Set a capture trigger

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To set a capture trigger

  1. Open Network Monitor.

  2. If prompted, select the local network from which you want to capture data by default.

  3. On the Capture menu, click Trigger.

  4. Do one of the following to specify trigger criteria:

    • To initiate a trigger action when a specific ASCII or hexadecimal string appears in a frame, click Pattern match. In the Pattern box, type the string you want Network Monitor to detect, and then specify whether the pattern is in hexadecimal or ASCII. If you want, specify where Network Monitor should search for the pattern.

    • To initiate a trigger action when a specific percentage of the capture buffer is full, click Buffer space, and then specify the percentage needed.

    • To initiate a trigger action when Network Monitor detects a specific pattern in a frame after a specific percentage of the capture buffer becomes full, click Buffer space then pattern match, and specify the percentage and pattern needed.

    • To initiate a trigger action when a specific percentage of the capture buffer becomes full after Network Monitor detects a specific pattern in a frame, click Pattern match then buffer space, and specify the pattern and percentage needed.

    • To clear any capture triggers that have been set, click Nothing.

  5. Do one of the following to specify a trigger action:

    • To have the computer beep, click Audible Signal Only.

    • To stop the capture, click Stop Capture.

    • To run a command or a program, click Execute Command Line and specify the command or program that runs when the conditions for the trigger are met. To specify a program, type the path and the name of the program file, or click Browse and navigate to the program file. To use an MS-DOS command, such as copy, type CMD /K, and then type the command.

Notes

  • To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure.

  • To start Network Monitor, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and double-click Network Monitor.

  • If you click Pattern match then buffer space and set Buffer Space to 100%, Network Monitor starts monitoring the capture buffer size with the frame after the frame that contained the pattern match. This means that when the buffer is 100% full, the frame containing the pattern match has been overwritten. If you use the Pattern match then buffer space option and need to view the frame that contains the pattern match in order to analyze your network traffic issues, set Buffer Space to 75% or smaller.

Information about functional differences

  • Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.

See Also

Concepts

The capture process
Capture triggers