FAQ - Sniffer Global - NetScout

Frequently Asked Questions
Sniffer Global Support for Cisco Mobility Services Engine Integration
Q. What release of Sniffer ® Global is required to support Integration with the Cisco ® Mobility
Services Engine (MSE) and when will it be available?
A. Sniffer Global release 3.1 is required to support Cisco MSE integration. Availability is
planned for July 2009. If you have Sniffer Global and under maintenance today, you will
receive a simple upgrade at no cost.
Q. What are the user license options for Sniffer Global
A. Sniffer Global is available in an enterprise license which allows unlimited users. This version
supports true global deployments with users being able to be located anywhere. A 10-user
license version is also available. The 10 User license will support the software to be installed
on up to 10 laptop devices. The 10-user license is not a “simultaneous use” license; it is
based upon the number of installed copies.
Q. Does Sniffer Portable Professional integrate to the Cisco MSE?
A. No. Sniffer Portable Professional is based upon the same base technology as Sniffer Global,
supporting both wired and wireless networks. This version is designed to be a single-user,
single device solution and does not connect to the Sniffer Global Server. So although it
offers virtually all of the same capabilities as Sniffer Global, it does not offer MSE
integration, centralized upgrades or policy-based user security or use reporting. The Sniffer
Portable Professional version will be available in Q3 2009.
Q. Which models of the Cisco MSE will support location-based integration with Sniffer Global?
A. Sniffer Global is integrated with the Cisco 3300 Series Mobility Service Engine
10-Jun-09

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the minimum software release requirements on the Cisco Unified wireless
equipment for the integration with Sniffer Global?
A. The table below list the minimum software release needed for the Sniffer Global integrated
solution.
System Minimum Software Release
Cisco
Mobility
Services
Engine
(3300
Series)
Cisco
Wireless
LAN
Controller
Cisco
Wireless
Control
Systems
(WCS)
Release 5.1 Release 5.2
Release 5.1.30.0 Release 5.1.35.0 Release 5.2.91.0 (or
greater)
Release 4.2.130 (or
greater) or
5.1.151.0 (or
greater)
Release 5.1.64.0 (or
greater)
Release 4.2.130
(or greater) or
5.1.163.0 (or
greater)
Release 5.1.65.4
(or greater)
Q. Where can I purchase the Sniffer Global product?
Release 5.2.157.0 (or
greater),
Release 5.1.151.0 (or
greater), or Release
4.2.130 (or greater)
Note: Release 5.0.x
does not support
MSE, CAS
Release 5.2.110.0 (or
greater)
A. Netscout has an extensive global reseller community as well as a large global account team
presence. Given the wide deployment of NetScout products, many NetScout resellers are
also Cisco resellers. You can contact NetScout directly to get connected with a local reseller,
or you can contact your Cisco reseller for more information. In addition, Sniffer Global will
be available through most Cisco resellers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How does Sniffer Global connect to the MSE and to the wireless network?
A. Sniffer Global is comprised of two components – The Sniffer Global Administrative server,
and the laptop client analyzer application. The Administrative server is responsible for user
authentication and policy enforcement, user reporting and providing software updates to
the clients. The Server is also providing the integration with the Cisco MSE. So the client
application would send a request for location information to the Sniffer Global
Administrative server, the server would authenticate the user and send a location query to
the MSE. When the MSE returns the location data back to the Sniffer Global Administrative
server, it would then pass the location information to the requesting client application. The
client application will have a connection to the Sniffer Global Server – that connection can
be wired or wireless. Network analysis (either wired or Wireless) connections are achieved
through a second network connection on the laptop. This second connection can also be
wired or wireless.
Q. Does the Sniffer Global and MSE need to be co-located?
A. No. The Sniffer Global administrative server and the Cisco MSE are not required to be in the
same location. They can reside in two different sites (example, one in the San Jose office and
the other in Boston office) and still communicate with each other over a WAN link. The
same is true for the Sniffer Global client application. Through the Sniffer Global Server, the
analyzer client can be in any wireless areas and acquire location context through the Sniffer
Global server – regardless of where the Sniffer Global Server or MSE are located.
Q. What are the hardware requirements from the Sniffer Global product?
A. Hardware requirements for the Sniffer Global Administrative Server and the Sniffer Global
Client Application:
- Sniffer Global Administrative Server
Intel or AMD processor, 1.0 GHz; single processor or 1.6 GHz dual core processor
1GB RAM or higher
1GB SATA HDD or higher
CD/DVD ROM drive
1024x800 VGA monitor
Ethernet 10/100/1000 NIC
- Sniffer Global Client Application
Intel or AMD processor, 1.0GHz or higher, dual core processor
512MB RAM or higher, recommend 1GB
200MB free disk space or more
CD/DVD ROM drive
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1024x800 VGA monitor
Frequently Asked Questions
Please refer to the Sniffer Global Datasheet to find more information on systems
requirements http://www.netscout.com/docs/datasheets/NetScout_ds_Sniffer_Global.pdf
Q. Can Sniffer Global troubleshoot 802.11n wireless networks?
A. Yes, Sniffer Global can troubleshoot 802.11a/b/g and .11n wireless networks. You can find
more details in the Sniffer Global Solution Brief or Sniffer Global datasheet
Q. Does the integrated solution support Cisco autonomous (Aironet) access points?
A. No, Sniffer Global is integrated with the Cisco Mobility Services Engine (MSE) which is a
component of the Cisco Unified Wireless Solution
Q. Where can I find more information on the Cisco and Netscout integrated solution?
A. For Cisco related information, please go to
www.cisco.com/go/mse or www.cisco.com/go/mobility
For NetScout Related Information,
Please go to www.netscout.com/ciscowireless
Q. Can Sniffer Global decode Cisco LWAPP protocols?
A. Yes, decode support for LWAPP is available in the latest decode pack, pack 9 available on
the Netscout support site
You can learn more about LWAPP from the Cisco white paper entitled Understanding the
Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP)
Q. What types of connections are supported by Sniffer Global?
A. Sniffer Global supports the following wireless and wireless connections:
Wired: 10/100/1000 Ethernet
Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n
10-Jun-09

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where can I find more information on the Sniffer Global product?
A. Please go to http://www.netscout.com/products/sniffer_global.asp?cpid=pnav for more
information on Sniffer Global
10-Jun-09