Network Testing Equipment

[synaesthesia]

Can anyone give me some ideas/ballpark numbers for some reasonable network testing equipment. Fluke sort of stuff that can measure cable tolerances, detect spikes etc.

Getting so many apparently random problems it's so difficult to track down, and until we can properly segregate our network it's murderous. I want to look at costs for the kit to keep it in house in case we need to back ourselves up on lack of diagnostic equipment.

In the meantime trying to actually map our network is a job in itself. Just about all the programs that should do it either do it in a manner we can't comprehend or just don't bother doing certain parts of it. Would like to keep using Spiceworks for example, but it's idea of a network map is similar to what I'd expect if I asked a child to draw a line monster.

It's all fun when we have to do all of this - LIVE

[Soulfish]

We've got a Fluke NetTool II and it's a great tester, problem is it's not cheap! Slightly cheaper options would be the JDSU range (formely Test Um) - something like the Validator/Validator Pro however all of these are still £1,000 - 3,000 dependant on which options you go for!

[m25man]

I am fortunate enough to own everything from Link Runner to Etherscope and have access to Opti View and DTX so if its real world advice you seek PM me with a question or two.

As 10 GBe begins to find its way into main stream networking and SME's Fluke are preparing a new range of advanced diagnostics tools.

As a result there are some deals to be had. This week the Etherscope II which is £4k is BOGOF...

So what you need is a fellow Geek that wants one and buy collectively at 50% off its a bargain.

[synaesthesia]

Something even Fluke would shrug at.

Symantec Bloody AV.
What a bunch of muppets - their product actually manages to break a simple link aggregation setup. Just purely by accident come across it on RM's support site. Disabled it, lo and behold, working network!
I hate Symantec and everything they ever stood for.

[GrumbleDook]

Perhaps you, @wagnerk and a few others could chip in together?

[wagnerk]

Something even Fluke would shrug at.

Symantec Bloody AV.
What a bunch of muppets - their product actually manages to break a simple link aggregation setup. Just purely by accident come across it on RM's support site. Disabled it, lo and behold, working network!
I hate Symantec and everything they ever stood for.

Time to start to make the move to MS Forefront Client Security, me thinks

Perhaps you, @wagnerk and a few others could chip in together?

Depends what it is and does, we've got two different network testers already.

[synaesthesia]

We're almost there already, @wagnerk Testing is looking very good and as Forefront EP is almost entirely integrated into SCCM 2012 we've little reason to worry on that front There's a possibility of cloning our test box onto another machine purely to act as an interim Forefront box until Summer too.
If all is quiet on the network front next week (which I hope it is) then serious testing will ensue along with the final steps. Just hope it goes from RC to RTM in plenty of time for our planned rollout

As for the networking gear, currently the idea is to try and give our seniors an idea of the stuff we should have ready to hand to keep costs down and everything in-house whilst assuring them that the IT systems are not as unimportant as they think. Some of the chats I've had with various members of staff over the last few days have been amazing on this front - very few of them realise our predicament re budget/time and many of them would happily help to shout at the right people if necessary. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

TBH we've been extremely lucky so far; we've got a good amount of knowledge between us and just as importantly have some good Googling/Edugeek skills . We've pulled in a lot of favours including having fiber work done for nothing, and perhaps we should start to collate information on how much these favours would have cost for people that didn't have the connections.