Comparison Matrix
Observer
Expert Observer
Observer Suite
Gigabit Observer
General Features
Ethernet
10 / 100 / Gigabit
Half-Duplex Speed
10 / 100 / Gigabit
Half-Duplex Speed
10 / 100 / Gigabit
Half-Duplex Speed
10 / 100 / Gigabit
Full-Duplex
Wire-Speed
Token Ring
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
FDDI
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
802.11a Wireless
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
802.11b Wireless
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
802.11g Wireless
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Switch Support
Yes (open)
Yes (open)
Yes (open)
Yes (open)
Distributed with Probes
Yes (full functionality)
Yes (full functionality)
Yes (full functionality)
Yes (full functionality)
Auto-Probe Update
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Multi-Probe Console
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
User Permissions
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Pricing
$995
$2,895
$3,995
$17,995
Capture/Decode
Protocols Supported
500+
500+
500+
500+
Frames Recognized
4000+
4000+
4000+
4000+
Show Dropped Packets
Yes
Yes
Yes 
Yes 
Real Time Capture
Yes
Yes
Yes 
Yes 
Post Filter
Yes
Yes
Yes 
Yes 
Expanded Data Mining
Yes
Yes
Yes 
Yes 
Scheduled Capture
Yes
Yes
Yes 
Yes 
Statistics
Bandwidth Utilization
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Protocol Distribution
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Top Talkers
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Size Distribution
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Triggers & Alarms
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Efficency History
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Internet Usage Tracking
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Network Activity (Broadcast / Multicast Display)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Errors By Station
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Network Vital Signs (Aggregate Error Display)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Pair Matrix
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Router Tracking
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Utilization History
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Utilization Thermometer
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Web Server Tracking
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
VLAN
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cross Mode Drill Down
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Application Response Time (ART)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wireless Statistics
Wireless Types
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wireless Speeds
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wireless Latest
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wireless Errors-by-station
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wireless Vital Signs
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Access Point Statistics
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Channel Traffic
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Trending
Network Flow
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Internet Usage
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Switch Port Usage
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
SNMP Statistics
No
No
Yes
Yes
Tools
Auto Discovery
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ping / Traceroute
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Replay Buffer
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
SNMP MIB Walker
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Traffic Generator
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Switch Station Locator
No
No
Yes
Yes
Expert System
Real-Time Expert
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Post-Capture Expert
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Events Tracked
No
450+
450+
450+
Summary
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
TCP / UDP / ICMP Events
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
IPX / SPX Events
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
NetBIOS / NetBEUI Events
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Wireless Events
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Oracle / SQL Events
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Connection Dynamics
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Time Interval Analysis
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Server Analysis
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
What-If Modeling
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
VoIP Expert
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
SNMP Management Console
SNMP Reporting
No
No
Yes
Yes
MIB Compiler
No
No
Yes
Yes
MIB Editor
No
No
Yes
Yes
Support SNMP V3
No
No
Yes
Yes
RMON
RMON1/2/3 Support
No
No
Yes
Yes
RMON Statistics
No
No
Yes
Yes
RMON Tables
No
No
Yes
Yes
RMON Probe
No
No
option
option
Web Based Repoting
Local HTML Reports
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Remote HTML Reports
No
No
Yes
Yes
Report Scheduler
No
No
Yes
Yes
Internal Web Server
No
No
Yes
Yes