Fluke AT series network testers (Must have for all NetAdmins)
April 04, 2017
Fluke AT series network testers (Must have for all NetAdmins)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Fluke Networks OneTouch AT Network Assistant
We have used the LinkRunner AT 2000 and the Onetouch AT network assistants daily for about 6 years. These devices save me hours of troubleshooting, I can go anywhere, plug in and know anything I need to about the port and line I am in. In the hands of one of the technicians, they can go to a line that is having problems and let me know exactly which port in which switch is causing an issue. In the hands of our low voltage wiring guys, Fluke allows them to pre-certify the cables they terminate to ensure good runs. I can use these devices as a ready-made packet capturing devices (inline or mirror port). When deploying new switches or examining reports of latency I can put Fluke on each end of our network and push data between the two points, capturing important information on both sides. While everything Fuke does can be accomplished by other devices, and the information can be pulled from other places. Fluke allows me to dispatch anyone from our IT department to collect information that they would not otherwise know how to assemble.
- Identify the exact switchport a given line is plugged in to.
- View the length and viability of any category or fiber optic cable.
- It acts as a premade packet capture device, simple enough to walk someone through deploying while I'm offsite.
- In the event LLDP based identification of a port fails, it has the ability to blink a switchport allowing for manual identification.
- Price. There is no other device on the market with the AT's feature set. Fluke knows it and charges accordingly.
- The addition of bluetooth or a USB slot for a keyboard would be handy for certain functions.
- The PC based remote connection process is old, and is one of the places where the OS shows it's age.
- Drastic decrease in diagnosis time.
- The certainty coming from the diagnostic process with the Fluke leads to less guessing and quicker fixes.
- With multiple departments involved in the process of connecting devices to the network, the Fluke helps us to quickly certify a switch closet worth of cable and create error free documentation.
- Ideal
There is little to no competition in this field. If you need to do any type of advanced network monitoring/identification (or use 10G) then you're going to own a Fluke. While Ideal does have a couple of devices that appear to be the closest competitor, the differences are still extremely evident.