View
contact details
and profile on Kellysearch
?
WHITE PAPER
Protocol Analyzers vs. Logic Analyzers: Using the Right Tool for the Job
There is no one tool which serves every need, no matter what the field. Using the right tool for the job is simply more efficient and produces superior results. Certainly, one can use the back of a screwdriver to drive a nail into the wall, but a hammer does the job better. Logic analyzers are the general-purpose tool of choice for many engineers developing communications and network equipment. The base functionality scopes offer enables them to be used to perform almost any task. The core of communications technology, however, has changed in several significant ways over the years since scopes were first introduced. Multiple protocol layers, virtualization, and encapsulation are just a few of the technologies that have transformed data streams from a simple string of zeros and ones to highly complex packets containing tremendous amounts of critical transport data, including routing information and quality of service mechanisms. As a consequence, while logic analyzers are still quite useful for resolving logical network issues at the physical layer, they are not well-suited for sifting through the many layers of protocols that make up today's packet streams. For this, engineers require a protocol analyzer. Finisar?s Bus Doctor? RX protocol analyzers enable engineers to troubleshoot at the functional level. Using a logic analyzer to see what a switch or endpoint is sending and receiving is similar to reading a book letter by letter compared to a protocol analyzer which lets you read paragraph by paragraph. With a protocol analyzer, engineers are able to move between the multiple layers of complex information encapsulated in packets to whichever layer is the most useful at the time, enabling engineers to identify and resolve issues more quickly and effectively.
