Network Monitor Features
The Network Monitor offers the following functionality:
Feature Tour Index- Network Traffic Data Monitoring
- Parsing and Displaying Captured Network Data (Structure View)
- Displaying Raw Packet Data (Raw Data View)
- Capture Filter
- Graphical Data Analyzis (Network Statistics)
- Session Recording (Network Monitoring)
- Log File Playback (Playing Back Recorded Network Data)
- Defining Custom Protocols
- Packet Builder
- Sending MODBUS Protocol Commands
- Raw Data Exporter
- Text Exporter
- Multi-source Monitoring
- Custom Visualizers
Network Traffic Data Monitoring
Network Monitor is capable of intercepting all network traffic between your computer and remote host. It provides real-time high-performance monitoring for a selected network adaptor or interface with wide filtering capabilities.
Parsing and Displaying Captured Network Data (Structure View)
Structure View data visualizer is a two-part window. First part displays each monitored packet parsed according to installed set of protocols. Second part displays raw packet contents. Cursor navigation may be synchronized between two parts.
Each packet is matched against one or more of loaded protocol definition files and if matched successfully, all protocol fields are shown in the top part of the Packet View visualizer. For each field, its name, value, starting address and size are displayed. If field consists of other fields, you may expand it by pressing the little plus icon or pushing the Right button on the keyboard.
Visualizer supports configuring protocol-based filtering (aka Display Filter) and allows changing of the root protocol.
Displaying Raw Packet Data (Raw Data View)
The visualizer has two windows, one of which displays data sent to the USB device, and another one displays data received from the USB device. All subsequent packets are concatenated into a single data stream, which is displayed as sequence of hexadecimal, decimal, octal or binary numbers. Alternatively, the stream may be displayed as a sequence of floating-point numbers with single or double precision.
The data visualizer is very flexible and allows you to customize both its layout and appearance. It also supports configuring protocol-based filtering and allows changing of the root protocol.
Capture Filter
A filter is a single condition which follows the synax of Protocol Definition expressions. It can refer to any field in captured packet and use any supported logical or arithmetic operator.
You can set the capture filter when you start new or configure running monitoring session. You can either select one of the predefined filters or create your own.
Graphical Data Analyzis (Network Statistics)
This data visualizer is capable of displaying the graphical relationship for various monitored data statistics. It has the following counters: Packets/Sec, Bytes Total/Sec, Bytes Received/Sec, Bytes Sent/Sec.
You can configure this visualizer in an outstanding number of ways: you can scroll horizontally to view any portion of data, change the horizontal scale, change the vertical scale or use the auto fit option to automatically fit all data on the screen. You can even change the scale for each variable individually!
You can switch the graphic from polyline to curves with gradient fill to make the visual appearance more comfortable. Use the Copy or Export commands to copy the bitmap or export it to the file in various formats, including PNG and JPEG.
This visualizer also displays variable statistics in the table, which is visible below the plot data. It displays the maximum, average, total and last values for each variable.
Click anywhere on the plot to place a measuring line, which will scan the monitored data, displaying the momentary values for you.
Session Recording (Network Monitoring)
All Device Monitoring Studio visualizers work in real time - you monitor the device and see the packets in visualizers. If you need to record a session and analyze it later, use the session recording!
Use the Sessions Tool Window and Tools menu to start, stop or pause recording.
If you forgot to start recording, use the Save to Log command to save monitored data to a log.
Log File Playback (Playing Back Recorded Network Data)
The Playback tool window lists all recorded log files, grouping them either by device name or by recording date. For each log file various information is displayed, including the log file size and the list of streams. To playback the log file, select the stream, configure the visualizers, select the time range and playback speed and start the monitoring session.
You can change the speed of playback at any time later as well. The unique Continuous mode allows you to quickly transfer stream data into visualizers.
Device Monitoring Studio provides you with a way to manage the recorded logs via the commands in the menu and popup menu.
Defining Custom Protocols
Network Monitor comes with a lot of pre-installed protocols. This feature also allows the customer to add the definition of the custom protocol to Network Monitor. After this, the application will start parsing and decoding all matching packets according to custom protocol definition.
Packet Builder
Packet Builder allows the user to create network packets and templates according to the pre-configured or user-defined protocol definition and send them to the network adapter. There are several settings available in order to help user to automate packet sending process.
Sending MODBUS Protocol Commands
MODBUS Send window provides a really easy way to control a MODBUS-compatible device. It can come of great help when you need to debug your device, for example, to verify its responses. You can set all parameters for any standard or user-defined MODBUS function visually and then just click on the Send button. Result rollout will dynamically reflect the changes you make.
Raw Data Exporter
This exporter parses incoming data according to the loaded set of protocols, applies optional protocol-based filtering and root protocol and writes the resulting binary data into the output file. It produces the result identical to the lower part of the Structure View data visualizer, but does not display any UI, writing raw data directly to the file.
Text Exporter
This exporter parses incoming data according to the loaded set of protocols, applies optional protocol-based filtering and root protocol and writes the resulting data into the output file. It formats its textual output exactly like the upper part of the Structure View data visualizer, but does not display any UI, writing formatted data directly to the file.
Multi-source Monitoring
This feature supports joining monitored data from multiple network adapters into a single monitoring session. Device Monitoring Studio makes sure packets are correctly sorted and presented through a number of supported data visualizers. Data logging also supports multi-source sessions.
