Fluke Networks updates its Time Machine troubleshooter

Appliance can instantly distinguish between network and server problems

Fluke Networks announced version 8 of its Network Time Machine at the Cisco Live! event in Las Vegas yesterday.

Fluke Networks describes the appliance-based system as the first all-in-one, "plug-and-play" hardware able to instantly distinguish between network and server problems, and perform root cause analysis of network/application problems.

As well as real-time analysis, Network Time Machine can record 10Gbit/s network traffic at line-rate, and stream the data direct to high-performance disk storage for later analysis.

"In addition to instantly identifying server/network problems, the new GUI has user-configurable dashboards automatically identifying key performance metrics," said Fluke Networks' EMEA marketing manager, Stephane Persyn.

Other new features in version 8 include a Performance Bottleneck Analysis capability that guides network troubleshooters graphically to the problem domain, "across applications, sites and servers", said Fluke Networks [see picture].

As well as enhancing the way the system reports on and monitors applications, networks, and servers, Fluke Networks' has also simplified deployment, with a new minimal configuration being all that is required to deploy the system.

The appliance comes in portable and datacentre rack mount versions and as for pricing, Persyn said, "a typical system starts at about $30,000 (£18,800), but it will vary based on the options customers choose, regional market prices, distribution relationships, and duties and freight."