Observer Versions
Observer Standard
Observer Standard provides first-level network analysis, including real-time packet captures and decodes, filtering, real-time statistics, triggers and alarms, trending, and more across multiple topologies (LAN, wireless, and gigabit).
Observer fully supports 64-bit Windows to maximize analysis performance. A 32-bit version is also included. The capture buffer is limited by the operating system (4 GB for 32-bit, 124 GB for 64-bit).
Observer is the only network analyzer built from a unified code set. This unique advantage, the Distributed Network Analysis (NI-DNAT) architecture, offers scalability and seamless integration across the entire Observer family. You'll need just one interface to carry out network monitoring across topologies, locations, and technologies.
Observer Expert
Shave time from your troubleshooting day with
Observer Expert by quickly pinpointing problems and their root causes, and responding with our Expert help.
You receive the power of the Observer network analyzer, plus Expert Event notification with suggested solutions, powerful analytics, and in-depth application analysis.
Keep business-critical applications functioning properly-keeping end-users satisfied-with application performance solutions unequalled in an integrated network analyzer.
Add VoIP Expert Analysis, Stream Reconstruction, Multi-Hop Analysis, and Connection Dynamics and you've got an all-in-one powerhouse troubleshooting solution.
Observer Suite
Observer Suite is your one-stop troubleshooting powerhouse. It contains all the potent features of Observer Expert, including Expert Analysis,
VoIP tools, in-depth application analysis, Connection Dynamics, stream reconstruction, and more, plus support for
SNMP and RMON device management.
For maximum 64-bit processing, Observer Suite includes a 64-bit core. A 32-bit version is also included.
All you need is a web browser to view data and generate reports for non-Observer users (other employees or outside consultants). You control the level of access. Share reports across the company and automate report delivery. Obtain current and historical data as well as usage trends based upon specific stations.
What's New in Network Instruments Observer 15
Observer 15 provides extensive support for video conferencing and telepresence, delivers key end-user experience metrics without burdensome agents, and increases efficiency for monitoring data center environments. Count on Observer’s new features to deliver complete performance visibility and proactive problem resolution.
Video and Unified Communications (UC)
Whether validating performance for multi-million dollar telepresence initiatives or tracking UC quality, Observer provides comprehensive codec support, metrics, and quality scoring to ensure audio and video communications are fully optimized.
Video Conferencing
When performance issues arise, version 15 allows engineers to view video performance alongside other applications that could adversely impact call quality. Teams can drill down to view specific video sessions to investigate whether QoS settings were correctly set across call components, or determine whether jitter, gaps, or bursts affected performance. In addition, calls can be reconstructed and replayed to verify quality.
Microsoft UC
Network Instruments continues to strengthen its UC offering with in-depth support for the Microsoft UC platform. Obtain summary views via Observer of UC/VoIP metrics and qualify user experience per call. In conjunction with tracking VoIP, teams can monitor Microsoft Lync server health using Observer Infrastructure (OI).
Available with Observer Expert, Observer Suite, OI, and Observer Reporting Server (ORS).
Tracking IPTV
Observer now provides end-to-end monitoring of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). Proactively be alerted to degrading video transmission quality and use GigaStor back-in-time analysis to quickly resolve service anomalies caused by dropped or out-of-order packets.
Obtain a comprehensive view of IPTV health by tracking metrics including MDI, latency, packet loss, jitter, and QoS settings on a summary or per session basis.
Available with Observer Expert, Observer Suite, GigaStor, and ORS.
IBM WebSphere
Utilize Observer 15 to improve overall service health by understanding how IBM WebSphere MQ runs within the application environment. Monitor the performance of MQ servers as they transport messages from one node to another.
WebSphere MQ Benefits:
- Assess MQ performance at a glance and immediately navigate to application details for resolution
- Determine if performance between tiers is degrading by analyzing MQ response time and payload
- Identify, report, and alarm on over 500 MQ reason codes Available with Observer Expert, Observer Suite, Observer Infrastructure, and ORS.
End-User Experience
As user expectations and dependence on the network increases, the Observer platform ensures IT stays a step ahead by providing new metrics and intelligence for measuring end-user experience. Manage user experience from dashboard views and quickly drill down using out-of-the-box reports to specific conversations and event details for resolution.
End-User Experience Benefits:
- Obtain user and server perspective without deploying agents
- Easily assess critical conditions impacting user experience
- Quickly determine problem severity and users impacted
- Streamline investigations through logical, out-of-the-box workflows
New metrics available in Observer Expert and Observer Suite.
Out-of-the-box reports are found in ORS.