Technical Details

Feature Outline

Basic features

1. Configuration Management
   1. Graphical Display of Network Configuration
   2. Front Panel View (NodeManager)
   3. Per Device Command Execution
2. Failure Management
   1. Failures Detection and Notification
   2. Current Alerts
   3. Scheduling Feature
   4. SYSLOG Monitoring
3. Performance Monitoring
   1. Real Time Analysis
   2. Creating Performance Reports
   3. Creating Reports from Network Flow Information
4. Audit Logs Management

Optional features

1. Managing Configuration Files and Software (ResourceManager)
   1. Configuration File Management
   2. Software (Firmware) Management
2. NEC SigmaSystemCenter Linkage (NetworkProvisioning)

Appendix

1. Network Products Special Order Items

Basic Features

Configuration Management

Network Manager provides a function that displays configuration maps for the visual management of IPv4/IPv6 networks, a topology management function that displays the wiring conditions of network devices, and a function that graphically displays the path between any two points in the network.

Graphical Display of Network Configuration

Network devices are automatically detected and a network configuration map is created. Floors and networks are displayed as easy-to-understand icons on the map, and the arrangement of these icons is fully customizable. The bitmap in the background, too, is fully customizable.

Physical Topology Management Function

This function collects information about the device connections on the network and automatically maps it. Information can also be manually registered. When used, the complicated wiring of network devices can be grasped in one glance.

Network Manager supports failure detection on devices from a variety of vendors, including the Nexus5000/2000, currently garnering attention as a next generation data center switches. Through the intuitive display, it is accelerated to address where the failure occurred and minimize the work load for IT administrators.

Point to Point Map Function

Graphically displays the path between any two points on the network, such as a path from the client to the server. Moreover, it is easy to confirm failure information from that path (such as link failures and high loads) on a single screen, Network Manager can be used to quickly identify the source for communication failures.

Managing Device Information Lists

Currently registered network configuration information (such as IP address, SNMP community name, and SW version) can be exported as an external CSV file. This makes it possible to manage assets as a list of device information.

Importing configuration information is also supported and can be used in large-scale environments with numerous devices registered.

Front Panel View (NodeManager)

Understanding the status of ports is simple using a front panel that looks like an actual device.

Panel Window Display

The front panel displays a realistic panel window that looks as if the actual device is there right before your eyes ? even while monitoring from a remote location.

Management items for particular devices can also be added.

Detailed Management of Device Information

• Displaying Device Information

Device memory, temperature, power, fan, and related information belonging to specific devices can be referred to in detail.

• Displaying Configuration Information

All types of configuration information from nodes including interface name, type, speed, and operational status are directly acquired and displayed.

• Displaying Statistics

Statistical information from nodes can be displayed in the various kinds of formats (snapshot, table, line graph, and bar graph). In addition to collision counts and FCS error counts, protocol information such as IP/UDP/TCP reception, transmission and error information can be displayed in tables and graphs. RIP UPDATE transmission counts, OSPF LSA generation counts, and other routing information can also be displayed.

Per Device Command Execution

Execution of predefined command lines on network devices can be executed in accordance with defined schedule.

Failure Management

Network Manager can detect failures and notify them to the administrator quickly by monitoring alive status, SNMP traps, and MIBs with ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol).

Failure Detection and Notification

A variety of network failures can be detected through:

• Alive status monitoring of devices (determined by no ICMP reply)
• SNMP trap monitoring (vendor-defined traps may also be monitored)
• SYSLOG monitoring
• Switch/router interface up/down
• Abnormal network traffic
• MIB threshold checks

Detected failures are notified through the following processes.

• The color of the map icon will be changed
  If a failure is detected, the color of the corresponding icon changes so that the user can identify the location of errors at a glance on the screen.
• Display a list of alerts
  Even complex network system, the problem spot can be rapidly identified with a function jumping to the device icon that generated the failures.

Alert Notification

Network Manager can report specific alerts at the time they are generated. Failures are detected immediately and notified to the administrator.

• Email notification
• Alarm light notification
  Click here for more information on the supported alarm lights.
• Action notification
• Execute commands
  Any programs such as bat, cmd and exe can be executed.
• Trap forwarding
  Alerts detected by Network Manager can be forwarded to the management system as SNMP traps

Current Alerts

Only the unresolved alert information that must be checked and investigated is displayed, and once resolved, the alert information is automatically deleted. Since only the current alerts are notified on-screen, you are protected against overlooking important failures.

Scheduling Feature

You can define the schedule to start and stop the monitoring operation per device icons or maps (while network construction etc). Monitoring of certain networks can also be started or stopped manually by just one click. Locations where monitoring has been stopped will change the icon color so as to be readily identifiable.

SYSLOG Monitoring

You can receive and manage centrally the system log (SYSLOG) centrally, which indicates the detailed status and failure information of devices. Any SYSLOG conforming to RFC3164 (The BSD syslog Protocol) can be received and reported in the alert lists.

Performance Monitoring

In Network Manager, performance information is accumulated through its periodic collection from a management information base (MIB) by equipment that supports SNMP. The collected information can be used for real time analysis and the creation of performance reports.

The collected data is automatically saved in the CSV (Comma Separated Value) format.

Real Time Analysis

Enables to check the current changing network situation. Compared to the normal traffic performance, you can prevent network failures at an early stage.

Example of traffic on a particular port of a hub

Creates the report in order to check whether the volume of input and output data of a specified port on a specified hub is optimal as well as the trend of the data volume.

Creating Performance Reports

Reports can be created based on the accumulated statistics daily/weekly/monthly/yearly. With this report, you can understand the long term trends of the statistical data. Reports can be created for a variety of data, including the traffic of specific nodes, CPU performance, traffic on a specific port on a hub, WAN traffic, and server loads.

Example of traffic on a specific node (unit: day)

Network Manager supports when you need to analyze traffic volume accoding to changes in your business operation.

The data can be used for checking whether processing capacity is adequate, how concentrated the load is and data volume trends etc when you newly implement Web application, add servers, which leads to increase traffic volume, review the contract details for the WAN between offices and so on.

By simply setting the device and port number in a template, reports are automatically generated daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly.

Creating Reports from Network Flow Information

A detailed network usage report is automatically created from traffic flow information (sFlow Ver4/5) as monitored from the switch and router. The report based on the sFlow information is created daily. Traffic trends and individual End-to-End application traffic conditions can be analyzed.

Example of IP flow display

Individual IP addresses with high-volume flows of data traffic (packet count) are displayed. Conditions specified in advance in the sFlow graph display dialog are shown, making it possible to view flows with more packet statistics and investigate the flows with the highest traffic.

Audit Logs Management

Recording the details of operations, including “when,” “who,” and “what was operated,” is a critical point to strengthen the internal controls of an organization. MasterScope Network Manager performs trail management regarding network operations management by automatically recording the content, result and history of actions and automatically executed processes in an audit log.

Optional Features

Managing Configuration Files and Software (ResourceManager)

ResourceManager achieves new levels of maintenance efficiency and shortens work times through the management of configuration files and software on multi-vendor network devices.

In case of backing up configuration files for 50 network devices for example, work time will be reduced to approximately 1/4 of the time it once took. If you need to upgrade software (firmware) for the same number of devices, time will be reduced to approximately 1/16 of the time it took before using ResourceManager.

(*The above times will vary depending on the number of network devices and configurations)

Configuration File Management

ResourceManager effectively manages configuration files of devices on multi-vendor networks.

Batch backup of configuration files on multiple devices

The configuration files of your multi-vendor network devices can all be backed up all at once. Generation management is performed for the backed up configuration files. Moreover, you can easily identify the changes through a function that displays differences in configuration files.

Batch updating of configuration files

Configuration files on your multi-vendor networks can all be updated all at once using the same procedure. A history of file updates is recorded.

Monitoring tampering of configuration files

Unauthorized overwriting of configuration files can be detected through the monitoring of network devices at regular intervals. You will be notified with an alert if a change to a configuration file is detected.

Software (Firmware) Management

Software on multi-vendor network devices can all be updated at once. Software (firmware) can be installed easily, even without knowing the different procedures that apply to each device software (firmware). Work time is reduced as software is installed on all the multiple devices at once. After installation, the devices must be restarted so that the new settings can take effect, and this can also be specified and executed on a schedule.

NEC SigmaSystemCenter Linkage Function (NetworkProvisioning)

Used with the server, storage, and network resource manager NEC SigmaSystemCenter, NetworkProvisioning can make changes to VLAN and load balancer settings of network devices according to the server configuration changes.

Appendix

Network products special order items (These products are linked with MasterScope Network Manager Failures Detection and Notification Feature)

Also see PATLITE Corporation global website here: http://www.patlite.com/

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