Traffic Statistics Software

What features should you look for in a network protocol analyzer? This will obviously depend on your specific needs but here are a few ideas of available features and options that you might want to consider when looking at purchasing or downloading this type of software program.

Does it support many different protocols? How many different types of protocols are supported and are continuous ones added? Can the data be read both live or from a capture file? Is there a user-friendly graphical user interface? Is it open source with a gnu license or closed? Is the software multiplatform capable?

Some programs allow you to create color rules for it, making it easier to read the data. The output can often have options for the format which can make data sorting much easier. There are different packages out there with different features, options and benefits.

Why might you need a protocol analyzer? You can learn a lot about networking through this kind of tool including finding out exactly what's passing over your network. You can use it to find out what's going on and contained in data packets (a network protocol packet analyzer), use it for security analyzing and intrusion detection, help it analyze your traffic patterns, use it to diagnose or troubleshoot complex systems and more. If you think information on your server seems to be invisible, you need a protocol analyzer to help make that data visible.

You might want to use this type of information to find out what your employee's surfing and e-mailing habits are. You could also use it to help you with your security problems and threats. The ability to use detailed data can truly work to a company's advantage.

There are so many areas that can benefit by the ability to do forensic studies on your network. From security, an HR, and growth and strategy planning perspectives, the more data you have about everything that happens on your network, the better. Whether you're looking to analyze the internal happenings or hits from outside the firewall, analytical tools that enable you point and click functionality can provide a great return on the investment it takes to obtain these tools.

How do you find the best tool there is out there for specific purposes? Search engine research can bring back a lot of results. PC magazines will often do reviews on a particular product and let people see a comparison list of features and benefits plus a voting system. There are also many software publishers that offer lite versions that are free or free to try evaluation copies of their software.

It isn't difficult to get lost in the abundance of software tools out there. Many companies and individuals spend time on an annual basis reviewing their options with respect to their software, which is a great idea to keep current and review whether or not what you are using should be upgraded or changed.

Traffic Statistics Software |