The new OneTouch AT software also offers “launch-and-leave” remote testing and more in-depth analytics, which helps technicians solve existing problems and pre-empt new ones.

Fluke Networks has introduced cloud services for its OneTouch AT Network Assistant. Free with any new handheld OneTouch AT tester or as a software upgrade for existing units, the cloud service lets the OneTouch AT tester provide visibility into network performance over time, which is an invaluable aid in troubleshooting intermittent problems that often occur when the network technician isn’t available.

According to a recent Fluke Networks survey, network technicians spend up to 25% of their time troubleshooting end-user issues. Survey respondents also noted intermittent issues take twice as long to resolve because they tend to reappear when the technician isn’t available to fix them. According to the survey, intermittent problems comprise roughly 30% of all end-user issues.

Using cloud services to diagnose intermittent problems reaps rewards

The OneTouch AT tester and new cloud service make it easier to see network irregularities, with sequential test results automatically uploaded to the cloud service and plotted on colour-coded charts. Technicians can now view trended results from multiple tests side-by-side to identify correlated events. They can even zoom in to see details for an event within a narrower time window, and then print or download charts as documentation.

Autonomous remote testing enables “launch-and-leave” troubleshooting

Network problems are never convenient, especially if they occur at a remote site, during non-business hours or on an intermittent basis. Using the cloud-enabled OneTouch AT tester, technicians can launch a series of autonomous tests and walk away. The OneTouch tester measures network performance, uploads the results to the cloud service and repeats the cycle as frequently as every 60 seconds for as long as a week, greatly improving the chance of catching intermittent problems. With results automatically saved to the cloud, technicians don’t even need to stay with the tester, knowing they can view and share results at any time from any Internet-enabled device.

“With the new cloud-enabled OneTouch AT Network Assistant, Fluke Networks has effectively untethered technicians from their testers,” Fluke Networks director of product marketing Doug Roberts.

“While convenience is certainly a benefit, the real value is in reducing time and effort spent solving problems that impact productivity.”

The OneTouch AT cloud service can also be used as a daily management and problem avoidance tool. Network administrators can set up the OneTouch AT tester as a generic client device accessing one or more services or servers and leave it running. By periodically signing into the cloud service, they can view performance results and look for degradations. If something suspicious appears, technicians can use the OneTouch AT tester to identify the root cause and fix issues before employees complain.

Version 3 software is now shipping on all versions of the OneTouch AT Network Assistant. Existing Fluke Networks customers with Gold support will receive the upgrade at no additional charge.