Network testing and fault finding

This PTT online course explains the benefits and methods of following a structured approach to fault-finding, and describes the role of the various tests employed on Ethernet/IP networks and their use in fault finding and measuring network performance.

Topics covered include

• the causes of frame loss, delay and jitter and their effects on multimedia services such as video streaming.
• the various factors that influence the achievable data transfer rate over a network.
• the benefits of a structured approach to fault-finding and the roles of information gathering, analysis, and testing hypotheses.
• the benefits of testing at the different protocol layers in a certain sequence to locate a fault.
• the use of software utilities such as Ping and Traceroute to locate faults.
• the use of protocol analysers to monitor and analyse network traffic.
• the use of specialised test equipment to assess the performance of, and find faults in, a network.

Throughout the course examples of locating network faults are described.

This course is ideal for those responsible for the maintenance of local and wide area networks.