leveraging vendor websites: bringing websites into management solutions

Leveraging Vendor Websites:Bringing Websites Into

Management Solutions

Jim [email protected]

617.969.8286www.metzlergroup.com

Agenda

Background Vendors Summary and

Recommendations

Web-Based Network Management

The Web: A world-wide, hyper-linked base of information

Web Based Management Leverages the investment in internet-based

technologies and standards the universality, openness, extensibility,

and pervasive features of Internet technologies

Web based access to access to managed devices

Management reports available over the Web

Development of web-based applications Simple integration of network management

applications— switch from function to function

Data integration among multiple management applications


Network Management Initiatives

Java Management API Initiative (JMAPI) Standard set of libraries, Java widgets, and

User Interface specifications Simplify development efforts

Web-Based Enterprise Management Initiative (WBEM) Goal: develop a data description/schema to

allow data to be accessed regardless of the original source of the data

Network Management Initiatives

Security Secure Socket Layer (SSL) currently provides

a secure channel between clients and servers

Push Technologies (e.g., Netscape’s NetCaster)

Allow applications to deliver updates of new or changed event information without human intervention

Directory Services (e.g., LDAP) Automate the decision of who has access to

resources

Agenda


Recommendations

Vendors

NextPoint Concord

Communications 3Com Bay Networks Cisco

Web Strategy: NextPoint Networks

Goal #1: leverage NextPoint web site to provide world-class services to NextPoint customers Benefit: enhanced customer satisfaction with

NextPoint

Goal #2: architect the Web-based NextPoint S3 product suite to integrate with vendor Web-sites Benefit: enhanced customer productivity

Provide World-Class Services

Customer Training: on-line interactive tutorial

Tech Support: link from NextPoint S3 browser interface into Tech Support pages on the Web site

Search for Tech Tips Browse Software Release Notices Download Patches/Updates Use push technology to receive product bulletins

automatically

Hyperlink from device icon on NextPoint S3 topology map to equipment vendor’s Tech Support pages

Hyperlink from device icon to vendor’s Web-based device configuration screens (I.e., HTML pages are embedded on device)

Link to Vendor Web Sites Within NextPoint S3

Vendors

NextPoint Concord



Requirements: Continuous visibility of critical resources Automatic information distribution— no operator

required Summarize across resources

Advantages: Information-based management Scale information across business units/customers Scale information from operations personnel to

CEO

BandwidthAllocation

BusinessRequirements


Performance &Utilization

Information

Information-basedChanges End User

Impact

Planning Process

ReallocationReroutingUpgradeDowngradeLoad balancingContingency planning

Boston London

Hub

Router

Router

Router

Router

Chicago

Vendors

NextPoint Concord


3Com’s Web-Based Management Strategy

Add full-functionality proxy web capabilities to Transcend Enterprise Manager and other Transcend applications Today’s capabilities and more from the web—

not just read-only but also write/set/config Web-accessible documentation and reporting

Embed web servers in devices and probes A better, more friendly solution than Telnet

Web-based reporting in Transcend Enterprise Enterprise and other

Transcend applications

3Com’s Web-Based Management Experience

First major vendor to lay-out comprehensive strategy Networld-Interop Fall 1996

First major vendor with shipping Web-based applications

First major vendor with widely deployed embedded agent solutions Solutions for stackable devices, Summer 1997 Embedded Web being added to all new generation

devices Leading vendor in adding Web to element and

network management solutions

Priorities Moving Forward

To maintain the momentum along two fronts: comprehensive embedded solutions for new devices comprehensive proxy solutions for new

management applications

To provide: monitoring and configuration Web-based reporting comprehensive, interactive help systems ties to 3Com resources via Internet

Constraints in Embedded Web Development

Memory… Memory… Memory A big issue with today’s low-end volume devices

– Any cost is an issue, even memory– Memory budget for embedded Web can be 128KB

Java is inefficient— HTML is much “leaner” Fluidity of the Java Language

Shift from JDK 1.02 to JDK 1.1 is disruptive Browser compatibility has been an issue:

– Patches are required for Netscape operation [may be resolved by conference]

– What works with one release doesn’t work with the next– “Telnet-equivalence” means embedded solution must

be reliable with old and new browsers

3Com’s Innovative CoreBuilder 3500 Web-Based Interface

Common GUI across Layer 3 Switches full capabilities, superset of telnet and SNMP configuration wizards for key, complex functions bulk operations against multiple interfaces

Context sensitive, multi-media help system separately stored help files deployed on network-

attached server instant help on all dialogs plus general help video clips on various functions (VLAN

management, routing, Quality of Service)

Interactive Links to 3Com WWW Site

Applications and embedded solutions today have links to key 3Com WWW sites

Management agent upgrades and patches distributed via the Web

Solutions in progress to automate information push of key network management details upgrade notification and distribution application issues and resolution direct, automated sharing of HQ expertise with

end-users

Vendors

NextPoint Concord


Optivity

Switching

IP Optimized Networks AccessIP Services

Management

Application-Optimized Network Management

#1 in high-end element management in revenue

#1 in low-end network element management revenue and units shipped

#1 in embedded RMON device instrumentation

Network Management Leadership

Building From a Position of Strength!

Source: IDC 1997

Web-based Network Management Embedded Web: Configuration, monitor, fault

– “Out of the box” manageability Network-System Management

Universal Web access to all Optivity applications

Web-based network performance monitoring RMON 2

“Hot links” to critical resources, WEB site and professional and support services

Single GUI for multi-device, multi-vendor management– Discovery, topology, traffic monitoring and configuration

Service Level Management Web interface to top-down service level management


Evolving Network Element Management

Simplification Through “Webification” Device: Embedded HTTP servers

– Reporting, monitoring and configuration– Deliver instant NM “Out of Box

Manageability ” Network: Web-based reporting,

monitoring and configuration– HTTP, HTML, JAVA– “Hot links” to critical resources

– Service and support, “best practices”

– Web-based RMON2 monitoring – Interface for RMON2 probes

– Embedded HTTP in probes for JAVA-based remote LAN monitoring

Web-based GUI Interface for Configuration of Multiple Devices types and Vendors

Web-based GUI delivers intuitive front-end to cryptic configuration tools

Multi-vendor, multi-device for “real world” networking environments

Wizards, dialog boxes, help, etc.

Cookie-cutter approach to rapid configuration delivery

Web-Based Configuration Management

Web-Based Performance & Traffic Management

Web-based report setup and generation offers universal access to information

Access from virtually any station, anytime, anywhere

“Physical” reports: media- specific information

ET, FDDI, FR, TR “Logical” reports: network

and application layer reports Traffice statistics, TopN reports

“General” reports: statistics for any media utilization, network availability

Evolve “best of breed” element management to “best of breed” network-system management

Link application service levels to the underlying network-system

Drive the simplification of network-system and service management

Simplify

Web-basedNetworkSystemMgmt.

Service Level Management

Delivering Application-Optimized Network Management

Vendors

NextPoint Concord


Intelligently bringing Cisco’s vast CCO information resource actively into the management process

Automated exchange of TAC case data drawn from inventory, CCO login, and management application to automatically harvest user, device and problem info to pre-populate trouble ticket and allow on-line follow-up

CCO links to inventory and Service contract information, allows customer to inventory / reconcile which products have currant service contracts on them

External Information Playing an Increasing Strategic Role

External Information Playing an Increasing Strategic Role

Context aware searching for new image software on CCO, allow quick identification of what’s new, and how it applies to device in your network

Context aware searching for known software defects affecting device in your network

CCO linked periodically updated tips and hints window

IOS upgrade analysis linked to CCO for accurate planning of network upgrades

Inventory information linked to CCO bug reports for determining which devices pose what error risk to the network

User selected discovery of all known bug listed on CCO for particular configuration a device(s). Search can be focused on a date range or severity

Defect reports assessable by date, device, image type, or severity

Proactive network image audit detailing image bug status and deferrals

Hardware and software upgrade prerequisite requirements are linked in from CCO to determine ability of device to accept new image

Understand the Impact of Upgrades

NEW!Improved Upgrade Planning

Run analysis of image based on CCO filtering criteria or known image

Generate Upgrade Analysis Report detailing hardware upgrades required before download

Inventory information is automatically checked against Cisco’s on-line database of IOS and Catalyst software year 2000 certification listings to determine your network’s level of year 2000 compliance

Lists network by device List software running

and first certified version Can drill down

directly to specific device

Dynamic Reporting of Y2K Status

Agenda


Recommendations

Summary & Recommendations

Some vendors are making significant strides in leveraging their Web sites to facilitate Network Management.

Some are not. Explore how your primary vendors leverage

their Web sites Encourage the laggards to do more

leveraging vendor websites: bringing websites into management solutions

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