Network Instruments recently upgraded its flagship software with features the company says will help IT managers optimize network availability and performance.

Specifically, Observer 11 has been enhanced to include more VoIP analysis features that can tackle enterprise-scale rollouts as well as a new time-based interface that will enable IT managers to examine up to 8T bytes of data. The software has also been upgraded to be able to pinpoint transaction slowdowns through up to 10 "conversation hops," Network Instruments says. According to the company, its new software coupled with its GigaStor Appliance can equip network managers with a "time-based navigation utility" that will help organizations more quickly search volumes of data.

Observer is a network monitor and protocol analyzer that can tackle a variety of networks. Observer provides metrics, packet capture and trending for both shared and switched network environments, and the software can monitor single-segment LANs/wireless LANs and with the addition of probes, Observer can be upgraded into a full distributed product for monitoring multi-segment LANs, WLANs and WANs. Observer offers both real-time monitoring and troubleshooting. The software can also perform trending and baselining to help network managers view historical data collected for days, weeks, months or even years, the company says.

Observer runs on Windows and can be set up to support a distributed software design. For instance, customers can load the software on one machine and distributed probes across various locations. The software helps to gather data remotely without having to send an administrator out to analyze traffic across the network, the company says.

Pricing for Observer 11 ranges between about $1,000 to $4,000, depending on the software configuration and version. The GigaStor Appliance begins at $35,000 for a 4T-byte configuration.

Recent Network Instruments and Observer news:

Select Comfort rests easy with Network Instruments, 01/18/05

WSI taps Observer, 09/06/05

CI Travel benefits from Observer, 08/16/05

Ann Bednarz is associate news editor at Network World.