much bandwidth we are sending to a hosting center, allowing me to implement an appropriate QoS strategy,” said Weir. “In this respect Observer goes beyond monitoring and maintenance and becomes more of a planning tool, providing us with intelligent data to make better business decisions.”

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