Whenever I write or talk about network automation, networking pros will tell me they aren't programmers, which I totally understand and respect. They're most likely thinking of Perl, Python or other programming languages that aren't typical skills for network troubleshooting. However, there's a free tool that makes it easy to automate certain network troubleshooting tasks and doesn’t require any programming skills.
In this video, I show you how to use Pulover's Macro Creator to create a script, or a packet "bookmark" that can help during protocol analysis. A packet bookmark involves generating a specific type of data while performing packet captures, so you can go back and find that point in time easier. For example, I might type some data into a webpage, then ping my router, then submit my changes. Afterwards I can simply search or refer to the ping packets to orient myself within the trace. This is especially helpful when working with encrypted or streaming data.
In the video, I enter some data, start a capture, then ping my router, submit my changes, and finally stop my Wireshark protocol analyzer.
There are many reasons why I enjoy using Pulover's Macro Creator, but here is my shortlist: It's a portable application; comes in both 64/32 bit versions; provides access to the script code so I can easily make changes; and supports mouse, keyboard, and image/pixel search.
When I troubleshoot, baseline or need a specific task to execute the same way every time, I turn to automation. This is incredibly helpful when performing application baselining since I prefer to have as much automation as possible. Regardless if you are a seasoned programmer or just getting into it, I would recommend giving Pulover's Macro Creator a try.
Get more troubleshooting tips at Interop ITX 2018 in Las Vegas, where expert Mike Pennacchi will lead a workshop, "Deep Dive Packet Analysis with Wireshark." Don't miss out! Register for Interop ITX 2018, April 30-May 4, today!
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