HP (Hewlett-Packard) Netsight User Manual

User's Guide

Notice

Enterasys Networks reserves the right to make changes in specifications and other information contained in this document without prior notice. The reader should in all cases consult Enterasys Networks to determine whether any such changes have been made.

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Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 by Enterasys Networks. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

Order Number: 9032722-05 August 2002

Enterasys Networks, Inc.

P.O. Box 5005

Rochester, NH 03866-5005

Enterasys, NetSight, XPedition and Matrix E7 are trademarks of Enterasys Networks.

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IRM-3, Media Interface Module, MicroMMAC, MIM, MMAC, MMAC-3, MMAC-3FNB, MMAC-5, MMAC-5FNB, MMAC-8, MMAC-8FNB, MMAC-M8FNB, MMAC-Plus, MRX, MRXI, MRXI-24, MultiChannel, NB20E, NB25E, NB30, NB35, NBR-220/420/620, RMIM, SecureFast Switch, SecureFast Packet Switching, SFS, SFPS, SPECTRUM Element Manager, SPECTRUM for Open Systems, SPIM-A, SPIM-C, SPIM-F1, SPIM-F2, SPIM-T, SPIM-T1, TPMIM, TPMIM-22, TPMIM-T1, TPRMIM,

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Enterasys Networks, 35 Industrial Way, Rochester, New Hampshire 03867-0505.

2.(a) This computer software is submitted with restricted rights. It may not be used, reproduced, or disclosed by the Government except as provided in paragraph (b) of this Notice or as otherwise expressly stated in the contract.

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(d)Any other rights or limitations regarding the use, duplication, or disclosure of this computer software are to be expressly stated in, or incorporated in, the contract.

(e)This Notice shall be marked on any reproduction of this computer software, in whole or in part.

vi

Contents

Chapter 1	Introduction
	Using This Guide .............................................................................................................	1-1
	Getting Help.....................................................................................................................	1-2
	Using On-line Help...................................................................................................	1-2
	Accessing On-line Documentation...........................................................................	1-3
	Documentation Feedback ..................................................................................	1-3
	Getting Technical Support ........................................................................................	1-3
	Online Services on the World Wide Web ..........................................................	1-3
	Global Technical Assistance Center..................................................................	1-3

Chapter 2	Overview of
	NetSight Element Manager
	About NetSight Element Manager...................................................................................	2-1
	Network Discovery...................................................................................................	2-4
	Management and Monitoring Workspace.................................................................	2-5
	List Views..........................................................................................................	2-6
	Tree Views.........................................................................................................	2-7
	Map Views.........................................................................................................	2-9
	Log Views........................................................................................................	2-10
	Excluding Nodes.....................................................................................................	2-10
	Alarm and Event Handling .....................................................................................	2-11
	The NetSight Element Manager Tool Suite ...................................................................	2-11
	Remote Administration Tools.................................................................................	2-12
	Scheduler Tool ........................................................................................................	2-12
	MIB Tools...............................................................................................................	2-13
	Customizing NetSight Element Manager ......................................................................	2-13
	Adjusting Default Settings......................................................................................	2-13
	Workspace Options..........................................................................................	2-14
	Network Options .............................................................................................	2-15
	Polling Options................................................................................................	2-17
	Node Options...................................................................................................	2-20
	Directories Options..........................................................................................	2-21
	Device Management Options ..........................................................................	2-23
	Event Log Options...........................................................................................	2-24
	Customizing the Toolbar.........................................................................................	2-26
	Adding a Tool Entry ........................................................................................	2-27
	Editing a Tool Entry ........................................................................................	2-30
	Removing a Tool Entry ...................................................................................	2-30
	Backing Up Data Files...................................................................................................	2-30

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Contents

	Editing the Backup Configuration File...................................................................	2-33
	Performing a Backup ..............................................................................................	2-34
	Restoring Files from a Backup Set .........................................................................	2-35
	Restoring Default Files ...........................................................................................	2-35
Chapter 3	Discovering Nodes
	Accessing the Discover Manager Window ......................................................................	3-1
	Creating and Modifying Discover Scripts .......................................................................	3-2
	Accessing the Discover Properties Window.............................................................	3-2
	Setting General Discover Properties.........................................................................	3-4
	Setting Device Discovery Parameters.......................................................................	3-5
	Defining IP Address Ranges..............................................................................	3-6
	Defining and Selecting Subnets ........................................................................	3-7
	Defining a Community Name..........................................................................	3-11
	Selecting a Script Filter ...................................................................................	3-12
	Setting a Discover Interval .....................................................................................	3-13
	Executing Discover Scripts............................................................................................	3-14
	The Discover Process.....................................................................................................	3-16
	NEW and SECONDARY Discovers ......................................................................	3-17
	Stopping a Discover in Progress .............................................................................	3-17
	Restarting a Completed Discover ...........................................................................	3-17
	Scheduled Discovers...............................................................................................	3-18
	Deleting a Discover Script .............................................................................................	3-18
	Starting the Discover Wizard .........................................................................................	3-19
	Launching the Scheduler Application............................................................................	3-19
	Using the IP or Host Locator Tool .................................................................................	3-19
	Matching a Host Name to an IP Address................................................................	3-20
	Matching an IP Address to a Host Name................................................................	3-21
	Locating the MAC Address for a Host Name/IP Pair ............................................	3-21
	Subnet Search .........................................................................................................	3-22
	Matching a MAC Address to a Host Name and IP.................................................	3-25
	Using the Subnets Window............................................................................................	3-27
	Creating and Modifying a Subnet Entry .................................................................	3-28
	Deleting a Subnet Entry..........................................................................................	3-29
Chapter 4	List Views
	About List Views .............................................................................................................	4-1
	The List View Workspace.........................................................................................	4-1
	Adding a Folder to the Workspace ....................................................................	4-2
	The All Nodes List View ..........................................................................................	4-3
	Other Default List Views ..........................................................................................	4-4
	List View Display Options........................................................................................	4-5
	Using the List View Toolbar..............................................................................	4-5
	Sorting Nodes ....................................................................................................	4-6
	Searching a List View ...............................................................................................	4-7
	Creating and Editing List Views ....................................................................................	4-10

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		Contents
	Selecting Node Information to Display ..................................................................	4-11
	Node Information Options...............................................................................	4-12
	Selecting a Display Font.........................................................................................	4-14
	Selecting the Nodes to Display: Using Filters........................................................	4-15
	Filter Categories ..............................................................................................	4-16
	Creating the Filter............................................................................................	4-18
	Excluded Nodes .............................................................................................................	4-18
	Excluding Nodes from an Individual View ............................................................	4-18
	To Exclude a Node from a View .....................................................................	4-19
	To Re-include a Node in a View......................................................................	4-21
	Excluding Nodes from the Central Node Database................................................	4-22
	The Excluded Nodes List and Discover ..........................................................	4-23
	To Exclude a Node from the Central Node Database......................................	4-23
	To Re-include a Node into the Central Node Database...................................	4-24
	To Delete a Node from the Database...............................................................	4-25
	Adding Network Elements to the Node Database .........................................................	4-26
	Adding a Device .....................................................................................................	4-27
	Editing Device Properties................................................................................	4-29
	Configuring Node Interface Poll Settings ..............................................................	4-34
	Editing Poll Settings for Multiple Nodes ........................................................	4-36
	Editing Node Class Properties .......................................................................................	4-37
	Selecting a New Model, Class, Enterprise, or Topology Symbol ...................	4-39
	Changing Management Application Information............................................	4-40
	Changing General Node Class Properties .......................................................	4-44
	List Views and Maps......................................................................................................	4-46
	Selecting and Deleting Orphans .............................................................................	4-46
	Using the Go To Map Function ..............................................................................	4-47
Chapter 5	Tree Views
	About Tree Views ............................................................................................................	5-1
	The Tree View Workspace........................................................................................	5-2
	Adding a Folder to the Workspace ....................................................................	5-2
	The All Nodes Tree View .........................................................................................	5-4
	Other Default Tree Views .........................................................................................	5-5
	Navigating a Tree View ............................................................................................	5-5
	Using the Toolbar and the View Menu..............................................................	5-5
	Using the Keyboard...........................................................................................	5-6
	Creating and Editing Tree Views.....................................................................................	5-7
	Selecting Node Information to Display ....................................................................	5-8
	Node Properties Options....................................................................................	5-9
	Interface Properties Options............................................................................	5-11
	Selecting a Display Font.........................................................................................	5-12
	Selecting the Nodes to Display: Using Filters........................................................	5-13
	Filter Categories ..............................................................................................	5-13
	Creating the Filter............................................................................................	5-15
	Excluded Nodes .............................................................................................................	5-16
	Tree Views and Maps.....................................................................................................	5-16
	Using the Go To Map Function ..............................................................................	5-16

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Contents

Chapter 6	Creating Network Maps
	Working with Maps..........................................................................................................	6-1
	About the Map View.................................................................................................	6-2
	About Submap Icons.................................................................................................	6-3
	About GoTo Symbols ...............................................................................................	6-4
	Map and Device Status Conditions...........................................................................	6-4
	Building Your Network Map............................................................................................	6-6
	Adding a Folder ........................................................................................................	6-6
	Renaming a Folder.............................................................................................	6-7
	Adding a New Map...................................................................................................	6-7
	Setting Basic Map Options ................................................................................	6-9
	Editing Map Properties....................................................................................	6-12
	Adding a Submap....................................................................................................	6-13
	Generating Submaps Automatically................................................................	6-15
	Changing a Submap Link ................................................................................	6-17
	Adding a GoTo Symbol ..........................................................................................	6-18
	Importing an MRM Map................................................................................................	6-20
	Setting MRM Import Options.................................................................................	6-20
	Importing a Map .....................................................................................................	6-21
	Adding Network Elements to your Map ........................................................................	6-23
	Adding a Device Directly to a Map ........................................................................	6-23
	Customizing Your Map ..................................................................................................	6-26
	Using Non-manageable Symbols............................................................................	6-27
	Placing a Symbol Icon.....................................................................................	6-27
	Editing Symbol Properties...............................................................................	6-28
	Using Connections..................................................................................................	6-33
	Using Lines and Shapes..........................................................................................	6-34
	Using Text...............................................................................................................	6-37
	Adding Object Notes ..............................................................................................	6-39
	Adding Notes to Multiple Nodes.....................................................................	6-42
	Changing the Layout of Map Objects.....................................................................	6-42
	Layering Items in a Map..................................................................................	6-43
	Align Left, Right, Top, or Bottom ...................................................................	6-43
	Space Evenly (Horizontally or Vertically).......................................................	6-44
	Make Same Width, Height, or Size .................................................................	6-45
	Align Objects in Grid ......................................................................................	6-46
	Align Objects in Ring ......................................................................................	6-46
	Using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)........................................................	6-47
	Embedding an Object in a Map File................................................................	6-49
	Creating an Object Link ..................................................................................	6-52
	Adding an Object Package ..............................................................................	6-52
	Editing Object Data .........................................................................................	6-53
	Updating a Link ...............................................................................................	6-54
	Converting an Object.......................................................................................	6-56
	Working with Linked and Embedded Objects.................................................	6-57
	Editing Your Map...........................................................................................................	6-58
	Protecting Your Maps from Editing: The Lock Feature .........................................	6-60
	Managing Maps and Folders..........................................................................................	6-61
	Opening and Closing Maps and Folders.................................................................	6-61

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		Contents
	Saving Maps ...........................................................................................................	6-62
	Deleting Maps and Folders.....................................................................................	6-62
Chapter 7	Node Management Overview
	Device Management ........................................................................................................	7-1
	Launching Device Management...............................................................................	7-1
	A Brief Overview of Device Management...............................................................	7-2
	Source Address Naming ..................................................................................................	7-4
	PING ................................................................................................................................	7-6
	Accessing the PING Window ...................................................................................	7-6

Appendix A Batch Customization via AddTool, AddImage, and AddDevType

Using the AddTool Utility ..............................................................................	Appendix A-1
Creating an Add Tool Input File..............................................................	Appendix A-3
Comma-Separated Variable (CSV) Format......................................	Appendix A-3
Tag/Data Format...............................................................................	Appendix A-3
Executing the AddTool Command ..........................................................	Appendix A-4
Using the AddImage Utility............................................................................	Appendix A-5
Creating an AddImage Input File ............................................................	Appendix A-6
Comma-Separated Variable (CSV) Format......................................	Appendix A-6
Tag/Data Format...............................................................................	Appendix A-7
Executing the AddImage Command........................................................	Appendix A-8
Using the AddDevType Utility .......................................................................	Appendix A-9
Creating an AddDevType Input File......................................................	Appendix A-11
Comma-Separated Variable (CSV) Format....................................	Appendix A-11
Tag/Data Format.............................................................................	Appendix A-12
Executing the AddDevType Command .................................................	Appendix A-12
Viewing the Log File ....................................................................................	Appendix A-13

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Contents

xii

Chapter 1

Introduction

Using this guide; getting help

Using This Guide

This manual contains general information regarding NetSight Element Manager, including:

•Chapter 1, Introduction, which introduces the product, provides an outline of this book’s structure, describes how to access and use the on-line documentation, and tells you how to get assistance while using the product.

•Chapter 2, Overview of NetSight Element Manager, provides a more in-depth look at some of the application’s features and enhancements, and describes some general functions of the software platform such as configuring options, backing up data files, customizing the toolbar, and printing.

•Chapter 3, Discovering Nodes, provides details on how to use the Discover application to discover nodes on your network. It describes how to build scripts that will discover IP devices by address range or subnetwork range. The IP or Host Locator tool — which resolves IP addresses to host names, and vice versa — is also described here.

•Chapter 4, List Views, covers the List View workspace and List View windows. NetSight Element Manager stores all node information in a central database. List Views provide you with a variety of user configurable views into that database, including a wide selection of status and descriptive information about each node. This chapter also provides information on manually adding nodes to the node database, editing a node’s displayed properties and individual polling intervals, and launching device management.

1-1

Introduction

•Chapter 5, Tree Views, describes the Tree View workspace and windows. These userconfigurable views let you display your network nodes in a hierarchical tree control format that provides a variety of information about the features supported by the device, including information about the interface through which NetSight Element Manager is communicating with each node.

•Chapter 6, Creating Network Maps, provides detailed instructions on how to use the Map View workspace, and how to create and link individual map files. You can use maps to represent your network configuration via symbols and icons. This chapter also describes the use of Microsoft Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) with map files.

•Chapter 7, Node Management Overview, explains several features of device management, including an introduction to the Device View windows; creating a source address definition file; and a brief introduction to the Microsoft PING application.

•Appendix A, Batch Customization via AddTool, AddImage, and AddDevType, Using the AddTool, AddImage, and AddDevType tools to expand the capabilities of NetSight Element Manager

Other manuals in your documentation set — including the device-specific User’s Guides, Tools Guide, Remote Administration Tools User’s Guide, Alarm and Event Handling Guide, and RMON User’s Guide — contain specific information about the various applications included in your NetSight Element Manager platform. A set of installation instructions, a Getting Started guide, and a README.TXT file are also provided.

Getting Help

This section describes two different methods of getting help for questions or concerns you may have while using NetSight Element Manager.

Using On-line Help

You can use the Help buttons in the NetSight Element Manager windows to obtain information specific to the currently active window. When you click on a Help button, a window opens which contains information that will assist you in the use of the windows and their associated command and menu options. If a Help button is grayed out, on-line help has not yet been implemented for the associated window. From the Help menu accessed from the Device View menu bar, you can access on-line Help specific to the Device View (Help —> Chassis Manager Help or Help —> Help Topics).

1-2	Getting Help

Introduction

Accessing On-line Documentation

All of the online help windows use the standard Microsoft Windows help facility. If you NOTE are unfamiliar with this feature of Windows, you can select Help —>How to Use Help

from the primary NetSight Element Manager window.

The complete suite of documents available for NetSight Element Manager can be accessed via a menu option from the primary window menu bar: Help —> Online Documents. If you chose to install the documentation when you installed NetSight Element Manager, selecting this option will launch Adobe’s Acrobat Reader and a menu file which provides links to all other available documents.

If you have not yet installed the documentation, the Online Documents option will not be TIP able to access the menu file. In order to activate this option, you must run the setup.exe

again to install the documentation component. See your Installation Guide for details.

Documentation Feedback

Send your questions, comments and suggestions regarding NetSight documentation to NetSight Technical Communications via the following e- mail address:

[e-mail]

Getting Technical Support

Online Services on the World Wide Web

To locate product-specific information, refer to the Enterasys Web page at the following address:

http://www.enterasys.com

Global Technical Assistance Center

If you have additional questions, contact the Global Technical Assistance

Center using one of these methods:

Telephone (24 hours a day, 365 days a year): [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Electronic Mail: [e-mail]

Getting Help

1-3

Introduction

Mailing Address:

Enterasys Networks, Inc.

Technical Support

35 Industrial Way

Rochester, NH 03867

FTP: ftp.cabletron.com Login: anonymous

Password: your email address

1-4	Getting Help

Chapter 2

Overview of

NetSight Element Manager

Key NetSight Element Manager features; customizing the NetSight Element Manager platform; backing up data files

NetSight Element Manager for Windows™ provides a powerful and easy-to-use tool for monitoring and managing Enterasys and Cabletron devices from a Microsoft Windows workstation. Its open architecture and broad feature set also make it an attractive platform for third party development of management applications.

in

NetSight Element Manager support on the Solaris platform is limited to the NOTE installation of NetSight Chassis Manager, either alone or integrated with

Hewlett Packard’s HP OpenView Network Node Manager, and only for Solaris 2.7. See your NetSight Element Manager Installation Guide for

more information.

About NetSight Element Manager

NetSight Element Manager -- like its predecessor SPECTRUM Element Manager -- is comprised of several independent but interrelated applications:

•The Network Status application is responsible for polling nodes in the central database. It provides you with feedback regarding the status of devices on your network through the central NetSight Element Manager user interface via the List Views, Tree Views, and Maps. Node status is propagated right up through these views and onto your desktop via NetSight Element Manager’s minimized icon. Key features of this user interface are highlighted in the Management and Monitoring Workspace, beginning on page 2-5.

•The Event Manager application is responsible for alarm and event management. It receives traps from network nodes and events from other NetSight Element Manager processes, maintains the Log Views in which you view received events, and carries out

2-1

Overview of NetSight Element Manager

any actions that you have configured on reception of a particular trap or event. Alarm and event management is highlighted in Alarm and Event Handling, beginning on page 2-11.

•The Scheduler tool allows you to schedule unattended data back-ups and network discovery sessions that will launch automatically at a scheduled time and date. With the Scheduler, you can also configure and activate groups of “pager calendars” so that network technicians can be automatically paged in response to network alarms or events. The Scheduler is highlighted in Scheduler Tool, beginning on page 2-12.

•The Remote Administration Tools suite let you easily perform management tasks (such as TFTP downloads, trap table configuration, or setting up MIB statistics polling or MIB downloads) on an individual device or groups of devices. A MAC Address Locator Tool also allows you to search one or more devices for the port through which a selected MAC address is communicating. The Remote Administration Tools section, page 2-12, briefly describes this powerful tool suite.

Among its features are:

•A primary window where you can navigate between the Map View, List View, Tree View, and Log View workspaces to activate windows to monitor and manage your network (such as Map windows and alarm Log View windows). A central menu bar provides access to most management options.

•A graphical interface that lets you sort, rearrange, and resize column displays, select icons for nodes in Map View, List View, and Tree View displays, and customize the toolbar.

•Full-featured on-line assistance, including Wizards for common tasks, context-sensitive help with a glossary and index, and a status bar with hint text. The on-line documentation set is also launchable from the NetSight Element Manager primary window.

•A dockable Workspace area which you can use to access and organize your List View, Map View, Tree View, and Log View windows (as shown in Figure 2-1). You can create folders within a view hierarchy to further nest the contents of your view windows.

•Toolbars which can be docked to the primary NetSight Element Manager window, or undocked as floating tool palettes (as shown in Figure 2-1). Toolbars are automatically activated when a related view is active; you can also choose which toolbars you want to display via the View—>Toolbars menu option.

2-2	About NetSight Element Manager

Overview of NetSight Element Manager

Toolbars can be undocked to become floating tool palettes (either inside or outside the main window) or be docked to a different place.

The Workspace can also be undocked, and placed either inside or outside the main window.

Views can be minimized,

but must remain in the main window area.

Hint text displays here when you move the cursor over any toolbar button.

Icons representing various services are displayed here when those services are active: node polling service, Scheduler (not shown), alarm and event service, and discover. Text displays also indicate key positions, which can affect navigation.

Figure 2-1. The Primary NetSight Element Manager Window, with Docked and Undocked Workspace and Toolbars

•Drag-and-drop functionality for copy or link operations, so that it’s easy to transfer data from one management window to the next within the same application (e.g., from a List View to a Map View), or between applications (e.g., from a NetSight Element Manager List View to a device group in Remote Administration Tools).

About NetSight Element Manager

2-3

Overview of NetSight Element Manager

•Right-mouse button functionality for quick access to commonly-used menu commands (as shown in Figure 2-2).

Clicking the right mouse button in NetSight Element Manager windows or workspaces, or on elements in those windows, will often bring up a menu with commonly used management selections.

Figure 2-2. Sample Right Mouse Functionality

•Print spooling to the Microsoft Windows Print Manager for record keeping purposes. Printable information includes maps, device lists, alarm statistics, and other statistical information (including RMON data). The Print Preview option is available to let you view the material as it would appear on the page before it is actually spooled to the system printer.

•OLE functionality to embed and link data with management Map files.

The following sections provide an overview of some key NetSight Element Manager functions.

Network Discovery

The Discover application provides several key features; among these are:

Discover Script Capability

By creating Discover scripts, you can store the parameters of a discovery from one management session to the next, so that you can repeat a configured discovery session at any time.

Subnet Discovery

The Discover application is capable of searching based on a subnet address, rather than requiring that a range of IP addresses be specified (although you can enter a range if desired). You can also configure multiple subnets or IP address ranges to be discovered within the same script.

Scheduled Discovery

By linking Discover scripts with the Scheduler application, you can automate the Discover application so that it will run unattended at periodic intervals.

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Overview of NetSight Element Manager

IP or Host Locator

An additional tool linked to but run separately from the Discover application allows you to resolve host names to IP addresses, and vice versa. You can also discover the IP addresses and host names of all devices located on a subnet, and locate both the IP and hostname for a device by its MAC address.

Automatic Creation of the Node Database

Your discovered nodes are automatically entered into NetSight Element Manager’s central node database, and the Discover window remains open so that you can view the list of discovered devices. The database is also automatically saved after each discovery.

Secondary Discover and Discover Reset

The first time you run a device discover script, all IP addresses in the subnet or address range you have specified will be queried, and all discovered devices will be listed in the discover window and automatically added to the central node database. This is called a NEW Discovery. The second time you run any device discover, however — even a device script which has not yet been run —NetSight Element Manager will perform a SECONDARY Discover, querying only those IP addresses which did not respond to the first discover. This process allows you to use a discover script to periodically survey a subnet, domain, or range of IP addresses for any nodes that might have been down or simply not present during the initial discovery, without the time and bandwidth cost of continually re-polling for nodes which have already been successfully discovered. You can force a return to NEW Discovery mode by clicking the Reset button in the Discover Manager window; deleting any node from the central database will also reset the device script counters to NEW Discovery mode.

Discover Wizard

A Wizard is provided to walk you through each step of configuring and performing a discovery.

The Discover application is covered in Chapter 3, Discovering Nodes.

Management and Monitoring Workspace

NetSight Element Manager provides four work areas that allow you to choose how to view information about the devices in your central node database: the List View, Tree View, Map View, and Log View. Each provides a slightly different (and user-configurable) look at the central node database, each comes with default views to get you started, and each provides you with the ability to create one or more views specifically designed to display the node information you need to successfully manage your network.

The following sections highlight each of these workspaces, and provide sample illustrations of the workspaces and the windows available from them.

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List Views

The List View workspace allows you to view and create specialized lists of the devices in your central node database. A default set of views is provided for you; you can also create your own views, selecting both the nodes and the information about each node you wish to display. Figure 2-3 illustrates a sample List View workspace and an associated List View window.

Figure 2-3. Sample List View Workspace and Window

List View features include:

Multiple List Views

You can create multiple List Views to view portions of your node database. The read-only All Nodes List View displays every viewable node in your database, and a set of pre-defined List Views displays various subsets of that database; you can customize this feature by editing a pre-defined view and/or creating an entirely new one to display node information in the way that works best for you. Each List View also provides an Excluded Nodes feature, which allows you to remove one or more nodes from a view without removing them from the database or changing the parameters of the view’s filter.

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The List View Workspace

Individual List Views are represented as icons within the List View workspace; these icons are arranged in a standard tree hierarchy (using a standard Microsoft Windows tree view control). Double-clicking on a List View icon within the tree opens its associated List View window.

The List View workspace also provides organizational structure to your List Views. The tree starts at the top-level All Nodes List View, and branches into more specifically defined List Views. You can also nest List View icons within folders to further stratify the tree hierarchy.

Detailed Node Information

NetSight Element Manager can display the following information for each node: Status, Model, Name, Label (descriptive alias), Logical (IP or IPX) Address, Physical (MAC) Address, Time of Last Contact, System Up Time, Status Group (DLM – Distributed LAN Management – information), Classes (functional class supported by the node, e.g., router, switch, ATM, etc.), Enterprise (vendor), Topologies supported by the node (e.g., token ring, FDDI, Ethernet, etc.), and Events (whether a trap or event concerning the node has been detected). You can create List Views which select nodes to be displayed based on one or more of these parameters, including subnet, enterprise, class, topology, and status group.

Customizable Node Properties

Each node icon has its own Properties window, which you can use to provide additional descriptive notes for reference, assign a label, change the community name and the interval/retry parameters to be used for polling, and choose icons to represent the node’s topology, model, and enterprise.

Tree Views

The Tree View workspace provides access to and allows you to configure a different look at the nodes in your database: the Tree Views. Tree Views display summary information about nodes and their interfaces within a tree hierarchy (using a standard Microsoft Windows tree view control). Figure 2-4 illustrates a sample Tree View workspace and an associated Tree View window.

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Figure 2-4. Sample Tree View Workspace and Associated Tree View Window

Each node icon in a Tree View window is presented at the top layer in the tree hierarchy. By expanding the display of each node icon, you can view progressively more detailed information about the node (such as polling status, name, IP address, DLM status information, model type, and enterprise) and the interface through which NetSight Element Manager is communicating with the node (such as interface topology, address, index, and polling information).

You can use a Tree View window to glean basic information about each node and its polled interface without bringing up its management window; or, by double-clicking on a node icon, you can open the management window for the selected node.

As with the List View windows, NetSight Element Manager provides a read-only All Nodes Tree View which displays every node in the database; a set of predefined Tree Views (based on classes, interfaces, and topologies) is also provided. The pre-defined views can be edited to suit your needs, or you can create entirely new views as necessary. Also as with List Views, an Excluded Nodes feature allows you to remove one or more nodes from a view without removing them from the database or changing the parameters of the view’s filter.

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Map Views

Map View windows in NetSight Element Manager provide a third — and perhaps the most flexible — means for viewing information about your network. Using maps, you can create a visual representation of your network: grouping devices by location rather than function, and using a variety of graphical tools (including bitmap backgrounds and drawn objects) to represent connections and other pertinent information about the physical structure of your network. Maps also support Microsoft’s OLE (Object Linking and Embedding), which can be used to link or embed data created via other applications into a map document.

NetSight Element Manager’s map feature allows you to create a three-dimensional representation of your network by allowing you to show not only relationships between devices, but relationships between groups of devices. Individual Map Views can be linked to other Map Views to create a hierarchical structure which is graphically represented in the Map View workspace, again via the Microsoft standard tree control. The overall status of each individual map is also displayed in the workspace; for related maps, each map’s status includes the status of any submaps with which it is associated. These status reports are propagated up the hierarchy, whether individual maps are closed or open — giving you a bird’s-eye view of your network status at all times.

As with the other workspaces, you can create folders in which to nest groups of Map icons; double-clicking on a Map icon will open the associated Map window. Figure 2-5 illustrates a sample Map View workspace and an associated Map window.

Figure 2-5. Sample Map View Workspace and Map Window

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Log Views

NetSight Element Manager provides a Log View workspace, which contains information about traps and software events. Like the other workspaces, the Log View workspace — illustrated in Figure 2-6 — allows you to create, access, and organize the Log View windows which provide the foundation of alarm and event management. Individual Log View windows appear as icons within the Log View tree hierarchy; you can create folders in which to nest individual Log View icons, and double-clicking on a Log View icon will open the associated Log View window. For more on alarm and event management, refer to Alarm and Event Handling, page 2-11.

Figure 2-6. Sample Log Views Workspace and Associated Log View

Excluding Nodes

In addition to providing almost unlimited means for viewing the contents of the central node database, NetSight Element Manager also provides a means for temporarily excluding certain nodes from view — either from a specific view window, or from the central node database itself.

When you exclude a node from a specific view, the node is placed into that view’s individual excluded nodes list. It will no longer be visible from that view, but it remains in the database and will be displayed in any other view as appropriate.

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When you exclude a node from the central node database, that node is no longer displayed in any view, and is moved to the Excluded Nodes database. Though these nodes can no longer be displayed or managed, they are protected from re-discovery, and they can be re-included in the central node database at any time. Excluded nodes can also be deleted entirely.

The Excluded Nodes database can be viewed via the View—>Excluded Nodes menu option available via the primary NetSight Element Manager window; for more information on this feature, see Chapter 4, List Views.

Alarm and Event Handling

NetSight Element Manager provides powerful alarm and event handling capabilities via the independent Alarm and Event Service. The Event User Connection Service receives all incoming messages issued by devices configured to send traps to your workstation, as well as system events issued by the NetSight Element Manager Network Status process or another of its component processes (e.g., Discover or Scheduler). Because it is an independent process, the Event User Connection Service can operate without NetSight Element Manager running, receiving (and, where appropriate, acting on) traps issued by your networking devices or events issued by one of NetSight Element Manager’s component services.

You can create multiple Log Views to view a single trap/event database; you can also define a separate set of View Filters for each Log View window. The Alarm and Event handler allows you to define two types of event handling actions: foreground actions, which you can apply interactively to a received trap or event; and background actions, which provide unattended checking for a specified trap or event’s occurrence, and then activate the pre-determined event handling response.

Trap and event data can be exported to HTML for report generation capability on an internal Web server, and used in conjunction with the Pager alarm notification tool (part of the Scheduler tool described on page 2-12).

For more information about alarm and event handling, see the Alarm and Event Handling User’s Guide; for more information about the Scheduler application, see the Tools Guide.

The NetSight Element Manager Tool Suite

NetSight Element Manager includes a number of powerful utility applications — or tools

— which ease the task of monitoring and managing your network. Among these tools are Remote Administration Tools, the Scheduler, and MIB Tools.

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Overview of NetSight Element Manager

Remote Administration Tools

Remote Administration Tools is a utility suite which allows you to conveniently perform routine management tasks on a single device — or on a group of devices — from your remote workstation, rather than requiring local terminal access to each device. Among these tasks are:

•Configuring TFTP and BOOTP sessions with a selected device or device group.

•Adding workstation IP addresses to the trap table(s) of a selected device or device group.

•Searching a group of devices for the port through which a specified MAC address is communicating.

•Performing MIB SETs, using a template of MIB objects and values, on one or more devices.

•Performing MIB GETs, using a template of MIB objects, from one or more devices for statistics and trend analysis.

•Performing a soft reboot on selected devices.

•Changing access community names on selected devices.

For more information about these tools, see the Remote Administration Tools User’s Guide, included in your documentation set.

Scheduler Tool

The Scheduler tool allows you to schedule certain administrative actions so that they can be performed while your workstation is unattended. These actions include:

•Performing discovery sessions (using scripts defined using the Discover application).

•Launching selected programs, including TFTP downloads, MIB statistics recordings, and MIB loads via the Remote Administration Tools application.

•Backing up files (NetSight Element Manager data files, or any other files you choose).

•Setting up automated paging (by defining individuals or groups of individuals to be paged, and specifying their availability to be paged). The paging feature is integrated with NetSight Element Manager alarm and event handling, so that a scheduled page can be performed as part of an interactive foreground action, or an unattended background action.

For more information about the Scheduler tool, see the Tools Guide, included in your documentation set.

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MIB Tools

The MIB Tools suite of MIB browsing and editing tools comprises:

•The MIB Browser — a simple graphical interface you can use to contact and query SNMP nodes on your network and examine their supported MIBs (as long as the MIBs are imported into the MIB Tools database). MIB Browser also lets you conveniently perform SETs on contacted devices.

•MIB Details — a display of the descriptive information for management objects that you query from a node.

•The MIB Editor, which lets you manipulate your database of network vendor’s MIBs. An extensive MIB database is provided with MIB Tools; you can input new MIBs (stored in ASCII text format) into this database, or you can delete any unnecessary MIBs (or MIB portions) so that the database maintains the precise MIB information that you need to manage your nodes.

•The Device Manager, which allows you to maintain a database of node IP addresses that you frequently contact, and displays summary information about these nodes.

•A Preferences option, which lets you view and change configuration settings for the MIB Tools suite.

Customizing NetSight Element Manager

There are a number of ways you can adjust NetSight Element Manager’s settings to customize its operation in the way that works best in your management environment. These are detailed in the following sections.

You can also do some batch customization outside of the NetSight Element Manager

TIP platform; see Appendix A, Batch Customization via AddTool, AddImage, and AddDevType, for more information.

Adjusting Default Settings

The Options window controls the default settings for NetSight Element Manager and some of its components. These settings control the operation of many basic features and functions in NetSight Element Manager, and they are referenced throughout the document set. You may want to adjust these settings so that they better suit your specific network management needs.

The Options window — accessed by selecting Tools—>Options from the primary window menu bar — has seven tabbed pages, each of which controls a set of related functions in NetSight Element Manager. Each tabbed page and the options it controls is discussed in the following sections.

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Figure 2-7. The Options Window (with Workspace Options Selected)

Workspace Options

The Workspace options (displayed by default, as illustrated in Figure 2-7) control various settings for the NetSight Element Manager interface. You select or deselect each option by clicking the associated checkbox. A checked box indicates that the associated option is selected; a blank box indicates that option is deselected.

Show Splash window at startup

The Splash window is an identifying screen that will briefly appear when you initialize NetSight Element Manager. Selecting this option will cause the screen to be displayed; deselecting it will suppress the screen.

Show Tooltips

Tooltips are small pop-up windows that provide user assistance by identifying controls such as toolbar buttons. Selecting Show Tooltips will cause these to be displayed when the mouse cursor is dragged over a toolbar icon; deselecting the option will suppress them. You may want to leave this option selected until you are comfortable visually identifying all the toolbar options by their icons.

Autofill IP address fields

When this option is selected, the dotted decimal IP address octets set via the Network options (or via the Welcome Wizard) will be automatically entered in any field that requires an IP address.

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