🚀 go-pugleaf

We are running about 300 devices on a couple of Token Ring segments (4MB and 
16MB). The hosts include NetWare 3.12 Servers, Unix hosts, OS2 Lan Manager 
Servers and Win NT servers.

The 4mb ring is fairly over-crowded (a situation which we are moving to 
alleviate). Every now and then the 4mb ring beacons and it can take hours to 
find the offending device. It can ve caused by a loose connection, some idiot 
plugging workstation with a 16mb NIC into the 4mb ring etc etc..... The 
downtime is getting rather costly for the company!

The latest beaconing problem caused an entire afternoon of lost time and 
management have finally conceded that we need some sort of LAN analysis tool 
to try and pinpoint the cause.

I've looked at Lanalyser but it won't attach to a beaconing LAN - fat lot of 
good that is! I need something which will run on a "sick" LAN and work with 
IPX, TCPIP, NETBEUI, NETBIOS and maybe one or two other protocols. I need it 
to be able to highlight the possible cause of the net problems (eg. 
whereabouts on the ring the problem occurs).

Can anyone out there suggest their preferred solution? Of course, capital 
expenditure is always an issue so if there's a $200,000 solution, I might like 
it but my Boss will just laugh at me.

All suggestions welcome.

Peter Dwyer
Continuum, Australia