3com_1 by ITT INGENIERIA

3Com Baseline Switch 2824-SFP Plus and Baseline Switch 2816-SFP Plus ®

DATA SHEET

Key Benefits Overview

The 3Com Baseline Switch 2824-SFP Plus and 2816-SFP Plus are two "smart", costeffective, Layer 2 10/100 and 10/100/1000 Ethernet switches. The revolutionary switches provide a user-friendly web browser for switch configuration and administration. With a low entry cost, the switches offer advanced features such as 802.3ad link aggregation, 802.1p class of service (CoS) traffic prioritization, and VLANs for greater scaleability and support for business-critical applications—such as customer relation management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), video conferencing, and Voice over IP (VoIP). ®

• Cost-optimized "smart" Layer 2 10/100/1000 switch for desktop and workgroup aggregation • Web-based browser interface for easy set up, installation, and configuration • Wirespeed, non-blocking performance to help eliminate traffic bottlenecks • Advanced switching features for network control and flexibility of operation • An enterprise-class switch for small-to-medium businesses

Smart Browser-Based User Interface

The easy-to-use web-based interface allows even novice users to quickly and confidently configure the switch during initial setup or normal operation. In addition, the web interface features individual port-traffic monitoring (port mirroring) and unique, quick-glance switch status monitoring. A new cable diagnostic tool lets users troubleshoot basic connectivity cabling problems via the web management interface further simplifying network installation. Wirespeed Switching

traffic bottlenecks. Link aggregation allows administrators to group any number of copper or fiber ports together to form an ultra-high bandwidth pipe that greatly expands bandwidth capacity to the network backbone. The switch also supports 802.1p for traffic prioritization and priority queuing, and VLANs, which segment the network by grouping users based on data or traffic exchange requirements. These switching features ensure optimal use of available bandwidth as traffic flow is directed according to the needs of the business. Enterprise-Class Quality and Reliability Without Complexity

These Baseline switches are operational straight out of the box; as long as basic settings are acceptable, there is no need to configure the switch. For networks that require more control, the user-friendly web-based interface provides easy-to-use tools to design a network for optimal use. All 3Com networking products go through vigorous testing to ensure optimum reliability. And a proven reputation for quality is backed by an industry-leading support package with a Limited Lifetime Warranty and Advance Hardware Replacement service. For more detail, visit www.3com.com/warranty.

Both switches come with non-blocking performance—all ports perform at wire speed which helps to eliminate network

Product Data 10/100/1000 Autosensing Ports

SFP Ports

3Com Baseline Switch 2816-SFP Plus

3Com Baseline Switch 2824-SFP Plus

Switching Capacity

VLANs

Link Aggregation

802.1p Prioritization (Max queues per port)

Auto MDI/MDIX

Non-blocking Performance

Limited Lifetime and Hardware Replacement

32 Gbps

Up to 4 trunks, up to 8 ports per trunk

All ports

Yes

48 Gbps

Up to 4 trunks, up to 8 ports per trunk

All ports

Yes

3COM ® BASELINE SWITCH 2824-SFP PLUS AND BASELINE SWITCH 2816-SFP PLUS DATA SHEET

Specifications

Technical Specifications

Regulatory/Agency Approvals

Switching Capacity: 2816-SFP - 32 Gbps, 2824-SFP - 48 Gbps Forwarding Rate: 2816-SFP - 23.7 Mpps, 2824-SFP - 35.5 Mpps MAC Address Capacity: 8,000 VLAN Capacity: 64

Safety: UL 1950, EN 60950, CSA 22.2 #950 IEC 60950 Emissions: EN 55022 Class A, FCC Part 15 Subpart B Class A, ICES-003 Class A, VCCI Class A, AS/NZS 3548 Class A, CNS 13438 Class A Environmental: EN 60068 (IEC 68) Immunity: EN 55024

LED Indicators

Standards Conformance

Module active, Power, Network traffic/Duplex mode, Link status/Speed

ISO 8802-3; IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet); IEEE 802.3u (Fast Ethernet); IEEE 802.1d (Bridging) IEEE 802.1Q (VLANs); IEEE 802.3ab (Gigabit Ethernet); IEEE 802.1p (Traffic Prioritization)

At-a-Glance Traffic Monitoring

Ports: active, enabled, disabled Modules: present, active Unit fans: OK, failed Power Requirements

Power Inlet: IEC 320 AC line Frequency: 50/60 Hz Operating Input Voltage: 100-240 VAC Current Rating: 1 Amp (maximum) Maximum Power Consumption: 60W Maximum Power Dissipation: 184.3 BTU/hr Physical Specifications

Dimensions Height: 4.36 cm (1.7 in) Width: 44 cm (17.3 in) Depth: 17.3 cm (6.8 in) Weight: 2816-SFP - 1.83 Kg (4.03 lb), 2824-SFP - 1.89 Kg (4.17 lb)

Package Contents

One power cord; one switch unit; four self-adhesive, rubber pads; one rack-mount kit; one user guide; one installation CD; warranty flyer Warranty

Limited Lifetime Other Service Benefits: Advance hardware replacement with same day shipment for North America and Western Europe; next day shipment elsewhere (calls must be received by published cut-off times); 90 days of telephone technical support; limited software updates. For more detail, visit www.3com.com/warranty. Register products at http://eSupport.3com.com/.

Environmental Specifications

Operating Temperature: 0 - 40 Deg C (32 - 104 Deg F) Operating Humidity: 10 to 95% (non-condensing) Standard: EN 60068 (IEC 68)

Ordering Information

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

3COM SKU

3Com® Baseline Switch 2816-SFP Plus

3C16485A

3Com® Baseline Switch 2824-SFP Plus

3C16487

Options 3Com® 1000BASE-SX SFP Transceiver

3CSFP91

3Com® 1000BASE-LX SFP Transceiver

3CSFP92

3Com Corporation, Corporate Headquarters, 350 Campus Drive, Marlborough, MA 01752-3064 To learn more about 3Com solutions, visit www.3com.com. 3Com is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol COMS.

Copyright © 2004 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. 3Com and the 3Com logo are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. Possible made practical is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. Exercise Choice is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies. While every effort is made to ensure the information given is accurate, 3Com does not accept liability for any errors or mistakes which may arise. Specifications and other information in this document may be subject to change without notice. 400864-005 09/05

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 3200 Family ®

DATA SHEET

Key Benefits

• Wirespeed, Layer 2/3 switches with 10/100 desktop connections and Gigabit downlinks • Dynamic Layer 3 routing simplifies implementation • IEEE 802.1X network login and RADIUS authentication

Performance

Security

Wirespeed, non-blocking Layer 2/3 switching for 10/100 desktop connections with built-in Gigabit downlinks. Packet prioritization gives optimal performance to real-time applications such as voice and video. Link aggregation of the downlinks enables high-performance connectivity to the core of the network, with resiliency to improve availability and uptime. Layer 3 switching at the edge enables fast switching of traffic between local subnets while offloading routers in the core of the network.

Supports IEEE 802.1X network login to secure user entry into the network, with access control directed from a central standards-based RADIUS server for ease of management. Intrusion prevention features protect the network and will discard all packets from unauthenticated users.

Flexibility

Management of the switch can be implemented using Secure Shell (SSH) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL/HTTPS) encryption (56 or 168 bit) preventing unauthorized remote access to the switch over IP networks or from a web browser.

Available in managed 50- or 26-port configurations, with 48 or 24 auto-sensing 10/100 ports and two dual-personality ports for 10/100/1000 or SFP connectivity. Ease of Use

Supports dynamic routing through RIP, with automatic updating of the Layer 3 network without any manual intervention. Much easier than implementing static routes. Automatically auto-negotiates speed and duplex mode of cables connected to it preventing misconfiguration of the network. Switches detect and adjust to cross-over or straight-through cable connections– a feature called auto MDI/MDIX– eliminating the need for specific crossover cables.

Port-based Access Control Lists further enhance security. Communication of attached stations can be restricted to certain destinations, in essence segmenting the network into more secure areas.

Network Control

Network management through embedded web interface, command line interface, or an SNMP management station. Network management is further simplified with the use of 3Com Network Supervisor for configuration and troubleshooting of multiple devices on the network. Limited Lifetime Hardware Warranty

Limited Lifetime Hardware Replacement. See www.3com.com/warranty for details. Service

Scalability

Supports up to 2,000 external routes, allowing the switch to scale as the network grows–ideal for deployments at the edge of a network. Supports up to 255 VLANs and standards-based IEEE 802.3ad trunking (LACP).

3Com products are backed by 3Com Global Services and authorized partners with demonstrated expertise in network assessment, implementation, and maintenance. Ask about 3Com's Network Health Check, installation services, and maintenance service packages available in your area.

Rate limiting enables the bandwidth on each port to be restricted, preserving network bandwidth and allowing maximum control of network resources.

3COM ® SUPERSTACK ® 3 SWITCH 3200 FAMILY DATA SHEET 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3200 family switches are wirespeed, Layer 3 switches with 10/100 desktop connections and Gigabit downlinks for high performance connectivity to the rest of the network. These switches support dynamic Layer 3 routing, simplifying the implementation of Layer 3 networks by automatically configuring and updating the switch with all topology changes. This ability to dynamically reconfigure the routing provides a significant benefit over the use of static routes, avoiding the drawback of many Layer 3 switches which require manual intervention when changing the topology of the network.

Also, for edge-optimized deployment, the SuperStack 3 Switch 3200 supports the learning of up to 2,000 IP routes through an uplink to a core router using Router Internet Protocol (RIP). This high number of routes enables the switch to operate in larger networks than can other switches which have significantly smaller numbers of routes. The SuperStack 3 Switch 3200 also supports core-level switching in smaller networks, with local routing for 32 IP interfaces and up to 14 routes distributed from other local Layer 3 devices. The SuperStack 3 Switch 3200 family confirms 3Com’s commitment to strong network security. Its implementation of IEEE 802.1X network login security helps ensure all users are authorized before being granted access to any network resource. User authentication is carried out using any standards-based RADIUS server, avoiding any proprietary authentication mechanisms.

The SuperStack 3 Switch 3200 is optimized for edge desktop connections. Layer 3 switching for the network’s edge, with the Switch 3200’s hardware-based wirespeed routing, improves performance by routing locally without data having to travel back to the network core. This is especially useful in organizations having or anticipating multiple subnets in their workgroups, where even local traffic may otherwise need to be routed via a core switch.

Containment of users to specific areas of the network can be easily controlled through Access Control Lists (ACLs), restricting the IP addresses with which a port can communicate.

Configuration Example 26

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3COM ® SUPERSTACK ® 3 SWITCH 3200 FAMILY DATA SHEET

Features PERFORMANCE Switching capacity: SuperStack 3 Switch 3226, 8.8 Gbps; Switch 3250, 13.6 Gbps Forwarding rate: Switch 3226, 6.6 Mpps; Switch 3250, 10.1 Mpps Store-and-forward switching; latency <12 µs

LAYER 2 SWITCHING MAC Address

8K MAC addresses

VLAN

255 VLANs (IEEE 802.1Q)

Link Aggregation

IEEE 802.1ad (LACP), Gigabit ports only

Auto-negotiation

Auto-negotiation of port speed, duplex, and connection (MDI/MDIX)

Traffic control

IEEE 802.3x full-duplex flow control Back pressure flow control for half-duplex Supports Broadcast Storm Suppression (3,000 pps threshold)

STP/RSTP

IEEE 802.1w Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) Backward-compatible with STP Fast-start mode Spanning tree enable/disable per port

LAYER 3 SWITCHING Routes

Hardware based routing 2,000 IP routes 1,990 dynamic and 100 static ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) entries

IP Routing

32 IP interfaces Multi-netting (multiple IP interfaces per VLAN) RIP (Routing Information Protocol), v1 and v2 • Split Horizon • Split Horizon with poisoned reverse • Triggered updates • MD5 authentication of the RIP packets • Password authenticated RIP packets • Host route advertisements

Multicast

Filtering for 64 multicast groups IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) snooping on Layer 2 interfaces IGMP v1 and v2 IGMP Querier

Network protocol

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) Helper/Relay UDP Helper ARP, ARP Proxy

CONVERGENCE Priority Queues

Four hardware queues per port Weighted Round Robin queuing

Traffic Prioritization

Priority based on: • DSCP (DiffServ Code Point) • IEEE 802.1p Class of Service (CoS) VLAN priority • TCP/UDP destination port number • Default port priority • Auto classification of 3Com NBX® telephony traffic

Bandwidth Management

Port-based bandwidth management: • 1 Mbps increments (10/100 ports) • 8 Mbps increments (Gigabit ports)

3COM ® SUPERSTACK ® 3 SWITCH 3200 FAMILY DATA SHEET

Features continued SECURITY Network Login

IEEE 802.1X user authentication • RADIUS authentication • Secure Mode (locks MAC address)

Access Control Lists

Port-based ACLs • Filtered on destination IP address / mask • One ACL per port • 32 unique ACLs per switch • 32 rules per ACL (10/100 ports)

Switch Protocol Security

MD5 cipher-text and clear-text authentication for RIP v2 packets

Switch Management

Local or RADIUS management of switch passwords Trusted IP Management Addresses Telnet • SSH v1 (56bit DES) • SSH v2 (requires free software upgrade) SSL (HTTPS) • 40 Bit • 56 Bit DES • 128 Bit RC4 (requires free software upgrade)

RESILIENCY Support for 3Com Advanced Redundant Power Supply; provides backup power to the switch Dual software images Backup and restore of switch settings

MANAGEMENT Remote Management

SNMP v1

Software

Dual software images Backup and restore TFTP configuration: upload/download TFTP agent: upload

Configuration

Command line Serial (9-pin, D-type connector) Telnet Web-based SNMP

Mirror port / RAP (Roving Analysis Port)

One-to-one

RMON (Remote Monitoring)

Four groups: statistics, history, alarm, and events

IP address allocation

DHCP Manual User-selectable management VLAN

Switch access levels

2 access levels 16 user accounts

Remote management

3Com Network Supervisor (copy provided with product) • Topology discovery • Change management reporting • Capacity planning • Event logging • Fault identification and troubleshooting • Utilization monitoring

3COM ® SUPERSTACK ® 3 SWITCH 3200 FAMILY DATA SHEET

Specifications All information in this section is relevant to the 3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 3226 and Switch 3250, unless stated otherwise.

MTBF SuperStack 3 Switch 3226:

51 years (447,000 hours)

Port Capacities SuperStack 3 Switch 3226:

RFC 2863 IF-MIB IEEE8021-PAE-MIB (IEEE) (Network Login) Router MIB

SuperStack 3 Switch 3250:

Emissions / Agency Approvals

24 10/100 ports 2 dual-personality 10/100/1000 or SFP Gigabit ports SuperStack 3 Switch 3250:

48 10/100 ports 2 dual-personality 10/100/1000 or SFP Gigabit ports Dimensions

Height: 45 mm (1.7 in or 1U) Width: 440 mm (17.3 in) Depth: Switch 3226: 252 mm (9.9 in) Switch 3250: 333 mm (13.1 in) Weight: Switch 3226: 4.3 kg (9.5 lbs) Switch 3250: 5.3 kg (11.7 lbs) Performance SuperStack 3 Switch 3226:

Bandwidth: 8.8 Gbps Throughput: 6.6 Mpps SuperStack 3 Switch 3250:

Bandwidth: 13.6 Gbps Throughput: 10.1 Mpps Power Supply

Input voltage: 100-240 VAC autoranging Operating frequency: 47-63 Hz Maximum current: 2A Maximum power: Switch 3226: 55 W Switch 3250: 84 W Heat dissipation: Switch 3226: 184 BTU Switch 3250: 287 BTU CPU

MPC8245 (333Mhz) 16MB Flash memory 32MB Processor memory Packet Buffer Memory Switch 3226: 32MB Switch 3250: 64MB Environmental Requirements

Operating temperature: 0° to 40°C (32° to 104°F) Storage temperature: -40° to 70°C (-40° to 158°F) Humidity: 10% to 90% non-condensing

Ordering Information

38 years (333,000 hours) Industry Standards Supported Ethernet Protocols

IEEE 802.1p (CoS) IEEE 802.1Q (VLANs) IEEE 802.1w (RSTP) IEEE 802.1X (Security) IEEE 802.3ab (Copper Gigabit) IEEE 802.3ad (Link Aggregation) IEEE 802.3i (10BASE-T) IEEE 802.3u (Fast Ethernet) IEEE 802.3x (Flow Control) IEEE 802.3z (Fiber Gigabit) Administration Protocols

RFC 1812 (IPv4) RFC 1518, 1519 (CIDR) RFC 826 (ARP) RFC 783 (TFTP) RFC 768 (UDP) RFC 791 (IP) RFC 793 (TCP) RFC 2474 (DiffServ) RFC 2131 (DHCP) RFC 1058 (RIP v1) RFC1723 (RIP v2) RFC 2138 (Radius Authentication) RFC 2139 (Radius Accounting) Management, including MIBs Supported

RFC 1157 (SNMP v1/v2c) RFC 1213 (MIB II) RFC 1398 Ethernet MIB RFC 1493 (Bridge MIB) RFC 1573 (Private IF MIB) RFC 1724 (RIP V2 MIB Extension) RFC 1757 RMON MIB RFC 2011 IP-MIB RFC 2012 TCP-MIB RFC 2013 UDP-MIB RFC 2037 Entity MIB RFC 2618 (RADIUS Authentication Client MIB) RFC 2665 Ethernet-MIB RFC 2674P P-BRIDGE-MIB RFC 2674Q Q-BRIDGE-MIB RFC 2737 Entity MIB RFC 2819 RMON MIB

CISPR 22: 1995; Class A FCC Part 15 subpart B, Class A EN 55022: 1998; Class A ICES -003 Class A AS/NZS 3548 Class A EN 61000-3-2: 2000 EN 61000-3-3: 1995 +A1 Immunity

EN 55024: 1998 Safety Agency Certifications

UL 60950-1 IEC 60950: 2001; all national deviations EN 60950: 2001; all national deviations CSA 22.2 # 60950-00 Management

Web interface Command line interface SNMP compatibility Management through 3Com management applications - 3Com Network Supervisor - 3Com Network Director - 3Com Network Administrator - 3Com Enterprise Management Suite Warranty

Limited Lifetime Hardware Warranty. Limited Software Warranty for ninety (90) days. See www.3com.com/warranty for details. Other Benefits

Other Service Benefits: Advance hardware replacement with same day shipment for North America and Western Europe. Next day shipment for rest of world. Calls must be received by published cut-off times. 90 days of telephone technical support. Limited software updates. See www.3com.com/warranty for more detail. Register products at http://eSupport.3com.com/. Service

Americas: http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/global_services/ International: http://emea.3com.com/globalservices

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

3COM SKU

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 3226 24-port 10/100 Layer 3 switch with two dual-personality 10/100/1000 or SFP ports

3CR17500-91

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 3250 48-port 10/100 Layer 3 switch with two dual-personality 10/100/1000 or SFP ports

3CR17501-91

SFPs (LC connectors) 3Com 1000BASE-SX SFP

3CSFP91

3Com 1000BASE-LX SFP

3CSFP92

3Com 1000BASE-LH70 (70km) SFP

3CSFP97

Redundant Power 3Com SuperStack 3 Advanced Redundant Power System 3Com SuperStack 3 Advanced Redundant Power System, 325W Power Module Type 3

3C16071B 3C16075

3Com Corporation, Corporate Headquarters, 350 Campus Drive, Marlborough, MA 01752-3064 To learn more about 3Com solutions, visit www.3com.com. 3Com is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol COMS.

Copyright © 2004 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. 3Com, the 3Com logo, NBX, and SuperStack are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. Exercise Choice is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies. While every effort is made to ensure the information given is accurate, 3Com does not accept liability for any errors or mistakes which may arise. Specifications and other information in this document may be subject to change without notice. 400842-004 11/04

3Com Network Supervisor ®

DATA SHEET

Key Benefits Easy-to-use Notifications and Alarms Practical Management for Small to Midsize Networks

3Com® Network Supervisor gives managers of all experience levels support for small to midsize network supervision. Automated operations and intelligent defaults, plus the ability to detect network misconfigurations and obtain optimization suggestions, allow faster identification and response to network problems. Automatic Discovery and Mapping

• Practical, comprehensive management, no matter the size or complexity of the network • Fast and effective problem resolution with extensive capabilities for monitoring, administering, and troubleshooting network operation • Stand-alone installation and operation, without requiring an underlying management platform • Part of a family of 3Com management offerings including 3Com Network Supervisor, 3Com Network Director, 3Com Network Administrator, and the 3Com Enterprise Management Suite

Network Supervisor automatically discovers and maps—as both a Layer 3 subnet view or a Layer 2 flat view—all IP devices and links on local or specified subnets, gathering additional management details for 3Com equipment and some common third-party devices. Real-time Network Stress Monitoring

The software automatically monitors network stress for all key switches and links on the network, as well as the stress levels of end stations, servers, and their links to the core devices. Comprehensive graphs display stress levels for an instant view of network performance. Experienced users can choose a more detailed depiction of important parameter values. To make troubleshooting faster, trace paths clearly show network traffic routes.

Alarm-forwarding options let managers stay in constant touch with the network. Any network event can generate alerts to proactively communicate potential network problems. Notification of these can be sent as e-mails, as audio alerts or visual pop-ups, or through pagers and SMS messages, and can start third-party applications or scripts. In addition, SNMP traps can be forwarded to other network management systems such as HP OpenView. A Smart Event Engine automatically detects and classifies correlated and recurring events, enabling fast problem solving by focusing on root causes and lessening event clutter. Live Updates

With a single button click, 3Com Network Supervisor checks the 3Com website for new Network Supervisor upgrades and available device support for the equipment in the managed network. Traffic Prioritization Support

A Network Supervisor wizard offers quick and easy implementation of 3Com SuperStack® 3 Switch 4400 traffic prioritization, identifying key applications and servers and automatically giving 3Com IP telephony voice packets the highest priority.

Comprehensive Reporting

Network Supervisor provides detailed and customizable reports of network topology and inventory—ports used and available on switches and hubs. Separate reports show network misconfigurations and suggest ways to optimize the network.

3COM ® NETWORK SUPERVISOR DATA SHEET

3COM NETWORK DIRECTOR

3COM NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes* Yes* Yes* Yes Yes* Yes* Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Network Discovery Topology Mapping Stress/Status Monitoring Management Reports Events and Alarms Scheduled Tasks HP OpenView Windows Integration 3Com Specific Icons 3Com MIB Integration Trap Integration Element Mgmt for 3Com Stackable Switches Element Mgmt for 3Com Routers Element Mgmt for 3Com Core Switches Configuration Backup and Restore Switch VLAN Support Bulk Agent Updates Switch QoS Configuration Switch Network Login/Radius Support

3COM ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT SUITE

3COM NETWORK SUPERVISOR

3Com Network Management Software Overview

Yes Yes Yes Yes Opt Opt Opt Yes

Advanced Advanced

* Yes via HP OverView

Specifications

Workstation

Free Disc Space

Operating Systems

IBM PC or compatible Pentium III 500 MHz (Pentium 4; 1 GHz or more recommended)

250MB (250 MB or more recommended)

Memory

SVGA monitor 256 colors, 1024 x 768 minimum (SVGA monitor 64K colors, 1024 x 768 recommended)

Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 4 or later Windows XP Professional with Service Packs 1 and 2

256 MB min. (512MB or more recommended)

Ordering Information

Monitor

3COM NETWORK SUPERVISOR Available from www.3com.com/3ns. Requires registration for a permanent key; 3Com product number listed here is for reference only.

3C15100E

3Com Corporation, Corporate Headquarters, 350 Campus Drive, Marlborough, MA 01752-3064 To learn more about 3Com solutions, visit www.3com.com. 3Com is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol COMS.

Copyright © 2004 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. 3Com, the 3Com logo, and SuperStack are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies. While every effort is made to ensure the information given is accurate, 3Com does not accept liability for any errors or mistakes which may arise. Specifications and other information in this document may be subject to change without notice. 400731-006 10/04

3Com Transceivers ®

DATA SHEET

Key Benefits • Industry-standard

High-Performance Switching

Variety of Form Factors

• 10-Gigabit, Gigabit, and Fast Ethernet connectivity

3Com’s family of transceivers are industrystandard, hot-swappable devices that plug into a Fast, Gigabit, or 10-Gigabit Ethernet transceiver slot, linking it with either a fiber- or copper-based network.

3Com Transceivers are available in different form factors: GBIC (Gigabit Interface Converter), SFP (Small Formfactor Pluggable), XFP, and XENPAK.

• Variety of form factors

Easily Serviceable Hardware Standards-Based Compliance

Transceivers can be hot-swapped. Rather than replacing an entire circuit board containing several soldered-in modules, individual transceivers can be unplugged and replaced for repair or upgrading, with cost savings both in maintenance and in upgrading efforts, and reduced network down-time.

Compliant with IEEE standards, 3Com transceivers provide full interoperability when connected to other standards-based products. Flexible and Scalable

With the ability to intermix different media types of transceivers on a single switch, these devices provide flexibility and performance in various form factors. Add connections, in the number and type, as needed (within limits of the applicable switch).

100 Mbps Fiber Switching

Choose from two 100 Mbps fiber SFP transceivers for use in the 3Com Switch 5500-EI 28-Port FX.

What 3Com transceivers are available?

Transceiver Finder What speed of link is being used?

100M

10-Gigabit

1000M

What type of cable is being used?

Multimode Fiber

Single-mode Fiber

Copper (CAT-5)

Multimode Fiber

100BASE-LX10 SFP

Single-mode Fiber

Copper (Infiniband)

1000BASE-LX GBIC 1000BASE-LX SFP 1000BASE-LH70 GBIC 1000BASE-LH70 SFP

1000BASE-T GBIC 1000BASE-T SFP

100BASE-FX SFP

What type of cable is being used?

1000BASE-SX GBIC 1000BASE-SX SFP 1000BASE-LX GBIC 1000BASE-LX SFP

Single-mode Fiber

10GBASE-LR XENPAK 10GBASE-LR XFP 10GBASE-ER XENPAK 10GBASE-ER XFP

10GBASE-CX4 XENPAK

3COM 速 TRANSCEIVERS

3CXENPAK96

3CXENPAK95

Module 3Com Switch 8800 2-Port 10GBASE-X Module (3C17512) Module 3Com Switch 8800 12-port 1000BASE-X (3C17513)

3Com Switch 7700 Module 3Com Switch 7700 20-port 1000BASE-X Module (3C16862) Module 3Com Switch 7700 8-port 1000BASE-X Module (3C16858) Module 3Com Switch 7700 4-Port 1000BASE-X Fabric Sub-Module (3C16874)

3 3

Module 3Com Switch 7700 96 Gbps Switch Fabric (3C16886) 3Com Switch 5500G Switch

3Com Switch 5500G-EI, all models

Module 3Com Switch 5500G 8-Port SFP Module (3C17260)

Module 3Com Switch 5500G 1-Port 10G Module (3C17261)

Module 3Com Switch 5500G 2-Port 10G Module (3C17268) 3Com Switch 5500 Switch

3Com Switch 5500-SI, all models

Switch

3Com Switch 5500-EI, all models except FX

Switch

3Com Switch 5500-EI 28-Port FX

Switch

3Com Switch 4070

Switch

3Com Switch 4060 and Switch 4050

Module 3Com 4-Slot GBIC Module (3C17714) 3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 4900 Switch

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 4950

Module 3Com 4-Slot GBIC Module (3C17714) 3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 4200 Switch

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 4228G 24-Port Plus (3C17304)

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 3800 3Com XFPs

Switch

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 3800, all models

Switch

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 3870 1-Port 10GBASE-X Module (3C17461)

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 3200 Switch

3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 3200, all models

3Com Baseline Switches Switch

3Com Baseline Plus Switches, all models

3 3

3Com Switch 40x0 3Com XENPAKs

Module 3Com Switch 7700 1-Port 10GBASE-X Module (3C16875)

3Com SFPs

Module 3Com Switch 8800 24-port 1000BASE-X (3C17514) 3Com GBICs

3CXFP96

Module 3Com Switch 8800 1-Port 10GBASE-X Module (3C17511)

XFPs 3CXFP92

3Com Switch 8800

3CXENPAK92

XENPAKs

3CSFP97

3CSFP93

3CSFP92

1000 Mbps SFPs

3CSFP91

3CSFP82

3CGBIC97

3CGBIC93A

Supported Product Name and Ordering Number

3CGBIC92

Device Type

3CGBIC91

3Com Switch Family Supported

100 Mbps SFPs

GBICs

3CSFP81

Supported 3Com Switches and Modules

3COM ® TRANSCEIVERS

Specifications 3Com Transceiver Name

Ordering Number

GBICs 3Com 1000BASE-SX GBIC

3CGBIC91

3Com 1000BASE-LX GBIC

3Com 1000BASE-LH70 GBIC 3Com 1000BASE-T GBIC 100 Mbps SFPs 3Com 100BASE-FX SFP

3Com 100BASE-LX10 SFP 1000 Mbps SFPs‡ 3Com 1000BASE-SX SFP

3Com 1000BASE-LX SFP

3Com 1000BASE-LH70 SFP 3Com 1000BASE-T SFP XENPAKs 3Com 10GBASE-LR XENPAK 3Com 10GBASE-ER XENPAK 3Com 10GBASE-CX4 XENPAK XFPs 3Com 10GBASE-LR XFP 3Com 10GBASE-ER XFP † ‡

Modal Core Size Bandwidth Cable Type (microns) (MHz · km) Transmission Range

Optical Power Range (dBm) Wavelength Output Input (nm)

Connector

MMF MMF MMF MMF MMF MMF MMF SMF SMF CAT5

62.5 62.5 50 50 62.5 50 50 9 9 –

160 200 400 500 500 400 500 – – –

2 – 220 m (6.6 – 721.8 ft) 2 – 275 m (6.6 – 902.3 ft) 2 – 500 m (6.6 – 1,640.5 ft) 2 – 550 m (6.6 – 1,804.6 ft) 2 – 550 m (6.6 – 1,804.6 ft) 2 – 550 m (6.6 – 1,804.6 ft) 2 – 550 m (6.6 – 1,804.6 ft) 2m – 10 km (6.6ft – 6 mi) 2m – 70 km (6.6 ft – 43 mi)† 100m (328.0 ft)

MMF MMF MMF SMF

62.5 50 50 9

500 400 500 -

2 m – 2 km (6.6 ft – 1.2 mi) 2 m – 2 km (6.6 ft – 1.2 mi) 2 m – 2 km (6.6 ft – 1.2 mi) 2 m – 10 km (6.6 ft – 6 mi)

3CSFP97 3CSFP93

MMF MMF MMF MMF MMF MMF MMF SMF SMF CAT5

62.5 62.5 50 50 62.5 50 50 9 9 –

160 200 400 500 500 400 500 – – –

2 – 220 m (6.6 – 721.8 ft) 2 – 275 m (6.6 – 902.3 ft) 2 – 500 m (6.6 – 1,640.5 ft) 2 – 550 m (6.6 – 1,804.6 ft) 2 – 550 m (6.6 – 1,804.6 ft) 2 – 550 m (6.6 – 1,804.6 ft) 2 – 550 m (6.6 – 1,804.6 ft) 2 m – 10 km (6.6 ft – 6 mi) 2 m – 70 km (6.6 ft – 43 mi)† 100 m (328.0 ft)

3CXENPAK92 3CXENPAK96 3CXENPAK95

SMF SMF Infiniband

9 9 –

– – –

2 m – 10 km (6.6 ft – 6 mi) 2 m – 40 km (6.6 ft – 25 mi) 1 – 15 m (3.3 – 49.5 ft)

1,300 1,550 –

-8.2 to 0.5 -14.4 to 0.5 SC -4.7 to 4 -15.8 to -1 SC – – Infiniband 4x

3CXFP92 3CXFP96

SMF SMF

9 9

– –

2 m – 10 km (6.6 ft – 6 mi) 2 m – 40 km (6.6 ft – 25 mi)

1,300 1,550

-8.2 to 0.5 -14.4 to 0.5 -4.7 to 4 -15.8 to -1

3CGBIC92

3CGBIC97 3CGBIC93A 3CSFP81

3CSFP82 3CSFP91

3CSFP92

850

-10 to -4

-17 to 0

1,300

-14 to -3

-20 to -3

1,550 –

-3 to 3 –

-24 to -1 –

SC RJ-45

1,300

-19 to -14

-31

1,300

-15 to -8

-25 to -8

850

-9.5 to 0

-17 to 0

1,300

-9.5 to -3

-20 to -3

1,550 –

0 to 3 –

-24 to -3 –

LC RJ-45

LC LC

If using cable lengths shorter than 20 km, a single-mode fiber attenuator must be used to avoid signal saturation. 100 Mbps SFP transceivers are for use only in the 100 Mbps ports of the 3Com Switch 5500-EI 28-Port FX; they cannot be used in any 1000 Mbps Gigabit ports.

Warranty One Year Limited Warranty.

Ordering Information PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

3COM SKU

GBICs

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

3COM SKU

XENPAKs

3Com 1000BASE-SX GBIC

3CGBIC91

3Com 10GBASE-LR XENPAK

3CXENPAK92

3Com 1000BASE-LX GBIC

3CGBIC92

3Com 10GBASE-CX4 XENPAK

3CXENPAK95

3Com 10GBASE-ER XENPAK

3CXENPAK96

3Com 1000BASE-T GBIC 3Com 1000BASE-LH70 (70km) GBIC

3CGBIC93A 3CGBIC97

100 Mbps SFPs 3Com 100BASE-FX SFP

3CSFP81

3Com 100BASE-LX10 SFP

3CSFP82

XFPs 3Com 10GBASE-LR XFP

3CXFP92

3Com 10GBASE-ER XFP

3CXFP96

1000 Mbps SFPs 3Com 1000BASE-SX SFP

3CSFP91

3Com 1000BASE-LX SFP

3CSFP92

3Com 1000BASE-T SFP

3CSFP93

3Com 1000BASE-LH70 (70km) SFP

3CSFP97

3Com Corporation, Corporate Headquarters, 350 Campus Drive, Marlborough, MA 01752-3064 To learn more about 3Com solutions, visit www.3com.com. 3Com is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol COMS.

Copyright © 2005 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. 3Com, the 3Com logo, and SuperStack are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies. While every effort is made to ensure the information given is accurate, 3Com does not accept liability for any errors or mistakes which may arise. All specifications are subject to change without notice. 400836-005 08/05

3Com Product Details

Página 1 de 3

PRODUCT DETAILS

3Com® 1000BASE-SX GBIC Transceiver Product #: 3CGBIC91

Features, Benefits & Specifications Flexible Gigabit Ethernet Connections A Gigabit Interface Converter (GBIC) is an industry-standard modular transceiver that offers increased flexibility for Gigabit Ethernet connections. This GBIC transceiver can be used in those 3Com switches and modules which support GBIC modules. GBICs can be mixed and matched on a given switch to maximize flexibility. A current list of these products can be found on the "Product Specifications" tab under the heading "This Product Supports". l

Enables one 1000BASE-SX connection

Product Specifications l l

Connector Type: SC fiber Fiber Type: Multi-mode

Package Contents l GBIC

This Product Supports... 3Com® Switch 7700 8-port 1000BASE-X Module Product # 3C16858 3Com® Switch 7700 4-Port 1000BASE-X Fabric Sub-Module Product # 3C16874 3Com® Switch 4050 Product # 3C17708-US 3Com® Switch 4060 Product # 3C17709-US 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 4950 Product # 3C17706-US 3Com® 4-Slot GBIC Module for SuperStack® 3 Switch 4900 and Switch 40x0 Product # 3C17714 3Com® Switch 4005 40-Port Copper Fast Ethernet Starter Kit Product # 3C16830-US 3Com® Switch 4005 2-Port GBIC Module Product # 3C16843 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 4228G 24-Port Plus 2 10/100/1000 and 2 GBIC slots Product # 3C17304-US

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/printsafe.jsp?sku=3CGBIC91&pathtype=purchase

25/08/2005

3Com Product Details

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3Com® Switch 4007 Layer 3 Gigabit Ethernet Starter Kit Product # 3C16811-US 3Com® Switch 4007 Layer 3 Copper Fast Ethernet Starter Kit Product # 3C16815-US 3Com® Switch 4007 Layer 3 Fiber Fast Ethernet Starter Kit Product # 3C16816-US 3Com® Switch 4007R Layer 2 Gigabit Ethernet Starter Kit Product # 3C16817-US 3Com® Switch 4007R Layer 3 Gigabit Ethernet Starter Kit Product # 3C16818-US 3Com® Switch 4007 Gigabit Ethernet Switch Fabric Product # 3CB9FG9 3Com® Switch 4007 Gigabit I/O Module Product # 3CB9LG4 3Com® Switch 4007 Gigabit Multilayer Switch Module Product # 3CB9RG4

Required Products,Options & Installation and Maintenance Service Options Required Products Not Applicable for this product.

Options Not Applicable for this product.

Installation and Maintenance Service Options

3Com® Guardian Service One year of on-site assistance, telephone technical support, and software upgrades

3Com® Express Service One year of advance hardware replacement, telephone technical support, and software upgrades

Related Products l

3Com® 1000BASE-LX GBIC Transceiver Product # 3CGBIC92 l

3Com® 1000BASE-LH70 GBIC Transceiver Product # 3CGBIC97

Product Registration Not Available for this Product

Warranty Information Warranty information is summarized below. Terms: Hardware repair/replacement for 1 year

Other Services With Purchase Telephone support during business hours for 90 days

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/printsafe.jsp?sku=3CGBIC91&pathtype=purchase

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3Com Product Details

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On-line support with 3Com Knowledgebase, 24x7 for the life of the product

Downloads Documentation 10013581.pdf 18Mar2003 2483.38 Kb GBIC Transceiver Installation Guide 10013581_russian.pdf 17Mar2003 360.29 Kb Russian GBIC SX_LX Transceiver Installation Guide

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/printsafe.jsp?sku=3CGBIC91&pathtype=purchase

25/08/2005

3Com Product Details

Página 1 de 3

PRODUCT DETAILS

3Com® 1000BASE-SX SFP Transceiver Product #: 3CSFP91

Features, Benefits & Specifications Flexibility in Gigabit Ethernet Connections This SFP (Small Form-factor Plug-in) transceiver enables one 1000BASE-SX connection. SFPs have a form factor one-half the size of current industry standards. SFPs can be mixed and matched on a given switch to maximize flexibility. However, the connection and associated port at the remote end must match the chosen SFP connection type. This SFP transceiver can be used in those 3Com switches and modules which support SFP modules. A current list of these products can be found under the "Specifications Tab" under the heading "This Product Supports". l l l

The SFP's simplicity of design create a new definition of user-friendliness with outstanding mechanical and optical performance Enables one 1000BASE-SX connection Other SFPs offered by 3Com: 3Com 1000BASE-LX SFP Transceiver (3CSFP92), 3Com 1000BASE-T SFP Transceiver (3CSFP93), or 3Com 1000BASE-LH SFP Transceiver (3CSFP97)

Product Specifications l l l

Media interfaces: LC Connector Type: LC Fiber Type: Multi-mode

Package Contents l SFP Transceiver

This Product Supports... 3Com® Switch 4070 Product # 3C17707-US 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3870, 24-Port Product # 3CR17450-91 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3870, 48-Port Product # 3CR17451-91 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3848 Product # 3CR17402-91 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3824 Product # 3C17400 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3812 Product # 3C17401 3Com® Baseline Switch 2226-PWR Plus Product # 3C16490

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/printsafe.jsp?sku=3CSFP91&pathtype=purchase

25/08/2005

3Com Product Details

Página 2 de 3

3Com® Baseline Switch 2816-SFP Plus Product # 3C16485 3Com® Baseline Switch 2226 Product # 3C16475A 3Com® Baseline Switch 2250 Product # 3C16476A 3Com Baseline Switch 2250 Plus Product # 3C16476BS 3Com® Switch 7700 20-port 1000BASE-X Module Product # 3C16862 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3226 Product # 3CR17500-91 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3250 Product # 3CR17501-91 3Com® Baseline Switch 2226 Plus Product # 3C16475BS 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 24-Port Product # 3CR17250-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 48-Port Product # 3CR17251-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI PWR 24-Port Product # 3CR17252-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI PWR 48-Port Product # 3CR17253-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 24-Port SFP Product # 3CR17258-91 3Com® Switch 5500-SI 28-Port Product # 3CR17151-91 3Com® Switch 5500-SI 52-Port Product # 3CR17152-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI 28-Port Product # 3CR17161-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI 52-Port Product # 3CR17162-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI PWR 28-Port Product # 3CR17171-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI PWR 52-Port Product # 3CR17172-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 8-Port 1000BASE-X Module Product # 3C17260

Related Products l

3Com® 1000BASE-LX SFP Transceiver Product # 3CSFP92 l

3Com® 1000BASE-LH SFP Transceiver Product # 3CSFP97 l

3Com® 1000BASE-T SFP Transceiver Product # 3CSFP93

Product Registration Not Available for this Product

Warranty Information

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/printsafe.jsp?sku=3CSFP91&pathtype=purchase

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3Com Product Details

Pรกgina 3 de 3

Warranty information is summarized below. Terms: Hardware repair/replacement for 1 year

Other Services With Purchase Telephone support during business hours for 90 days

On-line support with 3Com Knowledgebase, 24x7 for the life of the product

Downloads Documentation diasfp91-aaa03.pdf 30Oct2003 1148.43 Kb SFP (1000BASE-LX/SX) Transceiver Installation Guide

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/printsafe.jsp?sku=3CSFP91&pathtype=purchase

25/08/2005

3Com Product Details

Página 1 de 3

PRODUCT DETAILS

3Com® 1000BASE-LX SFP Transceiver

Features, Benefits & Specifications Flexibility in Gigabit Ethernet Connections This SFP (Small Form-factor Plug-in) transceiver enables one 1000BASE-LX connection. SFPs have a form factor one-half the size of current industry standards. SFPs can be mixed and matched on a given switch to maximize flexibility. However, the connection and associated port at the remote end must match the chosen SFP connection type. This SFP transceiver can be used in those 3Com switches and modules which support SFP modules. A current list of these products can be found under the "Specifications Tab" under the heading "This Product Supports". l l l

The SFP's simplicity of design create a new definition of user-friendliness with outstanding mechanical and optical performance Enables one 1000BASE-LX connection Other SFPs offered by 3Com: 3Com 1000BASE-SX SFP Transceiver (3CSFP91), 3Com 1000BASE-T SFP Transceiver (3CSFP93), or 3Com 1000BASE-LH SFP Transceiver (3CSFP97)

Product Specifications l l l

Media interfaces: LC Connector Type: LC Fiber Type: Multi-Mode, Single-Mode

Package Contents l SFP Transceiver

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/printsafe.jsp?sku=3CSFP92&pathtype=support

25/08/2005

3Com Product Details

Página 2 de 3

3Com® Baseline Switch 2816-SFP Plus Product # 3C16485 3Com® Baseline Switch 2226 Product # 3C16475A 3Com® Baseline Switch 2250 Product # 3C16476A 3Com Baseline Switch 2250 Plus Product # 3C16476BS 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3226 Product # 3CR17500-91 3Com® SuperStack® 3 Switch 3250 Product # 3CR17501-91 3Com® Switch 7700 20-port 1000BASE-X Module Product # 3C16862 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 24-Port Product # 3CR17250-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 48-Port Product # 3CR17251-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI PWR 24-Port Product # 3CR17252-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI PWR 48-Port Product # 3CR17253-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 24-Port SFP Product # 3CR17258-91 3Com® Switch 5500-SI 28-Port Product # 3CR17151-91 3Com® Switch 5500-SI 52-Port Product # 3CR17152-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI 28-Port Product # 3CR17161-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI 52-Port Product # 3CR17162-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI PWR 28-Port Product # 3CR17171-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI PWR 52-Port Product # 3CR17172-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 8-Port 1000BASE-X Module Product # 3C17260

Related Products l

3Com® 1000BASE-SX SFP Transceiver Product # 3CSFP91 l

3Com® 1000BASE-LH SFP Transceiver Product # 3CSFP97 l

3Com® 1000BASE-T SFP Transceiver Product # 3CSFP93

Product Registration Not Available for this Product

Warranty Information Warranty information is summarized below. Terms:

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3Com Product Details

Pรกgina 3 de 3

Hardware repair/replacement for 1 year

Other Services With Purchase Telephone support during business hours for 90 days

On-line support with 3Com Knowledgebase, 24x7 for the life of the product

Downloads Documentation diasfp91-aaa03.pdf 30Oct2003 1148.43 Kb SFP (1000BASE-LX/SX) Transceiver Installation Guide

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/printsafe.jsp?sku=3CSFP92&pathtype=support

25/08/2005

3Com Product Details

Página 1 de 2

PRODUCT DETAILS

3Com® 1000BASE-T SFP Transceiver

Features, Benefits & Specifications Flexibility in Gigabit Ethernet Connections This SFP (Small Form-factor Plug-in) transceiver enables one 1000BASE-T connection. SFPs have a form factor one-half the size of current industry standards. SFPs can be mixed and matched on a given switch to maximize flexibility. However, the connection and associated port at the remote end must match the chosen SFP connection type. This SFP transceiver can be used in those 3Com switches and modules which support SFP modules. A current list of these products can be found under the "Specifications Tab" under the heading "This Product Supports". l l l

The SFP's simplicity of design create a new definition of user-friendliness with outstanding mechanical and electrical performance Enables one 1000BASE-T connection Other SFPs offered by 3Com: 3Com 1000BASE-SX SFP Transceiver (3CSFP91), 3Com 1000BASE-LX SFP Transceiver (3CSFP92), or 3Com 1000BASE-LH SFP Transceiver (3CSFP97)

Product Specifications l l

Media interfaces: RJ-45 Connector Type: RJ-45

Package Contents l SFP Transceiver

This Product Supports... 3Com® Switch 4070 Product # 3C17707-US 3Com® Switch 7700 20-port 1000BASE-X Module Product # 3C16862 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 24-Port Product # 3CR17250-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 48-Port Product # 3CR17251-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI PWR 24-Port Product # 3CR17252-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI PWR 48-Port Product # 3CR17253-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 24-Port SFP Product # 3CR17258-91

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3Com Product Details

Página 2 de 2

3Com® Switch 5500-SI 28-Port Product # 3CR17151-91 3Com® Switch 5500-SI 52-Port Product # 3CR17152-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI 28-Port Product # 3CR17161-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI 52-Port Product # 3CR17162-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI PWR 28-Port Product # 3CR17171-91 3Com® Switch 5500-EI PWR 52-Port Product # 3CR17172-91 3Com® Switch 5500G-EI 8-Port 1000BASE-X Module Product # 3C17260

Related Products l

3Com® 1000BASE-SX SFP Transceiver Product # 3CSFP91 l

3Com® 1000BASE-LX SFP Transceiver Product # 3CSFP92 l

3Com® 1000BASE-LH SFP Transceiver Product # 3CSFP97

Product Registration Not Available for this Product

Warranty Information Warranty information is summarized below. Terms: Hardware repair/replacement for 1 year

Other Services With Purchase Telephone support during business hours for 90 days

On-line support with 3Com Knowledgebase, 24x7 for the life of the product

Downloads Documentation diasfp91-aaa03.pdf 30Oct2003 1148.43 Kb SFP (1000BASE-LX/SX) Transceiver Installation Guide

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/printsafe.jsp?sku=3CSFP93&pathtype=support

25/08/2005

3Com速 Network Supervisor v5.1 User Guide

3C15100E

http://www.3com.com/ Part No. DUA15100-EAAA02 Published June 2005

3Com Corporation 350 Campus Drive Marlborough MA USA 01752-3064

Copyright © 2005, 3Com Technologies. All rights reserved. No part of this documentation may be reproduced in any form or by any means or used to make any derivative work (such as translation, transformation, or adaptation) without written permission from 3Com Technologies. 3Com Technologies reserves the right to revise this documentation and to make changes in content from time to time without obligation on the part of 3Com Technologies to provide notification of such revision or change. 3Com Technologies provides this documentation without warranty, term, or condition of any kind, either implied or expressed, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties, terms or conditions of merchantability, satisfactory quality, and fitness for a particular purpose. 3Com may make improvements or changes in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this documentation at any time. If there is any software on removable media described in this documentation, it is furnished under a license agreement included with the product as a separate document, in the hard copy documentation, or on the removable media in a directory file named LICENSE.TXT or !LICENSE.TXT. If you are unable to locate a copy, please contact 3Com and a copy will be provided to you. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT LEGEND If you are a United States government agency, then this documentation and the software described herein are provided to you subject to the following: All technical data and computer software are commercial in nature and developed solely at private expense. Software is delivered as “Commercial Computer Software” as defined in DFARS 252.227-7014 (June 1995) or as a “commercial item” as defined in FAR 2.101(a) and as such is provided with only such rights as are provided in 3Com’s standard commercial license for the Software. Technical data is provided with limited rights only as provided in DFAR 252.227-7015 (Nov 1995) or FAR 52.227-14 (June 1987), whichever is applicable. You agree not to remove or deface any portion of any legend provided on any licensed program or documentation contained in, or delivered to you in conjunction with, this User Guide. Unless otherwise indicated, 3Com registered trademarks are registered in the United States and may or may not be registered in other countries. 3Com and the 3Com logo are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. XRN is a trademark of 3Com Corporation IEEE and 802 are registered trademarks of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Novell and NetWare are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company, Ltd. Netscape Navigator is a registered trademark of Netscape Communications. HP OpenView is a registered trademark of Hewlett Packard. JavaScript is a trademark of Sun Microsystems. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT It is the policy of 3Com Corporation to be environmentally-friendly in all operations. To uphold our policy, we are committed to: Establishing environmental performance standards that comply with national legislation and regulations. Conserving energy, materials and natural resources in all operations. Reducing the waste generated by all operations. Ensuring that all waste conforms to recognized environmental standards. Maximizing the recyclable and reusable content of all products. Ensuring that all products can be recycled, reused and disposed of safely. Ensuring that all products are labelled according to recognized environmental standards. Improving our environmental record on a continual basis. End of Life Statement 3Com processes allow for the recovery, reclamation and safe disposal of all end-of-life electronic components. Regulated Materials Statement 3Com products do not contain any hazardous or ozone-depleting material. Environmental Statement about the Documentation The documentation for this product is printed on paper that comes from sustainable, managed forests; it is fully biodegradable and recyclable, and is completely chlorine-free. The varnish is environmentally-friendly, and the inks are vegetable-based with a low heavy-metal content.

Protected by U.S. patents 6,594,696; 6,633,230; 6,646,656; 6,691,161; 6,691,256; 6,701,327; 6,704,284; 6,704,292; 6,763,001; 6,766,367; 6,771,287; 6,775,243; Patents Pending. Copyright ÂŠ 2005 3Com Corporation and its licensors. All Rights Reserved. 3Com is a registered trademark of 3Com Corporation. Cyberons (TM) For Java v3.5 Copyright 2002 by NETAPHOR SOFTWARE, INC. This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/). PuTTY is copyright 1997-2005 Simon Tatham. Portions copyright Robert de Bath, Joris van Rantwijk, Delian Delchev, Andreas Schultz, Jeroen Massar, Wez Furlong, Nicolas Barry, Justin Bradford, Ben Harris, Malcolm Smith, Markus Kuhn, and CORE SDI S.A. Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: the above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS GUIDE Conventions 20 Feedback about this User Guide Related Documentation 21

GETTING STARTED Introduction 23 What is 3Com Network Supervisor 23 Installation 24 Activation 24 Getting Started 25 Creating a New Network Map 26 Discovery Type Step 26 Specify Subnets Step 26 Monitor Core Devices and Links Step 26 Community Strings Step 26 NBX Voice Network Step 26 NBX Call Processors Step 27 Summary Step 27 Coexistence with other Network Management Applications 27 Upgrading from earlier versions of 3Com Network Supervisor 28 Advanced Package compatibility 29 Main Features 29 Main Window 29 Network Discovery 29 Network Monitoring 30 The Event System 30 Traffic Prioritization 30 Reporting 30 Live Update 30

PRODUCT ACTIVATION Introduction 33 Key Concepts 34 Components 34 About Dialog 34 Activate Now dialog 34 Examples 36 Activating 3Com Network Supervisor 36 Useful Information and References 36 Where can I find the product number for 3Com Network Supervisor? 36 Where can I find the serial number for 3Com Network Supervisor? 36 Key Considerations 37 What if I lose my Activation Key after registration? 37 If I re-install the product after it has been activated, do I need to activate it again? 37 If I upgrade to Network Supervisor v5.1 from an earlier, activated version of Network Supervisor, do I need to activate it again? 37 Why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I log in to the 3Com support web site? 37

MAIN WINDOW Overview 39 Key Concepts 40 Map Files 40 Components 41 Map 41 Tree 41 Toolbar 41 Status Bar 41 Main Menu 42 File 42 Edit 43 View 44 Device 46 Monitoring 47 Alerts/Events 48 Tools 48

Help 49 File > Exit Menu Option 49 View > Show Toolbar Menu Option 50 Tools > Options Menu Option 50 General 50 Device Management 52 Internet 53 Alerts 54 Help > Contents and Index Menu Option 54 Help > Launch User Guide 55 Help > About 3Com Network Supervisor Menu Option Examples 55 Finding the Product Version 55 Finding the Serial Number and Activation Key 56

DISCOVERING THE NETWORK Overview 57 Key Concepts 58 The Discovery Process – Detecting Devices 58 IP Ping 59 Device Capability Detection 59 SNMP Type Detection 60 IP to MAC Resolution 60 End Station Type Recognition 60 Web Type Recognition 61 DNS Name Resolution 61 NBX Phone Detection 61 Device Sizing 62 The Discovery Process – Determining Topology 63 Sizing stage 64 Spanning Tree stage 64 Remote Poll Stage (broadcast ARP) 64 Initial Endstation stage 65 Device Resolution Stage 65 Remote Poll Stage (directed pings) 65 Outstanding end station stage 66 Tree Building Stage 66

Clouds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Unknown Topology 66 Wireless Clients Clouds 70 The Discovery Process â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rediscovery 70 Components 71 Launching a discovery 72 The Welcome dialog box 72 File > New 73 Tools > Network Discovery with nothing selected 73 Tools > Network Discovery with a discovered subnet selected 73 Tools > Network Discovery with an undiscovered subnet selected 74 The Network Discovery Wizard 75 Discovery Type Pane 75 Specify Subnets Pane 77 Editing subnets in the list 80 Removing subnets from the list 80 Choosing from a list of known subnets 80 Monitor Core Devices and Links Pane 82 Community Strings Pane 83 NBX Voice Network Pane 84 NBX Call Processors Pane 85 Summary Pane 86 The Network Discovery Progress Dialog Box 87 Network Discovery Summary dialog box 88 The Discovery Report 90 Discovery 90 Topology 91 The Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report 91 The Changes Report 92 The Displayed Map 92 Initial Map Creation 92 Subsequent Map Updates 93 Examples 93 I have four separate subnets - how do I specify them? 93 I am using different SNMP community strings for different devices on my network - how do I specify this? 94 Useful Information and References 95 Why the discovered map may not exactly reflect the network 95 Some devices haven't appeared 95

Some devices are the wrong type 96 There are clouds in my map 96 Support for 3Com devices 96 Support for third party devices 97 Key Considerations 98 Discovery Report Errors and Warnings 98 Discovery Section 98 Topology Section 100

WORKING WITH THE MAP Overview 105 Key Concepts 106 The Map 106 The Tree 108 Components 110 Map Structure 110 The Grouped Network View 110 The Ungrouped Network View 112 Devices 112 Device Icons 112 Pull-Right Menu for Devices 115 Physical Links 116 Unvalidated Links 116 Physical Link Annotations 117 Spanning Tree Protocol Support 118 Pull-Right Menu for Physical Links 118 Layer-3 Connections 119 Clouds 120 Pull-Right Menu for Clouds 121 Subnets 121 Device Groups 124 Tooltips 127 Map Item Labels and Address Translation Navigation 135 Panning 135 Zoom in 135 Zoom out 136

128

Fit to page 136 Shortcut Symbols 139 Navigating Around the Map Using the Tree 141 Trace Path 141 Using The Trace Path Wizard 144 Finding Items on Your Network 145 Using Wildcards to Find Partial Matches 146 Searching Within the Search Results 147 Using the Find Dialog Box to Select Items for Operations 148 Finding Devices 148 Finding Links 150 Finding NBX Telephony Components 151 Modifying the Map Layout 153 Manually Modifying the Map Contents 154 Adding Items to the Map 154 Linking Items in the Map 156 Keeping the Map Up-to-date 157 Saving and Opening Maps 157 Printing the Map 160 Examples 161 Selecting all of the SuperStack 3 Switch 4400 Devices in the Network 161 Viewing all of the Physical Connections for a Router 164 Focusing in on a Set of Devices in the Map 166 Adding a Link between Map Items from Different Submaps 169 Adding a New Device on Your Network Into the Map 171 Useful Information and References 174 Graphical Support for Specific Device Types 174 NBX Network Telephony Solution 174 3Com Switch 4007 174 3Com Wireless Access Points 174 Files Associated with Saved Maps 175

VIEWING DEVICE DETAILS Overview 177 Key Concepts 178 Items Supported by the Properties Dialog Box

178

Components 178 Launching the Properties Dialog Box 178 Structure of the Properties Dialog Box 179 The Tabbed Pane 179 The Device Tree 181 Properties Dialog Box for a Node 183 Properties Dialog Box for a Supported Device 184 Supported Device (Stack or Chassis) 185 Supported Device (Single Unit) 186 Properties Dialog Box for an Unsupported Device 186 Properties Dialog Box for an End station 187 Properties Dialog Box for a Phone 188 Properties Dialog Box for a Subnet 190 Properties Dialog Box for a Device Group 190 Properties Dialog Box for a Cloud 191 Properties Dialog Box for a Link 192 Properties Dialog Box for a Link 193 Properties Dialog Box for a Layer-3 Connection 194 Properties Dialog Box for a Multiple Selection 195 Applying Changes to Devices Using the Properties Dialog Box 197 This section describes how you can apply changes to items with the Properties dialog box. 197 Changing the Custom Name 197 Setting the IP Address for a Manually Added Device 198 Setting the Port Numbers for a Manually Added Link 200 Changing the Community Strings for a Device 201 Examples 205 Key Considerations 208 Troubleshooting 208

MONITORING THE NETWORK Overview 211 Key Concepts 211 Monitor 211 Monitoring and Event Generation 212 Monitoring State 212 Monitoring State and the Grouped View

214

Monitoring Techniques 214 IP Ping Monitoring 215 SNMP MIB Data Retrieval 215 Service Polling 216 SNMP Trap Receipt 216 Monitor-able Items 217 Monitoring Non-3Com Devices 217 Link Monitoring 217 Components 218 Live Graphs Window 218 Poll Rates 219 Live Graphs Tree 219 Live Graphs Display 220 Displaying Thresholds 220 Live Graphs Toolbar 222 Live Graphs Menu 222 More Detail Dialog Box 223 Configuration 225 Starting and Stopping Monitoring 225 Disabling and Enabling Individual Monitors 226 Controlling Event Generation from Monitors 227 Registering 3Com Network Supervisor as an SNMP Trap Destination 227 Examples 228 Enabling Monitoring on the Core Devices in the Map 228 Disabling Monitoring on the Whole Network 229 Key Considerations 229 Text Displayed in Graphs 229 Problems Starting Monitoring for a Device or Link 230

THE EVENT LOG Overview 233 Key Concepts 233 Events 233 Event Types 234 Monitor-Based Events 234 SNMP Trap-Based Events 234

3Com Network Supervisor Internal Events 235 Event Severities 235 Information Severity 235 Warning Severity 235 High Severity Events 235 Critical Severity 236 Recurring Severity 236 Event Severity Colors 236 Event Resolution 236 Event Correlation 237 Recurring Event Handling 237 Event Suppression 238 SNMP Trap Filtering 238 Alerts 238 Events List Components 239 Launching the Events Window 239 Events Main Window 240 Events List 241 Events Toolbar 242 Events Menu 243 Status Bars 245 Working With Events 246 Navigating to Event Sources in the Map 246 Commenting on Events 246 Manually Resolving Events 247 Deleting Events 248 Refreshing the Events List 249 Exporting the Events List to a CSV Format File 250 Printing the Events List 251 Find Dialog Box 251 Filter Dialog Box 252 Name Filter 253 Show only voice related events Filter 254 Severity Filter 255 Last number of days Filter 255 Resolved Filter 255 Deleted Events Filter 256 Description Filter 256

Comment Filter 256 Filter Status Bar 257 More Detail Dialog Box 257 Event Tab 258 Event System Configuration 259 Disabling and Enabling Events 259 Disabled Events Dialog Box 260 Selecting Items 261 Controlling How Events are Logged 262 Setting Thresholds for Monitor-Based Events 262 High and Warning Thresholds 263 Launching the Threshold Settings Dialog Box 263 Threshold Settings Dialog Box 263 Managing Event Ageing 266 Ageing Dialog Box 267 Alert System Components 269 Alerts System Overview 269 Configure Alerts Dialog Box 269 Attaching Alerts to Items 270 Configure Global Alerts Dialog Box 271 Enabling Global Alerts 272 If you enable a Sound alert then the alertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s action will only be successfully performed if you have a correctly configured sound card and suitable speakers or headphones on the PC running 3Com Network Supervisor. 273 Configuring Alerts 273 Launching Alerts When Events are Resolved 275 Examples 277 Viewing the Unresolved Events for a Subnet 277 Exporting High Severity Events Generated in the Last Week 277 Undeleting an Event 279 Receiving Notification When A Server Farm Is Unreachable 282 Key Considerations 286 No Events in the Events List 286 Events List Update Was Stopped 286 Filter Has Excluded All Events 287

CREATING REPORTS Overviews 289 Key Concepts 290 Selection-sensitive 290 Feature Reports Types 290 Device Report History - Restriction 290 Custom Report Types 291 Reports History 291 Export to CSV 291 Components 291 Inventory Report 292 Capacity Report 292 Topology Report 292 Free ports Report 293 Reports Dialog Box 293 Generate Report Tab 294 History Tab 295 Custom Report Types Dialog Box 297 Add/Edit Report Type Wizard 298 Columns Step 298 Name and Description Step 302 Summary Step 302 Examples 303 Assessing Network Expansion Capability 303 Ensuring Stacks are Running the Same Agent Version Key Considerations 305 Report Information Out-of-Date 305 Disk Usage 305 Generate Report not Working 306

CONFIGURING SINGLE DEVICES Overview 307 Key Concepts 307 Web Management 307 Telnet Management 308 SSH Management 308 Administration Menu 308

304

Network Jack Configuration Manager 308 Properties Dialog Box 309 General 309 Addresses 310 SNMP 311 Registering Devices for Warranty 312 Components 312 Device Warranty Dialog Box 312 Device Warranty Wizard 313 Introduction Step 314 Contact Details Step 315 Partner/Reseller Details Step 315 Device Selection Step 317 Summary Step 318 Connection to the 3Com Server 319 What Data is Sent to the 3Com server 319 Reports 320 Device Warranty 320 Examples 322 Renaming a Switch 4007 using Telnet 322 Disabling a Port on a Switch 4400 using the Web Interface 322 Registering 3Com Devices for Warranty 322 Key Considerations 324 Troubleshooting 324 The Device Warranty dialog box is not displayed after a Network Discovery 324 3Com Network Supervisor lists some devices as unregistered, although you have already registered them on the 3Com website 325 Frequently Asked Questions 325 Why are some registered devices missing from the email? 325 Why is there no warranty associated with some of the devices in the email? 325

PRIORITIZING NETWORK TRAFFIC Overview 327 Key Concepts 328 Classification 328 Marking 329

Queuing 331 Dropping 333 Service Levels 333 Configuring the Network for End-to-end Traffic Prioritization 334 Components 335 Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard 335 Configuration Type Step 336 NBX Step 337 Servers Step 339 Applications Step 340 Application Field Values 341 Finish Step and Progress 342 Prioritization Reports 342 Agent Upgrades Required for Prioritization report 342 Network Prioritization Report 343 Prioritization Configuration Report 343 Examples 344 Applying an Existing Configuration to New Devices 344 Prioritizing NBX Voice Traffic 345 Prioritizing Traffic To and From a SAP Server 346 Blocking Access to a Streaming Audio Server 348 Prioritizing a Video Conferencing Application 349 Restricting Access to SNMP 352 Useful Information and References 356 User Priority Field 356 DiffServ Codepoint Field 357 Determining Field Values for Applications 358 3Com Network Supervisor Classifier Rules for NBX Phone Traffic 358 3Com Network Supervisor Service Levels 359 Configuration Levels for Supported 3Com Devices 359 Key Considerations 361 Resource Warnings 361 Why Errors Can Occur When Adding a Server 363 Potential Hazards When Blocking Traffic To and From Servers 363 Servers That Cannot be Selected for Blocking 364 Potential Hazards of Blocking Application Traffic 365 Potential Hazards of Blocking SNMP, HTTP and Telnet 366

NBX SUPPORT Overview 367 Key Concepts 367 How 3Com Network Supervisor Discovers the Phone Network 368 How 3Com Network Supervisor Represents the Phone Network Icons 368 NBX Call Processor 369 Line Cards 369 Analog Terminal Adapter and Analog Terminal Card 369 NBX Phones and Attendant Consoles 370 NBX Applications 370 How 3Com Network Supervisor Monitors the Phone Network 370 Components 371 Discovering the NBX Voice Network 371 NBX Voice Network Step 371 NBX Call Processors Step 371 Add NBX Call Processor/Modify NBX Call Processor 373 Properties dialog box 374 Monitoring the Phone Network 375 Monitoring the NBX Call Processor 375 Monitoring a Phone 375 Monitoring a Line Card 376 Understanding Voice-related 3Com Network Supervisor Events 376 Events related to the NBX Call Processor 377 Events related to phones 377 Events related to other links or devices on the network 377 Examples 377 Discovering Several NBX Call Processors Simultaneously 377 Receiving an Alert when my Phones Stop Working 378 Useful Information and References 379 NBX system 379 NBX Call Processor 379 NBX NetSet 379 Key Considerations 380 Troubleshooting 380 The phones are not shown on the map, although there is a NBX Call Processor 380 The display of end stations in the map has been disabled 380

The wrong username/password was specified for the NBX Call Processor 381 There is a problem with the HTTP service for the NBX Call Processor 382 The NBX Call Processor stopped responding during the network discovery 382 Frequently Asked Questions 383 Why are there a lot of unconnected phones on the map? 383 The phone was removed from the network 383 The phone cannot be reached 383 The network device the phone is connected to has not been discovered 384 Why are some phones on the map showing the user name, while others show the extension number? 384 How do I change the label of a phone or line card? 385

LIVE UPDATE Overview 387 Key Concepts 388 Connection Type 388 Service Packs 388 Live Update Engine 388 Components 389 Live Update Setup Wizard 389 Connection Type Step 389 Use Custom Settings Step 390 Summary Step 391 Live Update Select File Groups Dialog Box 393 Status 394 Table of Available Updates 395 File Group Details 395 Select File Group - Group Name 396 Download Progress 397 Changing the Download Settings 398 Live Update Activity Report 401 Examples 402 Ensuring 3Com Devices are Supported 402 Updating the Connection Information 403

Solution 1 - Automatic Configuration using the Live Update Setup Wizard 404 Solution 2 - Manual Configuration using the Options Dialog Box 405 Useful Information and References 406 Proxy Server 406 Key Considerations 406 The Proxy Settings are not Retrieved 406 Not Enough Space on the Disk 407

OBTAINING SUPPORT FOR YOUR PRODUCT Register Your Product to Gain Service Benefits 409 Purchase Value-Added Services 409 Troubleshoot Online 409 Access Software Downloads 410 Contact Us 410 Telephone Technical Support and Repair 410

B SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Operating System 413 Web Browser 413 Additional Software Required Hardware 414

413

C REPORT EXAMPLES Overview 415 Discovery Report 416 Discovery Report Example 416 Discovery Report Example Content 417 Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report 419 Spanning Tree Fast Start 419 XRN Fabric 419 Configure aggregated links using LACP 419 Web Cache Redirection 420 Misconfiguration and Optimization Reports 420 Limitations 428

Webcache Redirection and VLANs 428 Redirection on the Cache Port (49XX) 428 Webcache Software Releases 429 Restarting Webcache Traffic Server 429

ADDING TRAP DECODES

ADDING MAC ADDRESS VENDOR TRANSLATIONS

INTEGRATING AN SSH CLIENT INDEX 3COM END USER SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

This guide is intended for use by those responsible for installing, setting up and managing a network; consequently, it assumes a working knowledge of networks and network management systems. If the Release Notes provided with this 3Com Network Supervisor User Guide contain details that differ from the information in this guide, follow the information in the release notes. Most 3Com user guides are available in Adobe Acrobat Reader Portable Document Format (PDF) or HTML on the 3Com World Wide Web site: http://www.3com.com/

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Conventions

Table 1 and Table 2 list conventions that are used throughout this guide. Table 1 Notice Icons Icon

Notice Type

Description

Information note

Information that describes important features or instructions.

Caution

Information that alerts you to potential loss of data or potential damage to an application, system, or device.

Warning

Information that alerts you to potential personal injury.

Table 2 Text Conventions Convention Screen displays Syntax

Description This typeface represents information as it appears on the screen. The word “syntax” means that you must evaluate the syntax provided and then supply the appropriate values for the placeholders that appear in angle brackets. Example: To change your password, use the following syntax: system password <password>

Commands

In this example, you must supply a password for <password>. The word “command” means that you must enter the command exactly as shown and then press Return or Enter. Commands appear in bold. Example: To display port information, enter the following command:

The words “enter” and “type” Keyboard key names

bridge port detail When you see the word “enter” in this guide, you must type something, and then press Return or Enter. Do not press Return or Enter when an instruction simply says “type.” If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the key names are linked with a plus sign (+). Example: Press Ctrl+Alt+Del

Feedback about this User Guide

Table 2 Text Conventions (continued) Convention Words in italics

Description Italics are used to: ■ ■

■

Emphasize a point. Denote a new term at the place where it is defined in the text. Identify menu names, menu commands, and software button names. Examples: From the Help menu, select Contents. Click OK.

Feedback about this User Guide

Your suggestions are very important to us. They will help make our documentation more useful to you. Please e-mail comments about this document to 3Com at: pddtechpubs_comments@3com.com Please include the following information when commenting: ■

Document title

■

Part number

■

Page number (if appropriate)

Example: ■

3Com Network Supervisor User Guide

■

Part No. DUA15100-EAAA02

■

Page 21

Do not use this email address for technical support questions. For information about contacting Technical Support, please refer to Appendix A on page 409.

Related Documentation

In addition to this guide, 3Com Network Supervisor provides on-line help which can be accessed through the application.

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

1 Introduction

What is 3Com Network Supervisor

GETTING STARTED

This chapter contains introductory information about 3Com Network Supervisor, how to install and activate the application and a brief summary of all its major features. 3Com Network Supervisor is an easy-to-use application that allows you to manage and monitor your network. With 3Com Network Supervisor, you can: ■

Discover all devices on your network

■

View the network topology to show exactly how the network is configured

■

Monitor all devices on the network, including 3Com NBX® telephones and end stations

■

Be alerted wherever you are (for example by pager or SMS), if any problems occur

■

Pin-point the source of network problems through a powerful fault-correlation event engine

■

Automatically register all your 3Com devices for warranty in a single operation

3Com Network Supervisor also provides: ■

Powerful reporting capability for network asset auditing and identifying potential misconfigurations

For a list of supported devices, refer to the Supported Device PDF supplied with 3Com Network Supervisor.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

Installation

Double-click your downloaded 3com_network_supervisor_v5_0.exe file to begin the installation process. Once the installation has started (as shown in Figure 1), please follow the steps in the installation wizard. Figure 1 InstallShield Wizard

Activation

Once you have installed 3Com Network Supervisor, you will have a 60-day evaluation period within which to activate your software. When you launch 3Com Network Supervisor for the first time the Activate Now dialog will be displayed as shown in Figure 2:

Getting Started

Figure 2 Activate Now Dialog

To activate your software: 1 Click Get Activation Key. 3Com Network Supervisor will direct you to a 3Com activation website to retrieve your activation key. 2 Once you have your activation key, enter it into the Activation Key text box and click OK to complete the activation process. If you are upgrading to Network Supervisor v5.1 from an activated copy of Network Supervisor v5.0, you will not need to reactivate Network Supervisor following the upgrade. Network Supervisor v5.1 will retain the activated status from your existing installation. However, if you are upgrading from an earlier version of Network Supervisor, you will have to reactivate Network Supervisor following the upgrade. For more information, please refer to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Product Activationâ&#x20AC;? on page 33.

Getting Started

This section details the operations you need to perform before you can start using 3Com Network Supervisor with your 3Com devices.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

When you first run 3Com Network Supervisor, a Welcome dialog is displayed which enables you to:

Creating a New Network Map

■

Create a new network map

■

Open an existing map

■

Open the last map you were using

To create a new map, select Create a new network map and click OK to launch the Network Discovery wizard. Follow the steps in the wizard to initiate discovery of your network as follows: Discovery Type Step You can choose whether you want to: ■

Discover your local IP subnet

■

Discover all subnets connected to your default router

■

Discover one or more specific routers

Specify Subnets Step If you have chosen to discover specific subnets, enter their details here. Monitor Core Devices and Links Step You can choose whether you want 3Com Network Supervisor to monitor the status of your network after it has been discovered. If you select No, you can enable monitoring at any time after discovery is complete. Community Strings Step You can enter any non-default SNMP community strings used by your network devices. 3Com Network Supervisor needs to read SNMP information from your network devices in order to successfully create your network map. 3Com Network Supervisor also needs to write to some devices in order to determine network topology accurately. NBX Voice Network Step Select Yes, if you have a 3Com NBX voice solution on your network.

Getting Started

NBX Call Processors Step Enter the details for any NBX Call Processors on your network. 3Com Network Supervisor needs to read HTML information from your NBX Call Processors in order to accurately discover and represent telephony equipment on your network. Summary Step Use this step to check that all the options you have selected are correct. For detailed help in stepping through the wizard, see “The Network Discovery Wizard” on page 75. Click Finish to initiate your network discovery. For detailed help in understanding the steps that 3Com Network Supervisor goes through to discover your network see “The Network Discovery Progress Dialog Box” on page 87. The Network Discovery Summary dialog box is automatically displayed when the discovery process is complete. Click OK to view your network map or any of the four View Report... buttons for more information on the network discovery operation. The Network Changes Report button is only displayed when it is applicable, so often there will only be three buttons visible. See “Network Discovery Summary dialog box” on page 88 for more information on the reports that 3Com Network Supervisor generates on a network discovery. Now that you have discovered your network, you can use 3Com Network Supervisor to monitor and manage your network devices. Coexistence with other Network Management Applications

You cannot install 3Com Network Supervisor on a PC which has 3Com Network Director or 3Com Network Administrator installed. If you already have either of these applications installed on your PC, please uninstall them before installing 3Com Network Supervisor, or install 3Com Network Supervisor on a different PC.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

Upgrading from earlier versions of 3Com Network Supervisor

3Com Network Supervisor v5.1 can be installed over 3Com Network Supervisor v5.0, and all files will be upgraded for use with 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1. 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1 can be installed over earlier versions of 3Com Network Supervisor, and all files will be upgraded for use with 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1, but with the following restrictions: ■

All stress monitoring will initially be disabled

■

Any manually disabled stress monitors will be re-enabled

■

Any manually adjusted thresholds will be reset to default values

■

All alert attachments will be removed from devices and links (the alert templates themselves will be preserved)

■

Information shown in the Properties dialog against a device or link may be incomplete

■

Saved event logs from earlier versions of 3Com Network Supervisor ("<Mapname Events>.mdb" files) are not compatible with 3Com Network Supervisor v5.0. 3Com Network Supervisor v5.0 uses a new event log file format and file extension ("<Mapname> Events.edb"). When you load maps saved using earlier versions of 3Com Network Supervisor into v5.0, the event log will initially be empty.

To avoid these problems, it is strongly recommended that you rediscover your network using 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1. If you save an upgraded map from within 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1, you will be unable to subsequently load it back into an older version of 3Com Network Supervisor. 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1 can be used to upgrade from: ■

3Com Network Supervisor v5.0 (any Service Pack level) - with no restrictions

■

3Com Network Supervisor v4.0 (any Service Pack level) - but with the restrictions listed above

■

3Com Network Supervisor v3.5 (any Service Pack level) - but with the restrictions listed above

Older versions of 3Com Network Supervisor are not supported.

Main Features

After you upgrade to 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1, do not attempt to reinstall any Service Packs that you may have downloaded for your older version of 3Com Network Supervisor. 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1 includes all functionality and bugfixes present in Service Packs for older versions of 3Com Network Supervisor. Advanced Package compatibility 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1 is not compatible with Advanced Package v1.0 or Advanced Package v2.0. If you upgrade from an installed Advanced Package to 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1, you will lose your Advanced Package features. If you have Advanced Package v1.0 or v2.0, 3Com strongly recommends that you upgrade to 3Com Network Director, which offers all the features contained in your Advanced Package, and much more. A discount is available for registered owners of Advanced Package v2.0 who wish to upgrade to 3Com Network Director. For more information please visit http://www.3Com.com/3ndupgrade.

Main Features

Main Window

This section outlines the main features in 3Com Network Supervisor, with references to the relevant chapters where each feature is described in more detail. The map and tree within the Main Window provide the main interface for viewing and managing your network. You can choose to view your network in several different ways, show the current health of monitored devices and links within your network and act as a launching point for many of the tools available within 3Com Network Supervisor. The Main Window also contains the main menu, toolbar and status bar of 3Com Network Supervisor. For more information, see “Main Window” on page 39.

Network Discovery

The Network Discovery process allows 3Com Network Supervisor to discover, topologise and map all devices in your network. Using the Network Discovery wizard, you can specify exactly which parts of your network you want to discover. For more information, see “Discovering the Network” on page 57.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

Network Monitoring

3Com Network Supervisor can actively or passively monitor your network for abnormal conditions which may indicate problems and will alert you when a problem is detected. You can also provide control over exactly how 3Com Network Supervisor monitors your network and over what conditions should cause an event to be logged. For more information, see “Monitoring the Network” on page 211.

The Event System

The 3Com Network Supervisor Event System provides a constantly updated log of activity on your network and can be used to view and take action on abnormal network conditions before they cause problems. The event system offers filtering tools to allow you to view only events of interest. For more information, see “The Event Log” on page 233.

Traffic Prioritization

Many 3Com devices have traffic prioritization (or quality of service) features. 3Com Network Supervisor provides the Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard to simplify the configuration of these devices. Using the wizard, you can choose to prioritize or block specific servers or traffic types. To provide an end-to-end quality of service, your configuration can be applied to all supported 3Com devices. For more information, see “Prioritizing Network Traffic” on page 327.

Reporting

The Reporting facility enables you to retrieve stored information about your 3Com devices. Many of the features in 3Com Network Supervisor have their own reports but there are other, general purpose reports which give you different views of your 3Com devices. You can also create your own reports using the Custom Report facility. For more information, see “Creating Reports” on page 289.

Live Update

The Live Update feature keeps your copy of 3Com Network Supervisor up-to-date with the latest device support and fixes. You can view and download updates specifically for your copy of 3Com Network Supervisor. In addition, 3Com Product News is also available from Live Update to keep you informed with what is happening at 3Com.

Main Features

For more information, see “Live Update” on page 387.

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED

2 Introduction

PRODUCT ACTIVATION

3Com Network Supervisor uses an activation system which allows you to use your copy of the software beyond the evaluation period. This chapter describes how to activate 3Com Network Supervisor. Once you have installed 3Com Network Supervisor, you can use it for an evaluation period of up to 60 days without activating it. During this time, you have the opportunity to activate the product each time you launch it. It is important that you activate 3Com Network Supervisor. This removes the evaluation period and allows you unrestricted access to the product. Activation also starts the product’s warranty period, entitling you to customer support for 3Com Network Supervisor for the duration of the warranty. You can also decide to receive important update information relating to both this and other associated products. If you are upgrading to Network Supervisor v5.1 from an activated copy of Network Supervisor v5.0, you will not need to reactivate Network Supervisor following the upgrade. Network Supervisor v5.1 will retain the activated status from your existing installation. However, if you are upgrading from an earlier version of Network Supervisor, you will have to reactivate Network Supervisor following the upgrade. This chapter covers the following topics: ■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

■

Useful Information and References

■

Key Considerations

CHAPTER 2: PRODUCT ACTIVATION

Key Concepts

3Com Network Supervisor uses the following information in the activation process: ■

The Serial Number — 3Com Network Supervisor automatically generates this number when it is first installed.

■

The Product Number — the part number of your software, which starts with ‘3C’. The part number for 3Com Network Supervisor v5.1 is 3C15100E.

■

The Activation Key — the key returned from the 3Com registration site. Type this key into the Activate Now dialog to complete the activation process.

3Com Network Supervisor provides an Activate Now dialog which allows you to activate the product.

Components

About Dialog

The following section describes how to activate 3Com Network Supervisor. 3Com Network Supervisor’s About dialog is used to display general information relating to the product, such as the name, product number, serial number and activation state. You can launch the About dialog by selecting the menu option Help > About 3Com Network Supervisor.

Activate Now dialog

The Activate Now dialog allows you to activate 3Com Network Supervisor. The dialog can be launched by clicking Help > Activate Now from the top level menu. When the evaluation period has expired, most menu options are disabled. However, you can still activate the product using the Help > Activate Now menu option. The dialog already knows the product number and serial number so you do not need to type them in. To obtain the activation key for this copy of 3Com Network Supervisor, click Get Activation Key. This launches your default web browser, which displays the 3Com registration web site.

Components

3Com Network Supervisor sends the serial number and product number for you. Follow the instructions on the web site to complete the product registration process. Once registration is complete, the web site displays your activation key. You will also be sent a copy of this key via e-mail. If you prefer, you can register your product manually at: http://www.3com.com/register

However, 3Com recommends that you use the Activate Now dialog. Enter the activation key you receive from the 3Com web site by typing or copying it in to the Activation Key text box and clicking OK in the Activate Now dialog as shown in Figure 3: Figure 3 Activate Now dialog

CHAPTER 2: PRODUCT ACTIVATION

Examples

The following section provides an example of how you might use the Activation process. Activating 3Com Network Supervisor You have installed 3Com Network Supervisor on your computer and you want to activate it. 1 Start 3Com Network Supervisor. The Activate Now dialog will appear, showing the number of days remaining in the evaluation period. 2 Click Get Activation Key. Your default web browser is launched which automatically directs you to the 3Com registration site. If the wizard fails to launch your web browser, you can go directly to 3Com’s registration system by opening your preferred web browser and entering the following URL into the browser’s address bar: http://www.3com.com/register

3 Follow the instructions on the registration site to complete the registration of the product and obtain the activation key. 3Com will also send you a copy of your activation key via e-mail. 4 Enter the activation key in the Activation Key text box to activate the product.

Useful Information and References

The following section provides useful information and references when activating 3Com Network Supervisor. Where can I find the product number for 3Com Network Supervisor? The product number for 3Com Network Supervisor is found on the product’s packaging and is also displayed in the About 3Com Network Supervisor dialog. To launch the About dialog, select Help > About 3Com Network Supervisor from the menu on the main window. Refer to Finding the Product Version on page 55 for more information. Where can I find the serial number for 3Com Network Supervisor? The serial number for your copy of 3Com Network Supervisor is displayed in the About 3Com Network Supervisor dialog. Refer to Finding the Serial Number and Activation Key on page 56 for more information.

Key Considerations

The following section contains troubleshooting information when activating 3Com Network Supervisor. What if I lose my Activation Key after registration? You can re-register your copy of 3Com Network Supervisor to obtain your activation key again. You will also receive an e-mail confirmation of your activation key. When you are re-registering the product, it is very important to enter exactly the same user and product information during the original registration. This includes the username, product number and serial number. Entering different information may result in the registration begin rejected. If I re-install the product after it has been activated, do I need to activate it again? No - the product activation information is stored on your computer and will remain intact following de-installation and re-installation. If I upgrade to Network Supervisor v5.1 from an earlier, activated version of Network Supervisor, do I need to activate it again? If you upgrade from Network Supervisor v5.0, you will not need to activate Network Supervisor again - Network Supervisor v5.1 will retain the activated status from your existing v5.0 installation. If you upgrade from Network Supervisor v4.0 or earlier, you will need to activate Network Supervisor v5.1. Why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I log in to the 3Com support web site? If you experience difficulties logging in to the 3Com support web site, please check your web browser settings to ensure that cookies are enabled. You may also want to check with your system administrator that your siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s firewall settings permit web site cookies.

CHAPTER 2: PRODUCT ACTIVATION

3 Overview

MAIN WINDOW

This chapter describes the 3Com Network Supervisor main window. The main window provides access to all of the features in 3Com Network Supervisor. This chapter covers the following topics: ■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

CHAPTER 3: MAIN WINDOW

Key Concepts

Map Files

This section describes some 3Com Network Supervisor key concepts relating to the main window. 3Com Network Supervisor stores device and topology information in map files. Map files have the file extension.map. Only one map file may be open at any one time. Opening a new map file will close the current map file. Two other types of files are saved alongside map files. These files use the same name as the map file but have Events.mdb and .properties file extensions. These files are used internally by 3Com Network Supervisor. Although the presence of these files is not required to successfully load a map file, previously logged event information will not be available if the former is not present and some user-defined options may not be set if the latter is not present.

Components

The following section describes the features of the main window and describes the operations you can perform from this window. Map

The map provides a graphical representation of the topology of your network. The map is covered in more detail in “Working with the Map” on page 105.

Tree

The tree displays the devices within your network grouped by subnet and device group. The tree, subnets and device groups are covered in more detail in “Working with the Map” on page 105.

Toolbar

The toolbar provides access to the most commonly used map navigation and administration tools. Some items in the toolbar are not always applicable. When this is the case, the toolbar button is grayed out. Hovering the mouse cursor over a button in the toolbar causes a tooltip for that button to be displayed. The tooltip describes the operation associated with the button. The operations provided by the toolbar buttons are equivalent to their corresponding menu items. For more information see “Main Menu” on page 42.

Status Bar

The status bar provides detailed information about items within the map and tree, as well as providing a location for minimized progress dialog boxes, such as the Network Discovery Progress dialog box. The status bar provides information on the current selection as follows: ■

For a selected map item the text displayed is: Selected <map item type> “<map item label>”

For example, if you were to select a router that had the label test, the text displayed would be: Selected Router “test” ■

For a selected link the text displayed is: Selected Link from <map item type> ”<map item label>” to <map item type> ”<map item label>”

CHAPTER 3: MAIN WINDOW

For example, if you were to select a link that connected a router with the label test to a router with the label test2, the text displayed would be: Selected Link from Router ”test”to Router ”test2” ■

For multiple selections in the map or tree the text displayed is: Selected Multiple Items

The status bar also provides detailed information about a menu item when it is highlighted. Main Menu

File

The following tables list each menu item for a given main menu and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 3 lists each menu item for the File menu and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 3 File Menu Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

File > New

Ctrl+N

Creates a new empty map file and launches the Network Discovery wizard. Prompts for a save if the current map has changed. For more information see “Saving and Opening Maps” on page 157.

File > Open

Ctrl+O

Opens an existing map file. Prompts for a save if the current map has changed. See “Saving and Opening Maps” on page 157 for more information.

File > Save

Ctrl+S

Saves the current map file. Prompts for a filename if the map has not been saved previously. See “Saving and Opening Maps” on page 157 for more information.

File > Save As

File > Print

Saves the current map file using a specified name. See “Saving and Opening Maps” on page 157 for more information. Ctrl+P

Prints the current contents of the map. See on “Printing the Map” on page 160 for more information.

Components

Menu Item

Hot Key

File > Most Recently Used File List

Operation Opens the map selected from the Most Recently Used File List. See “Saving and Opening Maps” on page 157 for more information.

File > Exit

Edit

Exits 3Com Network Supervisor. Prompts for a save if the current map has changed. For more information see “File > Exit Menu Option” on page 49.

Table 4 lists each menu item for the Edit menu and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 4 Edit Menu Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Edit > Add Map Item

Launches the Add Map Item dialog box. This dialog box allows you to add new devices and clouds to the map. See “Manually Modifying the Map Contents” on page 154 for more information.

Edit > Add Link

Links the two map items currently selected. See “Linking Items in the Map” on page 156 for more information.

Edit > Delete

Ctrl+Delete

Deletes the selected map item or link. See “Deleting Items from the Map” on page 156 for more information.

Edit > Grouping > Group Devices

Ctrl+G

Groups the selected map items together into a single logical group. See “Device Groups” on page 124 for more information.

Edit > Grouping > Move Devices to Group

Ctrl+M

Moves the selected devices to an existing device group. See “Device Groups” on page 124 for more information.

Edit > Grouping > Ungroup Devices

Ungroups the selected device group. See “Device Groups” on page 124 for more information.

CHAPTER 3: MAIN WINDOW

Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Edit > Find

Ctrl+F

Launches the Find dialog box. This dialog box allows you to find items in the map by various attributes, such as Name, IP or MAC address. See “Finding Items on Your Network”on page 145 for more information.

Edit > Select All

Ctrl+A

Selects all map items in the currently viewed submap. See “Selecting Items in the Map and Tree” on page 133 for more information.

Edit > Select All Core Devices

View

Selects all core infrastructure devices in the map. See “Selecting Items in the Map and Tree” on page 133 for more information.

Table 5 lists each menu item for the View menu and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 5 View Menu Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

View > Show Toolbar

Toggles whether the toolbar is displayed or not. For more information see “View > Show Toolbar Menu Option” on page 50.

View > Show End Stations

Toggles whether end stations are displayed in the map or not. See “Devices” on page 112 for more information.

View > Show Undiscovered Subnets

Toggles whether undiscovered subnets are displayed in the map or not. See “Undiscovered Subnets” on page 122 for more information.

View > Annotate Aggregated Links

Toggles whether the link annotations for aggregated links are displayed in the map or not. See “Physical Link Annotations” on page 117 for more information.

View > Annotate Duplex Mode

Toggles whether the link annotations for link duplex modes are displayed in the map or not. See “Physical Link Annotations” on page 117 for more information.

Components

Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

View > Annotate Resilient Links

Toggles whether the link annotations for resilient links are displayed in the map or not. See “Physical Link Annotations” on page 117 for more information.

View > Group Map by Subnet

Toggles whether devices in the map are grouped by subnet or not. See “The Grouped Network View ” on page 110 and “The Ungrouped Network View ” on page 112 for more information.

View > Labels > Custom Name

Selects the display of the Custom Name label for map items in the tree and map. See “Map Item Labels and Address Translation” on page 128 for more information.

View > Labels > User Name

Selects the display of the User Name label for map items in the tree and map. See “Map Item Labels and Address Translation” on page 128 for more information.

View > Labels > DNS Name

Selects the display of the DNS Name label for map items in the tree and map. See “Map Item Labels and Address Translation” on page 128 for more information.

View > Labels > System Name

Selects the display of the System Name label for map items in the tree and map. See “Map Item Labels and Address Translation” on page 128 for more information.

View > Labels > IP Address

Selects the display of the IP Address label for map items in the tree and map. See “Map Item Labels and Address Translation” on page 128 for more information.

View > Labels > MAC Address

Selects the display of the MAC Address label for map items in the tree and map. See “Map Item Labels and Address Translation” on page 128 for more information.

View > Relayout Map

Performs an automatic relayout of the map items in the currently viewed submap. See “Automatic Relayout of Maps” on page 153 for more information.

CHAPTER 3: MAIN WINDOW

Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

View > Go Up

Ctrl+Up

Navigates to the parent submap of the currently visible submap when you are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

View > Enter Submap

Ctrl+Down

Navigates to the submap associated with the currently selected subnet or device group. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

View > Zoom > Zoom in

Ctrl+Page Down

Zooms in towards the map, centering the current selection in the display if applicable. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

View > Zoom > Zoom out

Ctrl+Page Up

Zooms out from the map. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

View > Zoom > Fit to page

Device

Centers the map on the display and zooms in or out as necessary so that the entire map is visible in the display. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

Table 6 lists each menu item for the Device menu and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 6 Device Menu Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Device > Web Management

Launches the web interface for the selected device. See “Web Management” on page 307 for more information.

Device > Telnet Management

Launches the Telnet management interface for the selected device. See “Telnet Management”on page 308 for more information.

Device > Administration >

Launches 3Com Network Jack Configuration Manager for the selected device. See “Network Jack Configuration Manager” on page 308 for more information.

Network Jack Configuration

Device > Properties

Launches the Properties dialog box for the selected items. See “Viewing Device Details” on page 177 for more information.

Components

Monitoring

Table 7 lists each menu item for the Monitoring menu and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 7 Monitoring Menu Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Monitoring > Start Monitoring

Starts the monitoring of the selected items by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

Monitoring > Stop Monitoring

Stops the monitoring of the selected items by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

Monitoring > What’s Wrong

Launches, or brings to the front, an instance of the Events window filtered to show unresolved events for the selected items only. See “Viewing Unresolved Events for a Selection:” on page 240 for more information.

Monitoring > Live Graphs

Launches the Live Graphs window for the selected item. See “Live Graphs Menu” on page 222 for more information.

CHAPTER 3: MAIN WINDOW

Alerts/Events

Table 8 lists each menu item for the Alerts/Events menu and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 8 Alerts/Events Menu Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Alerts/Events > View Filtered Events

Launches, or brings to the front, an instance of the Events window, filtered to show events for the selected items only. See “Events List Components” on page 239 for more information.

Alerts/Events > All Events

Launches, or brings to the front, an unfiltered instance of the Events window. See “Events List Components” on page 239 for more information.

Alerts/Events > Configure Alerts for Selected Items

Launches the Configure Alerts dialog box for the selected items. See

“Configure Alerts Dialog Box” on page 269 for more information. Alerts/Events > Configure Global Alerts

Tools

Launches the Configure Global Alerts dialog box for the selected items. See “Configure Global Alerts Dialog Box” on page 271 for more information.

Table 9 lists each menu item for the Tools menu and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 9 Tools Menu Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Tools > Reports

Launches the Reports dialog box. See “Reports Dialog Box” on page 293 for more information.

Tools > Network Discovery

Launches the Network Discovery wizard for the selected subnets. See “The Network Discovery Wizard” on page 75 for more information.

Tools > Trace Path

Ctrl+T

Launches the Trace Path toolbar to show the possible physical paths between the two selected devices, or launches the Trace Path wizard if two devices are not selected. See “Trace Path” on page 141 for more information.

Components

Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Tools > Prioritize Network Traffic

Launches the Prioritize Network Traffic wizard for the selected devices. See “Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard” on page 335 for more information.

Tools > Live Update

Launches the Live Update wizard. See “Live Update Setup Wizard” on page 389 for more information.

Tools > Device Warranty

Ctrl+W

Tools > Options

Help

Launches the Device Warranty wizard. See “Device Warranty Wizard” on page 313 for more information. Launches the Options dialog box. See “Tools > Options Menu Option” on page 50 for more information.

Table 10 lists each menu item for the Help menu and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 10 Help Menu Menu Item

File > Exit Menu Option

Hot Key

Operation

Help > Contents and Index

Launches the online help. For more information see “Help > Contents and Index Menu Option” on page 54.

Help > Launch User Guide

Launches the user guide. For more information see “Help > Launch User Guide” on page 55

Help > Activate Now

Launches the Activation dialog box. For more information see “Activate Now dialog” on page 34.

Help > About 3Com Network Supervisor

Launches the About 3Com Network Supervisor dialog box. For more information see “Help > About 3Com Network Supervisor Menu Option” on page 55.

This operation closes 3Com Network Supervisor. The following message will be displayed if there are outstanding changes to the map that need to be saved:

CHAPTER 3: MAIN WINDOW

Figure 4 Exit Before Save Dialog Box

View > Show Toolbar Menu Option

This menu item toggles between a visible or hidden toolbar. If you find you do not use the toolbar, hiding it provides more space for the map and tree.

Tools > Options Menu Option

This menu item launches the Options dialog box, which is used to configure the default behavior of 3Com Network Supervisor. The Options dialog box consists of the following tabs: ■

General — default file locations and how the application should behave.

■

Device Management — options for managing devices in your map.

■

Internet — how 3Com Network Supervisor should connect to the Internet.

■

Alerts — options to launch alerts when events are resolved.

Any option set in the Options dialog box applies to all maps opened within 3Com Network Supervisor, not just the map that was open when the option was set. All options are automatically saved, and are retained for future use in 3Com Network Supervisor. General This tab, as shown in Figure 5, displays the following: ■

Default File Location — change the default location where map files are saved to a different location. Click Browse to choose the directory you want. If the path you enter does not exist, you are warned of this when you click OK. The default directory is: < 3Com Network Supervisor install dir>\maps\my_maps. See “Saving and Opening Maps” on page 157 for more information.

Components

Figure 5 General Tab

■

MAC Addresses — for any MAC address displayed, you can append the manufacturer’s name to the start by enabling the Translate MACs option. For example, 08-00-8F-xx-xx-xx becomes 3Com-xx-xx-xx. This option is disabled by default. See “Vendor Translation of MAC Addresses” on page 130 for more information.

■

Show the Live Update Setup Wizard next time — this option is enabled by default, See “Live Update Setup Wizard” on page 389 for more information.

■

Show the Device Warranty dialog box after a refresh operation — this is enabled by default. See “Device Warranty Dialog Box” on page 312 for more information.

■

Auto-expand product information banner on toolbar - this is enabled by default. Unchecking this option will prevent the product information banner on the toolbar from expanding when you hover the mouse over it.

CHAPTER 3: MAIN WINDOW

Device Management This tab allows you to change the management application that is launched when a device is double clicked in the list as shown in Figure 6. Figure 6 Device Management Tab

Choose from Web Management, which is the default, Telnet Management or Administration Application. If a device does not support the preferred Web Management application, Telnet is launched instead. For further information on the Device Management options see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Configuring Single Devicesâ&#x20AC;? on page 307.

Components

Internet This tab, as shown in Figure 7, allows you to set the following options: ■

Use Web browser settings — this is the default option. If your web browser uses a proxy server to access the Internet, 3Com Network Supervisor will use the same system.

Figure 7 Internet Tab

■

Direct connection to the Internet — use this option if your management station connects to the Internet directly through a Local Area Network, without using a proxy server.

■

Custom proxy settings — specify the address of the proxy server followed by the proxy port number. If your proxy server requires authentication click the My proxy server requires authentication checkbox and enter the username and password.

See “Live Update” on page 387 for more information.

CHAPTER 3: MAIN WINDOW

Alerts

This tab, as shown in “Alerts Tab”, allows you to specify whether 3Com Network Supervisor should launch alerts for resolved events. Figure 8 Alerts Tab

For further information, see “Launching Alerts When Events are Resolved” on page 275 Help > Contents and Index Menu Option

This launches the Contents and Index pages of the online help. The 3Com Network Supervisor online help system is a browser-based help system, and uses the default browser for displaying help. If you do not have a default browser configured on your system then 3Com Network Supervisor will be unable to launch the online help system.

Examples

Help > Launch User Guide

This launches the 3Com Network Supervisor User Guide. You must have a suitable PDF reader correctly installed on your PC in order to launch the user guide.

Help > About 3Com Network Supervisor Menu Option

When you launch 3Com Network Supervisor for the first time, the About dialog box is displayed. The dialog box shows the product name, product number, serial number and the major version number. Any service packs installed are also listed.

Examples Finding the Product Version

You have a query about an aspect of 3Com Network Supervisor functionality and want to contact 3Com support. The support engineer asks you for your 3Com Network Supervisor product version. 1 Launch the About dialog box using Help > About 3Com速 Network Supervisor: Figure 9 About Dialog Box

2 The product version number and service pack level are listed in the first line of the dialog box.

CHAPTER 3: MAIN WINDOW

Finding the Serial Number and Activation Key

You have a query about an aspect of 3Com Network Supervisor functionality and contact 3Com support. The support engineer asks you for your 3Com Network Supervisor serial number and activation key. 1 Launch the About dialog box using Help > About 3Com速 Network Supervisor: 2 The serial number is located on the second line of the dialog box. 3 The activation key is located on the third line of the dialog box. If you have not yet entered the activation key then the About dialog box will not display them, but will instead show the remaining evaluation period.

4 Overview

DISCOVERING THE NETWORK

This chapter describes how 3Com Network Supervisor discovers information about your network. Before you can use 3Com Network Supervisor to manage your network you must instruct it to perform a network discovery. This chapter explains the discovery process, and how to tailor it to work best on your network. It also describes any problems you may encounter with the discovery process and the steps you can take to overcome them. This chapter covers the following topics: ■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

■

Useful Information and References

■

Discovery Report Errors and Warnings

CHAPTER 4: DISCOVERING THE NETWORK

Key Concepts

The discovery process can be initiated in a number of ways detailed later in this chapter. This section explains the key concepts behind the discovery process itself. The process is divided into two distinct operations – detecting the devices that exist on the network (discovering devices), and subsequently establishing how they are physically connected together (determining topology). Both of these operations are divided further into several stages. The main concepts associated with these operations and associated stages are outlined in this section as follows:

The Discovery Process – Detecting Devices

■

How 3Com Network Supervisor discovers devices on the network

■

How 3Com Network Supervisor determines the network topology

■

How 3Com Network Supervisor re-discovers information about a network it already knows about

This operation determines which devices exist on one or more IP subnets. It also finds out more about each discovered device, such as its type and capabilities. The operation is initiated with a list of subnets to discover. Within each subnet 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to locate devices across one or more specific IP ranges. You can control the ranges of devices to be detected within each subnet, but the default behavior is to attempt the full range for each subnet. Fine-tuning the discovery process, including specifying subnet ranges, is described later in this chapter. The detecting devices part of the discovery process consists of a number of discrete stages: 1 IP Ping 2 Device Capability Detection 3 SNMP Type Detection 4 IP to MAC Resolution 5 End Station Type Recognition 6 Web Type Recognition 7 DNS Name Resolution 8 NBX Phone Detection 9 Device Sizing

Key Concepts

With the exception of the sizing stage (explained below), each of the stages runs sequentially, and the sequence is repeated for each subnet that is being discovered. The sizing stage runs once only, when all the other stages have been executed for all of the subnets being discovered. The purpose of each stage is described below: IP Ping In order to detect which IP nodes exist, this stage performs an IP Ping over the specified ranges of addresses for the subnet. If no ranges are specified, a default range is deduced from the subnet address and subnet mask of the subnet being discovered. This range excludes the subnet address itself (lowest address value) and the subnet broadcast address (highest address value). Device Capability Detection This stage is applied to each device that responded to a ping in the previous stage. Its purpose is to determine if a device supports certain network protocols. Specifically, these are: â&#x2013;

SNMP

â&#x2013;

HTTP

â&#x2013;

Telnet

The most detailed information is generally obtained from devices that support SNMP. For these devices 3Com Network Supervisor initially starts the communication using the read community string as originally specified in the Network Discovery wizard. Having successfully communicated using the read community string it then attempts communication using the write community string(s), again obtained from the Network Discovery wizard. While the write community string is not heavily used by the discovery process (except a small part of topology), it is used extensively by other features of 3Com Network Supervisor. Consequently, if the write community cannot be successfully determined, discovery will continue, but add a warning to the report provided at the end of discovery.

CHAPTER 4: DISCOVERING THE NETWORK

3Com Network Supervisor detects HTTP and Telnet capabilities by attempting to open a TCP connection to the device using ports 80 and 23 respectively. The purpose of this detection is to decide whether to enable the Web and Telnet menu options on the right-click menu. For certain 3Com devices additional information can be obtained using HTTP – see “Web Type Recognition” and “NBX Phone Detection” on page 61 SNMP Type Detection This stage only applies to devices that were found to support SNMP during the Device Capability Stage. 3Com Network Supervisor reads standard SNMP MIBs in order to determine additional information about each SNMP node, in particular the type of the device (based on MIB-II sysObjectID), its IP addresses and its MAC addresses. Where a device has multiple IP addresses that respond with the same information, e.g. list of MAC addresses, 3Com Network Supervisor ensures that it is represented as a single device on the map. Certain devices which have multiple IP addresses respond with different information. Initially they are detected as separate nodes, which 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to resolve in the sizing stage. If a router is detected when discovering a given subnet, that router information will be made available to any subsequent subnets included as part of the whole discovery operation. This ensures that the router is not interrogated more than once for the same information by several stages. IP to MAC Resolution This stage is responsible for obtaining the MAC addresses of non-SNMP nodes. For the local subnet, i.e. the one to which the 3Com Network Supervisor PC is attached, this is achieved by reading the ARP cache of the 3Com Network Supervisor PC. For remote subnets this is achieved by querying any routers that have been discovered on these subnets. This stage is not normally required for determining the MAC addresses of SNMP nodes, since that can be achieved in the SNMP type detection stage. It is important for 3Com Network Supervisor to determine the MAC addresses of nodes in order to be able to subsequently determine their position in the network topology. End Station Type Recognition This stage is responsible for attempting to determine the operating system type for devices that are IP-only or unrecognized (generic) SNMP.

Key Concepts

The end station stage attempts to determine an end stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s type by performing the following steps: 1 Attempting to start a Telnet session with the device and subsequently parse the Login banner if the Telnet service is supported. 2 Determining if the node is operating as a file server. This is achieved by attempting to connect to the device via TCP port 2049. 3 Determining if the node is operating as a print server. This is achieved by attempting to connect to the device via TCP port 515. 4 Using Microsoft Windows API calls to obtain the Windows operating system information, provided the node is a member of domain/workgroup. Web Type Recognition Certain 3Com devices have Web (HTTP) management interfaces but do not support SNMP. Some of these devices identify their type using a hidden tag in their home page. For devices that have been recognized as supporting HTTP but not supporting SNMP, 3Com Network Supervisor looks for this tag in order to recognize the device. DNS Name Resolution During this stage 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to retrieve a DNS name for each IP address that has been detected. 3Com Network Supervisor uses information from the Windows registry in order to establish potential DNS servers that exist. It then communicates with them directly making DNS queries using UDP. NBX Phone Detection This stage obtains detailed information about any Network Branch eXchange (NBX) devices that were discovered as part of the Web Type Recognition Stage. The Network Discovery wizard allows you to specify the IP addresses of individual NBX call processors (NCPs) on the network, and a separate username/password for each.

CHAPTER 4: DISCOVERING THE NETWORK

This stage is required because the NBX chassis and phones do not support SNMP. Many of the phones will not have IP addresses and consequently will not respond to a ping. The NBX chassis contains a non-visible Web page which 3Com Network Supervisor downloads using HTTP. The page provides 3Com Network Supervisor with a list of phones that are associated with that NBX chassis. This allows 3Com Network Supervisor to identify the existence of phones which would not normally be detected. NBX phones can be configured to work with or without an IP address. Those with just a MAC address will be added to the 3Com Network Supervisor map in the same subnet as the NBX chassis, i.e. the subnet currently being discovered. Those phones that additionally have an IP address are only added to the map if the subnet they belong to is discovered as part of the current discovery operation. Device Sizing During this final discovery stage further details are obtained about individual SNMP devices that have been discovered. This is done for devices which 3Com Network Supervisor knows how to interrogate further, often using proprietary MIBs. Sizing basically means obtaining detailed configuration information. Normally this includes determining: the number of units in a stack or number of modules in a chassis, their type and software version, the number and type of ports on each unit or module and their link status, the VLANs configured on the device. This stage is executed once only when all the other stages have been run on all of the desired subnets. The reason for this is that during the other discovery stages some IP addresses may have been discovered as separate devices, but it is desirable for 3Com Network Supervisor to display them as a single device on the map. Typically this applies to devices, with their own IP addresses, that can contain intelligent modules, also with their own IP addresses. In particular this applies to routing modules, since they tend to have IP addresses on subnets not known to the host device chassis or stack. By communicating with the chassis and its intelligent modules, 3Com Network Supervisor can deduce that they are physically part of the same chassis, and consequently merge them into a single device on the map.

Key Concepts

The Discovery Process â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Determining Topology

The second part of the discovery process is to determine the topology of a network, by establishing what links exist between the different devices that have been discovered. The operation determines how the devices discovered by the previous detecting devices operation are physically connected together. The topology process starts when all discovery operations have completed. The topology process is applied to one subnet (or more specifically multinet) at a time. 3Com Network Supervisor uses the term multinet to describe a situation where more than one subnet is attached to a single router port. This can result in devices on different subnets sharing the same switched infrastructure. Consequently, although devices may logically be on different subnets they may learn the MAC addresses of the devices on the other subnet(s) in their bridge tables. Switches learning the MAC addresses of other switches is an important concept in determining the network topology. The topology algorithm uses Bridge Forwarding Database (FDB) tables to determine on which ports a switch has learned the MAC addresses of other switches in the network. It uses the information of switch ports that have learned the addresses of other switches in order to build a tree of network devices representing the physical connectivity. In reality, each subnet/multinet may not physically appear to be a tree, for instance if spanning tree is used to employ resilient paths. The algorithm used to deduce the topology takes such scenarios into consideration. Before the tree-building process can take place 3Com Network Supervisor needs to obtain the list of learned addresses for each switch. In practice this involves more than just reading the FDB tables, as different device types have different port and unit numbering schemes. For efficiency purposes an initial attempt is made to determine the positions of most of the end stations. This is done by checking for ports that have only learned the address of a single device that is not a switch. Because the positions of many end stations are resolved here, the amount of information required to be read from the switches is reduced. A summary of the main topology stages is given below. Unlike the discovery stages described in the previous section these stages are all represented on a single progress bar in the Network Discovery Progress dialog box.

CHAPTER 4: DISCOVERING THE NETWORK

Sizing stage This stage determines the units and ports that belong to each switch. It establishes which ports have a link present so that it knows which ports to consider during topology. Since the detecting devices operation has already sized each device, it does not need to communicate with the devices again. Information obtained from the devices is also used to establish whether they are supported by 3Com Network Supervisor. For instance, it checks the agent version along with other parameters. Warnings are logged in the Discovery report. For non-3Com devices an attempt is made to use standard MIBs when considering them as part of the topology process. Since different devices use differing numbering schemes for units and ports and often use proprietary MIBs, the information displayed about the topology of third party devices will not be as detailed as that of 3Com ones, and sometimes may not be as accurate. Spanning Tree stage Having obtained a list of supported switches, this stage attempts to determine those whose spanning tree links are blocked. This information is generally provided by standard bridge MIBs. This is an extension of the Device Sizing stage, but the information obtained is only required for topology. The ports participating in such links are eliminated from the remainder of the topology process until the tree-building stage. Remote Poll Stage (broadcast ARP) The purpose of this stage is to attempt to force each switch to learn the addresses of other switches on the same subnet/multinet. It uses remote poll to instruct each switch to ping an unused address on the subnet, thus forcing it to transmit a broadcast ARP. This causes other switches on the subnet to learn the addresses of the source switch. Remote Poll, sometimes called Remote Ping, is a mechanism, using SNMP, to instruct a device to ping another IP address. This requires an SNMP set instruction to be sent to the device, which relies on 3Com Network Supervisor having correctly determined the SNMP write community string during the Device Capabilities Detection stage. If the write community string has not been correctly established or the device does not support the remote poll feature (e.g. third party devices) then the accuracy of the deduced topology may be reduced.

Key Concepts

Initial Endstation stage During this stage an attempt is made to identify the ports that have only learned a single address. This is done by reading bridge address tables. The purpose of this stage is two-fold: â&#x2013;

to eliminate the need for many end station addresses having to be considered in the rest of the topology, which can reduce the amount of processing and network traffic generated in the remainder of the topology process;

â&#x2013;

to detect the existence of non-IP (MAC-only) nodes. If a port has a functioning link and has learned exactly one MAC address then that address is assumed to be a single node attached to that port. If no IP address was found to map to this MAC address during the IP to MAC Resolution stage then 3Com Network Supervisor will assume that this MAC address belongs to a new node. Consequently 3Com Network Supervisor will show the MAC-only node on the map.

You may have deliberately instructed the discovery operation to only detect IP ranges relevant to your switches which are outside the ranges of your endstations. Consequently the depiction of MAC-only nodes may not be required. Device Resolution Stage During this stage 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to establish which switches have learned the addresses of other switches, and on which ports. Since some addresses have already been read from the bridge tables in the previous stage, 3Com Network Supervisor may not need to communicate with all switches during this stage. At the end of this stage, 3Com Network Supervisor analyses whether it has enough information to determine the network topology. Remote Poll Stage (directed pings) If insufficient information was obtained from the Device Resolution stage, then an attempt is made to force devices to learn the addresses of others by instructing them to ping each other (remote poll). As with the previous remote poll stage the write community string of the relevant switches is required. Also, as with the previous stage some devices may not support remote poll. If either the write community string is not known for a device or it does not support remote poll then the accuracy of the deduced topology may be reduced.

CHAPTER 4: DISCOVERING THE NETWORK

Outstanding end station stage Not all end stations will be resolved by the Initial Endstation stage. For instance, some ports may have multiple addresses in their bridge tables even though only a single device is attached (if, for example, older addresses not have aged out). Therefore a similar process to the Device Resolution stage is used to locate the switches that have learned the addresses of known end stations. As with the Device Resolution stage it may not be necessary to communicate with all switches since their address tables will have been cached from the previous stages. Tree Building Stage This does not require any device access. It is the point at which 3Com Network Supervisor analyzes all the information it has obtained from the previous stages. It builds a tree view of the subnet/multinet, placing end station devices appropriately. It also adds back in any blocked spanning tree links. Clouds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Unknown Topology When 3Com Network Supervisor builds the network tree, there may be certain parts where it is unable to exactly determine the network topology. In such cases you will see clouds on your map depicting the areas of uncertainty. Typically these tend to be ports that have seen the addresses of multiple devices, but those learned devices do not provide any further topology information about the network. For example, there may be a case where a switch port is connected to an unmanaged hub, and that unmanaged hub is directly connected to two end stations (e.g. PCs). The port on the first switch will learn the addresses of the two end stations. It will not learn the address of the hub (because it does not have one) and 3Com Network Supervisor will not detect the existence of the unmanaged hub because it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t respond to a ping. 3Com Network Supervisor depicts this scenario as follows:

Key Concepts

Figure 10 Clouds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Unknown Topology

The switch port cannot be physically connected to two end stations, and as such 3Com Network Supervisor inserts the cloud to indicate that there is something missing. In this case the cloud is where the unmanaged hub should be. A similar situation can also occur when insufficient topology information has been obtained from one or more switches, possibly because 3Com Network Supervisor lost communication with that switch during the topology process. If the problem device were an edge switch that is actually connected to many end stations, 3Com Network Supervisor would show this as below:

CHAPTER 4: DISCOVERING THE NETWORK

Figure 11 Edge Switch â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Unknown Topology

You can identify which switch is the problem device here by checking if unit and port information has been successfully retrieved for each link to each switch. Hover the mouse over the end of the link nearest each switch to show tooltip information on the link. The switch with missing unit and port information is probably the cause of the problem. In the situation above, it is clear that the bottom switch is at fault. If information was available, the problem switch would be positioned where the cloud is, and the cloud would not be shown. The above situation occurs because the switch to the left of the diagram has learned the addresses of all the end stations, and also the bottom switch. However, because 3Com Network Supervisor lost communication with the bottom switch, it also gets treated as if it were an end station (since topology information could not be read from it).

Key Concepts

If a problem was encountered when communicating with the switch you should see an error in the Discovery report produced by 3Com Network Supervisor at the end of the discovery process. Always check the Discovery report first when your discovered network map appears to be incorrect. Sometimes clouds appear in the core of the network when a key, core device has not been discovered properly: Figure 12 Clouds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Core Device Failed to be Fully Discovered

Hover the mouse over the links to each of the Switches. If one of them shows no unit or port details, it is likely that this switch should have been positioned where the cloud is. If all the switches give unit and port details, it is likely that there is another device that should be positioned where the cloud is, but that was not detected by 3Com Network Supervisor.

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Wireless Clients Clouds Wireless client clouds are shown directly connected to a Wireless access point on your map. They are used to indicate the number of wireless clients connected to the access point. The Discovery Process – Rediscovery

When the first discovery operation is fully complete the information 3Com Network Supervisor has obtained will be displayed on the map. You can then instruct 3Com Network Supervisor to perform additional discoveries (rediscoveries). You may wish to do this because: ■

There are some additional subnets that you wish to see on your map that either weren’t specified in the original discovery or didn’t exist on your network at the time you performed the initial discovery.

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Some new devices have been added to your existing subnets or some of the existing devices have changed configuration.

When you perform a rediscovery on existing subnets 3Com Network Supervisor will remember and reuse some of the options you specified on the previous discovery, including additional community strings that you specified and the NCPs in your network. When 3Com Network Supervisor performs a second or additional discovery it does not update your map as it progresses. It adds all the information it acquires to a temporary database. This means that you can continue to work with your current map until the new discovery completes, though certain tasks are restricted. Although 3Com Network Supervisor is populating the temporary database with the new information, it does obtain some parameters from the main, working database, for example any community strings that were successfully determined for devices that are subsequently being rediscovered. Once 3Com Network Supervisor completes its additional discovery it then updates the main database (and subsequently the map) with the newly discovered information. It does this by comparing the information that exists in the main database with that in the new, temporary database. The basic rules it applies, when updating the main database, are as follows: ■

Any new subnets are simply added to the new database as they would be on an initial discovery

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Any new devices are simply added to the appropriate subnets (either existing or new).

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Any devices that have changed (e.g. unit added/removed) are updated – you can view their new details using the Properties dialog box.

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Devices that exist in the main database but have been removed from the network and/or simply did not respond in the second discovery will not be deleted from the database or the map. The exception to this is if a device’s IP address now belongs to another device. For example: device A initially has address x, device B has address y. On a subsequent discovery device A now has both addresses x and y. In this scenario device A’s information will be updated to reflect its new addresses and device B will be deleted.

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Any new links (that is, connections between devices and/or device’s ports) detected by the topology process will be added to the relevant devices on the map.

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If a port previously had a link to a device and that port is subsequently detected as being connected to a different device, the old link will be deleted and the new one created. A port can only be connected to one other node.

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If a port previously had a link and the second discovery could not successfully establish that the same port was connected (for example, 3Com Network Supervisor lost communication part way through) then that link will not be deleted. Instead it will be marked as unconfirmed and as a result will appear as a dashed line on the map.

Any changes detected as a result of additional discoveries are fully described in the Changes report, automatically generated by 3Com Network Supervisor at the end of a rediscovery operation. See “The Changes Report” on page 92.

Components

The following section describes the features of the discovery tool and how you can use them to tailor the discovery process to your needs. It includes the dialogs and wizards that you can use to control the discovery, and any appropriate reports that may be generated as a result of a discovery operation. You cannot launch the Network Discovery wizard while an existing discovery operation is in progress. Instead, 3Com Network Supervisor will simply display the Progress dialog box for that discovery.

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Launching a discovery

This section describes how your instruct 3Com Network Supervisor to start the discovery process. You can initiate network discovery from a number of places: ■

The Welcome dialog box

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File > New menu option

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Tools > Network Discovery menu option with nothing selected

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Tools > Network Discovery menu option with a discovered subnet selected

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Tools > Network Discovery menu option with an undiscovered subnet selected

The Welcome dialog box When 3Com Network Supervisor is opened it displays the Welcome dialog box: Figure 13 Welcome Dialog Box

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If you have not yet registered 3Com Network Supervisor and it is still in the evaluation period, the first dialog box you see when launching the application is the About dialog box. Closing this takes you to the Welcome dialog box. When you select the Create a new network map option and click OK, the Network Discovery wizard is launched. File > New From the main menu, when you select the New option from the File menu the Network Discovery wizard is launched. This is identical to choosing Create a new network map from the Welcome dialog box. Tools > Network Discovery with nothing selected With no subnets selected in the tree or map, select Network Discovery from the tools menu. The Network Discovery wizard will be launched at the first pane Discovery Type. Tools > Network Discovery with a discovered subnet selected If you select one or more discovered subnets in the map or the tree and select Network Discovery from the tools menu, the Network Discovery wizard will be launched at the Specify Subnets pane. (See Specify Subnets Pane on page 77.) The subnets you selected will be included in the list on this pane: Figure 14 Specify Subnets Pane

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The subnet mask and range information are also filled out. You can modify the range information by selecting the appropriate subnet in the list and clicking Edit. If you choose not to modify the range information then the discovery operation will include all ranges that have currently been added to that subnet. If you do modify the range then only the ranges you specify will be used in the discovery operation. However, old ranges will not be discarded, and you can still view them by launching the properties dialog box against the subnet. You can also start a Network Discovery by right-clicking on a discovered subnet, and selecting Network Discovery. This has the same effect as selecting Network Discovery from the Tools menu. Tools > Network Discovery with an undiscovered subnet selected If you have already performed a discovery operation, and a router was detected during that discovery, then it is likely that you will have some undiscovered subnets on your map. These subnets will be those to which the router is directly attached and were not specified in the original discovery. Figure 15 Undiscovered Subnet

If you select one or more of these subnets in the map or the tree and select Network Discovery from the Tools menu, the Network Discovery wizard will be launched at the Specify Subnets pane. As with selecting an existing subnet, the subnet information will be included in the list. The range information will always default to All, although you can change this if you wish by selecting the desired subnet in the list and clicking the Edit button. As with selecting discovered subnets, if you select an undiscovered subnet in the tree or the map the right-click menu contains the Network Discovery option. Selecting this has the same effect as selecting Network Discovery from the tools menu.

Components

You can also launch the Network Discovery wizard for an undiscovered subnet by double-clicking on its icon in the map or tree. This has the same effect as selecting Network Discovery from the tools menu. The Network Discovery Wizard

This step-by-step guide takes you through the Network Discovery wizard in order to customize the discovery process. When you complete the wizard the discovery process will be started. If you have previously created a network map, you can use this wizard to rediscover all of your network, part of it, or discover a completely new part. The discovery process verifies the devices and links on the network map and incorporates any changes. To do this, you must open the map before starting the wizard. Discovery Type Pane This is the first pane of the wizard: Figure 16 Discovery Type Pane

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It allows you to specify how the list of subnets to discover is determined: ■

Local subnet – Select this radio button and click Next to discover only the subnet to which the 3Com Network Supervisor PC is attached. The discovery process queries the operating system to determine the subnet mask for the local subnet. The wizard moves onto the Monitor Core Devices and Links pane. (See Monitor Core Devices and Links Pane on page 82.) This means that you cannot specify IP ranges when using this option. If you wish to specify ranges for the local subnet discovery you will need to use the Specify Subnets option and add the details of the local subnet to the list of subnets to discover.

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LAN subnets connected to the default router or gateway - Select this radio button and click Next to discover all devices on the local subnet (to which the 3Com Network Supervisor PC is attached) and any additional subnets that are one router hop away (but only via LAN connections). 3Com Network Supervisor establishes which subnets are one hop away by querying the default router. As with the Local Subnet option it is not possible to specify the IP address ranges for the subnets to be discovered.

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Specify subnets – Select this radio button and click Next to specify exactly which subnets you wish to discover and also limit the ranges of IP addresses to discover on each subnet. Use the Specify Subnets pane to enter the subnets you want to discover.

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Specify Subnets Pane This pane is shown if you chose the Specify Subnets option on the first pane of the wizard. Figure 17 Specify Subnets Pane

If you select one or more subnets in the tree or map view prior to launching the Network Discovery wizard then you will be immediately taken to this step, with the details of the subnets you selected added to the list box. Once you are happy with the list of subnets you have configured in the list in the Specify Subnets pane of the wizard, and with the address ranges associated with each, click Next to move to the next step of the wizard. Adding subnets to the list To add a new subnet to the list you wish to discover, use the Add button. This will launch the Add Subnet dialog box below:

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Figure 18 Add Subnet Dialog Box

You must enter at least the IP address and subnet mask into the appropriate fields for the subnet you wish to specify. You can use the dot â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; key to move to the next segment of an address field. If you wish to limit the ranges of addresses that 3Com Network Supervisor will detect for your specified subnet, you must first select the Discover custom ranges radio button and the ranges table and Add button will become enabled. The Discover full range and Discover custom ranges radio buttons are only enabled if you have entered a valid Address and Mask pair. The ranges table lists the ranges of IP addresses that 3Com Network Supervisor will detect for your specified subnet. To add a range to the list of ranges to detect, use the Add button. This will launch the Add Range dialog box below:

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Figure 19 Add Range Dialog Box

This allows you to enter the start and end IP addresses of the range to detect. To discover a single IP address on a subnet, add a range with the same start and end IP address. An existing range can be modified by selecting the range and clicking Edit. This will display the same dialog box as for adding subnets, described above, with the Start and End fields completed with the information you originally supplied. Modify the fields as necessary and select OK to update the range. To remove ranges from being detected, select the ranges and click Delete. Removing discovered ranges from the list, or modifying discovered ranges so that previously detected IP addresses will not be detected, does not remove them from the map, but simply removes them from the list of ranges to rediscover when the Network Discovery is started. The ranges will remain in the map but will be unchanged by the Network Discovery process. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deleting Items from the Mapâ&#x20AC;? on page 156 for details of how to remove devices permanently from the map. Click OK to return to the Specify Subnets pane of the wizard. The subnet you have just specified has been added to the list box. Note that if you enter information that conflicts with a subnet already in the list, the dialog box will report an error and will not be dismissed. For example, the two subnets 1.2.3.0 / 255.255.255.0 and 1.2.3.192 / 255.255.255.192 cannot both exist â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one is a superset of the other.

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Editing subnets in the list You can modify the details of any of the subnets in the list by selecting the item and clicking Edit. This will display the same dialog box as for adding subnets, described above, with each of the fields completed with the information you originally supplied. Modify the fields as necessary and select OK to return to the wizard. 3Com Network Supervisor will not allow you to modify the subnet if it conflicts with another one in the list. Removing subnets from the list Select a subnet and click Remove to remove a subnet from the list. Removing discovered subnets from the list does not remove them from the map, but simply removes them from the list of subnets to rediscover when the Network Discovery is started. The subnet will remain in the map but will be unchanged by the Network Discovery process. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deleting Items from the Mapâ&#x20AC;? on page 156 for details of how to remove subnets permanently from the map. Choosing from a list of known subnets The Find Subnets button instructs 3Com Network Supervisor to attempt to locate the subnets immediately neighboring your local subnet. The located subnets are displayed in the Find Subnets pane.

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Figure 20 Find Subnets List

Select one or more subnets from the list, and click s to add them to the list of subnets to be rediscovered. You can then edit their range as normal. 3Com Network Supervisor communicates with the routers on your local subnet in order to populate the above dialog box. It uses SNMP to communicate with the routers and consequently requires their read community strings in order to query them. By default, it uses public. If that is not the correct read community for any of the routers, the query will fail and the following dialog box displays:

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Figure 21 Query Failure Dialog Box

If you want 3Com Network Supervisor to continue searching for subnets using the router highlighted in this dialog box, enter the correct read community for the router and select OK. Click Cancel to move onto the next router. Monitor Core Devices and Links Pane The next step of the wizard allows you to configure how core devices will be monitored for stress when the discovery process is complete. The Monitor Core Devices and Links pane is displayed as follows: Figure 22 Monitor Core Devices and Links Pane

Components

If you choose the Yes radio button then monitoring of the discovered devices will be started when discovery is complete. By selecting the No radio button no monitoring on the new devices will start at the end of discovery. However, you can subsequently enable monitoring on selected devices from the updated map. Community Strings Pane This step of the wizard allows you to specify the SNMP community strings to use for devices while attempting to discover them. Figure 23 Community Strings Pane

Typically, for security reasons, you will modify the community strings on your SNMP devices from their factory default settings. In this case, you will need to specify the modified community strings in this pane, otherwise 3Com Network Supervisor will not be able to access them using SNMP. 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to use different community strings in the following order: 1 If a device already exists on your map, it will attempt to use the community strings already stored against it in the database 2 It will then attempt to use the community strings you provide in this pane of the wizard

CHAPTER 4: DISCOVERING THE NETWORK

3 Finally, it will attempt the default community strings. The default read community for all devices is public, and the default write community string depends upon the device type. If 3Com Network Supervisor successfully establishes the read community string then it will be able to deduce the type of device and consequently know what the default write community is for that device (assuming it is a 3Com device). If you are discovering the subnet for the first time (that is, not a re-discovery), and you have changed the community strings on your devices from the factory defaults, then you will need to add the strings to the Read and Write list boxes. If you have assigned different community strings to some of your devices (for instance you may have assigned different strings to your routers and switches) then you should add all the entries to the list boxes. If you are rediscovering an existing subnet and havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t changed the community strings on the devices it contains then there should be no need to specify any additional community strings here. NBX Voice Network Pane This step of the wizard asks you to indicate whether you have a NBX voice system on your network, or specifically, on the subnets you are about to discover. Figure 24 NBX Voice Network Pane

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By choosing Yes the next step of the wizard will ask you for username and password details. By specifying No this step of the wizard will be bypassed. NBX Call Processors Pane This step of the wizard will only be shown if you selected the Yes option button on the NBX Voice Network pane, indicating that you have an NBX voice system on your network. The step asks you to provide the access passwords for your NBX Call Processor (NCP) devices. The NCP devices support Web management (HTTP) only – they do not support the SNMP protocol. When you access an NCP device with you Web browser you will be asked for a username and password. 3Com Network Supervisor uses the same username and password to obtain information from NCP devices. See “Key Concepts” on page 58. It is likely that you will have modified the username and/or password from the defaults. Therefore, you will need to specify the new values here. If you have not modified the username and password, then leave the default option Use factory defaults selected and click Next to move to the next step of the wizard. ■

If you only have one NCP on your subnet(s) or you have modified all NCP devices to use the same username and password, specify the values by selecting the Custom option and entering the Username and Password into the fields on this pane.

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If you have multiple NCP devices and have modified them to use different usernames and passwords then you will need to add each one individually to the list of NCPs using the Add button. You need to provide the IP address of each one individually specified along with the Username and Password. You can still use the Custom settings to cover any NCPs which use common settings.

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Figure 25 NBX Call Processors Pane

Summary Pane This is the final pane of the wizard. It summarizes the options you selected throughout the course of the wizard. Figure 26 Network Discovery Wizard - Summary Pane

Components

When you click Finish on this, or any other step of the wizard, 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to start the discovery process, using the options you have specified. If there is a conflicting task currently running, the standard Task In Progress dialog box will be displayed, giving you the option of:

The Network Discovery Progress Dialog Box

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Allowing the current task to run to completion.

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Cancel the current task and start the discovery.

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Discard the discovery request completely.

The Network Discovery Progress dialog box is displayed while the discovery process is running. The process starts when you click Finish on the Network Discovery wizard. Figure 27 Network Discovery Progress Dialog Box

Figure 28 Network Discovery Progress Dialog Box - Minimized

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You can use the Stop button on the status bar to cancel the discovery operation, and the Restore button to restore the full Network Discovery Progress dialog box. The Network Discovery Progress dialog box shows how complete each stage of the discovery is. The top two progress bars relate to the discovery process. ■

The upper of these shows progress through the various discovery stages on the current subnet. See “The Discovery Process – Detecting Devices” on page 58 for details of the stages involved in discovering each subnet. This will reset each time the discovery process moves onto a new subnet.

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The lower of these indicates progress on the current discovery stage. This will reset each time the discovery process moves onto a new stage within the current subnet. After completing discovery of all specified subnets, this progress bar is used to indicate progress of the sizing stage.

The table in the center of the dialog box periodically displays the devices that have been detected. This is updated each time the discovery process establishes the exact type of a device it has discovered. When the sizing stage is complete the discovery process moves on to topology (discovering links). The bottom progress bar on the dialog box is used to show the progress of each multinet. See “The Discovery Process – Determining Topology” on page 63 for more information Click the Cancel button to abort the discovery process. Click the Minimize button to hide the dialog box and reduced progress information is then displayed on the status bar. You can perform other operations on you map while discovery is running, although certain tasks are restricted. Network Discovery Summary dialog box The Network Discovery Summary dialog box is automatically displayed when the discovery process completes:

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Figure 29 Network Discovery Summary Dialog Box

The summary dialog box provides you with the following information: Discovery problems: This shows the number of problem conditions, such as timeouts, that 3Com Network Supervisor encountered during the discovery process. It allows you to view the Discovery report, using the View Report button, to find out what the problems were. Note that this button will be disabled if no problems were encountered. Network Misconfigurations: When the discovery process is complete 3Com Network Supervisor analyses the results in an attempt to establish if any part of your network has been misconfigured. This could be due to the way a device is set up or the way it is connected to another device. The number of misconfigurations detected is shown here. You can view the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report, using the View Report button, to find out what the problems are. Note that this button will be disabled if no misconfigurations were detected. Also note that this analysis is performed against the whole, updated map, not just the parts that were discovered in the recently completed discovery.

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Network Optimizations: As part of the post-discovery analysis, 3Com Network Supervisor looks for any areas of your network that could be improved. The number of potential optimizations is shown here. You can view the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report, using the View Report button, to find out what the suggestions are. Note that this button will be disabled if there are no suggested optimizations. Also note that this analysis is performed against the whole, updated map, not just the parts that were discovered in the recently completed discovery. Network Changes: This entry will only be displayed on the dialog box for a rediscovery of a non-empty map. It indicates the number of changes detected, such as new devices, compared to the contents of your existing map. You can view the Changes report, using the associated View Report button, to find out what the changes are. Note that this button will be disabled if no changes were detected. If you choose not to view any of these reports at this point in time, you can view them later from the history tab of the Tools > Reports dialog box. The reports are saved with your current map. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Creating Reportsâ&#x20AC;? on page 289 for further information. When you close this dialog box, using the OK button, your map will be updated to reflect the changes detected by the discovery process. The Discovery Report

The Discovery report is produced at the end of a successful discovery, that is, a discovery that was not cancelled. It lists any problems that the discovery process encountered while performing the discovery. Typically these relate to 3Com Network Supervisor not being able to retrieve all the information it requires to accurately depict your network. For example it may have lost communication with some of the devices during the discovery process. The report is divided into two main sections: Discovery This section lists any problems encountered in the detecting devices part of the discovery process. There is a separate sub-section for each subnet that was discovered. Within each subnet section the report lists the problems encountered and the devices to which the problems apply. For instance, it may have failed to determine the write community string for a device.

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Topology This section lists any problems encountered in the discovering links part of the discovery process. There is a separate sub-section for each multinet that it attempted to determine the topology of. Within each multinet section the report lists the problems encountered and the devices to which the problems apply. For instance, it may have lost communication with a device when reading the bridge FDB tables. Each of the problems listed within the report has a severity level associated with it, either Warning or Error. For instance, failing to determine the write community string is considered a warning, since, although it is required for other areas of 3Com Network Supervisor it is not essential for discovery. However, a loss of communication is considered an error since it is likely to adversely affect how 3Com Network Supervisor depicts your network. See “Discovery Report Errors and Warnings” on page 98 for a full list of the possible errors and warnings The Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report

When a discovery operation is complete, 3Com Network Supervisor analyses the results in order to establish if any devices have been misconfigured, or if any improvements could be made to the configuration of your network in order to improve its efficiency. Both the misconfigurations and improvements (optimizations) are included in the same report, but in separate sections. If there are no misconfigurations or if there are no optimizations then the entire corresponding section will be omitted from the report. Note that the analysis is always performed on the whole of your map, not just the recent additions. You can force a new version of the report to be generated from the Tools > Reports dialog box, although generally there should be little need to do this since it should be the same as the one from the most recent discovery, unless you have manually changed the map. See “Report Examples” on page 415 for a full list of the misconfigurations that may be detected, and possible suggested optimizations.

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The Changes Report

When a rediscovery is performed on a map that already contains some devices, 3Com Network Supervisor compares the contents of the current map with the newly acquired information. Any differences it finds are used to populate the Changes report. Typical changes are, a device has changed configuration (e.g. a new unit has been added), or a device has been moved and as a result its link properties have changed. The Changes report will not produce information on IP address changes to avoid large reports being generated on networks using DHCP. For a similar reason, the Changes report will not produce information on devices that appear between network discoveries as users log in and log out due to the Network Login support. Also see “Report Examples” on page 415 for a full list of the changes that may be detected.

The Displayed Map

After a discovery operation has completed and you have dismissed the Network Discovery Summary dialog box, the map and tree views will be updated to reflect the new information. Initial Map Creation After the first discovery on a new map, 3Com Network Supervisor simply adds all the new devices to the map as it feels appropriate. The map is initially shown at the top-level map of the Grouped Network View. This map shows all the subnets it has detected and any routers it discovered on those subnets. It also includes the additional subnets that were detected, when communicating with the routers, that weren’t part of the list of subnets to discover. These are shown as undiscovered subnets. 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to arrange (layout) the devices and subnets so that they do not overlap. For information on using the map, and navigating between the subnets, see “Working with the Map” on page 105.

Examples

Subsequent Map Updates Whenever you perform a discovery on a map that already contains subnets and devices, 3Com Network Supervisor intelligently attempts to update the existing map. Any newly discovered devices and subnets will be added to the map, while any existing devices and links will be updated. See “The Discovery Process – Rediscovery” on page 70 for the rules on how device and link properties are updated. If you have modified the position of devices on the current map 3Com Network Supervisor preserves the layout of the changes you have made and attempts to position the new nodes relative to your changes. If you are not happy with the results you can manually move the nodes yourself or you can force 3Com Network Supervisor to perform a clean layout of the view by selecting View > Relayout Map.

Examples

I have four separate subnets - how do I specify them?

This section provides examples of how you may use the Network Discovery features of 3Com Network Supervisor to accurately discover the areas of your network you are interested in. While 3Com Network Supervisor is capable of automatically discovering your local subnet and its immediate neighbors, you may only want to discover selected subnets. In the following example, you want to specify four subnets. To do this: 1 Launch the Network Discovery wizard (e.g. by selecting Tools > Network Discovery). 2 On the first pane of the wizard, select the Specify Subnets radio button and click Next 3 On the Specify Subnets pane of the wizard, add the subnets you wish to discover ■

If the subnets are all within one router hop of your work station you can use the Find Subnets button to save having to enter all the information, go to step 8, below.

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If the subnets are not all within one router hop, you should continue from 4, below.

4 Click the Add button to launch the Add Subnets dialog box 5 Enter the information for your first subnet (you must enter at least the network address and subnet mask of the subnet).

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6 Click OK on the Add Subnets pane to return to the wizard. Your subnet should now appear in the list on the wizard. 7 Repeat 4 to 6 above for your remaining three subnets 8 You can now click Finish on the wizard if you do not wish to change any of the remaining defaults. Alternatively, continue through the wizard using the Next button. Once you click Finish on the wizard, 3Com Network Supervisor will start discovering your subnets. I am using different SNMP community strings for different devices on my network - how do I specify this?

3Com recommends that you change the community strings on your network devices from the factory defaults. You may want to leave the read community strings as public for your switches but may wish to change them to something more secure for your routers. To specify a community string for a network device for use during discovery, do the following: 1 Launch the Network Discovery wizard (e.g. by selecting Tools > Network Discovery). 2 Navigate through the wizard until you reach the Community Strings pane Figure 30 Community Strings Pane

3 Select the Yes option. The Addâ&#x20AC;Ś buttons will now be enabled.

Useful Information and References

4 Use the Add button below the Read list box to enter the read community string of your routers. 5 Use the Add button below the Write list box to enter the write community string of your routers, and additionally the write community string of your switches. 6 Click Finish if you do not wish to change any of the remaining defaults. Alternatively, continue through the wizard using the Next button. Once you click Finish, 3Com Network Supervisor will discover the devices on your network, using any default community strings, and also attempting to use the ones you specified in the wizard.

Useful Information and References Why the discovered map may not exactly reflect the network

This section covers the common problems encountered with Network Discovery. Some devices haven't appeared 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to detect which devices exist by pinging them with an ICMP ping message. A device may not respond in time if it or the network is very busy, or potentially may not receive, or be able to respond to, the ICMP ping message if it is placed beyond a firewall. If a device fails to respond to a ping then 3Com Network Supervisor will not add it in to the map as an IP device (although it may still be added as a MAC-only device). If a device responds to a ping, 3Com Network Supervisor then attempts to determine if it supports other protocols, in particular SNMP. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Device Capability Detection â&#x20AC;? on page 59. If the device supports SNMP, it reads the IP address table to establish if the device has any additional IP addresses. If any of those addresses conflict with the addresses of another device then one of the two nodes may be discarded. It is possible to inadvertently assign duplicate IP addresses to some devices. Certain 3Com devices provide resilient management by allowing you to assign an IP address to each of the units in a stack. If you reconfigure your network and move a unit from one stack to another, if the unit has been assigned an IP address, then that address will move with it. If you do not want the address to move you should delete the IP address from the unit when you transfer it.

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Some devices are the wrong type SNMP-capable devices can appear as generic IP icons on the map if the wrong read community string was specified for the device or if SNMP requests to the device timed-out. If a device appears as a generic SNMP icon it usually means that 3Com Network Supervisor does not recognize the sysObjectID returned by the device. 3Com Network Supervisor only recognizes a limited number of third party sysObjectIDs. All 3Com devices should be recognized by 3Com Network Supervisor. However, for new devices that have been released after the version of 3Com Network Supervisor you are using, the devices may be shown as Generic SNMP or 3Com Device. In this case you should check the 3Com web site for 3Com Network Supervisor service packs that support these newer devices. There are clouds in my map If 3Com Network Supervisor cannot deduce exactly how devices are connected together it sometimes creates clouds during topology process. This is quite common with third party devices, particularly hubs. Wireless links are also depicted using clouds. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cloudsâ&#x20AC;? on page 120 for further information. For a detailed list of FAQs about the discovery process refer to the Advanced Help that is supplied with 3Com Network Supervisor. You can view this by launching any previously generated Discovery report and following the hyperlink Discovery and Topology Frequently Asked Questions in the first line of the report. To view a previously generated discovery report select Tools > Reports from the main menu, and click on the History tab of the Reports dialog. Support for 3Com devices

3Com Network Supervisor has support for all 3Com devices. The most recent 3Com devices may not be fully recognized, but support should be available in the latest 3Com Network Supervisor service pack, available from the 3Com Web site. For many non-SNMP 3Com devices (i.e. Web-managed), 3Com Network Supervisor will only retrieve a limited amount of information from them, typically just their type. However, most web-managed devices are not switches or routers, so this limited recognition should not significantly affect 3Com Network Supervisor's topology map of your network.

Useful Information and References

3Com Network Supervisor uses specific images and text for the different families of 3Com devices that are displayed on the map, and also uses different border types depending upon the device’s capabilities. See “The Map” on page 106 Support for third party devices

For third party devices, 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to gather as much information as it can, using standard protocols and, for SNMP devices, using standard MIBs. The standard protocols are summarized below: ■

HTTP - If the device supports the HTTP protocol (i.e. Web management) 3Com Network Supervisor will detect this and enable the Web management right-click menu option. See “Device Capability Detection ” on page 59 for more information)

■

Telnet – If the device supports the Telnet protocol 3Com Network Supervisor will detect this and enable the Telnet management right-click menu option. See “Device Capability Detection ” on page 59 for more information)

■

SNMP – If the device supports SNMP 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to determine whether it is a router or switch ■

■

Routing: It uses MIB II tables to establish if the device has IP-forwarding enabled and has interfaces on multiple subnets. If so it is flagged as a router and will appear on the map at the top level with a diamond border. See “Working with the Map” on page 105. Switching: It attempts to read the dot1dBaseType from the bridge MIB. If this is present it is flagged as a switch and will appear with an octagonal border on the map. See “Working with the Map” on page 105.

For third party switches 3Com Network Supervisor reads bridge FDB tables during the topology process. However, it does not attempt to retrieve spanning tree information for these devices. No attempt is made to determine the topology of third party hubs. They will simply be treated as end stations by the topology process. 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to determine the manufacturer of third party devices, only if they support SNMP. However, it does attempt to determine the type of certain end stations, such as Unix workstations.

CHAPTER 4: DISCOVERING THE NETWORK

Key Considerations Discovery Report Errors and Warnings

The Discovery report contains a list of problems that were encountered during the discovery process. For the detecting devices part of discovery, these are grouped by subnet. For the topology part of the discovery process, the problems are grouped by multinet. Discovery Section The potential issues that may be detected and reported in the detecting devices phase of discovery are listed below, along with their potential causes: This subnet can contain more devices than 3Com Network Supervisor currently allows during discovery, and will therefore not be discovered Subnets that can contain more than 65535 devices can take an extremely long time to discover. Therefore, 3Com Network Supervisor ignores these subnets during all discovery operations. This message can only occur if you chose the second option on the first pane of the Network Discovery wizard, since this is where 3Com Network Supervisor interrogates any routers it detects in order to determine the additional subnets to discover. If you still wish to discover this subnet then you should use the Specify Subnets option in the wizard and use restricted IP ranges. 3Com Network Supervisor failed to resolve the MAC addresses for the following devices 3Com Network Supervisor needs to determine the MAC addresses of devices for use in the topology process. For non-SNMP devices 3Com Network Supervisor achieves this by reading the ARP cache of a router or, if the devices are on the local subnet, it reads the ARP cache of the PC running 3Com Network Supervisor. This message may be logged if 3Com Network Supervisor failed to detect any routers whose ARP caches contained entries for the MAC addresses, possibly because they are outside the ranges of addresses you specified. Alternatively, the appropriate router may have been discovered as an IP-only node if a valid read community string was not provided for the router in the Network Discovery wizard.

Key Considerations

The consequences of this failure are that any IP-only nodes will appear at the top of their submap, not connected to anything. Another node may also appear within the map that just has the correct MAC address of the node and is connected to the correct switch port. 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to determine the write community string for the following SNMP devices As part of the Device Capability Stage, 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to validate the write community strings for certain devices. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Device Capability Detection â&#x20AC;? on page 59 for further information. 3Com Network Supervisor only attempts to do this for devices that it thinks it will need write access to in the future (e.g. to set up the trap table for monitoring for use by administrative tools such as Agent Update). If all attempts to validate the write community strings fail then this message is logged. Multiple responses were detected during discovery from the IP addresses listed below During the IP Ping stage, 3Com Network Supervisor sends an ICMP ping message to each device IP address in the ranges specified for the subnet it is currently detecting. It does not send ICMP ping messages to the subnet address or broadcast address. If 3Com Network Supervisor receives more than one response from an ICMP ping message then it assumes that this must be a broadcast address on the subnet and does not attempt to discover or manage any devices using that IP address. This may occur if one or more devices on the subnet have their subnet mask configured incorrectly, or if the subnet address and mask were entered incorrectly in the Specify Subnets pane of the Network Discovery wizard. 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to obtain information from the following NBX devices This is likely to occur if incorrect usernames or passwords were provided in the wizard. Note that even if you specified in the wizard that you do not have an NBX voice system, if 3Com Network Supervisor detects an NCP device during the discovery process it will attempt to retrieve phone information from it.

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3Com Network Supervisor was unable to read the information from the following NBX devices This is due to the fact that 3Com Network Supervisor does not support the version of software running on the NBX unit. A service pack may be available for 3Com Network Supervisor on the 3Com web site that supports this version. Topology Section The potential issues that may be detected and reported in the discovering links phase of discovery are listed below, along with their potential causes. The following devices returned invalid port information As part of sizing, 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to determine which ports are enabled and have a link present since it is only those that can take an active role in the topology. For third party devices it attempts to do this using standard MIBs. However, not all devices implement these MIBs and some implement slight variations of them. This can result in 3Com Network Supervisor not being able to establish the ports that are used in topology. Consequently such devices are treated as end stations by the topology process. Older agent versions of certain 3Com devices may also exhibit this problem, in which case there may be additional messages in this report indicating that the agent version is not supported. The following devices are running with an unsupported version of the management agent software For 3Com devices, 3Com Network Supervisor has a minimum supported agent version. If 3Com Network Supervisor detects a device running an agent below this minimum it will log this message, since the details it obtains from the device may not be complete, and the deduced topology may not be accurate. You should endeavor to update such devices to at least the minimum version.

Key Considerations

101

The following devices are running with an unknown version of the management agent software 3Com Network Supervisor logs this message if it cannot determine the agent software version of a device. It is most likely that the version is below the minimum supported and the consequence will be that same as that in the above message. It is also possible that the format used to report the version to 3Com Network Supervisor has changed in the most recent versions. In this case you should check the 3Com web site for 3Com Network Supervisor service packs which will support the latest version. The following devices have been configured into multiple segments This is a feature of the Port Switch Hub families of the devices which allow the separation of groups of ports into segments. 3Com Network Supervisor does not fully support these configurations and cannot guarantee that will the deduced topology will be accurate. It will, however, still attempt to determine the topology as best it can. The segment configuration of the following devices could not be determined As with the previous message this only applies to the Port Switch Hub family of devices. This message should only occur if the agent version is below the minimum supported by 3Com Network Supervisor. The exact position of the following devices could not be determined This message generally applies to end stations. It results in the devices being arranged at the top of their submap, unconnected to other devices. It is possible to disable address learning on certain families of switches, which can result in 3Com Network Supervisor being unable to determine the devices they are connected to. The most likely cause of this message, however is the hubs/switches being configured in a way that is not supported by 3Com Network Supervisor or if 3Com Network Supervisor lost communication with any of the switches when attempting to read topology information from them. In the latter case additional errors appear in this report to indicate the loss of communication.

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The following devices have one or more ports that have failed self-test During the power cycle (reboot), certain 3Com devices run diagnostic tests against each port and disable any ports that fail these tests. 3Com Network Supervisor is able to detect this condition and will report it here. It will also add an event to the event log for this condition. Because the port has been disabled by the device the topology that 3Com Network Supervisor deduces may be inaccurate. 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to write to the following devices, in order to get them to perform operations that could lead to a more accurate topology detection At a certain point in the topology process 3Com Network Supervisor may decide to instruct one device to remote ping another. See“Remote Poll Stage (broadcast ARP)” on page 64 and “Remote Poll Stage (directed pings)” on page 65. It cannot do this if it was previously unable to determine the write community string for this device – consequently you should also see a warning relating the write community string for this device. By not being able to perform the remote poll, the topology that 3Com Network Supervisor depicts may not be accurate. The following devices have one or more ports that could not be included in the network topology. These ports are blocked by the Spanning Tree Protocol. 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to determine what these ports are connected to. In order for 3Com Network Supervisor to correctly determine spanning tree topologies it must correctly discover the devices at both ends of each blocked spanning tree link. If the IP address ranges discovered prevents 3Com Network Supervisor from determining both devices at the end of a blocked spanning tree link then 3Com Network Supervisor will be unable to show the link in the map.

Key Considerations

103

The following devices have support for the Spanning Tree Protocol enabled. Links connected to these devices may in the future be blocked by the Spanning Tree Protocol. 3Com Network Supervisor may not be able to detect this occurring. Some third party devices do not provide suitable MIB support to allow 3Com Network Supervisor to initially determine and subsequently track changes in spanning tree topology, or provide a non-standard implementation. As a result, the topology that 3Com Network Supervisor depicts may not be accurate. A device has been seen (or "learned") on multiple ports of another device. This implies there is a loop in the network. 3Com Network Supervisor may not represent the topology of the network accurately. Changes in network topology, such as a wireless device moving from one wireless access point to another, or changes in spanning tree topology, may result in a device being seen to move ports on another device. If this occurs during Network Discovery then 3Com Network Supervisor may not be able to depict the topology of the network accurately. It is usually possible to address this issue by rediscovering the subnet or subnets of the devices in question. The following devices have a device performing ARP proxies for them. If you have a 3Com SuperStack 3 Firewall in your network that is operating in transparent mode then any ARP requests sent to devices on the other side of the firewall will be handled by the firewall itself and it will respond with the MAC address of the firewall. In addition the firewall will substitute its MAC address as the source address in any packets it receives that are destined for an IP address on the other side of the firewall. This technique is known as ARP proxy. 3Com Network Supervisor is unable to determine the MAC addresses of devices on the other side of a 3Com SuperStack 3 Firewall, but is able to identify the IP addresses of such devices. As a result, 3Com Network Supervisor may not be able to depict the topology of the network accurately.

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3Com Network Supervisor could not determine a speed for at least one interface on the following devices. 3Com Network Supervisor uses interface speeds when monitoring links in order to calculate utilization. If 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to determine a speed for a connected interface and you start monitoring the link corresponding to that interface then 3Com Network Supervisor will be unable to provide the utilization monitor for that item. This situation can arise on some third party devices that do not provide a suitable speed via their MIBs. It may also occur if 3Com Network Supervisor lost communication with the device during Network Discovery, in which case additional errors should appear in this report to indicate the loss of communication.

5 Overview

WORKING WITH THE MAP

This chapter describes how to work with the map and tree in 3Com Network Supervisor. The map and tree provide the main interface for viewing and managing your network. They enable you to choose how you want to view your network, show the current health of monitored devices and links within your network and act as a launching point for many of the tools available within 3Com Network Supervisor. The following topics are covered in this chapter: ■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

■

Useful Information and References

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Key Concepts

The Map

This section describes the key concepts of the map and the tree within 3Com Network Supervisor. The map is displayed on the right-hand side of the 3Com Network Supervisor main window. It presents a graphical representation of your network topology for the devices discovered on the network. Figure 31 The Map

The graphical representation consists of icons that represent devices, subnets and other network components. The lines drawn between those icons represent connections between the components. The following table describes each of the set of icons used in the map:

Key Concepts

107

Table 11 Icons Used in the Map Icon

Description A diamond icon represents a router or a layer-3 switch. The image within the diamond will indicate the type of the router or layer-3 switch. For more information see “Device Icons” on page 112.

An octagonal icon represents a network infrastructure device, such as a switch, hub, wireless access point, or NBX call processor. The image within the octagon indicates the type of the network infrastructure device. For more information see “Device Icons” on page 112.

Devices that form the components of an XRN Switching Fabric are grouped together into a single XRN Fabric icon in the map.

A square represents any other discovered device on the network. This includes end stations, servers and NBX phones. It also includes devices that could not be discovered fully, for example when 3Com Network Supervisor cannot determine an IP address for a device, or when the appropriate SNMP community strings are not supplied to 3Com Network Supervisor in the Network Discovery wizard. The image within the square indicates the type of the device. For more information see “Device Icons” on page 112. A triangle represents the PC that 3Com Network Supervisor is running on. The image within the triangle indicates the type of PC. For more information see “Device Icons” on page 112.

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Icon

Description Clouds appear automatically in the network topology for three reasons. ■

They are used to represent sections of the network where 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to determine the topology.

■

They are used to show the number of clients connected to each wireless access point.

A circle represents a subnet within your network. The label in the center of the circle indicates the address of the subnet being represented. If the subnet has not yet been discovered then the label includes the text “(Undiscovered)”.

3Com Network Supervisor allows you to group related devices together into a device group. Each device group is represented by a cloud contained within a rectangle. For more information about creating device groups see “Device Groups” on page 124.

The Tree

The tree is displayed on the left-hand side of the 3Com Network Supervisor main window and lists all of the devices that have been discovered in your network, grouped into subnets and device groups. Clouds are not listed in the tree.

Key Concepts

109

Figure 32 Example Tree

To expand a subnet or device group, click the symbol next to its name. It expands to show the discovered devices. To collapse the subnet or device group, click the symbol next to its name. Each device appears only once in the tree. Routers and layer-3 switches generally appear at the top-level of the tree. Other devices appear within their appropriate subnet or device group. The tree also shows subnets that have not yet been discovered. These are indicated by the text â&#x20AC;&#x153;(Undiscovered)â&#x20AC;? appended onto the end of the subnet name.

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The map and the tree work in conjunction with each other. When you select a device, subnet or device group within the tree it is also selected in the map and vice versa. Once you have made your selection: you can use the pull-right menu, in either the tree or the map, to perform an action on that item.

Components

Map Structure

The following section describes the principal features of the map and the tree and the operations you can carry out from them. The map provides two basic views of your network topology, depending upon whether or not you choose to view the devices in your network grouped by subnet or as individual devices. Within each view you can navigate around the map, and focus on particular areas of the topology that are of interest to you. To change from one view to another, toggle View > Group Map by Subnet.

The Grouped Network View

The default view shows the devices in your network logically grouped by IP subnet. This view is hierarchical, consisting of: ■

The top-level map — This map presents a logical layer-3 view of your network, showing the routers and layer-3 switches, the links between them, and which IP subnets they are logically connected to. Groups of routers and layer-3 switches can also be created in the top-level map.

■

Submaps — These present logical groupings of the devices on your network. There are two types of submap: ■

Subnets — are automatically created by 3Com Network Supervisor during Network Discovery, and allow you to view the network broken down into separate IP subnets. Each subnet contains all devices with related IP addresses.

Components

111

Figure 33 Subnet Example

â&#x2013;

Device groups â&#x20AC;&#x201D; allow you to manually group together similar devices, to allow you to represent your network more intuitively.

Figure 34 Device Groups Example

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Submaps can contain shortcut symbols, that indicate that the device or subnet that is linked to is not contained in the current map. For more information see “Shortcut Symbols” on page page 139. There are various methods that can be used to navigate between the top-level map and its submaps. For more information see “Navigation” on page 135. The Ungrouped Network View

When you choose to view the devices in your network without grouping them by subnet, 3Com Network Supervisor displays the layer-2 (physical) topology of your network in a single top-level map containing all of the devices discovered on your network. This view does not show: ■

The subnets in your network. Consequently links from routers and layer-3 devices to the subnets they are logically connected to are not shown. In this view the devices that are contained within the subnets are shown in the top-level map.

■

The device groups in your network. Any device groups within your network are expanded within this view so that the devices they contain are shown in the top-level map.

Devices Each icon on the map represents a device on your network that has been discovered by 3Com Network Supervisor through use of the Network Discovery wizard, or has been added to the map manually. For more information see “The Network Discovery Wizard” on page 75. For information about adding single devices to the map see “Adding Items to the Map” on page 154. If you are only interested in your network infrastructure, and do not wish to view the end stations on your network then turn off the View > Show End Stations option. This will simplify the contents of your map by hiding all of the end stations. If you turn off this option then you may also wish to relayout your map. For more information see “Modifying the Map Layout” on page 153. Device Icons Each of the basic icons used to represent devices on your network has an image contained within it to show the type of device represented.

Components

Table 12 Network Infrastructure Device Icons Device Icon

Description 3Com Switch 40x0 family device

3Com SuperStack 3 family device

3Com SuperStack 3 family Power over Ethernet device

3Com SuperStack II family device

3Com Switch 7700 3Com Switch 4007R

3Com Switch 4005

Other 3Com chassis devices, such as the 3Com Switch 4007

3Com Network Jack

3Com OfficeConnect family device

3Com AirConnect Access Point

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Device Icon

Description 3Com Wireless LAN Access Point

All other network infrastructure devices

Table 13 NBX Networked Telephony Solution Icons Telephony Solution Icon

Description NBX network call processor

NBX line card

IP telephone

Analogue telephone

Fax machine

Components

115

Table 14 End Station Icons End Station Icon

Description Standard end station

Server workstation, such as a Microsoft Windows 2000 Server workstation

Printer Print server

Some device types are drawn slightly differently in the map than other devices. For more information about special support see “Graphical Support for Specific Device Types” on page 174. Pull-Right Menu for Devices Right-clicking on a device in the map or in the tree produces a pop-up menu. The following table describes each of the menu items in the pop-up. Table 15 Devices Pull-Right Menu Options Menu Item

Operation

Start Monitoring

Starts the monitoring of the selected map items and links by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

Stop Monitoring

Stops the monitoring of the selected map items and links by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

What’s Wrong

Launches, or brings to the front, an instance of the Events window filtered to show unresolved events for the selected map items only. See “Viewing Unresolved Events for a Selection:” on page 240 for more information.

Live Graphs

Launches the Live Graphs dialog box for the selected device or link. See “Live Graphs Menu” on page 222 for more information.

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Menu Item

Operation

Configure Alerts

Launches the Configure Alerts dialog box for the selected map items and links. See “Configure Alerts Dialog Box” on page 269 for more information.

View Filtered Events

Launches, or brings to the front, an instance of the Events window, filtered to show events for the selected items only. See “Events List Components” on page 239 for more information.

Web Management

Launches the web interface for the selected device. See “Web Management” on page 307 for more information.

Telnet Management Launches the Telnet management interface for the selected device. See “Telnet Management”on page 308 for more information. Network Jack Configuration

Launches 3Com Network Jack Configuration for the selected device. See “Network Jack Configuration Manager” on page 308 for more information.

Prioritize Network Traffic

Launches the Prioritize Network Traffic wizard for the selected devices. See “Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard” on page 335 for more information.

Properties

Launches the Properties dialog box for the selected items. See “Viewing Device Details” on page 177 for more information

Physical Links Physical links between devices, or from devices to clouds, are represented in the map as straight, solid lines, with the thickness of the line representing the speed of the link. The thickness of the lines on the display will vary depending upon the level of zoom in use in the map. For more information about changing zoom levels see “Navigation” on page 135. Where two or more physical links exist between the two map items in question, the line is drawn with the same thickness as a 1Gbps speed link. This may occur, for example, with a 3Com Switch 4007 that has an Enterprise Management Engine (EME) module if it links to another device both from the EME and from a switching module. Unvalidated Links Some links in the map represent links that are unvalidated. Unvalidated links can occur when a rediscovery of a subnet fails to find a link that existed previously, or when you manually add a link to the map. A link remains unvalidated until a rediscovery verifies the existence of the link. For more information “Linking Items in the Map” on page 156.

Components

117

Unvalidated links are represented in the map by a dashed line, as shown below: Figure 35 Unvalidated Links

Physical Link Annotations Physical links can be annotated to graphically indicate their attributes. For more information about how to enable and disable the display of annotations see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Viewâ&#x20AC;? on page 44. The annotations are displayed at both ends of a physical link as shown in the following table. Table 16 Physical Link Annotations Annotation Type

Graphical Representation

Description

Aggregated Link

The link is an aggregated link.

Duplex Mode

The link is operating in full duplex mode.

Duplex Mode

The link is operating in half duplex mode.

Resilient Link

The link is part of a resilient link pair.

Spanning Tree State

Spanning Tree Protocol has disabled the link.

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Spanning Tree Protocol Support 3Com Network Supervisor monitors the spanning tree state of links in your network for which the spanning tree protocol is enabled. The map is dynamically updated to show which links are currently disabled by spanning tree protocol using the annotation indicated above. The spanning tree state annotation is always displayed on links that spanning tree protocol has disabled. This annotation cannot be disabled. Pull-Right Menu for Physical Links Right-clicking on a physical link in the map produces a pop-up menu. The following table describes each of the menu items in the pop-up. Table 17 Physical Links Menu Options Menu Item

Operation

Start Monitoring

Starts the monitoring of the selected items by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

Stop Monitoring

Stops the monitoring of the selected items by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

What’s Wrong

Live Graphs

Launches the Live Graphs window for the selected link. See “Live Graphs Menu” on page 222 for more information.

Configure Alerts

Launches the Configure Alerts dialog box for the selected items. See “Configure Alerts Dialog Box”on page 269 for more information.

View Events

Launches, or brings to the front, an instance of the Events window, filtered to show events for the selected items only. See “Events List Components” on page 239 for more information.

Properties

Launches the Properties dialog box for the selected items. See “Viewing Device Details” on page 177 for more information.

Components

119

Layer-3 Connections Layer-3 connections only display when you choose to view devices grouped by subnet. In the top-level map, they are shown as connections between subnets, devices, and any grouped subnets and devices. Each layer-3 connection represents the logical connectivity between a device and the subnet it is linked to it is shown in the map as a line between the device and the subnet. Figure 36 A Layer-3 Connection

Logical connectivity is due to the device having one or more IP addresses on the subnet in question. Pull-Right Menu for Layer-3 Connections Right-clicking on a layer-3 connection in the map produces a pop-up menu. The following table describes each of the menu items in the pop-up.

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Table 18 Layer-3 Connections Menu Options

Clouds

Menu Item

Operation

Properties

Launches the Properties dialog box for the selected map items and links. See “Viewing Device Details” on page 177 for more information.

Clouds can be used for several reasons within the map: ■

They may be used to represent sections of the network where the topology is uncertain. This can occur automatically as a result of a discovery. For more information see “There are clouds in my map” on page 96.

■

They may be used to separate a link into two halves. This can be useful in situations where you would like to monitor both halves of the link separately. Clouds are used to automatically separate WAN links into two halves, so you can choose to monitor one half of the link, but not the other. For more information see “Monitoring the Network” on page 211.

■

They may be used to represent logical entities in your network for which no existing icon is appropriate, or to represent sections of the network that are not under your administrative control. For example, you may use a cloud to represent the network that is administered by an ISP.

For more information about adding clouds to the map see “Adding Items to the Map” on page 154. The label in the center of the cloud indicates the family type of the links that are connected to the cloud. The family type of a link to the cloud is based upon the type of the interface that the other end of the link is connected to. For example, Gigabit Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and 10 Mbps Ethernet interfaces all belong to the Ethernet family. Clouds and Submaps When you choose to view the devices in your network grouped by subnet, a single cloud can appear in several different submaps and may also appear in the top-level map. The decision as to whether or not a cloud should appear in a particular submap or the top-level map is based upon the devices that are connected to it: ■

A cloud will appear in a submap if it is connected to one or more devices that are present in that submap.

Components

121

■

A cloud will appear in the top-level map if it is only connected to a single device, and that device is a router or layer-3 switch.

■

A cloud will appear in the top-level map if it is connected to two or more routers or layer-3 switches.

This means that adding a link to a cloud can cause the cloud to be added to other submaps and may cause it to be removed from the top-level map. Similarly, deleting a link to a cloud can remove the cloud from one or more submaps and may cause it to be added to or removed from the top-level map. For more information about adding and deleting links in the map see “Linking Items in the Map” on page 156. Pull-Right Menu for Clouds Right-clicking on a cloud in the map produces a pop-up menu. The following table describes each of the menu items in the pop-up. Table 19 Clouds Menu Options Menu Item

Operation

Properties

Launches the Properties dialog box for the selected map items and links. See “Viewing Device Details” on page 177 for more information.

Subnets Subnet icons represent submaps that contain devices in the same IP subnet or subnets. A device is considered to be part of an IP subnet if it has at least one IP address which is contained in the subnet. This includes routers and layer-3 devices. Subnets are only shown in the map when you choose to view the devices in your network grouped by subnet, but are always shown in the tree. As well as appearing in the top-level map, a router or layer-3 device can appear in multiple subnets. However, a router or layer-3 device only appears once in the tree. In the top-level map the links between subnets and routers or layer-3 switches are shown as layer-3 connections, while in submaps the links between subnets and routers or layer-3 switches are shown as physical links. For more information see “Navigating Between Submaps and the Top-Level Map” on page 137.

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If a router or layer-3 switch in your network has two or more IP interfaces configured on a single port then the subnets that those IP interfaces belong to will be grouped together into a single submap. This helps represent the fact that these subnets exist on the same physical LAN segment. Such a configuration is sometimes known as "one-armed routing". In such a case the submap will contain the devices in all associated IP subnets. The subnet icon’s name will include all of the IP subnets that it represents: Figure 37 Subnet Icon’s Name

Undiscovered Subnets If 3Com Network Supervisor discovers a device that has an IP interface on a subnet that 3Com Network Supervisor has not recognized, then an undiscovered subnet icon will be added to the top-level map and linked to the device. Undiscovered subnet icons represent areas of the network that have not yet been discovered by 3Com Network Supervisor, and give you a convenient way to visualize and progressively map your entire network. Double-clicking on an undiscovered subnet allows you to launch a Network Discovery operation against the IP subnets represented by the Undiscovered subnet icon. For more information about network discovery see “Discovering the Network” on page 57. If you do not wish to see the undiscovered subnets in your top-level map then turn off the View > Show Undiscovered Subnets option. This will simplify the contents of your map by hiding all of the undiscovered subnets. If you turn off this option then you may also wish to relayout your map. For more information see “Modifying the Map Layout” on page 153. Pull-Right Menu for Subnets Right-clicking on a subnet icon in the map, or on a subnet entry in the tree, produces a pop-up menu. The following table describes each of the menu items in the pop-up.

Components

123

Table 20 Subnets Menu Options Menu Item

Operation

Start Monitoring

Starts the monitoring of the selected items by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

Stop Monitoring

Stops the monitoring of the selected items by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

What’s Wrong

Configure Alerts

Launches the Configure Alerts dialog box for the selected map items and links. See “Configure Alerts Dialog Box”on page 269 for more information.

View Filtered Events

Launches, or brings to the front, an unfiltered instance of the Events window filtered to show events for the selected items only. See “Events List Components” on page 239 for more information.

Network Discovery

Launches the Network Discovery wizard for the selected subnets. See “The Network Discovery Wizard” on page 75 for more information.

Prioritize Network Traffic

Launches the Prioritize Network Traffic wizard for the selected devices. See “Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard” on page 335 for more information.

Enter Submap

Navigates to the submap associated with the currently selected subnet. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

Properties

Launches the Properties dialog box for the selected items. See “Viewing Device Details” on page 177 for more information.

3Com Network Supervisor applies intelligent filtering to ensure that an operation applied to a subnet will apply to all items in the subnet that can meet the requirements of the operation. This gives you a convenient way to apply operations to a complete IP subnet, without having to manually select individual items.

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Device Groups Device groups allow you to group related devices into a single submap in your map. For example, you may wish to group all of the database servers within a subnet into a single submap. This allows you to better represent your network, and allows you to more easily apply menu selections to all related devices simultaneously. For more information see “Navigating Between Submaps and the Top-Level Map” on page 137. Grouping Devices into a Device Group In order to create a device group, simply select the devices that you wish to group together and select Edit > Grouping > Group Devices. The selected devices will be replaced in the currently viewed submap by a Device Group icon that represents a new device group. Similarly, the selected devices will be replaced in the tree by a new branch within the currently viewed submap’s branch that contains the selected devices. Clouds will appear in a device group’s submap according to the rules given in “Clouds and Submaps” on page 120. Device groups can only be created within a subnet or device group; they cannot be created in the top-level map. A device group can only contain devices that are members of that submap and cannot contain routers or layer-3 switches. Moving Devices into an Existing Device Group If you need to move devices into, or out of, an existing device group, select the devices that you wish to move and select Edit > Grouping > Move Devices to Group to launch the Move to Group dialog box.

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Figure 38 Move to Group Dialog Box

The Move to Group dialog box lists all of the groups, as well as the subnet containing the groups, that the selected devices can be moved to. Select the group that you wish to move the devices to and click OK. The selected devices will be moved in both the map and the tree to the selected group. As with creating groups, clouds will appear in a device group’s submap according to the rules given in “Clouds and Submaps” on page 120 and so moving devices may cause clouds to appear or disappear from submaps. Ungrouping Device Groups If you no longer need a device group, you may ungroup the device group by selecting either Edit > Grouping > Ungroup Devices from the menu bar, or the Ungroup Devices option, in the right-click menu of the device group. This will remove the device group from the submap and replace it with the individual devices. In the tree this will remove the device group’s branch from the submap’s branch and move the individual devices to within the submap’s branch.

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Pull-Right Menu for Device Groups Right-clicking on a device group in the map, or in the tree, produces a pop-up menu. The following table describes each of the menu items in the pop-up. Table 21 Device Groups Menu Options Menu Item

Operation

Start Monitoring

Starts the monitoring of the selected items by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

Stop Monitoring

Stops the monitoring of the selected items by 3Com Network Supervisor. See “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225 for more information.

What’s Wrong

Configure Alerts

Launches the Configure Alerts dialog box for the selected items. See “Configure Alerts Dialog Box”on page 269 for more information.

View Filtered Events

Launches, or brings to the front, an unfiltered instance of the Events window filtered to show events for the selected items only. See “Events List Components” on page 239 for more information.

Prioritize Network Traffic

Launches the Prioritize Network Traffic wizard for the selected devices. See “Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard” on page 335 for more information.

Ungroup Devices

Ungroups the selected device group. See “Ungrouping Device Groups” on page 125 for more information.

Enter Submap

Navigates to the submap associated with the currently selected device group. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

Properties

Launches the Properties dialog box for the selected items. See “Viewing Device Details” on page 177 for more information.

Operations applied to a device group will apply to all devices contained within the device group. 3Com Network Supervisor will intelligently filter out any items from the selection which don't make sense in the context of the requested operation. This gives you a convenient way to apply operations to all members of a device group, without having to manually select individual items.

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Tooltips Basic information about items on the map can be obtained by holding the mouse pointer over the appropriate item for a short period of time, after which a tooltip for the item in question will appear: Figure 39 A Tooltip

The information displayed within the tooltip depends upon the type of item you hold the mouse point over. For links and layer-3 connections the linking displayed depends upon which end of the link you hold the mouse pointer over. The information displayed for a link or layer-3 connection is based upon the map item connected to the end nearest the half that the mouse is held over. The following table describes the information displayed: Table 22 Tooltip Displays Map Item

Information Displayed

Device

The current label of the device, as specified by View > Labels. For more information about device labels see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Map Item Labels and Address Translationâ&#x20AC;? on page 128.

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Map Item

Information Displayed

Physical Link

Details of the map item connected to the half of the link you are holding the mouse pointer over, including: ■

■

Layer-3 Connection

The current label of the map item, as specified by View > Labels. The unit and port or ifIndex of the interface that the link is connected to on the map item, if applicable. The duplex mode of the interface that the link is connected to on the map item, if applicable. The resilience mode of the interface that the link is connected to on the map item, if applicable. The spanning tree mode of the interface that the link is connected to on the map item, if applicable.

The IP address and subnet mask of the IP interface that the router or layer-3 device at one end of the link has on the subnet at the other end of the link. In addition, when you hold the mouse pointer over the half of the link nearest to the router or layer-3 switch the unit and port or ifIndex that the IP interface is configured on are displayed.

Cloud

The current label of the cloud, as specified by View > Labels.

Subnet

The current label of the subnet, as specified by View > Labels.

Device Group

The name of the device group.

Map Item Labels and Address Translation The View > Labels menu allows you to select the type of label to display for map items. The label selected affects the display of all map items in both the map and the tree, and also affects the display of tooltips for all map items. The sources that 3Com Network Supervisor uses to obtain each label for a particular map item are described in the following table: Table 23 Label Source Displays Label Type

Label Source

Custom Name

Manually specified. For more information about how to set the Custom Name for a map item see “Viewing Device Details” on page 177.

User Name

For NBX phones this is the User Name associated with the phone, as retrieved from the NCP. For more information about working with NBX telephony solutions see “NBX Support” on page 367.

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Label Type

Label Source

DNS Name

3Com Network Supervisor automatically resolves DNS Names for devices that have a valid IP address, using the DNS servers configured on the PC that 3Com Network Supervisor is running on. This resolution is performed during discovery. For more information about DNS resolution during discovery see “DNS Name Resolution ” on page 61.

System Name

For devices this is the System Name that the device is configured with.

Map items other than devices do not have a DNS Name label.

For clouds this is a name automatically assigned by 3Com Network Supervisor, based upon when the cloud was created. Map items other than devices and clouds do not have a System Name label. IP Address

For devices this is the first IP interface configured on the device that 3Com Network Supervisor detected. For subnets this is the subnet IP address. For subnet icons that represent multiple subnets this is a list of the subnet IP addresses. Map items other than devices and subnets do not have an IP Address label.

MAC Address

For devices this is the first MAC address configured on the device that 3Com Network Supervisor detected. For more information about how to configure the display of MAC addresses see “Vendor Translation of MAC Addresses” on page 130. Map items other than devices do not have a MAC Address label.

If 3Com Network Supervisor is unable to obtain a label of the type you have selected, then it will use the first label that it is able to locate (using the order in Table 23). For example, 3Com Network Supervisor will not be able to determine the User Name for a cloud, and so will use the Custom Name if it is set, or the System Name otherwise.

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Vendor Translation of MAC Addresses The MAC address of a device is divided into two 24-bit halves. The first half is known variously as the Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI), the “company_id” or the vendor ID, and can be used to identify the device’s manufacturer. The second half is a unique ID provided by the device’s manufacturer. 3Com Network Supervisor can automatically determine the manufacturer of each device on the network that has a MAC address by translating the OUI portion of the MAC address from its hexadecimal representation to the manufacturer’s name. This changes the display, when the MAC Address label type is selected from View > Labels, as follows: Figure 40 MAC Address label display (1)

becomes:

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Figure 41 MAC Address label display (2)

By default, the automatic translation of the OUI of MAC addresses is turned off. To toggle this feature on or off, launch the Tools > Options dialog box and, from the General tab, set the Translate MACs option:

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Figure 42 The Translate MACs Option

Toggling this option affects the display of MAC addresses in all areas of 3Com Network Supervisor other than in the reports, which always display the raw MAC addresses. 3Com Network Supervisor uses a list of fixed mappings from OUI to vendor name to perform this translation. As new OUI values are assigned to vendors on a regular basis it is possible that 3Com Network Supervisor will not have a mapping for a particular device in your network. In such a case 3Com Network Supervisor will simply display the full MAC address. For more information about how you can extend this list yourself to include new mappings, refer to Appendix E.

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Selecting Items in the Map and Tree In order to select an item in the map or the tree single-click on its icon. This will select the item both in the map and in the tree. To add additional items to the selection you can then press and hold the Ctrl key while single-clicking on the other items that you wish to add to the selection. Pressing and holding the Ctrl key, while single-clicking on items, can also be used to remove items from the selection. In addition to selecting individual items, it is possible to select all of the map items in the current submap, by selecting Edit > Select All, and to select all of the core network infrastructure devices, in all of the submaps, by selecting Edit > Select All Core Devices. Selecting Multiple Map Items in the Currently Viewed Map A set of map items that are next to each other in the currently viewed map can be selected by dragging a selection rectangle around them. To do this: 1 Click at one corner of the area on the map that you want to select. 2 Keep the mouse button pressed and drag the selection rectangle so that all of the map items that you want to select are within the rectangle. 3 Release the mouse button.

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Figure 43 Selecting Multiple Map Items

For the purposes of selection, a map item is considered to be within the selection rectangle if it is either wholly contained within the selection rectangle, or if the selection rectangle overlaps with its icon. Note that this method of selection does not include links in the selection. Selecting Multiple Items in the Tree A set of items that are listed consecutively in the tree can be selected by the two-step process of selecting the first item that you want to include in the selection, pressing and holding Shift, then single-clicking on the last item that you want to include in the selection. This method of selection changes the selection so that it includes only those map items between the two items that you selected. If you had selected any other map items prior to selecting items in the tree in the same way then those items will be no longer be included in the selection.

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This method of selection only selects the items that are currently visible in the tree. If a subnet or device group branch that is not expanded is included within the selection then this will only select the subnet or device group. It will not select the members of the subnet or device group. Selection and the Pull-Right Menu The pull-right menu and its options interacts with selection in various ways:

Navigation

â&#x2013;

If you launch the pull-right menu for an item that is not currently selected, then this will clear any current selection and select the item, whose pull-right menu you launched.

â&#x2013;

If you launch the pull-right menu for an item that is currently selected, then the menu will list all of the options that can be applied to all of the items that are currently selected. If you then select an option that can be applied to more than one of the selected items then the option will be applied to all of those items. Note that this also applies to menu options in the menu bar.

3Com Network Supervisor provides various navigation facilities to enable you to focus in on particular areas of your network topology that are of interest to you. These facilities include panning, zooming in and out of the map and, when you are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet, navigating between submaps and the top-level map. Panning Panning around the map is achieved by using the two scroll bars located at the right-hand side and lower map area. The scroll bar at the right-hand side controls vertical panning and the lower scroll bar controls horizontal panning. There are three zoom actions that may be performed in the map: Zoom in Zooms in on the map. If there are one or more items selected in the currently viewed submap then 3Com Network Supervisor centers these items on the page and zooms in. If there are no items selected in the currently viewed submap, then 3Com Network Supervisor zooms in directly towards the center of the currently displayed area of the submap.

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Zoom out Zooms out from the map, keeping the center of the currently displayed area of the submap centered in the zoomed out display. Fit to page Centers the entire contents of the currently viewed submap on the display and zooms in or out so that the entire contents of the submap are visible on the display. Each of these actions can be launched from any of three locations: the View > Zoom submenu, the pull-right menu for the map background (for more information about this menu see “Pull-Right Menu for Map Background” on page 139) and the toolbar. The following buttons in the toolbar can be used to perform these actions: Table 24 Toolbar Zoom Buttons Button

Action Zoom in

Zoom out

Fit to page

In addition to these methods of zooming in and out of the map, 3Com Network Supervisor provides a method for directly selecting the area of the map that you wish to view. This is similar to the selection rectangle described in “Selecting Multiple Map Items in the Currently Viewed Map” on page 133, in that you can specify the area of the map that you wish to view by dragging a zoom rectangle around them. To do this right-click one corner of the area on the map that you want to zoom to, keep the mouse button pressed and drag the zoom rectangle to cover the area that you wish to zoom to, then release the mouse button.

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Unlike the selection rectangle, which may have any proportions, the zoom rectangle keeps the proportions of the map display area to indicate the complete area that will be visible when you release the mouse button. This may mean that when you are dragging the zoom rectangle the pointer is not at the corner of the rectangle: Figure 44 Using the Zoom Rectangle

Navigating Between Submaps and the Top-Level Map When you are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet, the map display can only show the top-level map or any one submap at any given time. This means that in order to view the contents of a submap that is not currently being viewed it is necessary to navigate to it. The simplest method of navigating between different submaps or between submaps and the top level map is via the use of two controls: ■

Go Up — Navigates up one level in the hierarchy of submaps to show the current submap’s parent. If you are currently viewing a subnet or group of subnets and layer-3 devices, then this will navigate up to the top-level map. If you are currently viewing a device group then this will navigate up to either another device group or a subnet, depending upon the hierarchy.

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The Go Up action can be performed either by selecting View > Go Up, or by clicking the Go Up button in the toolbar. Figure 45 Up Button

The Go Up action cannot be performed from the top-level map. ■

Enter Submap — Navigates directly to the submap associated with the subnet or device group being entered. The Enter Submap action can be performed either by selecting View > Enter Submap, by selecting Enter Submap from the right-click menu of a subnet or device group, or by double-clicking on the icon of a subnet or device group.

Double-clicking on an Undiscovered subnet will launch the Discovery wizard, rather than navigating into the subnet. The Enter Submap action can only be performed when you have a single discovered subnet or a single device group selected. In some situations a subnet’s submap will contain subnet icons. Entering the submap associated with such an icon is equivalent to navigating sideways in the submap hierarchy. If you navigate to a subnet’s submap in this way and then navigate up you will arrive either at the top-level map, or a group containing the subnet, not at your original submap. The title bar for 3Com Network Supervisor indicates which submap you are currently viewing by listing details at the end of the title. The details shown depends upon the submap currently being viewed, and are as follows: Table 25 Title Bar Displays Currently Viewing

Text Displayed in Title

Top-level map

Entire Network

Subnet’s submap

The subnet’s IP address

Device group’s submap

The device group’s name

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Pull-Right Menu for Map Background As noted above, using the pull-right menu on the map background, that is right-clicking on any area of the map that does not contain an item produces a pop-up menu. As well as menu items for zooming in and out of the map other actions are available from this menu. The following table lists each menu item that may appear in the menu and the associated operation. Table 26 Pull-Right Menu Options from the Map Background. Menu Item

Operation

Zoom in

Zooms in towards the map, centering the current selection in the display if applicable. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

Zoom out

Zooms out from the map. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

Fit to page

Centers the map on the display and zooms in or out as necessary so that the entire map is visible in the display. See “Navigation” on page 135 for more information.

Relayout

Performs an automatic relayout of the map items in the currently viewed submap. See “Automatic Relayout of Maps” on page 153 for more information.

Find

Launches the Find dialog box. This dialog box allows you to find items in the map by various attributes such as Name and IP or MAC address. See “Finding Items on Your Network” on page 145. Note that the Find dialog box will find items on any submap within the map, not just within the submap you launched the Find dialog box from.

Shortcut Symbols You may have two devices on your network that are physically linked to each other, but that do not exist on the same subnet. When you are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnets, there is no submap in which both devices are visible. However, provided one of the devices is visible in the submap, 3Com Network Supervisor can still draw the physical link between the two devices using a shortcut symbol to represent the other device. The shortcut icon used is similar to the normal device icon, but is grayed-out, and has an arrow displayed in the lower left-hand corner. The submap that the device belongs to displays in parentheses after the device's label.

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Table 27 Shortcut Icon Original Icon

Shortcut Icon

You can use shortcut icons to navigate to the submap that contains the device. Either double-click on the shortcut icon, or select Follow Link from the pull-right menu of the shortcut icon. This navigates to the submap, selects the device, centers it on the display and zooms in on it. Navigating to a submap using the shortcut icon is equivalent to navigating sideways in the submap hierarchy. If you navigate to a subnetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s submap in this way, and then navigate up, you will arrive at the top-level map, or a group containing the subnet, rather than return to your original submap. Where the device that a shortcut represents exists on more than one submap, 3Com Network Supervisor selects one of these for the shortcut to link to. This is the submap represented by the text in parentheses shown after the shortcut label. Shortcuts can also involve subnets as well as devices. These exist when a router has been grouped at the top level; the submap contains a shortcut to the subnet the router is connected to in the top level map.

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Navigating Around the Map Using the Tree As well as using the map for map navigation, you can also use the tree for map navigation. To navigate to the submap associated with a subnet or device group, locate the branch representing the subnet or device group in the tree and either: ■

double-click on the branch representing the subnet or device group

or, ■

select the branch representing the subnet or device group and select Enter Submap from the pull-right menu.

To zoom to a device in the map, double-click on its entry in the tree. 3Com Network Supervisor navigates to the submap that the device is listed under, centers the device within the display, and zooms in on the device. As routers and layer-3 switches are shown in the top-level of the tree, double-clicking on a router or layer-3 switch navigates to the top-level map and zooms in on the device as it is shown in that map. Trace Path The Tools > Trace Paths option allows you to find the physical paths between any two devices on your network and highlight them in the map. You can launch Trace Path in two ways: ■

Select the two devices that you want to find the physical paths for on the map and then select Tools > Trace Path.

■

Select Tools > Trace Path without first selecting the two devices that you want to find the physical paths for. This launches the Trace Path Wizard, from which you select the two devices that you want to find the physical paths for. See “Using The Trace Path Wizard” on page page 144.

As Trace Path locates physical paths and not logical paths, the Tools > Trace Path menu option is not available when you are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet. Launching Trace Path displays the Trace Path toolbar and highlights the first physical path that was found between the two selected devices:

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Figure 46 Trace Path Example

If you launch Trace Path without first selecting the two devices that you want to find the physical paths for, the toolbar is launched alongside the wizard. However, the toolbar buttons are only enabled once you have completed the selection of the two devices that you want to find the physical paths for within the wizard. Changing the Displayed Path The Trace Path toolbar lists the total number of physical paths that have been found between the two selected devices, and indicates which of those paths is currently displayed. To change between paths, click the Previous Path or Next Path buttons:

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Table 28 Previous and Next Path Buttons Button

Action

Explanation

Previous Path

Changes the displayed path to the one preceding the currently viewed path. This is not available when you are viewing the first found path

Next Path

Changes the displayed path to the one following the currently viewed path. This is not available when you are viewing the last found path.

Changing the displayed path changes the path that is highlighted in the map. Using the Filtered Trace Path View Trace Path also provides a separate filtered view that shows only those map items included in the currently viewed path. All other map items are hidden from view: Figure 47 Trace Path Filtered View

To switch to filtered Trace Path view, toggle the Change View button in the Trace Path toolbar: Figure 48 Switching to Filtered Trace Path View

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When you change the viewed path in the filtered Trace Path view, the devices that form the path, or the order in which the devices are displayed in the path, may change. As a result some devices may be removed from the view, others may be added and the layout may change. Using The Trace Path Wizard The Trace Path Wizard is launched if you select Tools > Trace Path and you do not have two devices selected. The wizard guides you through selecting the two devices that you want to find the physical paths for, one at a time, by searching for them. To search for each device you must first select appropriate search criteria to find the device. The search criteria are specified in the same manner as they are specified within the Find dialog box. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Finding Items on Your Networkâ&#x20AC;? on page 145 for more information. However, only the Devices and NBX telephony components options are available within the Find: list. After you have entered suitable search criteria to find one of the devices, click Next to find the device. Figure 49 The Trace Path Wizard

If the search criteria only find one device then the Trace Path wizard will select that device as one of the end points of the path.

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However, if the search criteria find multiple devices then the Trace Path wizard will display an additional step listing the matching devices in a results table. In this situation, you may either select the device to use as one of the end points of the path from the results table and click Next to use it, or click Back and enter new search criteria. If you have only one device selected when you select Tools > Trace Path then the first step of the wizard is pre-filled for you with details of the selected device that will allow you to find it easily and set it as the start device of the path. If you have no devices selected, or you have more than two devices selected, when you select Tools > Trace Path then none of the steps of the wizard are pre-filled for you. Finding Items on Your Network You can find devices, subnets, device groups or links on your network by selecting Edit > Find, or by clicking the Find button in the toolbar: Figure 50 Find Button

This button launches the Find dialog box: Figure 51 Find Dialog Box

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To find items on your network from within the Find dialog box, simply select appropriate Search Criteria to locate the required items, and click the Find button. 3Com Network Supervisor will then examine the contents of the map and list the items that match your selected search criteria in the results table. Depending on the search type you specify in the Search by: field, the field or fields below may prompt you to enter further search criteria. In the example above, the Find dialog box is prompting you to enter a device name. This field will change to suit your requested search type. See “Finding Devices” on page 148, “Finding Links” on page 150 and, “Finding NBX Telephony Components” on page 151 for more information. Once you have found the required items, the Find dialog box allows you to use the results table as a navigation tool and launch point for operations: ■

Selecting an item in the results table also selects that item in the map and, if it is a device or subnet, in the tree. You may select multiple items in the results table in the same manner as you may select multiple items in the tree. See “Selecting Items in the Map and Tree” on page 133 for more information. To select all of the items in the results table, select a single item and then press Ctrl + A.

■

Double-clicking an item in the results table enters the submap where the item is located, centers the item within the display and zooms to the item.

■

Right-clicking on a selection in the results table launches the right-click menu for the selection.

Using Wildcards to Find Partial Matches Some selections in the Search Criteria allow you to enter the value to search for. For example, if you are searching for devices by name, you may enter the name of the device to search for. When using all such searches other than finding links by speed you may use wildcards within the entered value. Wildcards are placeholders for text that does not directly affect the search you are performing, and so allow you to specify searches such as finding all devices that include the text “switch” in their name.

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The wildcards supported by 3Com Network Supervisor are shown in the following table: Table 29 Wildcard Characters Wildcard

Matches

Zero or more characters

Exactly one character

For example: ■

To find all devices that include the text switch in their name, select Find: Devices Search by: Name and enter the Name: *switch*.

■

To find devices with IP addresses in the range 123.45.67.80 – 123.45.67.89, select Find: Devices Search by: IP address and enter the IP address: 123.45.67.8?

■

To find all NBX telephony components located at headquarters, where that location is set as either Headquarters or HQ, select Find: NBX telephony components Search by: Location and enter the Location: H*Q*

If you do not enter a value to search for then 3Com Network Supervisor will treat this as if you have entered a * wildcard character. You can use this feature to find all items that have the attribute specified in the Search by: option. For example, if you leave the value field empty when searching by IP address, 3Com Network Supervisor will list all devices with an IP address on your network. Searching Within the Search Results The Find dialog box, by default, performs a fresh search across all of the items in the map every time Find is clicked. However, you may restrict subsequent searches to only searching within the results of the last search by checking the Find only within current list checkbox. This allows you to perform more complex searches, such as finding all devices of a particular device type on a particular subnet. If the Find only within current list checkbox is checked and the results table is empty or does not contain items suitable to the search being performed then the Find dialog box will perform a fresh search across all of the items in the map.

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Using the Find Dialog Box to Select Items for Operations There are various operations in 3Com Network Supervisor for which you must first select a list of items to perform the operation on before you may proceed, such as selecting a list of devices that are to have their configuration backed-up, or selecting a list of links to disable an event for. These operations all use the Find dialog box to allow you to select items for the list. When launched from within an operation, the Find dialog does not act as a navigation tool or launch point for operations, and the Find: list only includes item types that are appropriate to the operation being performed. Finding Devices The Find: Devices option allows you to find devices on your network. In addition, when the Find dialog box is launched from Edit > Find or the toolbar, some searches will also find clouds, subnets and device groups on your network. The following Search by: options are available: Table 30 Search by: Options Search by: Option Description Name

Finds devices whose Custom Name, DNS Name or System Name matches the entered name. When the Find dialog is launched from Edit > Find or the toolbar this also finds matching clouds, subnets and device groups. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Name: field.

IP address

Finds devices that have an IP address that matches the entered IP address. When the Find dialog is launched from Edit > Find or the toolbar this also finds subnets whose IP address matches the entered IP address. You may use wildcards in any of the four fields of the IP address. If you use wildcards, or leave one or more fields of the IP address blank, and a device has more than one IP address that matches the entered IP address then the device will be listed multiple times in the results table, once for each matching IP address.

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Search by: Option Description MAC address

Finds devices that have a MAC address that matches the entered MAC address. You may use wildcards in any of the six fields of the MAC address. If you use wildcards, or leave one or more fields of the MAC address blank, and a device has more than one MAC address that matches the entered MAC address then the device will be listed multiple times in the results table, once for each matching MAC address.

Device type Finds devices of a specific type. You can select the device type to search for from a list of the discovered device types in the map. Software version

Finds devices running a software version that matches the entered software version. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Software version: field. Chassis devices and stacked switches can have multiple software versions running on them. If you use wildcards, or leave the Software version: field blank, and a device has multiple software versions that match the entered software version then the device will be listed multiple times in the results table, once for each matching software version.

Serial number

Finds devices whose serial number matches the entered serial number. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Serial number: field. Chassis devices and stacked switches can have multiple serial numbers. If you use wildcards, or leave the Serial number: field blank, and a device has multiple serial numbers that match the entered serial number then the device will be listed multiple times in the results table, once for each matching serial number.

Product number

Finds devices whose product number matches the entered product number. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Product number: field. Chassis devices and stacked switches can have multiple product numbers. If you use wildcards, or leave the Product number: field blank, and a device has multiple product numbers that match the entered product number then the device will be listed multiple times in the results table, once for each matching product number.

sysObjectID Finds devices whose MIB-II sysObjectID matches the entered sysObjectID. The sysObjectID must be entered in numerical format. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the sysObjectID: field.

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Search by: Option Description sysContact

Finds devices whose MIB-II sysContact matches the entered sysContact. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the sysContact: field.

sysLocation Finds devices whose MIB-II sysLocation matches the entered sysLocation. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the sysLocation: field. Comment

Finds devices whose comment matches the entered comment. When the Find dialog is launched from Edit > Find or the toolbar this also finds clouds, subnets and device groups whose comment matches the entered comment. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Comment: field.

Finding Links The Find: Links option allows you to find links on your network. The following Search by: options are available: Table 31 Find Links, Search by: options Search by: Option Linked to device

Description Finds links where a device at one end of the link has a Custom Name, DNS Name, System Name, IP Address or MAC Address that matches the entered device name. This will also find links where a cloud at one end of the link has a Custom Name or System Name that matches the entered device name. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Device Name: field.

Media type

Finds links of a particular media type. You may select the media type to search for from a list of the media types supported by 3Com Network Supervisor.

Speed

Finds links that are running at a particular speed or range of speeds. You can specify the speed to search for in bits-per-second, kilobits-per-second, megabits-per-second or gigabits-per-second. You may also choose to search for links that are running at exactly the speed you enter, at least as fast as the speed you enter, or at most at the speed you enter.

Components

Search by: Option

Description

Duplex mode

Finds links that are running in a particular duplex mode.

151

You can search for links that are running in either Full or Half duplex mode. Aggregated links whose component links are running in different duplex modes will match searches for either duplex mode. Spanning tree mode

Finds links that are running in a particular spanning tree mode.

Aggregated link

Finds aggregated links.

Resilient link

Finds resilient links.

Comment

Finds links whose comment matches the entered comment.

You can search for links that are running in forwarding or blocked spanning tree modes. You may also search for links on which spanning tree is disabled.

You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Comment: field.

Finding NBX Telephony Components The Find: NBX Telephony Components option allows you to find NBX telephony components on your network. NBX telephony components include such devices as NBX call processors, line cards and NBX phones. The following Search by: options are available: Table 32 Find: Links, Search by: options Search by: Option Name

Description Finds NBX telephony components whose Custom Name, DNS Name or System Name matches the entered name. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Name: field.

User name

Find NBX telephony components that have a user name assigned to them on their associated NCP that matches the entered user name. The user name of an NBX telephony component is a combination of the first name and last name configured for the component on their associated NCP. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the User name: field.

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Search by: Option User title

Description Find NBX telephony components that have a user title assigned to them on their associated NCP that matches the entered user title. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the User title: field.

User department

Find NBX telephony components that have a user department assigned to them on their associated NCP that matches the entered user department. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the User department: field.

Extension number

Find NBX telephony components that have an extension number assigned to them on their associated NCP that matches the entered extension number. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Extension Number: field.

Location

Find NBX telephony components that have a location assigned to them on their associated NCP that matches the entered location. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Location: field.

IP address

Finds NBX telephony components that have an IP address that matches the entered IP address. You may use wildcards in any of the four fields of the IP address. If you use wildcards, or leave one or more fields of the IP address blank, and an NBX telephony component has more than one IP address that matches the entered IP address then the NBX telephony component will be listed multiple times in the results table, once for each matching IP address.

MAC address

Finds NBX telephony components that have an MAC address that matches the entered MAC address. You may use wildcards in any of the six fields of the MAC address. If you use wildcards, or leave one or more fields of the MAC address blank, and an NBX telephony component has more than one MAC address that matches the entered MAC address then the NBX telephony component will be listed multiple times in the results table, once for each matching MAC address.

Device type

Finds NBX telephony components of a specific type. You can select the device type to search for from a list of the discovered NBX telephony component device types in the map.

Components

Search by: Option Comment

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Description Finds NBX telephony components whose comment matches the entered comment. You may use wildcards in the value that you enter in the Comment: field.

Modifying the Map Layout

Whenever you perform a network discovery 3Com Network Supervisor automatically organizes the representation of your network, or newly discovered portions of your network, in as compact and intuitive a manner as possible. However, the layout chosen by 3Com Network Supervisor may not be exactly as you require, as it does not take account of such factors as geographical location, logical function and so on. For more information about performing a network discovery see “Launching a discovery” on page 72. If you want to change the layout of a map, you can either lay out the map manually, or request an automatic relayout of the current map. Manual Layout of Map Items In order to change the layout of map items select the map item that you wish to move, click and hold the mouse pointer over one of the selected map items, drag the selected items to their new location on the map and release the mouse button. While you drag the selected items their outlines will be shown on the map to indicate where they would be placed if you released the mouse pointer. Changes to the layout of your map are saved as part of the map file. The map will retain your changes next time you open it. For more information see“Saving and Opening Maps” on page 157. Automatic Relayout of Maps You may wish to relayout an entire submap, perhaps due to changes you have made to the map contents. 3Com Network Supervisor can perform the relayout automatically for you. To perform an automatic relayout of the currently viewed submap select View > Relayout Map. For more information about changing the map contents see “Manually Modifying the Map Contents” on page 154.

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If you rediscover portions of your network, or discover a new portion of your network, within an existing map, 3Com Network Supervisor will add newly discovered map items to the map, laying them out automatically. In addition, if you have not altered the position of any of the existing map items then 3Com Network Supervisor will automatically relayout those map items too. Otherwise, 3Com Network Supervisor will warn you that it has not performed a full relayout: Figure 52 3Com Network Supervisor Warning Message

Relaying out the entire map will generally result in a better map layout. Manually Modifying the Map Contents By default the map only displays devices that 3Com Network Supervisor has itself discovered on your network. In some instances you may wish to add map items to represent logical entities, or devices not present in the discovered network. You may also wish to delete map items that you are not interested in, or add links between map items to represent logical connections, or as yet undiscovered links. Adding Items to the Map Devices and clouds can be added to the currently viewed submap by selecting Edit > Add Map Item. This launches the Add Map Item dialog box.

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Figure 53 Add Map Item Dialog Box

You can add items to the map by locating the entry for the type of item you wish to add in the list, and clicking and dragging the entry to the location in the map where you wish it to be located. The Add Map Item dialog box remains visible until you explicitly close it, so you can add multiple map items without having to launch the dialog box for each device. After adding map items to the map you may wish to set various details for them. To do this, launch the Properties dialog box for each of the map items. In particular, you may wish to set the IP address for a device. Doing so will cause 3Com Network Supervisor to interrogate the device to determine as much information about it as it can, including changing the device's icon to represent it as accurately as possible. For more information about setting the IP address of a device see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Setting the IP Address for a Manually Added Deviceâ&#x20AC;? on page 198.

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You can still navigate around the map and between submaps when the Add Map Item dialog box is visible. For more information about map navigation see “Navigation” on page 135. This enables you to add map items to several submaps without having to launch the dialog box for each submap. A newly added cloud is initially present only in the submap that you add it to. However, as soon as you add a link to the cloud the normal cloud behavior takes over. For more information see “Clouds and Submaps” on page 120. Linking Items in the Map Links can be added to the map between two devices, a device and a cloud, or between two clouds. To add a link, select the two map items that you wish to link and select Edit > Add Link. An unvalidated link will be added between the two map items. For more information about unvalidated links see “Unvalidated Links” on page 116. After adding a link between two devices, or between a device and a cloud, you may wish to set the port or interface that the link is attached to on the device(s). For more information about how to set the port for a device at one end of a link see “Properties Dialog Box for a Node” on page 183. Deleting Items from the Map Any map item or link can be deleted from the map by selecting it and selecting Edit > Delete. Deleting an map item or link will remove it from all submaps that it is present in. The only way to re-add a map item is to either re-discover it or use the Add Map Item dialog box. If you delete an map item or link from the map that is still present in your network and then subsequently rediscover the portion of network that the map item or link is on then 3Com Network Supervisor will rediscover that map item or link and add it back into the map. If you delete a subnet or device group from the map then all items within that subnet or device group will be removed from the map. Layer-3 connections cannot be manually deleted from the map. However, if you delete a subnet then all layer-3 connections to that subnet will be automatically removed from the map.

Components

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Keeping the Map Up-to-date You should carry out regular rediscoveries of your network to maintain your map topology, and keep it up to date with the physical layout of your network. This technique is described in “Discovering the Network” on page 57. Saving and Opening Maps

To create a new empty map file and launch the Network Discovery wizard select File > New. You are prompted to save the map if the current map has changed. Saving the map stores all of the information about the current map to a set of map files. These include such information as: ■

The devices in your network and their attributes.

■

The topology of your network and how it is laid out within the map.

■

The events associated with your network.

■

Navigation details, including the currently viewed submap and the zoom levels and pan settings for all submaps.

■

The options currently selected in the Tools > Options dialog box and the View menu.

If you choose to either exit 3Com Network Supervisor or open another map, 3Com Network Supervisor may prompt you to save the map. This will occur if: ■

The map was newly created and has never been saved.

■

Any of the above information has changed since the map was last saved.

If you intend, in the future, to manage the same portion of network that is currently discovered in the map 3Com recommends that you save the map. This will prevent you having to rediscover that portion of network when you next wish to view it. It is good practice to save your map at regular intervals. To do this select File > Save. If the map is a newly created map and has never been saved then you will be prompted for a file name to save the map files under. If you have already saved the map and wish to save it under a new name, select File > Save As, which will prompt you for a new file name.

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If you make changes to the above information in a map that you have opened, or if you create a new map, and you do not subsequently save it, then all the information associated with the map will be lost. Once you have saved a map you can exit 3Com Network Supervisor, or use another map, and then later restore the saved map at the point where you saved it. To restore a saved map select File > Open and locate the map that you wish to open. 3Com Network Supervisor retains a history of the saved maps that have been used. When you launch 3Com Network Supervisor, and have previously saved maps, the Welcome screen offers you the option of opening the most recently used map. Similarly, the File menu includes a list of the four most recently used saved maps. Selecting one of these entries in the File menu will open that map. Default Map Location By default, 3Com Network Supervisor saves maps into and opens maps from the following location: Installation Directory\maps\my_maps (where Installation Directory is the directory where 3Com Network Supervisor is installed)

You can change this location when you are opening or saving maps via the standard file browse dialog box. However, when you next wish to open or save a map the file browser will be launched back to the default location. If the default location is not suitable, you can change it by launching the Tools > Options dialog box and, from the General tab, either browsing for a new default location, or manually entering the required default location in the Map files field.

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Figure 54 Default Map File Location

You may wish to select a default location that is backed-up regularly, such as on a file server, in order to ensure that you do not lose any saved maps in the event of hardware failure.

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Printing the Map

Selecting File > Print launches the Print Map dialog box, which allows you to select how to print the currently visible map: Figure 55 Print Map Dialog Box

â&#x2013;

Selecting the Print the currently visible area option will reproduce exactly what is displayed on the screen in the printed output. This means that if your map is zoomed out far enough that device labels are not shown, they will not be included in the printed output.

â&#x2013;

Selecting the Print the whole map option will print out the whole of the currently viewed submap, zoomed so that it will fit onto the printed page. Depending upon the size of the currently viewed submap, this also may result in the device labels not being visible in the printed output.

Examples

Selecting all of the SuperStack 3 Switch 4400 Devices in the Network

161

The following section provides some examples of how to perform common tasks with the map and tree. You wish to locate and select all of the SuperStack 3 Switch 4400 devices in your network so that you can run the Capacity report for them. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Capacity Reportâ&#x20AC;? on page 292 of further information. 1 Launch the Find dialog box by selecting Edit > Find Figure 56 The Find Dialog Box

2 Select Devices from the Find: list. 3 Select Device type from the Search by: list.

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Figure 57 The Search by: List

4 Select 3Com Switch 4400 from the Device type: list. Figure 58 Selection on the Device type: List

5 Click Find to search for the devices, and wait until the search has completed.

Examples

163

Figure 59 Search Results Table

6 Select a row in the results table and then press Ctrl + A to select all of the SuperStack Switch 4400 devices in your network. Figure 60 Devices Selected

7 Select Tools > Reports to launch the capacity report.

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Viewing all of the Physical Connections for a Router

You are currently viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet and need to see all of the physical connections for a particular router that is logically connected to multiple subnets. 1 Toggle the View > Group Map by Subnet option to change the map to view the devices without grouping them by subnets. All of the devices discovered in your network are now shown in a single submap with all of their physical links visible. Figure 61 Viewing Devices without Grouping by Subnets

2 Double-click on the routerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry in the tree. The map zooms in on the router, and the physical links can be viewed.

Examples

Figure 62 Double-Clicking on a Router in the Tree

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Focusing in on a Set of Devices in the Map

You are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet, are in the top-level map, and wish to focus in on the servers on a particular subnet. 1 Double-click, either in the map or in the tree, on the subnet that the servers are in. The map changes to show the contents of that subnet: Figure 63 Double-Clicking on a Subnet

2 Locate the servers in the tree. Select the first one with a single click and then use Ctrl + click to add each of the other servers into the selection:

Examples

Figure 64 Selection of Multiple Servers

3 Click on the Zoom in button in the toolbar. This centers the display around the selected servers and zooms in: Figure 65 Zooming In

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4 Repeat click on the Zoom in button in the toolbar until the servers are at the level of magnification desired: Figure 66 Adjusting the Magnification

Examples

Adding a Link between Map Items from Different Submaps

169

You are viewing the devices in your map grouped by subnet, and you wish to add a link between two devices that are on different submaps.

1 Locate the two devices in the tree, select the first one with a single-click and the second one with Ctrl + click. Figure 67 Locating the Two Devices

2 Select Edit > Add Link. This will add a link between the two devices, and will add shortcut icons to the appropriate submaps.

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Figure 68 Selecting Edit > Add Link

It is not necessary for either of the devices to be visible in the display in order to link them in this way.

Examples

Adding a New Device on Your Network Into the Map

171

You have just connected a new stackable switch to the network, and wish to add it into the map so that you can manage it. If you are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet then you need to locate and navigate to the subnet that the new switch is present on, so that the device is present in the correct submap. 1 Find the submap in the tree and double-click on it to open the submap. Figure 69 Opening the Submap

2 Select Edit > Add Map Item to launch the Add Map Item dialog box, and locate the stackable switch icon in the list:

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Figure 70 Selecting Edit > Add Map

3 Click and drag the stackable switch icon across into the location in the map where you wish the switch to be placed and drop the icon there. Figure 71 Moving the Stackable Switch Icon

Examples

173

4 Having added the switch, close the Add Map Item dialog, right-click on the new icon and select Properties from the pull-right menu. Figure 72 Selecting Properties

Use the Properties dialog to set the IP address of the new device. For more information about how do this see “Setting the IP Address for a Manually Added Device” on page 198. As well as adding in the switch to the map using the Add Map Item dialog, you could also add the switch by rediscovering the subnet that the switch is present on. If you have configured a scheduled discovery then this will happen automatically the next time the scheduled discovery discovers the subnet. For more information about how to rediscover subnets and schedule discoveries see “Discovering the Network” on page 233.

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Useful Information and References

The following section provides useful support details related to the map and tree.

Graphical Support for Specific Device Types

Some device types have specific graphical support in the map. This section provides details of the specific support provided. NBX Network Telephony Solution For more information about the specific support provided for NBX systems see “NBX Support” on page 367. 3Com Switch 4007 If you have an Enterprise Management Engine (EME) installed in your Switch 4007 chassis, 3Com Network Supervisor will treat the EME as a blade within the chassis for presentation purposes. As a result, the EME will not be represented as a separate icon on the map, and the Switch 4007 icon will be shown linked to the device that provides the EME with it’s network connection point. 3Com Wireless Access Points Wireless clients tend to be very transient in terms of connectivity compared to other devices, and may frequently change their point of connection. Rather than displaying these dynamically in the map as they come and go, 3Com Network Supervisor shows a single cloud attached to each Wireless Access Point. Figure 73 Wireless Access Point Representation

Useful Information and References

175

If a Wireless Access Point is being monitored then 3Com Network Supervisor will monitor the number of clients connected to the Wireless Access Point and dynamically update the contents of the cloud to reflect the results of its monitoring. Figure 74 Clients Connected to the Wireless Access Point

For more information see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Monitoring the Networkâ&#x20AC;? on page 211. Files Associated with Saved Maps When a map is saved, 3Com Network Supervisor actually creates or updates three files to contain the contents of that map. The three files are named based upon the name you choose, and are as follows: Table 33 Saved Map Files Filename

Contents

MapName.map

Details of the discovered devices and their attributes, the network topology and how it is laid out, navigation details and the various view options.

MapName.properties

Details of various settings such as preferences for viewing events and the settings for the last discovery performed.

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Filename

Contents

MapName Events.edb

Details of the events that have occurred against this map.

For example, if you choose to save a map with the name Corporate Core, the following three files will be created: ■

Corporate Core.map

■

Corporate Core.properties

■

Corporate Core Events.edb

All three files are saved to the location that you specify when you save the map. CAUTION: Should you wish to move a saved map from one location to another, it is important that you move all three files, otherwise you will lose information related to the map.

6 Overview

VIEWING DEVICE DETAILS

This chapter describes how to view detailed information about your networking equipment and apply new settings using the Properties dialog box. The Properties dialog box is available after the network has been discovered. It allows you to: ■

View detailed information about the items on the network map.

■

Specify custom information such as Custom Name and Comments for the items on the network map.

■

Change the community strings that 3Com Network Supervisor uses for an individual device, or for several simultaneously.

■

Modify how 3Com Network Supervisor communicates with an individual device, or with several simultaneously.

This chapter covers the following topics: ■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

■

Key Considerations

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Key Concepts

Items Supported by the Properties Dialog Box

This section outlines the key concepts of working with the Properties dialog box in 3Com Network Supervisor. 3Com Network Supervisor can display the properties of any item on the network map. This includes: ■

Nodes — a node is an object on the network map that represents a single physical entity. Examples of nodes in 3Com Network Supervisor are: ■

■

Device — a node that provides repeating, switching or routing capabilities for example a hub, switch, router, or bridge. End station — a node that does not have repeating, switching or routing capabilities for example any PC, Unix workstation, server, or other client machine attached to the network. Phone — a node that has voice over IP (VoIP) capability.

■

Subnets — a subnet is a section of the network in which all devices have an IP address within a defined range.

■

Device Groups — a group represents one or more devices that were grouped using the Edit > Grouping > Group Devices and Edit > Grouping > Move Devices to Group menu options.

■

Clouds — a cloud corresponds to an area of the network map for which 3Com Network Supervisor lacks topology information.

■

Links — a link represents the physical connection between two network nodes.

■

Layer-3 Connection — a layer-3 connection represents the logical connectivity between a router or layer-3 switch and a subnet.

See Chapter 5 for more information on working with the map.

Components Launching the Properties Dialog Box

After you have discovered the network and 3Com Network Supervisor has created the network map you can view the properties for one or several items on the network.

Components

179

To do this: 1 Select the item(s). You can do this by: ■

Clicking on the item’s icon on the map.

■

Clicking on the item’s name in the network tree.

■

Selecting an area of the network map by dragging the mouse while the left mouse button is pressed.

2 Using the Device > Properties menu option, or right-clicking on the item’s icon on the map and selecting the Properties menu option. Refer to “Working with the Map” on page 105 for more details on how to find and select map items. Structure of the Properties Dialog Box

The Tabbed Pane The information presented in the Properties dialog box is organized by tabs, with each tab corresponding to a topic. For instance General, Unit, Addresses. To view topical information for an item, simply click the corresponding tab. This displays the information for that topic. For instance, click the Addresses tab to display the IP and MAC addresses for the currently selected item. Figure 75 shows the tabbed pane for a device.

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Figure 75 Tabbed Pane for a Device

Table 34 gives a description of the information displayed for each tab. Table 34 Description of the Tabs in the Properties Dialog Box Tab Title

Contents

General

General information regarding the item, such as name, type and system information. The information varies depending on the item selected.

Unit

General information on the single unit for the device, such as type and system information.

Addresses

List of IP and MAC addresses for the item.

Security

Security settings for the item, such as the community strings that 3Com Network Supervisor should use to communicate with the item.

Ports

Information regarding the ports at each end of the link.

Power over Ethernet

Information regarding the power over Ethernet settings and usage for the selected port at the end of a link.

Components

Tab Title

Contents

Phone

Information regarding the selected phone.

181

The Device Tree If the selected map item is a networking device, the left-hand side of the dialog box shows a tree, as shown in Figure 76. Figure 76 The Device Tree

The tree presents the structure, as units/slots and ports, of the selected device.

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The device tree lists the following: ■

Device — this is the root of the tree. It represents the whole device. The label displayed in the tree corresponds to the label displayed on the network map such as Custom Name, System Name, IP Address, etc.

■

Unit — this is displayed under the device tree node if there are at least two units within the device or the device is a chassis. It represents an individual unit within a stack, or a blade within a chassis. The label displayed in the tree corresponds to: ■

The unit index within the stack and the type of unit.

■

The slot index within the chassis and the type of blade.

■

Port — this is displayed under the device tree node if the device consists of only one unit, or under the unit tree node if there are several units within the device or the device is a chassis. It represents an individual port within the unit/blade. The label displayed in the tree corresponds to the port index. If the port is part of an aggregation or is connected, this is also shown. For instance:

■

If Port 12 is not connected and is not part of an aggregation, the label is Port 12

■

If Port 12 is not connected and is part of Aggregated Link 1, the label is Port 12: member of AL1

■

If Port 12 is connected to Device1 and is not part of an aggregation, the label is Port 12: connected to Device1

■

If Port 12 is connected to Device1 and is part of Aggregated Link 1, the label is Port 12: member of AL1

■

IfIndex — this is displayed under the device tree node if the device consists of only one unit, or under the unit tree node if there are several units within the device or the device is a chassis. It represents an individual interface within the unit/blade that could not be mapped to a port on the device. The label displayed in the tree corresponds to the ifIndex and the type of interface. If the port is connected, this is also shown. For instance:

■

If the interface with ifIndex 123 is of type PPP and is not connected, the label is IfIndex 123 PPP.

Components

■

183

Aggregated Link — this is displayed under the device tree node. It represents an individual port aggregation on the device. The label displayed in the tree corresponds to the port aggregation index. If ports within the aggregation are connected, this is also shown. For instance: ■

■

If no link on Aggregated Link 1 is connected, the label is AL 1 If one or several links on Aggregated Link 1 are connected to Device1, the label is AL 1: connected to Device1

By default, only units and aggregated links are displayed in the tree. To display ports within a unit you need to expand the corresponding tree node to view its contents. To expand a tree node and view the contents, click on the + icon next to the folder icon. To collapse a tree node and hide the contents, click on the - icon next to the folder icon. To view information on a specific unit, port, or aggregated link, select the corresponding tree node by clicking on it. This updates the tabbed pane on the right-hand side of the dialog box. The Properties dialog box shows the tree only if a single map item is selected and that map item is a device. Properties Dialog Box for a Node

The contents of the Properties dialog box for the various types of nodes are similar, but there are some slight differences, as highlighted in the following paragraphs. Table 35 shows the tabs that are displayed, and the contents of these tabs. Table 35 The Tabs for a Node Tab Title

Contents

General

General information regarding the node, such as name, type and system information. Custom information, such as Custom Name and Comments

Addresses

List of IP and MAC addresses for the item.

Security

Community strings used for that device

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Properties Dialog Box for a Supported Device

If the map item is a device supported by 3Com Network Supervisor, the Properties dialog box shows a tree on the left-hand side of the dialog box, with the tabbed pane on the right-hand side of the dialog box. The tree shows the individual ports on the device. Select the port in the tree to view the properties for that port. The tabs available for a port are shown in Table 36. Table 36 Tabs for a Port Tab Title

Contents

General

General settings for the port, such as speed, duplex mode, etc. Custom information, such as comments

Power over Information regarding the power over Ethernet settings and usage for Ethernet the selected port at the end of a link.

If a port is not operating at its full capacity, this is indicated. For instance it may be operating at 10Mbps when it is capable of 100Mbps, or operating in half duplex when it is capable of full duplex. The tree also shows the individual interfaces on the device that could not be mapped to ports. Select the ifIndex of the interface in the tree to view the properties for that interface. The tabs available for an interface are shown in Table 37. Table 37 Tabs for an interface Tab Title

Contents

General

General settings for the interface, such as media type, speed, IP address, etc. Custom information, such as comments

The tree also shows the aggregated links set up on the device. The tabs available for an aggregated link are shown in Table 38. Table 38 Tabs for an Aggregated Link Tab Title

Contents

General

The settings for the aggregated link, such as speed, duplex mode, LACP state, etc. Information on the individual ports that form the aggregation.

Power over Information regarding the power over Ethernet settings and usage for Ethernet the selected port at the end of a link.

Components

Supported Device (Stack or Chassis)

185

If the device is a stack or a chassis device, the tree on the left-hand side of the dialog box shows the device, the units/slots on the device, the ports on each unit/slot and the ifIndices and aggregated links on the device, as shown in Figure 77. Figure 77 Properties Dialog Box for a Supported Device (Stack or Chassis)

Select the unit/slot in the tree to view the properties for that unit/blade. The tabs available for a unit/slot are shown in Table 39. Table 39 Tabs Available for a Unit/Slot Tab Title

Contents

General

The system information for the unit/blade, such as type, hardware and software version, etc. Custom information for the unit, such as comments.

Addresses

The IP and MAC addresses for the unit/blade.

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Supported Device (Single Unit)

If the device is neither a stack nor a chassis device, the tree on the left-hand side of the dialog box shows the device, the ports, interfaces and aggregated links on the device, as shown in Figure 78. Figure 78 Properties Dialog Box for a Supported Device (Single Unit)

Because it is not possible to view the properties of a unit by selecting it in the tree, an additional Unit tab is available for the device. That tab shows the information in the same format as the General tab for a unit. See Table 39. Properties Dialog Box for an Unsupported Device

3Com Network Supervisor cannot list the units, interfaces or ports within a device that it does not support. For this reason, there is no tree on the left-hand side of the dialog box, as shown in Figure 79.

Components

187

Figure 79 Properties Dialog Box for an Unsupported Device

Because 3Com Network Supervisor does not support the device some information might be missing. Whenever information is missing, 3Com Network Supervisor shows N/A indicating that it is not applicable or Unknown indicating that 3Com Network Supervisor could not get the information). Properties Dialog Box for an End station

End Stations usually consist of a single port, so 3Com Network Supervisor does not show a tree on the left-hand side of the dialog box, as shown in Figure 80.

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Figure 80 Properties Dialog Box for an End Station

Because end stations are usually unmanaged, some information might be missing. Whenever information is missing, 3Com Network Supervisor shows N/A indicating that it is not applicable or Unknown indicating that 3Com Network Supervisor could not get the information. If the NBX pcXset software (softphone application) is running on the end station, the Phone tab is also available. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Phone tabâ&#x20AC;? on page 189 for the contents of that tab. Properties Dialog Box for a Phone

Because phones are unmanaged, 3Com Network Supervisor cannot represent individual port information for them. Because of this there is no tree on the left-hand side of the dialog box, as shown in Figure 81.

Components

189

Figure 81 Properties Dialog for a Phone

Phone tab The Properties dialog box for phones displays an extra Phone tab. This tab displays information such as: â&#x2013;

User information for the phone: User title, user name, user department

â&#x2013;

Phone information: Extension number, location

Because phones are unmanaged, some information might be missing. Whenever information is missing, 3Com Network Supervisor shows N/A indicating that it is not applicable or Unknown indicating that 3Com Network Supervisor could not get the information.

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Properties Dialog Box for a Subnet

Figure 82 Properties Dialog Box for a Subnet

The tabs available for a subnet are shown in Table 40: Table 40 Tabs available for a Subnet

Properties Dialog Box for a Device Group

Tab Title

Contents

General

General and custom information for the subnet, such as custom name, subnet address, comments, etc.

The Properties dialog box for a device group consists of a single General tab, as shown in Figure 83.

Components

191

Figure 83 Properties Dialog Box for a Device Group

The General tab shows the following information:

Properties Dialog Box for a Cloud

■

Custom Name — The name of the device group as it appears on the map.

■

Comments — The custom comment for the device group.

The Properties dialog box for a cloud consists of a single General tab, as shown in Figure 84.

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Figure 84 Properties Dialog Box for a Cloud

The General tab shows the following information:

Properties Dialog Box for a Link

■

Custom Name — the custom name of the cloud.

■

Type — this corresponds to the media types of the links connected to the cloud.

■

Comments — the custom comment for the cloud

This section describes the Properties dialog box for the various types of links.

Components

Properties Dialog Box for a Link The Properties dialog box for a link between two nodes consists of a tabbed pane. There is no tree on the left-hand side, as shown in Figure 85. Figure 85 Properties Dialog Box for a Link

The tabs available for a link are shown in Table 41: Table 41 Tabs Available for a Link Tab Title

Contents

General

General information for the link, such as speed, duplex mode, etc. Custom information, such as comments.

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Tab Title

Contents

Ports

Information for the devices at each end of the link such as device name and IP address. Settings for the port at each end of the link such as port number, auto-negotiation settings, spanning tree state, etc.

Power over Ethernet Information regarding the power over Ethernet settings and usage for the ports at either end of the link.

Properties Dialog Box for a Layer-3 Connection

The Properties dialog box for a Layer-3 Connection consists of a tabbed pane. There is no tree on the left-hand side, as shown in Figure 86. Figure 86 Properties Dialog Box for a Layer-3 Connection

Components

195

The tabs available for a link to a subnet are shown in Table 42: Table 42 Tabs available for a Layer-3 Connection

Properties Dialog Box for a Multiple Selection

Tab Title

Contents

General

General information about the source of the layer-3 connection on the device end of the link, such as details of the IP interface and the ports it is associated with.

When multiple items are selected on the map and the Properties dialog box is launched, no tree is available on the left-hand side. Instead explanatory text is displayed, as shown in Figure 87. Figure 87 Properties Dialog Box for a Multiple Selection

The tabs shown in the tabbed pane depend upon the items that have been selected: â&#x2013;

If the selected items are all of the same type (for example, if they are all physical links, or if they are all devices) then the standard tabs for that type will be shown.

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â&#x2013;

If the selected items are of different types then the General tab will be shown, containing only the Comments section. In addition, if the Security tab would be displayed for any of the selected items if the Properties dialog box was launched for them individually then the Security tab is also displayed.

For example, if three links are selected, one of which is an aggregated link, and the Properties dialog box is launched then the General and Ports tabs will be displayed; if a node were added to the selection prior to launching the Properties dialog box then the General and Security tabs would be displayed. If, for any tab, it is not possible to display information common to the whole selection, the tab shows explanatory text, as shown in Figure 88. Figure 88 No Common Information Across the Selection

Where possible, 3Com Network Supervisor displays the original layout for each tab. If the information for a field within a tab is the same for all selected items, that information is displayed. If the information differs between the items, the information shows multiple values. For example, Figure 89 shows a section of the General tab for two devices of the same type (3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 4226T). The Type and Product Number are the same for both devices, so the actual value is displayed for both the Type and Product Number fields. However, the Serial Number is different for the two devices, so the value for Serial Number shows multiple values. Figure 89 General Tab for Two Devices of the Same Type

Components

Applying Changes to Devices Using the Properties Dialog Box

197

This section describes how you can apply changes to items with the Properties dialog box. Changing the Custom Name 3Com Network Supervisor allows you to change the custom name of any item on the network map. To change the custom name of an item on the map: ■

Click on the icon for the node in the 3Com Network Supervisor map to select it.

■

Select the Device > Properties menu option to launch the Properties dialog box.

■

In the General tab, enter the label you want to use in the Custom Name field.

■

Click OK to validate your changes.

To show the custom name of the items on your network, select the View > Labels > Custom Name menu option. Changing the Custom Name only changes the label that 3Com Network Supervisor uses for the network map – if you are changing the label for a device then 3Com Network Supervisor makes no changes to the device itself. Changing the Comments 3Com Network Supervisor allows you to specify comments for any item on the network, including the units, ports and interfaces on a node. To specify comments: 1 Click on the icon for the item in the 3Com Network Supervisor map to select it. 2 Select the Device > Properties menu option to launch the Properties dialog box. 3 To specify a comment for any item type other than a unit, port or interface, type in your comment in the Comments section of the General tab. If you want to enter comments for a unit, port or interface, select that item in the tree on the left-hand side of the dialog box, then type in your comment in the Comments section of the General tab for that item.

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4 Click OK to save your changes. Setting the IP Address for a Manually Added Device When a device is manually added to the map, it does not have an IP address associated with it. 3Com Network Supervisor lets you enter an IP address for that device. To specify the IP address for a manually added device: 1 Click on the icon for the device in the 3Com Network Supervisor map to select it. 2 Select the Device > Properties menu option to launch the Properties dialog box. 3 Click on the Addresses tab. This displays the tab as shown in Figure 90. 4 Click on the Assign button and enter the IP address for that device in the Add IP Address dialog box, then click OK. The IP address must be a valid address, must be within the range allowed for the subnet the device was added to, and must not be already used by another device; otherwise a warning message is displayed. 5 3Com Network Supervisor then tries to contact the device using the IP address you specified. If the IP address does not respond, the dialog box shown in Figure 91 is displayed: Click No to enter a different IP address or Yes to use the IP address you specified. 6 Click on OK in the Properties dialog box to validate your changes. The IP information is now set and the device is now recognized by 3Com Network Supervisor as a valid device. When the changes are validated, 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to automatically recognize the type of the device. As a result, the icon representing the added device on the map might change to better reflect the actual type recognized.

Components

199

Figure 90 Addresses Tab for a Manually Added Device

Figure 91 Cannot Contact the IP Address Specified

Assigning an IP address to a manually added device only defines the IP address that 3Com Network Supervisor uses to communicate with the device â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it does not assign the IP address to the device itself.

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Setting the Port Numbers for a Manually Added Link When a link is manually added to the map, it does not specify which ports or interfaces are being used on the devices it connects. 3Com Network Supervisor lets you enter which ports or interfaces are used for the link. To specify port information for a manually added link: 1 Click on the icon for the link in the 3Com Network Supervisor map to select it. 2 Select the Device > Properties menu option to launch the Properties dialog box. 3 Click on the Ports tab. This displays the tab shown in Figure 92. 4 Click on the Set button and select the unit, if applicable, and port or interface on which the link is connected for the From port in the Add Port dialog box. Click OK. The port or interface being used for the From device is now listed. 5 Click on the Set button and select the unit, if applicable, and port or interface on which the link is connected for the To port in the Add Port dialog box. Click OK. The port or interface being used for the To device is now listed. You can only select a port or interface that is not already connected. If a port or interface is already connected it is not displayed in the list of available ports. Warning: If the device at one end of the link is not supported or consists of a single port, for example an end station, there are no ports available so a message is displayed instead of the Add Port dialog box. 6 Click on OK in the Properties dialog box to validate your changes. The port information is now set.

Components

201

Figure 92 Ports Tab for a Manually Added Link

Changing the Community Strings for a Device

It is possible to specify which community strings 3Com Network Supervisor should use to communicate with a device. This can be useful if a device has had its community strings changed since it was first discovered and you want to change the community strings that 3Com Network Supervisor uses so that you can continue to monitor it, or if a new device has been manually added to the 3Com Network Supervisor map and you want to specify the community strings that should be used to communicate with it.

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To change the community strings on a device: 1 Click on the icon for the device in the 3Com Network Supervisor map to select it. 2 Select the Device > Properties menu option to launch the Properties dialog box. 3 Select the SNMP tab. This shows the tab shown in Figure 93. 4 If you do not want to use the default community strings for that device, click the Specify option. This enables the Read and Write fields. 5 Enter the new community strings in the Read and Write sections. 6 Click OK to validate your changes. 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to use the specified community strings to communicate with the device. If the strings provided are not accepted by the device, 3Com Network Supervisor shows the dialog box in Figure 94. If you want to return to the existing community strings, select Ignore the new settings and click OK; if you still want to use the community strings you specified, select Apply the new settings and click OK.

Components

Figure 93 Security Tab for a Device

203

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Figure 94 Community Strings Not Accepted

Once the changes are applied 3Com Network Supervisor uses the new community strings to communicate with the device. Changing the community strings for a device only changes the community strings that 3Com Network Supervisor uses to communicate with the device, it does not change the community strings on the device itself.

Examples

205

The following section details examples of using the Properties dialog box. How Do I View the Properties of a Specific Port on a Device? You want to check the settings of port 5 on slot 4 of your 3Com Switch 4007. To View the Properties for that port: 1 Click on the icon for your Switch 4007 on the map to select it. 2 Select the Device > Properties menu option to launch the Properties dialog box. 3 To expand the tree and display all the ports on Slot 4 of your Switch 4007 click on the + sign beside the tree branch corresponding to Slot 4 on the left-hand pane of the dialog box. 4 Select Port 5 in the tree to show the properties for that port. The properties for that port are now displayed, as shown in Figure 95. Figure 95 Properties for a Specific Port

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How Do I Change the Community Strings for All Devices in a Subnet? You have changed the community strings for all devices in a subnet, and want 3Com Network Supervisor to use these community strings to communicate with these devices. To change the community strings for all devices in a subnet: 1 Click on the icon for the subnet in the 3Com Network Supervisor map to select it. 2 Select the View > Enter Submap menu option to display the contents of the subnet. 3 Select the View > Select All menu option to select all items within the subnet. 4 Select the Device > Properties menu option to launch the Properties dialog box. 5 Select the Security tab. 6 Click the Specify option. This enables the Read and Write fields, as shown in Figure 96. 7 Enter the new community string in the Read and Write sections. 8 Click OK to validate your changes. 3Com Network Supervisor now uses the community strings you specified to communicate with the selected devices.

Examples

207

Figure 96 Security Tab for Multiple Devices

How Do I Find the Version of the Agent Software on a 3Com Device? You want to check the version of the software running on your 3Com switch. To see the software version running on your switch: 1 Click on the icon for the switch in the 3Com Network Supervisor map to select it. 2 Select the Device > Properties menu option to launch the Properties dialog box. The software version is displayed in: The Unit tab for the device, if the switch is a single-unit. The General tab for the unit if the switch is part of a stack.

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3 In that case, select the corresponding unit in the tree in the left-hand pane of the dialog box To view the software version for a blade in a chassis, select the corresponding Slot in the tree in the left-hand pane of the dialog box.

Key Considerations

Troubleshooting

The following section provides assistance when working with device properties. Some advice on errors that may occur on the system is given below: There Is No Port Information For My Device The Properties dialog box for the device you selected does not show a tree on the left-hand side, so it is not possible to view the properties of individual ports on that device. The most likely reason for this is that 3Com Network Supervisor does not support the device. For devices that are not supported by 3Com Network Supervisor, neither unit or port information can be extracted, so no properties can be viewed for either a unit or a port on that device. Ensure that 3Com Network Supervisor supports the device. It is also possible that the SNMP requests that 3Com Network Supervisor uses to communicate with the device timed out. If this is the case then the Discovery report will indicate that this problem occurred during discovery. For more information on this report see â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Discovery Reportâ&#x20AC;?on page 90. There Is No General Unit Information For My Device The Properties dialog box for the device you selected shows a tree on the left-hand side, but no unit is listed in the tree, so you cannot view the General tab for that unit. In a case where the device consists of a single unit, the general properties of that unit can be viewed from the Unit tab for the device. A Lot of Fields in the Properties Dialog Box Show Unknown Many of the fields displayed in the Properties dialog box show Unknown.

Key Considerations

209

There are several reasons why this happens: ■

The device you selected is not fully supported by 3Com Network Supervisor: If the device is not fully supported by 3Com Network Supervisor the necessary information cannot be collected. For these fields, 3Com Network Supervisor shows Unknown. Ensure that the device is fully supported by 3Com Network Supervisor.

■

The SNMP requests used by 3Com Network Supervisor to discover the device timed out. If this is the case then the Discovery report will indicate that this problem occurred during discovery. For more information on this report see “The Discovery Report” on page 90.

It Takes a Long Time to Close the Dialog Box After Assigning an IP Address to a Manually Added Device You assigned an IP address to a manually added device and the Properties dialog box takes a long time before closing. During that time, a message is displayed which reads: Please wait while the new properties are verified and applied. This is normal. When an IP address is assigned to a manually added device, 3Com Network Supervisor checks whether the device is available on the network; if it is it retrieves the device name, type and other properties from the device, verifies them and updates the map, which explains the time required. It usually takes at least one minute for 3Com Network Supervisor to carry out those changes.

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MONITORING THE NETWORK

Overview

This chapter describes how 3Com Network Supervisor can be used to monitor the status of the devices and links within your network. Monitoring the status of devices and links within your network allows you to identify possible bottlenecks or trouble spots in the network before they cause a major impact, and can be used to assist in troubleshooting when issues arise. This chapter covers the following topics:

Key Concepts

Monitor

■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Configuration

■

Examples

■

Key Considerations

This section describes the key concepts associated with monitoring your network using 3Com Network Supervisor. A monitor is a counter or status indicator for a device or link that collects data about one of its attributes, such as the number of packets a device has been sent, or whether a link is up or down. A device or link may have multiple monitors that provide a complete picture of the network conditions that it is experiencing. Some monitors, for example, the Link Availability monitor, only indicate whether an attribute is in a good state or a bad state. These are termed bi-state monitors. All other monitors can indicate a large range of values for the attribute they monitor, and are termed multi-state monitors.

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Monitoring and Event Generation

The monitoring system is used as the main source for generating events. When a monitor enters a state that indicates an abnormal network condition it logs an event detailing the cause. Depending upon the monitor it may also log details of the monitoring state in the time immediately preceding and following the event. When the monitor later exits this state it resolves the event. This information can be used either immediately or at a later date to determine the cause of the event and to assist with determining a resolution. For more information on the events system see “Working With Events” on page 233. The monitor states that indicate abnormal network conditions are based upon thresholds. For more information see “Setting Thresholds for Monitor-Based Events” on page 262.

Monitoring State

3Com Network Supervisor indicates the monitoring state of each monitored device by coloring the background of its icon in the map and its node in the tree using one of red, yellow or green. Similarly, the monitoring state of each monitored link is indicated by drawing the link in the map in red, yellow or green, rather than in black. This allows you to see at a glance the current state of your network so that you may quickly identify trouble spots.

Key Concepts

213

Figure 97 Example of how the Monitored State is Displayed on the Map

The color of a monitored item represents the highest severity unresolved event for that item, as shown in the table below: Table 43 Map Item Color Key Color

Description

Red

There are unresolved events for the item and the highest has a high, critical or recurring severity.

Yellow

There are unresolved events for the item and the highest has a warning severity.

Green

There are no unresolved events for the item.

None

The item is not being monitored.

This coloring scheme also allows you to quickly determine if a device or link is being monitored: monitored items are colored and unmonitored items are not.

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For details on how to start monitoring an unmonitored device or link, or to stop monitoring a monitored device or link, see “Starting and Stopping Monitoring” on page 225. For more information on event severities see “Event Severities” on page 235 Monitoring State and the Grouped View When you are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet, 3Com Network Supervisor propagates the monitoring states of devices, links and submaps up the submap hierarchy. Each submap is colored to indicate the most critical monitoring state of the devices, links or submaps that it contains. For example, if a subnet contains two devices, one of which has a red monitoring state and one of which has a yellow monitoring state, the subnet will be colored red. If the event causing the red device's monitoring state is subsequently resolved, the subnet will change to be colored yellow, as this is now the most critical monitoring state contained within the subnet. When determining the monitoring state of a submap, 3Com Network Supervisor ignores any map items or links that are visible at a higher level in the hierarchy than the submap itself. For example, the monitoring state of a router will not affect the monitoring state of the subnets that it is present on, as the router is visible further up the hierarchy. Monitoring Techniques

3Com Network Supervisor uses various techniques to monitor the state of devices and links within your network. The techniques used for a particular monitor depend upon the feature that is being monitored, and can be broadly broken down into active and passive monitoring: Active Monitoring: Active monitoring works by 3Com Network Supervisor polling, and possibly retrieving data from, a device on a regular basis. Once the device has been polled, or once the data has been retrieved from the device, 3Com Network Supervisor can analyze the results to determine the state of the device. There are various mechanisms used for active monitoring, including sending IP pings, retrieving data from SNMP MIBs, and directly checking for service availability.

Key Concepts

215

The rate with which an active monitor polls depends upon the type of device that is being polled, the active monitoring mechanism used and the polling configuration. Passive Monitoring: Passive monitoring relies upon a device monitoring its own state and sending unsolicited messages to 3Com Network Supervisor whenever its state changes, providing details of the change. Passive monitoring uses SNMP traps to send this data. As active monitoring relies upon regular polling, whereas passive monitoring only sends data when a device’s state changes, active monitoring generates more network traffic than passive monitoring. However, active monitoring is a more reliable and deterministic means of monitoring the status of network devices. IP Ping Monitoring The simplest monitoring technique used by 3Com Network Supervisor is IP ping monitoring. This is an active monitoring technique that works by 3Com Network Supervisor sending an ICMP ping message to the device being monitored and using the response time, or lack of a response, to update the state of the monitor it is being used for. SNMP MIB Data Retrieval Many network infrastructure devices maintain statistics about their operation, which may include such details as the number of packets sent and received on each port or the status of their components, and allow access to this information via SNMP MIBs. When 3Com Network Supervisor is monitoring a device or link using an SNMP MIB-based monitor, 3Com Network Supervisor uses SNMP v1 to request particular MIB values on a regular basis. The information returned from the device’s MIB is then used, sometimes in conjunction with previously retrieved information, to update the state of the monitor. SNMP MIB data retrieval is an active monitoring technique. A particular SNMP MIB-based monitor may rely upon a single MIB value or multiple MIB values. 3Com Network Supervisor optimizes its retrieval from devices so that it only retrieves those MIB values relevant to the monitors that are currently running. For more details on how to restrict monitoring to only those monitors that you are interested in see “Disabling and Enabling Individual Monitors” on page 226.

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Service Polling 3Com Network Supervisor provides support for monitoring the status of various services that may be provided by servers in your network, including such services as DNS, FTP, POP3 and SMTP mail. 3Com Network Supervisor monitors a service by connecting to and sending a request to the service on a regular basis. The response received, or the lack of any response, is used by 3Com Network Supervisor to update the state of the monitor. Depending upon the service being monitored, the monitor may be able to use the response to determine more than just the responsiveness of the service i.e. how quickly the response is received. Some services, such as DNS, support status requests to which they respond with details of the internal status of the service. 3Com Network Supervisor will use these status requests when they are available to provide more detailed information about the service status. SNMP Trap Receipt Network infrastructure devices that maintain statistics about their operation and allow access to this information via SNMP MIBs often also support the concept of SNMP traps. SNMP traps are unsolicited messages sent out by the devices when the data stored in the SNMP MIB indicates that the device is in certain states. These may indicate simple state changes such as a port going up or down, or may indicate more complex state changes, such as the received packet rate reaching a particular level. Devices that support SNMP traps are known as trap sources. In order for another device to receive the SNMP traps from a trap source it must register with the trap source as a trap destination. When a trap source enters a state for which it will generate an SNMP trap it sends the trap to all registered trap destinations. SNMP trap receipt is the only passive monitoring technique used by 3Com Network Supervisor. 3Com Network Supervisor attempts to register the PC it is running on as a trap destination with all monitored network infrastructure devices that support SNMP traps. When 3Com Network Supervisor receives an SNMP trap it determines whether or not it has a monitor associated with the trap type. If it does then the trap is used to update the state of the monitor.

Key Concepts

217

If an SNMP trap is received that does not have a monitor associated with it then 3Com Network Supervisor will use the trap to generate an event directly. For more information see “The Event Log” on page 233 See “Registering 3Com Network Supervisor as an SNMP Trap Destination” on page 227 for more information on controlling how 3Com Network Supervisor registers itself with SNMP trap sources as an SNMP trap destination. Monitor-able Items

3Com Network Supervisor can monitor most devices and links that are displayed in the map, including: ■

Network infrastructure devices

■

Servers

■

End stations

■

NBX phones

■

Ethernet links, including aggregated links

The particular attributes that can be monitored for a device or link depend upon the exact type of device or link that is being monitored. Monitoring Non-3Com Devices 3Com Network Supervisor will monitor most non-3Com network devices to some extent. However, as some non-3Com devices do not present their statistics in a standard manner, 3Com Network Supervisor is unable to provide full monitoring support for non-3Com devices. In particular:

Link Monitoring

■

3Com Network Supervisor will not monitor features on non-3Com devices whose statistics are presented via proprietary mechanisms.

■

3Com Network Supervisor will not register or de-register itself as an SNMP trap destination with non-3Com devices.

When you start monitoring for a link, 3Com Network Supervisor starts monitoring for the devices at the ends of that link automatically. The monitors for the link then use the data gathered by one or both of the devices for the port(s) that the link connects to in order to provide the data that they require. For monitors which use only one device, the selection of which device to use as the data source for a link’s monitors is performed automatically, and is based upon which device provides the most detailed information about the link. The algorithm used is:

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■

If neither end of the link can be monitored then the link cannot be monitored.

■

Otherwise, if one end of the link cannot be monitored then use the other end.

■

Otherwise, if only one end of the link is currently being monitored then use that end.

■

Otherwise, if port information is only available for one end of the link then use that end. Note that full port information may not be available for non-3Com devices.

■

Otherwise, if only one end of the link is being fully monitored then use that end, for example, if the other end is in response monitoring mode.

■

Otherwise, if only one end of the link supports high-capacity RMON counters then use that end.

■

Otherwise, pick an end at random.

3Com Network Supervisor will reassess the device to be used as the data source whenever you stop or start monitoring on either of the devices at the ends of the link:

Components

Live Graphs Window

■

If you stop monitoring on the device that has been selected as the data source for the link then 3Com Network Supervisor will automatically switch across to using the device at the other end of the link as the data source.

■

If you subsequently restart monitoring on that device then 3Com Network Supervisor will automatically switch back to using that device as the link’s data source.

This section describes the components that may be used to view monitoring information for the devices and links in your network. To view the live data for the monitors associated with a device or link, select the item you are interested in and then either select Monitoring > Live Graphs, or right-click on the item and select Live Graphs window from the item’s right-click menu. This launches the Live Graphs dialog box for the item:

Components

219

Figure 98 Live Graphs Window

The Live Graphs window has a similar layout to the Main Window, with a menu and toolbar at the top and a tree at the left-hand side. However, it uses the right-hand side of the display to show live graphs for monitors. Poll Rates When the Live Graphs window is displayed for a particular device or link 3Com Network Supervisor increases the poll rate for the active monitors of the device or link to every 10 seconds in order to provide you with more detailed graphs. The poll rate for the active monitors of the device or link revert to their normal settings when you close the Live Graphs window. Live Graphs Tree

The contents of the tree depend upon the map item that the graphs are being shown for: â&#x2013;

For devices, the tree shows a hierarchical breakdown of the components of that device.

â&#x2013;

For modular devices the hierarchy lists the device as the top-level folder, the modules as folders at the next level and the known links to the device as nodes within the appropriate modules at the lowest level.

â&#x2013;

For stacked devices the hierarchy lists the stack as the top-level folder, the units as folders at the next level and the known links to the device as nodes within the appropriate units at the lowest level.

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■

For other devices the hierarchy lists the device as the top-level folder and the known links to the device as nodes below that.

Selecting the top-level folder, which is the default, changes the displayed live graphs on the right-hand side of the display to graphs of the monitors that monitor the general state of the device. Selecting a link node changes the displayed live graphs on the right-hand side of the display to graphs of the monitors that monitor the state of the link. ■

Live Graphs Display

When you launch the Live Graphs window for a link, the tree lists the link as the top-level folder, and the right-hand side of the display shows live graphs for all of the link’s monitors.

The live graphs display area, on the right-hand side, shows live graphs for the states of the monitors relevant to the item selected in the tree. Each monitor’s entry shows the name of the monitor that the graph is for and the graph itself: Figure 99 Live Graph Display

The graph displays the historical state of the monitor. For example, for the IP Ping Service monitor, the graph displays a history of the IP ping response time for the device. Each monitor has a menu that can be launched by right-clicking on the monitor’s live graph. Some items in the menu are not always applicable. When this is the case, the menu option is grayed out. The operations provided by the right-click menu are equivalent to their corresponding main menu items. See “Live Graphs Menu” on page 222 for more information. Displaying Thresholds Each monitor has a configurable threshold associated with it that represents an abnormal, or high, state for that monitor. For multi-state monitors, 3Com Network Supervisor also automatically determines an appropriate warning threshold for the monitor.

Components

221

These thresholds are used mainly for event generation: if a monitor stays in the warning or high state long enough then it will generate an appropriate event. When a graph for a multi-state monitor includes values that are near or exceed the warning threshold a yellow horizontal dashed line is displayed on the graph to indicate the warning threshold level. Additionally, if the graph includes values that are near or exceed the high threshold a red horizontal dashed line is displayed on the graph to indicate the high threshold level. It is possible to force the Live Graphs window to always show the thresholds for each multi-state monitor displayed in the live graphs display area by enabling the View > Display thresholds option. This option is enabled by default. If a graph does not include values that are near or exceed either of the thresholds, enabling this option allows you to see how close a monitor is to its threshold values while disabling the option allows you to view more detail on the monitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trends. The difference between the two can be seen in the two graphs of the same monitor that are shown below: Figure 100 Displaying Thresholds for Live Graph With Below-Threshold Values (Forcing display of Thresholds and Not Forcing display of Thresholds)

If a graph does include values that are near or exceed the high threshold, then both thresholds will already be visible on the graph. Enabling or disabling this option in this case will have no effect on the graph.

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Regardless of whether the option is enabled or not, the graphed line that shows the historical monitor state is also color-coded to show the state of the monitor throughout its history: green for those times when it was normal (i.e. below the warning threshold), yellow for warning and red for high. Threshold lines are not displayed for bi-state monitors. However, these monitors still color-code the graphed line to represent the state: green for the good state and red for the bad state. For example: Figure 101 Bi-State Monitors State Representation

For more information on thresholds, see “Setting Thresholds for Monitor-Based Events” on page 262 Live Graphs Toolbar The toolbar provides access to the most commonly used monitor tools. Some items in the toolbar are not always applicable. When this is the case, the toolbar button is grayed out. Hovering the mouse cursor over a button in the toolbar causes a tooltip for that button to be displayed. The tooltip describes the operation associated with the button. The operations provided by the toolbar buttons are equivalent to their corresponding menu items. See “Live Graphs Menu” on page 222 for more information. Live Graphs Menu

The following tables list each menu item for a given menu in the Live Graphs window and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 44 Live Graphs - File Menu Menu Item Close

Hot Key

Operation Closes the Live Graphs dialog box.

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223

Table 45 Live Graphs - Monitor Menu Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

More detail

Launches the More Detail dialog box for the selected monitor. See “More Detail Dialog Box” on page 223 for more information.

Change thresholds

Launches the Threshold Settings dialog box for the selected monitor. See “Setting Thresholds for Monitor-Based Events” on page 262 for more information.

Disable this monitor

Disables the selected monitor on or off. See “Disabling and Enabling Individual Monitors” on page 226 for more information.

Enable this monitor

Enables the selected monitor. See “Disabling and Enabling Individual Monitors” on page 226 for more information.

Table 46 Live Graphs - View Menu Menu Item

Hot Key

Display thresholds

Operation Toggles the forcing of the display of scaling of the monitors’ mini-graphs to the thresholds set for the monitors in their mini-graphs. See “Displaying Thresholds” on page 220 for more information.

Table 47 Live Graphs - Help Menu Menu Item Help on this window

More Detail Dialog Box

Hot Key

Operation Launches the online help topic for the Live Graphs window.

To view more detail on a particular monitor, either right-click on its entry in the live graph display area of the Live Graphs window and select More detail from the right-click menu or select its entry in the live graph display area of the Live Graphs window and select Monitor > More detail. The More Detail dialog box is shown below:

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Figure 102 More Detail Dialog Box

The More Detail dialog box provides in-depth information about the selected monitor. The main body of text describes what attribute the monitor is monitoring, details the current state of the monitor and, if the monitor is in an abnormal state, describes what may be causing the problem and potential resolutions. Clicking the blue underlined title of the monitor in the main body of text will bring the Live Graphs window that the More Detail dialog box was launched from to the front, re-launching it if necessary, and will locate and select the monitor within that dialog box. The absolute value and the threshold for the monitor are shown below this. In addition, if the monitor is in an abnormal state then the number of events generated by this monitor in the last day and the last week will also be shown on the right. The information displayed in the More Detail dialog box is not dynamic. If you launch the More Detail dialog box when a monitor is in an abnormal state and it subsequently returns to a normal state, the More Detail dialog box will continue to display details of the abnormal state.

Configuration

225

As well as providing details of the selected monitor, the More Details dialog box also allows you to configure the monitor via the Change thresholds and Disable this monitor buttons. See “Setting Thresholds for Monitor-Based Events” on page 262 and “Disabling and Enabling Individual Monitors” on page 226 respectively for more information.

Configuration

Starting and Stopping Monitoring

The following section describes how to configure the monitoring system so that it provides the data that you require in managing your network. Before 3Com Network Supervisor can generate events for devices in your network you must first start monitoring on those devices. This can be performed automatically from the Network Discovery Wizard. However, you may wish to modify the set of monitored devices and links to focus only on specific items in your network, you may wish to exclude specific sections of the network from monitoring, or you may wish to reduce the amount of network traffic generated by 3Com Network Supervisor’s active monitors. To start monitoring on a set of devices and links, select the items that you want to start monitoring and select either Monitoring > Start Monitoring from the main menu or Start Monitoring from the right-click menu. If your selection includes a subnet or device group then 3Com Network Supervisor will recursively start monitoring on all core devices and links in that group that are not visible at a higher level in the map. 3Com Network Supervisor will automatically start monitoring for an unmonitored device or link if you launch the Live Graphs window for it. Stopping monitoring on a set of devices and links can be performed in a similar manner to starting monitoring, but by selecting either Monitoring > Stop Monitoring from the main menu or Stop Monitoring from the right-click menu instead. When you stop monitoring for a device or link, 3Com Network Supervisor automatically resolves any unresolved events for that item that were generated by active monitors. Unresolved events for the device that were generated by SNMP traps or passive monitors remain unresolved. If you have the Live Graphs window open for the item then these will be automatically closed.

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When you stop monitoring for a 3Com device, 3Com Network Supervisor may also de-register itself as an SNMP trap destination, if the device has no other features that require 3Com Network Supervisor to remain registered. 3Com Network Supervisor will never generate events for a device or link that is not being monitored. Disabling and Enabling Individual Monitors Each monitor provides details of the state of a particular attribute of a device or link. If a particular attribute is of no interest to you, but you still wish to monitor other attributes on a device or link, then you may disable the monitor for that attribute in order to reduce the amount of network traffic generated by 3Com Network Supervisor Individual monitors can be disabled from the Live Graphs window by selecting the monitor and then selecting either Monitor > Disable this monitor from the main menu or Disable this monitor from the right-click menu. You may also disable a monitor by clicking the Disable this monitor button in the More Detail dialog box. Similarly, a disabled monitor can be re-enabled from the Live Graphs window by selecting the monitor and then selecting either Monitor > Enable this monitor from the main menu or Enable this monitor from the right-click menu. Monitors cannot be re-enabled from the More Detail dialog box. When you disable a monitor, all events that rely upon that monitor are automatically disabled. Similarly, when you enable a monitor, all events that rely upon that monitor are automatically enabled. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Disabling and Enabling Eventsâ&#x20AC;? on page 259. When a monitor is disabled the text Switched Off will be displayed over the monitor. In the Live Graphs window the graph is otherwise blank:

Configuration

227

Figure 103 Disabled Monitor Screen

Controlling Event Generation from Monitors

3Com Network Supervisor uses monitors to generate events. If a monitor remains in a warning or high state for an extended period of time an event will be generated. The warning and high states for a monitor are determined from the setting of a threshold for the monitor. This threshold specifies the state that the monitor must reach to enter its high state. 3Com Network Supervisor then derives a warning state from the threshold. For further details on thresholds and how to change them see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Setting Thresholds for Monitor-Based Eventsâ&#x20AC;? on page 262.

Registering 3Com Network Supervisor as an SNMP Trap Destination

3Com Network Supervisor will attempt to register itself as an SNMP trap destination with any 3Com device that it is monitoring.

3Com Network Supervisor will not register itself as an SNMP trap destination with non-3Com devices when you start monitoring them, nor will it de-register itself when you stop monitoring them. If you wish 3Com Network Supervisor to receive traps from a non-3Com device then you will need to manually add the IP address of the PC that 3Com Network Supervisor is running on to the trap destination table of that device.

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Similarly, if you no longer wish 3Com Network Supervisor to receive traps from a non-3Com device then you will need to manually remove the IP address of the PC that 3Com Network Supervisor is running on from the trap destination table of that device. Please refer to the deviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own user guide for details on how to do this.

Examples

Enabling Monitoring on the Core Devices in the Map

This section provides examples of how you may use the monitoring features of 3Com Network Supervisor to assist in the management of your network. You have are currently not monitoring any devices or links in your network, and wish to start monitoring on all of the core devices in your network. 1 In the main window, select Edit > Select All Core Devices. All of the core devices in your network are selected. 2 Select Monitoring > Start Monitoring. 3Com Network Supervisor will start monitoring on all of the core devices in your network and their links. Depending upon the size of your network this may take several minutes to complete. Progress is shown in the main window status bar: Figure 104 Monitoring Progress Display in Main Window Status bar

When monitoring has been started on all core devices the status bar will be updated to indicate this: Figure 105 Monitoring Started Indication in Main Window Status bar

Key Considerations

Disabling Monitoring on the Whole Network

229

You are currently monitoring the majority of the devices and links in your network and are concerned that the level of traffic generated by the monitoring may be too high. You are going to manually configure the monitoring parameters to reduce the traffic generated, but wish to stop all monitoring first to remove the monitoring traffic from the network. 1 If you are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet, and are not viewing the top-level map, then first navigate to the top-level map using the up button in the toolbar. 2 In the main window, select Edit > Select All. All of the devices and subnets at the top-level of your network are selected. 3 Select Monitoring > Stop Monitoring. 3Com Network Supervisor will stop monitoring all of the devices and links in your network.

Key Considerations Text Displayed in Graphs

This section provides assistance with monitoring your network. The graphs displayed in the Live Graphs window may sometimes have text displayed across them. This text is displayed when 3Com Network Supervisor has no current monitoring state for the monitor. The following text may appear: Waiting… The monitor has just been started, and is in the process of gathering its initial data so that it may determine the monitor’s state. After a short period of time, assuming that there are no issues with the data collection, the graph should start showing the monitor’s state history. Switched Off The monitor is disabled and so no data is being gathered for it. The monitor may be re-enabled from within the Live Graphs window by selecting it and selecting Monitor > Enable this monitor. See “Disabling and Enabling Individual Monitors” on page 226 for more information. Data Unavailable The monitor has been started, but is unable to fetch the data it needs to operate.

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This may occur if 3Com Network Supervisor is unable to authenticate with the device to retrieve the monitor data. For example, the wrong SNMP community strings may be configured for the device. You can change the security settings that 3Com Network Supervisor uses for a device from the Security tab of the Properties dialog box for the device. See “Viewing Device Details” on page 177 for more information. This may also occur if the device does not provide the data required for the monitor. This commonly occurs when you first turn on monitoring for an end station or server. 3Com Network Supervisor will attempt to monitor several services on these devices, such as FTP and HTTP, most of which may not be supported by the device. A monitor in the Data Unavailable state is not generating any traffic on the network, so may be safely ignored. Problems Starting Monitoring for a Device or Link

There are some devices and links that 3Com Network Supervisor cannot monitor: Devices Without IP Addresses: Due to the techniques used to monitor devices, 3Com Network Supervisor uses device IP addresses to perform monitoring. If a device does not have an IP address assigned to it, or if 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to determine its IP address during Network Discovery, then 3Com Network Supervisor will not be able to monitor it. Links Without Suitable Data Sources: When you start monitoring against a link, 3Com Network Supervisor examines the two items at either end and selects one of them as the data source for the link’s monitoring information. However, some items cannot provide suitable information for monitoring the link. These are as follows: ■

Devices that are not monitored in full monitoring mode. Full monitoring mode is the only mode that provides enough information for link monitoring.

■

Non-core devices, such as end stations. These do not provide suitable information for link monitoring, even if they are monitored in full monitoring mode.

■

Clouds. Clouds are used to represent unknown portions of the network or logical entities within the network and do not represent physical items from which data may be collected.

Key Considerations

231

If neither of the items at either end of a link can provide suitable monitoring information, 3Com Network Supervisor will not be able to monitor the connection. Layer 3 Connections: Layer 3 connections are used within 3Com Network Supervisor to represent logical connectivity between devices and subnets. They do not correspond directly to an attribute on a network device, and so cannot be monitored. If 3Com Network Supervisor cannot start monitoring on a selected item or items, you will see an information dialog box like the following: Figure 106 Error Message Dialog Box

Click on the Next and Back buttons to see detailed information on each problem item.

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THE EVENT LOG

Overview

This chapter describes the events system that is used within 3Com Network Supervisor to provide a constantly updated log of activity on your network. The events system can be used to view and take action on abnormal network conditions before they cause problems. It offers powerful filtering tools to allow you to view only events of interest. This chapter covers the following topics:

Key Concepts

■

Key Concepts

■

Events List Components

■

Event System Configuration

■

Alert System Components

■

Examples

■

Key Considerations

This section describes the key concepts associated with the events system within 3Com Network Supervisor. Events

An event is a logged notification of something of interest that has occurred either on the network or within 3Com Network Supervisor itself. Events may inform you of any of the following: ■

An abnormal occurrence on the network.

■

A received SNMP trap.

■

The completion of an internal activity within 3Com Network Supervisor.

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Events may be viewed from within the Events List window. This provides you with a powerful mechanism for interpreting the events on your network, allowing you to: ■

Filter and sort the list of events, to enable you to focus on events of particular interest.

■

Obtain more information on events that, for events that indicate abnormal network occurrences, includes possible causes and suggested resolutions to prevent the event from occurring in future.

■

Control how events are generated and consolidated.

■

Enable automatic notification of new events, via e-mail, pager, or various other means.

Event Types There are three basic types of event that may be generated, depending upon the source that was used to generate the event. These are: ■

monitor-based events

■

SNMP trap-based events

■

3Com Network Supervisor internal events

Monitor-Based Events Monitor-based events are generated as a result of an active monitor for a device or link entering a state that indicates an abnormal network condition. For general information on configuring monitoring on your network see “Monitoring the Network” on page 211 and for more information on active monitoring in particular see “Monitoring Techniques” on page 214. SNMP Trap-Based Events SNMP traps that are received by 3Com Network Supervisor are processed and then used to generate SNMP trap-based events. SNMP trap-based events are indicated clearly in the Events window with their description being preceded by Trap:

Key Concepts

235

3Com Network Supervisor Internal Events When you perform certain operations within 3Com Network Supervisor, an event will be generated when the operation has completed. These events provide an audit trail of the operations that you have applied to your network. In addition, events are generated when you open, close and create new maps. These are generated so that you can easily identify whether a period during which no events were logged is due to the network being in a stable state or due to 3Com Network Supervisor not being active. Event Severities

Each logged event has a severity associated with it that is used to indicate the perceived impact of the event on your network. There are five event severities, in order of increasing severity these are: info, warning, high, critical and recurring. Information Severity The information, or info, severity is used for any event that does not, as far as 3Com Network Supervisor can determine, have any negative impact upon your network. This includes such occurrences as maps being created, opened or closed, agents restarting, links becoming operational and so on. Information severity is also used for proprietary SNMP trap-based events that 3Com Network Supervisor does not have a specific decode for. Warning Severity The warning severity is used for events that indicate the presence of a potential problem on your network. Acting upon warning severity events allows you to take pre-emptive action to reduce the likelihood of a problem occurring. Warning severity is also used for 3Com Network Supervisor internal events that indicate the failure of an operation, such as an agent update that could not be performed. High Severity Events The high severity is used for events that indicate that a problem has occurred on your network that may result in a loss of connectivity for a limited number of users or may affect the reliability of your network.

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Critical Severity By default, the critical severity is only used for one event type in 3Com Network Supervisor: Section of network down The Section of network down event is only generated when a group of devices in your network stop responding to monitoring polls, and so may indicate a major network outage. Recurring Severity The recurring severity is used when the same event occurs repeatedly, which may indicate a problem or potential problem on your network. Rather than logging the same event multiple times, 3Com Network Supervisor logs a single event and updates it with details of the number of times the condition that led to the event has occurred. For example, a Security Violation event logged with recurring severity may indicate that someone is trying to crack user passwords on your network, alternatively, it may indicate that a user has forgotten their password and is repeatedly trying to log in. Event Severity Colors Each level of event severity has a color associated with it that is used within the list in the Events window for easy identification as shown in the following table: Table 48 Event List Color Coding Key

Event Resolution

Color

Severity

Black

Recurring

Dark Red

Critical

Red

High

Yellow

Warning

Turquoise

Information

Any logged event that represents an abnormal network condition is initially logged as an unresolved event to indicate that the condition that led to the event being generated is, as far as 3Com Network Supervisor can deduce, still occurring. Unresolved events allow you to see the outstanding abnormal network conditions that may be affecting your users, and so can help you determine how to prioritize any actions you may need to take on your network.

Key Concepts

237

When the condition that led to the original event being logged is later determined to have returned to normal the event is marked as resolved. Resolved events allow you to see historical occurrences in your network, which can help your awareness of problems that arise on a regular basis and allow you to see emerging patterns of network behavior. You may use this information to help you determine what action you need to take to prevent these problems from occurring in future, and so improve the reliability and performance of your network. Information severity events are not logged as either unresolved or resolved events, as they do not represent an abnormal network condition, therefore there is nothing to resolve. Events may also be manually resolved. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manually Resolving Eventsâ&#x20AC;? on page 247 for more information. Event Correlation The event correlation feature analyzes the events that are being generated, determines sets of events that have been caused by the same issue, and replaces each set with a single event that more clearly describes the issue. For example, if there is a set of Device not responding and Link is unavailable events generated for a group of connected devices within a short period of time, then the event correlator will analyze these events, determine that they are caused by a loss of connectivity to that section of the network and replace the set of events with a single Section of network down event. Recurring Event Handling Events may be generated repeatedly if a monitor regularly crosses a threshold or if the same SNMP trap type is received repeatedly from a device. If all of these events were logged separately in the event system then they would quickly outnumber other events, making it difficult to determine the real problems in your network. The recurring event handler helps avoid this situation by determining when the same event is being generated repeatedly for a particular device or link, and then replacing all occurrences of the event with a single event that has the recurring severity.

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The recurring event handler then continues to scan for further occurrences of this event, prevents them from being logged and updates the already logged recurring severity event with the total number of times that the event has been generated. Recurring events take longer to resolve than non-recurring events as 3Com Network Supervisor waits to ensure that no further events of the same type and source are being generated. Event Suppression Some networking technologies, such as Ethernet, are typically “bursty”. In other words data rates can suddenly increase to very high levels for very short periods of time before settling down again. Such spikes in data rates are not problematic; they are the normal behavior that arises from such technologies’ implementations. The event suppressor prevents monitor-based events from being generated by these spikes by only generating an event for a monitor that enters an abnormal state and remains in that state for a certain period of time or a specific number of polls.See “Monitoring Techniques” on page 214 for more information on active monitoring. SNMP Trap Filtering The SNMP trap filtering feature prevents events from being generated from SNMP traps received from devices that have not been discovered in the map. This allows the events system to be focused on only those devices you are interested in. Alerts

The events system incorporates an alert system that allows actions to be performed when events are generated. Alerts can be used to keep you up-to-date with the state of your network when you are not at the PC running 3Com Network Supervisor, to automatically perform operations when events occur, or simply to inform you of a new event if you are not currently viewing the Events window. There are various types of alert available: Sound: Provides an audio notification of event generation on the PC running 3Com Network Supervisor. Pop-up: Pops up a window providing details of an event that has been generated.

Events List Components

239

Application: Launches any application or batch file, passing details of an event that has been generated as command line parameters. E-mail:

Sends an e-mail containing details of a generated event.

Pager: Sends a pager message via a pager gateway containing details of a generated event. SNMP Trap: Sends an SNMP trap to a trap destination containing details of a generated event. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Event System Configurationâ&#x20AC;? on page page 259 for details of configuring alerts.

Events List Components

The Events window is used to display a list of events that have been generated for a particular map, and is automatically updated as new events are generated so that you may always view the current state of your network. The Events window incorporates a comprehensive filtering system to allow you to focus the list on only those events that are of interest to you, and you may have several copies of the Events window on screen at one time, each with a different filter. This section describes how to use the Events window in 3Com Network Supervisor to view the events for your network.

Launching the Events Window

The Events window can be launched in three ways from the map, each of which affects the initial filtering that is set up within the window: Viewing All Events: In order to view all of the events logged for the map, select Alerts/Events > All Events, or click the corresponding button in the toolbar. This launches the Events window with the default filter. Viewing Events for a Selection: To view all of the events logged for the items currently selected, select Alerts/Events > View Filtered Events, or right-click on the selection and select View Filtered Events from the right-click menu. This launches the Events window box with the default filter, modified so that it filters for events logged for the selected items only.

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Viewing Unresolved Events for a Selection: To view all of the unresolved events logged for the items currently selected, right-click on the selection and select What’s Wrong from the right-click menu. This launches the Events window with the default filter, modified to so that it filters for unresolved events logged for the selected items only. The default filter that gets used as the basis for all three launch points is to filter for any events logged in the last thirty days that have not been marked for deletion. See “Filter Dialog Box” on page 252 for more information on the available filtering options and “Deleting Events” on page 248 for more details on how 3Com Network Supervisor handles the deletion of events. If you are launching the Events window to view all of the events logged for the map and you already have an Events window on screen that is not filtered for particular items then 3Com Network Supervisor will bring that Events window to the front. Similarly, if you are launching the Events window from the right-click menu and you already have an Events window on screen that is filtered for events logged for the currently selected items only then 3Com Network Supervisor will bring that Events window to the front. Events Main Window

The Events window main window consists of a menu, toolbar, status bars and the table of events that match the currently selected filter:

Events List Components

241

Figure 107 Events Window Main Window

Events List The Events list presents details of all the logged events that match the filter that is configured for the Events window. Each row in the Events list gives the details of an event that has been logged. The list is automatically updated as new events are logged that match the configured filter. The following table details the columns used in the Events list: Table 49 Events List Column Headings Column Heading (Deleted)

Contents Indicates whether an event has been marked for deletion or not. Events marked for deletion are shown with an X in this column. See “Deleting Events” on page 248 for more information. This column is only shown if the filter is configured to show deleted events. See “Filter Dialog Box” on page 252 for more information.

Severity

The severity of the event. This column is color-coded to allow for easy identification of events that may require more immediate action. See “Event Severity Colors” on page 236 for more information.

Time

The date and time the event was logged.

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Resolved

The date and time the event was resolved. If the event is unresolved then this column will show No. If the event is an information severity event then this column will show Not applicable.

Name

The name of the item that the event was generated for. If the event is a 3Com Network Supervisor internal event then this column will show Network.

Type

If this event was generated for a specific device then this column will show the type of that device.

Description

A description of the event that occurred. The description for SNMP trap-based events will be preceded by Trap:

Comments

Any user comments that have been entered for the event. See“Commenting on Events” on page 246 for more information.

Clicking a column heading in the Events list will sort the rows in the list alphanumerically by the contents of that column. Clicking the column heading again will reverse the sort order. By default the events in the list are sorted by time, so that the most recently logged events are always shown at the top of the list. An event can be selected within the list by clicking anywhere within its row, and multiple events may be selected using the standard techniques of Ctrl+ left click to add a row to, or remove it from, the selection and Shift+ left click to add a set of rows to, or remove them from, the selection. Right-clicking on an event launches a menu that provides access to the most commonly used event management tools. Some items in the right-click menu are not always applicable. When this is the case, the option is grayed out. The operations provided by the right-click menu options are equivalent to their corresponding Events menu items. Please refer to the“Events Menu” on page 243 for more information. Events Toolbar The toolbar provides access to the most commonly used event management tools.

Events List Components

243

Some items in the toolbar are not always applicable. When this is the case, the relevant toolbar button is grayed out. Hovering the mouse cursor over a button in the toolbar causes a tooltip for that button to be displayed. The tooltip describes the operation associated with the button. The operations provided by the toolbar buttons are equivalent to their corresponding menu items. Please refer to the “Events Menu”on page 243 for more information. Events Menu The following tables list each menu item for a given menu in the Events window and the associated operation invoked by selecting it. Table 50 File Menu File Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Ctrl+P

Prints the contents of the Events List. See “Printing the Events List”on page 251.

Export as CSV

Exports the contents of the Events list in CSV format. See “Exporting the Events List to a CSV Format File” on page 250.

Closes the Events window.

Table 51 Edit Menu (

Edit Menu Item

Hot Key

Resolve

Delete

Resolves the currently selected events. See“Manually Resolving Events” on page 247. Delete

Undelete

Find

Operation

Marks the currently selected events as deleted. See “Deleting Events” on page 248. Marks the currently selected events as not deleted. See “Deleting Events” on page 248.

Ctrl+F

Launches the Find dialog box for searching the Events list. See “Find Dialog Box” on page 251.

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Filter

Select All

Launches the Filter dialog box for controlling how the Events list is filtered. See “Filter Dialog Box” on page 252. Ctrl+A

Selects all events in the Events list.

Table 52 View Menu View Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Refresh

Refreshes the Events list from the database. See “Refreshing the Events List” on page 249.

Stop

Stops any refresh that is currently in progress. See “Refreshing the Events List” on page 249.

Table 53 Event Menu on

Event Menu Item

Hot Key

Operation

Comment

Launches the Comments dialog box for the selected events. See “Commenting on Events” on page 246.

More Detail

Launches the More Detail dialog box for the selected event. See “More Detail Dialog Box” on page 257.

Change Thresholds

Launches the Threshold Settings dialog box for the monitor that generated the selected event. See “Setting Thresholds for Monitor-Based Events” on page 262.

Disable this Event

Disables the selected events. See “Disabling and Enabling Events” on page 259.

Attach Alerts to Map Item(s)

Launches the Configure Alerts dialog box for the selected events. See“Configure Alerts Dialog Box” on page 269.

Configure Global Alerts

Launches the “Configure Global Alerts Dialog Box”on page 271

Go to

Navigates in the map to the item that the event was generated for. See “Navigating to Event Sources in the Map” on page 246.

Events List Components

245

Table 54 Settings Settings Hot Key

Menu Item

Operation

Disabled Events

Launches the Disabled Events dialog box. See “Disabled Events Dialog Box” on page 260.

Ageing

Launches the Ageing dialog box. See “Managing Event Ageing” on page 266.

Table 55 Help Menu Help Menu Item

Hot Key

Contents and Index Help on this window

Operation Launches the online help contents and index lists.

Launches the online help topic for the Events window.

Status Bars There are two status bars shown in the Events window. The first status bar is shown above the Events table, and contains details of the filter that is currently being used: Figure 108 Filter Status Bar

See “Filter Status Bar” on page 257 for details of the values that may be displayed in this status bar and their meanings. The second status bar is shown at the bottom of the Events window, below the Events list: Figure 109 Database Status Bar

The left-hand side of this status bar indicates whether or not an operation is in progress. This may show the following:

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Updating…: The Events list is in the process of being updated. Events are being retrieved from the events database, filtered and, if they match the filter, added to the list. Ready: The Events list is not being updated and, unless you interrupted the update using View > Stop, shows all events that match the current filter. See “Refreshing the Events List” on page 249 for more information on interrupting event list updates. The right-hand side of the status bar indicates the number of events shown in the events list and also, if the list is filtered on any fields, the total number of events in the database. Working With Events

Events may be used in many ways within 3Com Network Supervisor, providing a powerful tool for network management. The following sections provide details of various operations that you may perform with events to obtain the most benefit from them. Navigating to Event Sources in the Map Every monitor-based or SNMP trap-based event has an event source associated with it, this being the device or link that the event was generated for. This item is listed in the Name column of the event’s entry in the Events list. To view the event source of an event in the map, select the event and then select Event > Goto. 3Com Network Supervisor locates and selects the event source in the map, if necessary changing the viewed submap to one that contains the event source, centers the event source in the screen, zooms in to it and brings the map to the front. For devices, this is equivalent to double-clicking on the event source in the tree. Commenting on Events Each event can have a textual comment added to it. These may be used to detail an investigation into the cause of an event, steps that were taken to resolve the event, reasons why the event was manually resolved or any other information that is useful. To add or edit a comment for an event, or to view the full comments for an event that has already been commented on, select the event and then select Event > Comment. This will launch the Comment dialog box:

Events List Components

247

Figure 110 Comment Dialog Box

Any comments already entered for the selected event will be shown within the editable text area. It is possible to add, edit or view the comments for multiple events at the same time. This allows you to set identical comments for a set of related events, such as events generated by the same cause. To do this select the set of events that you wish to access the comments for, then select Event > Comment. If none of the selected events have yet been commented on, or if the events have different comments, then the Comment dialog box will be empty. Updating the comments and clicking OK will set the comments for all the selected events to the entered comment. Adding or editing comments in this manner does not in any way tie the eventsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; comments together. After updating the comments for a selection of multiple events you may view and edit the comments for individual events from within the selection in the normal way, and this will not affect the comments for any other events that were in the multiple selection. Manually Resolving Events Other than the Trap: Link is unavailable event, 3Com Network Supervisor is unable to automatically resolve SNMP trap-based events.

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This means that once an event has been logged for an SNMP trap with a severity other than info, the item that the event was logged for will always have unresolved events listed for it and so will appear in the map colored either yellow or red. Once you have investigated such an event and are satisfied that the cause has been resolved, you can manually change its state to resolved to improve the accuracy of the reported state of your network. To manually resolve an event, select it in the Event list and select Edit > Resolve. You can resolve multiple events in one operation by first selecting all the events you wish to resolve and then selecting Edit > Resolve. You can resolve any unresolved event in this manner, not just SNMP trap-based events. This is useful if you have, for example, investigated and taken action that should resolve a recurring event. Rather than waiting for 3Com Network Supervisor to determine whether or not the event is resolved, you can manually resolve the event. If the event is still not resolved then 3Com Network Supervisor will log a new event when it next detects the abnormal network condition. Deleting Events If an event is of no interest to you, or you have resolved the event and no longer require a record of it, then you may wish to delete it from the Events list. To delete an event, select the event you wish to delete and then select Edit > Delete. This marks an event as requiring deletion, but does not immediately delete it. The actual deletion of the event is performed by the event ageing process. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Managing Event Ageingâ&#x20AC;? on page 266 for more information on this process. You can mark multiple events for deletion in one operation by first selecting all the events you wish to delete and then selecting Edit > Delete.

Events List Components

249

If you are deleting events because you are not interested in events of a particular type then you may wish to consider disabling that type of event to prevent them from being generated in future. See “Disabling and Enabling Events” on page 259 for more information on this. If you have marked an event for deletion and later decide that you do not wish to delete it then, providing the event ageing process has not yet deleted it, you may clear the deletion mark by selecting the event and then selecting Edit > Undelete. Depending upon the current filter configuration in the Event list, you may need to adjust the filter before you can view and select events marked for deletion. See “Filter Dialog Box” on page 252 for more information on how to do this. Similarly, you can clear the deletion mark for multiple events in one operation by first selecting all the events you wish to clear the deletion mark for and then selecting Edit > Undelete. You can only clear the deletion mark for an event if the event ageing process has not yet removed the event from the database. Once the event ageing process has removed the event from the database it is unrecoverable. See “Managing Event Ageing” on page 266 for more information on how the event ageing process decides which events to remove from the database. Refreshing the Events List

The Events window is automatically kept up-to-date. When new events are logged that match the filter configured for the window, the event is automatically added to the list. As a result it is not normally necessary to manually refresh the Events list. However, if you have a large number of events in the events database then the initial population of the table when you launch the Events window, or subsequent re-populations after you change the filter may take some time. If this operation is taking too long then you may wish to stop the operation before it is completed, possibly in order that you may change the filter to reduce the number of events that will be viewed. To stop an update while it is in progress select View > Stop. After stopping an update the Events list may not contain all of the events from the events database that match the filter, as it will only contain those events that had been processed before View > Stop was selected.

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If you have stopped an update and later wish to ensure that you are viewing all of the events that match the filter, select View > Refresh. This will refresh the Events list from the events database. Exporting the Events List to a CSV Format File

The Events window provides facilities for exporting the events to a comma-separated value format file. This may be useful, for example, if you wish to import the events into a spreadsheet in order to obtain statistics of the rates of event logging and event resolution. In order to export events to a CSV format file, select File > Export as CSV. This launches the Export as CSV dialog box: Figure 111 Export as CSV Format Dialog Box

You may choose one of two filtering options for the exported events: Use current filter: This option uses the filter currently configured for the Events window that you are exporting the events from in order to determine which events to export. Only those events that match the filter will be exported to the CSV file. This is the default. No filter: This option exports all of the events in the events database to the CSV file. After selecting the option you require, click Export to select the file that you wish to save the events in. Once you have selected the file the events will be exported to that file.

Events List Components

Printing the Events List

Find Dialog Box

251

Selecting File > Print allows you to print the events that are currently shown in the Events list. The printed output also includes the name of the map and the time of the print out. The Events Find dialog box allows you to search for specific text in all of the fields of the Events list. To launch the Find dialog box, select Edit > Find: Figure 112 Events Find Dialog Box

Enter the text that you wish to search for in the Find text: field. This text may include wildcards, as described in the table below: Table 56 Wildcards Used in Find Operations Wildcard Matches

Example

Example Matches

0 or more unspecified characters

t*w

Network

A single unspecified character

t?a

Trap: Authentication failure

Created new map

Not applicable

Once you have entered the search text you may search the list forwards or backwards: Find Next: Clicking Find Next starts searching the list from the event immediately following the first selected event in the list, and searches toward the end of the list. If the search locates an event that matches the search text then that event will be selected, otherwise it will prompt you that the search has reached the end of the list.

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If you click Find Next again after the end of the list has been reached the search will resume again from the beginning of the list. Find Previous: Clicking Find Previous starts searching the list from the event immediately preceding the last selected event in the list, and searches toward the beginning of the list. If the search locates an event that matches the search text then that event will be selected, otherwise it will prompt you that the search has reached the beginning of the list. If you click Find Previous again after the beginning of the list has been reached the search will start again from the end of the list. The search is not case sensitive. So, for example, entering NETWORK would find NETWORK, Network or even NeTwOrK. To close the Find dialog box, click Close. You may continue to use the normal operations of the Events List while the Find dialog box is on screen. Filter Dialog Box

The Filter dialog box allows you to control the events that are visible within the Events window, and has extensive filtering options to allow you to focus in on events that are of interest to you. To launch the Filter dialog box, select Edit > Filter:

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253

Figure 113 Filter Dialog Box

Filter options cannot be changed for an Events window if it was launched using the Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wrong right-click menu option for a selection. You may filter on any combination of the fields. Name Filter This field filters for events that were generated by a particular item or set of items. If the Events window was launched by selecting Alerts/Events > View All Events, or launched from the Main Window toolbar, then this is initially set to All, and does not filter any events based on item.

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If the Events window was launched from the right-click menu for a selection in the map then this is initially set to either the name of the selected item if a single device or link was selected, or Multiple if there was more than one item in the selection, and filters for events that were generated by the selection. To change the items that the Events list is filtered for, click Select. This launches the Select Item dialog box: Figure 114 Select Item Dialog Box

From here you may choose to turn off filtering based on item by selecting All devices and links, or you may select which items to filter on by selecting Specific device or link. The list of items only includes those devices and links that events have been generated for, along with a special entry, Network, for 3Com Network Supervisor internal events. Multiple items may be selected in the same manner as multiple events may be selected in the Events list. Show only voice related events Filter Checking the Show only voice related events checkbox filters for those events that may affect the status of your 3Com NBX voice system. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Understanding Voice-related 3Com Network Supervisor Eventsâ&#x20AC;? on page 376 for more details of the events that will be filtered for.

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Severity Filter This field filters for events that have a specific severity. The default is All, and no events are filtered based upon severity. If you select a specific severity then only events with that severity will be displayed in the Events list. Last number of days Filter This field filters the events by time. This filter works in numbers of days. The default is thirty, and the list includes an all option, which results in events not being filtered based on time. The time period covered by the filter is calculated when the filter is updated and is based upon the time that the filter is updated. So, for example, if you specify a 1-day filter and then click OK to apply the filter at 10:00am, the Events list will be filtered for events that have occurred since 10:00am yesterday. The time period covered by the filter is not dynamically updated. So, for example, if at 11:00am you have not closed the Events window since specifying the 1-day filter at 10:00am and have not updated the filter since then, the Events list will remain as filtered for events that have occurred since 10:00am yesterday, not since 11:00am yesterday. If you do wish to filter for events that have occurred since 11:00am yesterday then you may achieve this by selecting Edit > Filter and then clicking OK to close the Filter dialog box and update the filter. Resolved Filter This field filters events based upon whether they are resolved or not. There are three options for filtering on resolution state: Any: Events will not be filtered based upon whether they are resolved or not. This is the default. Yes:

Only resolved events will be shown in the Events list.

No:

Only unresolved events will be shown in the Events list.

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Information severity events, which have their resolved field set to Not applicable are treated as resolved events by this filter, and so will be shown in the Events List if you select All or Yes for this filter. Deleted Events Filter This field determines whether or not to show events marked for deletion in the Events list. You may choose to either Show or Hide events that have been marked for deletion. Hide is the default. If you wish to undelete an event you will need to Show the deleted events so that you may select it prior to selecting Edit > Undelete. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deleting Eventsâ&#x20AC;? on page 248. Description Filter This field allows filtering for events that have specific text within their description. There are two options for filtering on description: Any description: This option does not filter the events based upon the contents of their description. This is the default. Description containing text: This option allows you to specify text to search for in the event descriptions. Only events whose description contains the specified text will be shown in the Events list. Typing text into the Description containing text: field will automatically select the Description containing text: option. The Description containing text: field does not support wildcard characters. Comment Filter This field allows you to filter for events that have specific text within their comment, and performs identical filtering actions as those provided by the Description Filter.

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257

Filter Status Bar The filter status bar in the Events window provides a basic indication of the filters that are currently in use, and may include the text shown in the following table: Table 57 Events Window Filter Status Bar Details Text

Description

Filtering off

There is no filtering in effect. The Events list is showing every event that has been logged.

Name

The events have been filtered on name, and so only events for the selected items are shown in the Events list.

Severity

The events have been filtered on severity, and so only events with a particular severity are shown in the Events list.

Time

The events have been filtered on time, and so only recent events are shown in the Events list.

Resolved

The events have been filtered on resolved state, and so only events that are resolved or, alternatively, only events that are unresolved are shown in the Events list. This depends on the selected state.

Deleted

The events shown in the Event list have been filtered to hide events that have been marked for deletion.

Descriptio The events shown in the Event list have been filtered so that only events n whose description contains a particular piece of text are shown in the table. Comment The events shown in the Event list have been filtered so that only events whose comment contains a particular piece of text are shown in the table.

The filter status bar does not show what values have been selected for each filter. If you wish to see more details of the filter that is configured, select Edit > Filter to launch the Filter dialog box. More Detail Dialog Box

The More Detail dialog box provides detailed information about an event. To launch the More Detail dialog box for an event either select the event in the Events list and select Event > More Detail, or double-click on the event in the Events list.

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Event Tab The Event tab provides a description of the event: Figure 115 More Detail Dialog Box Event Tab

The description provided by the main body of text depends upon the event: Monitor-based events: The main body of text describes what attribute is monitored by the monitor that generated the event, details the state of the monitor when the event was generated, describes what has caused the problem and provides potential resolutions. Clicking the blue underlined title of the monitor that generated the event in the main body of text will bring the Live Graphs window for the item the event was generated for to the front, re-launching it if necessary, and will locate and select the monitor within that dialog box. SNMP trap-based events: If3Com Network Supervisor was able to interpret the SNMP trap when it was received then the main body of text will provide a description of the cause of the trap and, if the trap indicates an abnormal condition, provides potential resolutions.

Event System Configuration

259

If 3Com Network Supervisor was not able to interpret the SNMP trap when it was received then the main body of text will simply provide some high-level information about the raw content of the trap. If you know the format of an SNMP trap that 3Com Network Supervisor is unable to interpret then you may configure 3Com Network Supervisor with this information. 3Com Network Supervisor will then be able to interpret the trap if it receives it again. See Appendix D for more information on how to extend 3Com Network Supervisor’s default set of trap decodes. 3Com Network Supervisor internal events: For 3Com Network Supervisor internal events the content of the main body of text depends upon the event itself, but will contain details of the reason for the event and any other pertinent information. For monitor-based and SNMP trap-based events the Events tab also shows details of the number of events generated by this monitor in the last day and the last week below the main body of text and, for monitor-based events, shows details of the absolute value of, and the threshold that was configured for, the monitor when the event was generated. As well as providing details of the selected event, the Event tab also allows you to control the generation of the event via the Change Thresholds and Disable this Event buttons. See “Setting Thresholds for Monitor-Based Events” on page 262 and “Disabling and Enabling Events” on page 259 respectively for more information.

Event System Configuration

Disabling and Enabling Events

This section describes how to configure the events system in order to restrict the events generated so that only relevant events are logged in the event system. If a particular event or set of events is of no interest to you then you can prevent events of that type being generated in future by selecting the events and then selecting Event > Disable this Event. You may also disable an event when you are viewing the Event tab of the More Details dialog box for the event by clicking Disable this Event. Before the event is disabled, you must select the devices or links as appropriate, that the event is to be disabled for:

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■

Only devices and links which generated the selected events: Prevents events of the selected events’ types from being generated for the items that the selected events were generated for. This is the Default.

■

All devices and links: Prevents events of the selected events’ types from being generated by any item.

This option not only disables the events for items that are currently in the map, but also disables them for any items that may be added to the map in future through network discoveries or manual map changes. Disabled Events Dialog Box The disabled events can be viewed and can also be re-enabled by selecting Settings > Disabled Events. This launches the Disabled Events dialog box: Figure 116 Disabled Events Dialog Box

Events can be re-enabled from here for specific items, or for sets of items, by selecting the appropriate entries in the table and clicking Re-enable. If you re-enable a disabled event that relies upon a monitor that is currently disabled then the monitor will be re-enabled automatically. The Disabled Events dialog box also allows you to change the items that an event is disabled for. To do this, select the event that you wish to change and click Change Selection. This then gives two options:

Event System Configuration

261

â&#x2013;

Selected devices/links: This option allows you to select the items, as appropriate, that the event is disabled for, by clicking Select to launch the Selected Items dialog box.

â&#x2013;

If the event is currently still enabled on some items in the map then this option will be selected by default and the selection will be initialized to the items that the event is disabled for.

â&#x2013;

All devices/links: This option disables the event for all items, as appropriate, in the map. It will also disable the event automatically for any new items added to the map in future.

Selecting Items The Selected Items dialog box is used to change the selection of devices or links that an event is disabled for: Figure 117 Selected Items dialog box

Depending upon the event that you are changing the selection for, this dialog box will allow you to change the set of devices or links that the event is disabled for.

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To add new items into the selection, click Add. This launches the Find dialog box in the appropriate mode. For example, if the event you are changing the selection for was generated by a device then the Find dialog will allow you to search for Devices and NBX telephony components. See “Finding Items on Your Network” on page 145 for more information. To remove items from the selection, select the items that you wish to remove and click Remove. Changes to the selection are only applied when you click OK. Controlling How Events are Logged

The checkboxes shown in Figure 117 allow you to globally disable event correlation and recurring events. If you disable event correlation, events logged from this time onwards will be logged as separate, individual events. Any correlated events already logged will not be affected. Similarly, if you subsequently enable the feature, individual events already logged will not be retrospectively correlated. If you disable recurring events, all repeated events from this time onwards will be logged individually. Any recurring events already logged will not be affected. Similarly, if you subsequently enable the feature, individual events already logged will not be retrospectively grouped into a single recurring event. See “Event Correlation” on page 237 and “Recurring Event Handling” on page 237 for a detailed description.

Setting Thresholds for Monitor-Based Events

A monitor-based event is generated when the state of a monitor exceeds a configured threshold and continuously exceeds the threshold for a predetermined time or number of polls. See “Event Suppression” on page 238 for more information on event suppression. By changing the threshold for a monitor you can control the generation of events for that monitor. Lowering the threshold indicates that a monitor should be particularly sensitive to high values, and so events will be generated more frequently. Increasing the threshold indicates that high values are normal for that monitor or that the monitor should be less sensitive to high values, and so events will be generated less frequently.

Event System Configuration

263

High and Warning Thresholds Multi-state monitors have two thresholds: a high threshold and a warning threshold. If a monitor exceeds its high threshold for long enough then a high severity event will be generated. Similarly, if a monitor exceeds its warning threshold for long enough, but does not trigger a high severity event, then a warning severity event will be generated. 3Com Network Supervisor allows you to configure the high threshold for multi-state monitors and then automatically determines a suitable setting for the warning threshold, based upon the configured high threshold and the type of monitor. The warning threshold cannot be manually configured. See “Threshold Settings Dialog Box” on page 263. As bi-state monitors only have a good and a bad state, they do not have a warning threshold, only a high threshold. The high threshold is fixed for bi-state monitors: if a bi-state monitor enters its bad state then it has crossed the high threshold. Launching the Threshold Settings Dialog Box The Threshold Settings dialog box can be launched for a monitor in the following ways: ■

From within the Live Graphs window, select the monitor that you wish to change the thresholds for and select Monitor > Change thresholds. See “Live Graphs Window” on page 218 for further information.

■

From within the More Details dialog box for the monitor that you wish to change the thresholds for, click Change Thresholds. See “More Detail Dialog Box”on page 223 for further information.

■

From within the Events window, select an event that was generated by the monitor that you wish to change the thresholds for and select Event > Change Thresholds. See “Events List Components” on page 239 for further information.

■

From within the More Details dialog box for an event that was generated by the monitor that you wish to change the thresholds for, click Change Thresholds. See “More Detail Dialog Box” on page 257.

Threshold Settings Dialog Box The Threshold Settings dialog box allows you to change the high threshold for a monitor, which automatically modifies the warning threshold for that monitor appropriately:

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Figure 118 Threshold Settings Dialog Box

There are three ways in which the high threshold can be changed: Sensitivity: The sensitivity slider allows you to adjust how sensitive the monitor is to high values. Increasing the sensitivity will reduce the threshold and so increase the frequency with which events will be generated by the monitor. Decreasing the sensitivity will increase the threshold and so decrease the frequency with which events will be generated by the monitor. Changes made to the sensitivity slider will be reflected automatically in the High stress threshold value and the Warning stress threshold value.

Event System Configuration

265

Threshold Value: The absolute value of the high threshold can be set directly in the High stress threshold value. Changes made to the High stress threshold value will be reflected automatically in the sensitivity slider and the Warning stress threshold value. If the value you enter in the High stress threshold value is larger than the current range of the Sensitivity slider then the range of the Sensitivity slider will be adjusted so that its least sensitive setting matches the entered High stress threshold value. The range of the Sensitivity slider is recalculated to a suitable range every time you launch the Threshold Settings dialog box for an event. For example, the default range for the Network Instability monitor is a value from 10 minutes to 1440 minutes (1 day). If you enter a value of 2880 minutes (2 days) in the High stress threshold value and apply it to This device then the next time you launch the Threshold Settings dialog box for the same device the range of the Sensitivity slider will be from 10 minutes to 2880 minutes. If you subsequently change the High stress threshold value to 120 minutes and apply it to This device then the next time you launch the Threshold Settings dialog box for the same device the range of the Sensitivity slider will revert back to the default range of 10 minutes to 1440 minutes. Use Suggested Settings: For most monitor types, 3Com Network Supervisor can suggest threshold values for you to use based on the monitor type. and on the events that have been previously generated by the monitor. To view, and optionally apply, these suggested values click Use Suggested Settings. Every monitor may have a different threshold for each item that it monitors. This allows you, for example, to set different utilization thresholds for a link to a server that is normally highly utilized and a backup link that is normally never utilized. When you change a threshold for a monitor, you can select which items, as appropriate, to change the threshold for:

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This device/link: Changes the threshold for the monitor on the item indicated at the top of the dialog box only. This will be the item that the Live Graphs were being viewed for, or the item that the event was generated for, depending upon whether the Threshold Settings dialog box was launched in the context of the Live Graphs window or the Events List window respectively. This is the default. Selected devices/links: Allows you to select the set of items to change the threshold for this monitor on, by clicking Select to launch the Change Selection dialog box. See “Selecting Items” on page 261 for more information on changing the set of selected items respectively. By default this selection will contain only the item that the Live Graphs were being viewed for, or the item that the event was generated for. You can extend this selection to include any items of the same type in your map. All devices/links: of the same type.

Changes the threshold for this monitor on all items

This option not only changes the threshold for this monitor on items of the same type that are currently in the map, but also changes it for any items of the same type that may be added to the map in future through network discoveries or manual map changes. Managing Event Ageing

Event ageing is the process whereby old events and events marked for deletion are removed from the events database. This clears out events that are no longer relevant or that have been marked for deletion, and prevents the events database from becoming too large. The process is controlled by two configurable parameters: ■

The maximum number of days to keep events for.

■

The maximum number of events to keep.

When the ageing process runs it uses these parameters to determine what events to permanently remove from the events database using the following rules: ■

Firstly, any events older than the configured maximum number of days are removed.

Event System Configuration

267

■

Secondly, if the number of events in the events database exceeds the configured maximum number of events then events marked for deletion are removed, oldest first. This process continues until either the number of events in the database equals the configured maximum number of events or all of the events marked for deletion have been removed, whichever comes first.

■

Third and finally, if the number of events in the events database still exceeds the configured maximum number of events then resolved events are removed, oldest first. Similarly, this process continues until either the number of events in the database equals the configured maximum number of events or all of the resolved events have been removed, whichever comes first.

The ageing process will never remove an unresolved event from the events database unless it has been marked for deletion. As a result you may find that after the ageing process has completed there are unresolved events in the database older than the configured maximum number of days. Similarly, you may find that after the ageing process has completed the number of events in the database still exceeds the configured maximum number. This will occur if you have more unresolved events in the database that are not marked for deletion than the configured maximum number. The ageing process normally runs once every 24 hours, at midnight. As the process does not normally run during the day this means that you may see the configured limits being temporarily exceeded. The event ageing process can only run overnight if 3Com Network Supervisor is running overnight. If you close 3Com Network Supervisor every evening then the event ageing process will only ever be run if you click OK in the Ageing dialog box. See “Ageing Dialog Box” on page 267. Ageing Dialog Box The event ageing process is controlled from within the Ageing dialog box, which is launched by selecting Settings > Ageing:

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Figure 119 Ageing Dialog Box

By default the Ageing process is configured to store a maximum of 5000 events for a maximum of 30 days. The Ageing dialog box allows you to: ■

Disable the event ageing process completely, by selecting Keep events indefinitely. If you select this option then events will never be permanently removed from the events database.

■

Selectively disable the ageing of events by number of days or by number of events by unchecking the Maximum number of days: or Maximum number of events: options respectively.

■

If you disable one of these options then events will only be permanently deleted if they exceed the limit set for the other option.

■

Change the configured maximum number of days to keep events for and change the maximum number of events to keep.

When you close the Ageing dialog box by clicking OK the event ageing process is immediately run with your new settings. This may result in events being permanently removed from the events database.

Alert System Components

269

If you do not normally leave 3Com Network Supervisor running overnight and you still wish to restrict the size of your events database using the ageing process then you should launch the Ageing dialog box and close it by clicking OK on a regular basis to enforce your configured limits.

Alert System Components

The alert system works in conjunction with the events system to perform actions when events are generated. These actions can provide you with automated notification of new events, or may automatically perform operations aimed at resolving the event, such as enabling a backup link if a main link fails. This section describes how to use the alert system in 3Com Network Supervisor.

Alerts System Overview

The alerts system works in a straightforward manner. Each item in the map may have one or more alerts attached to it. When a new event is generated for an item, all alerts that are attached to that item are triggered and their actions are performed. Additionally, alerts can be enabled â&#x20AC;&#x153;globallyâ&#x20AC;?, to launch whenever any event of a specified severity is logged by 3Com Network Supervisor. Alerts are attached to devices and links, not to events. When you attach an alert to an item, any event generated for that item will cause the alert to be triggered.

Configure Alerts Dialog Box

The Configure Alerts dialog box allows you to view the alerts attached to items, attach new alerts to items and create new types of alert. The Configure Alerts dialog box can be launched either from the Main Window or from the Events window. To launch it from the Main Window, select the items that you wish to view the attached alerts for, or attach alerts to, and then select Alerts/Events > Configure Alerts for Selected Items. To launch it from the Events window, select events generated by the items that you wish to view the attached alerts for, or attach alerts to, and select Event > Attach Alerts to Map Items. When launching the Configure Alerts dialog box from the Events window, it is important to remember that alerts will be attached to the

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items that the selected events were generated for and not to the events themselves. As a result, alerts will be subsequently triggered for any events generated for the items. The Configure Alerts dialog box displays a summary of the alerts currently configured on the system, and indicates which alerts are currently attached to the items that the Configure Alerts dialog box was launched for: Figure 120 Configure Alerts Dialog Box

Attaching Alerts to Items To attach an alert to, or remove an alert from, the items that the Configure Alerts dialog box was launched for, toggle the check box for the appropriate alert from within the Configure Alerts dialog box. The alert will become active after you close the Configure Alerts dialog box by clicking OK.

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271

It is possible to specify the severity of event which will cause the attached alerts to launch. To launch the alert for any severity of event (including info events), select Launch alert for all events. To restrict the severity of events that will launch alerts, select launch alerts for all events with minimum severity and choose the desired severity from the list presented. These settings specify a minimum severity. For example, if you chose to Launch all events with minimum severity: Warning, all warning, high, and critical severity events will cause the alerts to launch. Alerts can be created, modified, and deleted directly from the Configure Alerts dialog. See “Configuring Alerts”, below, for more details. If you attach a Sound alert to an item then the alert’s action will only be successfully performed if you have a correctly configured sound card and suitable speakers or headphones on the PC running 3Com Network Supervisor. Configure Global Alerts Dialog Box

The Configure Global Alerts dialog box allows you to view the configured alerts, enable alerts to launch “globally” (whenever any event is logged by 3Com Network Supervisor), and create new types of alert. The Configure Global Alerts dialog box can be launched either from the Main Window or from the Events window. To launch it from the Main Window, select Alerts/Events > Configure Global Alerts. To launch it from the Events window, select Event > Configure Global Alerts. The Configure Global Alerts dialog box displays a summary of the alerts currently configured on the system, and indicates which alerts are currently enabled to launch globally:

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Figure 121 Configure Global Alerts Dialog Box

Enabling Global Alerts To enable or disable a global alert, toggle the checkbox for the appropriate alert from within the Configure Global Alerts dialog box. The alert will become active after you close the Configure Global Alerts dialog box by clicking OK. It is possible to specify the severity of event which will cause the configured global alerts to launch. To launch the configured alerts for any severity of event (including info events), select Launch alert for all events. To restrict the severity of events that will launch global alerts, select Launch alerts for all events with minimum severity and choose the desired severity from the list presented. These settings specify a minimum severity. For example, if you chose to Launch all events with minimum severity: Warning, all warning, high, and critical severity events will cause the global alerts to launch. Alerts can be created, modified, and deleted directly from the Configure Global Alerts dialog. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Configuring Alertsâ&#x20AC;?, below, for more details.

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273

If you enable a Sound alert then the alert’s action will only be successfully performed if you have a correctly configured sound card and suitable speakers or headphones on the PC running 3Com Network Supervisor. Configuring Alerts Alerts can be created, modified and deleted from within the Configure Alerts and Configure Global Alerts dialog boxes. There are various types of alert that may be created within the system. These are detailed in “Alerts” on page 238. Each alert type may be configured with suitable parameters for its type. For example, a Sound alert only requires the name of a suitable audio file, whereas an E-mail alert requires details of the SMTP host to use, along with details of the source and destination e-mail addresses and the subject and contents of the message. Other than the Sound alert type, which requires only the name of a suitable audio file, the configuration of an alert allows you to enter tokens in the fields used to generate the alert. When the alert is generated these tokens are replaced by the values they represent. This allows you to configure dynamic alert messages. The Alerts System supports the following tokens: Table 58 Alert System Tokens Token

Replaced In Generated Alert By

$date$

The date when the event was generated.

$time$

The time when the event was generated.

$device$

The name of the item that the event was generated for.

$ipAddr$

The IP address of the item that the event was generated for.

$event Severity$

The severity of the generated event.

$event Description$

The description of the generated event.

$event Explanation$

An explanation of the event, including possible causes and resolutions.

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To insert a token into a field, place the cursor at the location where the token is to be inserted and select the token from the table of tokens shown on the Add Alerts dialog box. Tokens may also be typed in directly. For example, the sample Pop-up alert that is provided with the system is defined as follows: Figure 122 Sample Pop-up Alert

If this alert was attached to a device, and an event was generated for that device due to high utilization then the following pop-up would appear on screen:

Alert System Components

275

Figure 123 Pop-up for a Device

Tokens are supported in the Text: field of Pop-up, E-mail, Pager and SNMP Trap alerts, in the Arguments: field of Application alerts and in the Subject: field of E-mail and Pager alerts. They are not supported in any other fields. If you manually type a token in an unsupported field then it will not be replaced with the dynamic value when the alert is generated, and so will appear exactly as it is typed. Launching Alerts When Events are Resolved Alerts are normally launched both when an event is raised, and when it is resolved. It is possible to control the launching of alerts for resolved events through the Alerts tab of the Tools > Options dialog box:

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Figure 124 Options Dialog Box – Alerts Tab

If Launch alerts on event resolution is selected, alerts will launch when an event is resolved, as determined by the attachment and severity settings in the Configure Alerts and Configure Global Alerts dialog boxes in place at the time when the event is resolved. If Do not launch alerts for manually resolved events is selected, events resolved automatically by 3Com Network Supervisor will still launch alerts, but no alerts will be launched for those that are resolved manually, using the Edit -> Resolve menu option in the Event List. When an alert is launched for a resolved event, the $severity$ token will display “RESOLVED” in addition to the event’s severity.

Examples

277

When an alert is launched for a resolved event, the $severity$ token will display “RESOLVED” in addition to the event’s severity.

Examples

Viewing the Unresolved Events for a Subnet

This section provides examples of how you may use the events system to view relevant events and assist in troubleshooting. You are viewing the devices in your network grouped by subnet and are viewing the top-level map. One of the subnets that you are monitoring has just changed color from green to red. You wish to determine what the problem is. 1 Right-click on the subnet in the tree or map. From the right-click menu, select What’s Wrong. 2 The Event window is launched, showing only the unresolved events for that subnet: Figure 125 Events Window

Exporting High Severity Events Generated in the Last Week

You wish to build up a database to help determine problem trends in your network. To do this you decide to use undeleted high severity events as an indication of the trends, and need to export them from 3Com Network Supervisor so that you may import them into your database. 1 Launch the Events window by selecting Alerts/Events > View All Events. 2 Launch the Filter dialog box by selecting Edit > Filter. 3 Click Default Filter to ensure that the filter fields are reset. 4 Set the Severity: field to High and the Last number of days: field to 7:

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Figure 126 Filter Dialog Box - 7 Days of High Severity

5 Click OK to close the Filter dialog box and update the events in the Events List to match the filter:

Examples

279

Figure 127 Events Window - Filtered Results

6 Select File > Export as CSV. 7 Ensure that Use current filter is selected and click OK. 8 Select the file that you wish to export to and click Save. You may now import the exported events into your database. Undeleting an Event

You have just marked an event for deletion in the Events window, but have decided that you wish to retain the event after all. However, the event is no longer visible in the Event window. 1 Launch the Filter dialog box by selecting Edit > Filter. 2 Set the Deleted events: field to Show:

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Figure 128 Filter Dialog Box - Show

3 Click OK to close the Filter dialog box and update the events in the Events window to match the filter:

Examples

281

Figure 129 Events Window - Updated

4 Locate the event that you wish to retain in the Event list and select it: Figure 130 Events Window - Select Event

5 Select Edit > Undelete. This clears the deletion mark for the event:

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Figure 131 Events Window - Cleared Deletion Mark

Receiving Notification When A Server Farm Is Unreachable

You have a web server farm in your network that is critical to your business, as it enables your customers to place orders with your company 24-hours a day. You wish to receive pager messages whenever there is a problem with the farm to minimize the impact these may have. 1 Select the servers that are members of the server farm in the map or tree. 2 Select Alerts/Events > Configure Alerts for Selected Items to launch the Configure Alerts dialog box. 3 Click Add to launch the Add Alert dialog box so that you may add a new alert definition for server farm alerts. 4 Select the Pager option and enter the details of the message you wish sent and the details of the SMTP host to use for the pager message:

Examples

283

Figure 132 Add Alert Dialog Box - Pager Option

5 Close the Add Alert dialog box by clicking OK to add the alert and return to the Configure Alerts dialog box. The Server Farm Alert will now be visible in the list:

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Figure 133 Configure Alerts Dialog Box

Examples

6 Check the check box for the Server Farm Alert: Figure 134 Attach Alerts Dialog Box

285

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7 As you only want to be alerted when there is a problem with your servers, select the radio button to receive the alert for all events of the required minimum severity: Figure 135 Configure Alerts Dialog Box - select required minimum severity

8 Close the Configure Alerts dialog box by clicking OK. This attaches the alert to the server farm devices.

Key Considerations

No Events in the Events List

The following section provides assistance when using the events system within 3Com Network Supervisor. There are various reasons why there may be no events visible in the events list: Events List Update Was Stopped If you selected View > Stop during the last update of the Events list then you may have stopped the update before any events were found that match the configured filter.

Key Considerations

287

If this is the case then the status bar at the bottom of the Events window will indicate that there are events in the database, but that you are viewing none of them: Figure 136 Events List Window - Bottom Status Bar

To refresh the Events list fully, select View > Refresh and do not stop the update. Filter Has Excluded All Events The currently configured filter may be filtering out all events in the events database. This situation is indicated in an identical manner to when the Events list update was stopped, with the status bar at the bottom of the Events window indicating that there are events in the database, but that you are viewing none of them. To change the filter, select Edit > Filter to launch the Filter dialog box. You will need to use a less restrictive filter in order to view the events. For example, if you are currently filtering for events logged in the last day and no events are visible in the Events list then changing this to filter for events logged in the last 5 days will extend the scope of the filter and so is more likely to match one or more events in the database. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Filter Dialog Boxâ&#x20AC;? on page 252.

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9 Overviews

CREATING REPORTS

This chapter describes the Reporting feature of 3Com Network Supervisor. You can use the Reporting feature to obtain on-demand reports describing the 3Com devices on your network, listing attributes such as IP addresses, MAC addresses and agent software versions. You can also obtain specific information you may require by creating custom reports. Reports are generated in HTML format to allow viewing within a web browser. You can export reports to CSV so that they can be imported into other tools such as Microsoft Excel or used in command line scripts. You may view any report you have generated in the past by using the Reporting history feature. The following topics are covered in this chapter: ■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

■

Key Considerations

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Key Concepts Selection-sensitive

Feature Reports Types

This following section explains the key concepts of the Reporting feature. Many reports may be launched against the current selection in the map, allowing you to generate reports listing only the devices and links you are interested in. Alternatively, you can choose to generate a report based on the whole map. Various features within 3Com Network Supervisor use reports to convey information. These are covered in the section detailing the feature as shown in Table 59: Table 59 Feature Report Types Feature Network Discovery

Traffic Prioritization Live Update

Report Types ■ ■

Discovery Misconfigurations and Optimizations

■

Changes

■

Prioritization Configuration

■

Network Prioritization

Live Update Activity

Covered in: “Discovering the Network”on

page 57

“Prioritizing Network Traffic” on page 327 “Live Update” on page 387

Other reports are covered in “Components” on page 291 of this chapter. Device Report History - Restriction

The history log that is used to keep track of operations applied to the devices on your network will never be purged by the application. Therefore the history for all devices will continue to grow over time. However, you can manually purge the history log by deleting the current history log, and creating a new empty history log in its place, as follows: 1 Open Windows Explorer. 2 Navigate to the following directory: <install_dir>\data\com\coms\wsd\tns\baseapiprivate\transacti onlog

<install_dir> is the directory where you installed 3Com Network Supervisor. 3 Delete the file called logging.mdb from this directory.

Components

291

4 Make a copy of the file called emptyLogging.mdb and rename it to be called logging.mdb CAUTION: The above instructions will delete all Device History information and Live Update Activity information from the current history log. Custom Report Types

Custom Report Types enable you to select the information you want to report on from all available report columns.

Reports History

A full history of generated reports is maintained by 3Com Network Supervisor. You can view old reports and export them to CSV using the Report History feature. To aid identification of old reports, the historical reports are tied to the currently loaded map.

Export to CSV

Components

You can export any generated report to CSV. This formatted text file can be imported into various applications, for example, Microsoft Excel. You can also use this feature to obtain a list of your network devices and properties to use in your own command line scripts.

This section describes the components of the Reporting feature. 3Com Network Supervisor contains several report types. Feature-based reports are covered elsewhere in this guide, please refer to Table 59 for further information. In addition to these the following report types are also available: ■

Inventory Report

■

Capacity Report

■

Topology Report

■

Free Ports Report

Reports are produced in HTML and may also be exported to CSV. Reports use a simple form of sorting in that the first column is sorted alpha-numerically. For example, a set of IP addresses would be sorted 10.0.0.1, 10.0.0.11, 10.0.0.12, 10.0.0.13, 10.0.0.2 and so on.

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Inventory Report

You can obtain an inventory of devices on your network using the Inventory Report. For each device, the Inventory Report lists the following details: ■

IP address

■

Device type

■

MAC address

■

Device name

This report is launched from the Reports dialog box and is selection-sensitive. If you have a number of devices in a stack (e.g. a Switch 3300 and Switch 1100), all unit types are listed in the Type column. Similarly, if a modular device (e.g. the Switch 4007), has several cards in it, each card type is listed in this column. For convenience, it also displays the number of devices reported on at the start of the report. Capacity Report

The capacity report allows you to gauge how many available ports you have on your network. It lists the following details for each device: ■

IP address

■

Device type

■

Total ports on the device

■

Ports available (unused) on the device

This report provides information on all devices for which 3Com Network Supervisor has port information. To gather this port information, the device needs to support SNMP. At the bottom of the Ports available column is a summary listing the number of free ports across the device selection and a percentage of how many ports are available of the total ports present. This report is launched from the Reports dialog box and is selection-sensitive. Topology Report

You can see all links showing each device-to-device connection in your network using the topology report. This report lists the following details for the devices at each of the physical link ends: ■

IP address

■

Device type

Components

■

Unit number

■

Port number

293

This report is launched from the Reports dialog box, and is selection-sensitive. Free ports Report

This report is accessible when a high utilization event occurs (this happens when utilization on a link exceeds the threshold limit). When examining the high utilization event one of the remedies suggested (accessed via the More Detail dialog box) is to move the device to a switch that supports a higher link speed and/or full duplex mode. To launch the free ports report click on the hyperlink included in the text. The free ports report lists the number of free ports on each device in the current map that are capable of speeds above a certain value. This report is identical to the standard capacity report except it is filtered to exclude ports that are not above a certain speed. There are two versions of the report: ■

Lists free ports capable of speeds over 10Mbps (100Mbps or more)

■

Lists free ports capable of speeds over 100Mbps (1000Mbps or more)

The report lists the following details for each device: ■

IP address

■

Device type

■

Total number of ports on the device

■

Total number of free ports on the device.

Devices that do not have any ports of the appropriate speed available are not included in the report. If 3Com Network Supervisor could not obtain the speed of the ports on a switch they will not be included in this report. For reasons why this could occur, refer to the capacity report section. Reports Dialog Box

The Reports dialog box displays a list of all the types of reports that you can generate using 3Com Network Supervisor as shown in Figure 137:

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Figure 137 Reports Dialog Box

Generate Report Tab From the Generate Report tab you can select any report type in the list which will update the information presented in the text panel, under the label Information included in this report. This panel displays the following: ■

Name – the name of the report.

■

Description – a brief overview of what will be reported.

■

Content — describes what the report will contain. This is devices, links or Multiple, which means that the report has multiple tables or components in it so its content cannot be summarized.

■

Columns — lists the columns present in the table in this report. If the report has multiple tables, the value for columns will be Multiple.

Components

295

Click Generate Report to create the report for the report type you have selected in the Report types list. This will produce the report and open it in your default web browser. If you have some items selected, and the report is selection-sensitive, you will be presented with a pop-up asking if you wish to produce a report for all items in the current map file. The default is Yes. If you answer No, the report will be produced based on the current selection. If Generate Report is clicked when there is no selection, the report is automatically produced on all items in the current map file. See “Generate Report not Working” on page 306 if you have problems generating a report. Clicking Custom Report Types launches a dialog box where you can add, edit and delete custom (that is, user-defined) report types. See “Custom Report Types Dialog Box” on page 297 for more information. History Tab The History tab of the Reports dialog box allows you to view previously generated reports as shown in Figure 138: Figure 138 History

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You can also save reports as CSV files and delete reports using this dialog box. The table of reports can be sorted by clicking on the column headers. This is useful when trying to find a particular report to view or to aid deletion of old reports, for example. It lists any reports that have been generated since the current map file has been opened or created. It does not include reports generated against other map files. Any reports that are created against an untitled or new map file are lost if that map file is not saved upon closing it. Click View Report to launch the selected report in your default web browser. Click Save as CSV... to display a standard file chooser dialog box prompting you for a file location to save the current selected report in CSV form. Click Delete to display a dialog box asking for delete confirmation before it removes the generated report from the disk and this table. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Disk Usageâ&#x20AC;? on page 305 for information on disk space usage by the Reports feature. The CSV format used for exported reports is: <Report title> <Table title> <Table Heading 1>, <Table Heading2>, ... <Row 1 Column 1>, <Row 1 Column 2>, ... <Row 2 Column 1>, <Row 2 Column 2>, ...

For example: Misconfiguration and Optimizations Report Misconfigured Link End1, End 2 Switch1100-1 (Unit 1 Port 1), Switch1100-2 (Unit 1 Port 2) Switch3300-1 (Unit 2 Port 1), Switch3300-2 (Unit 1 Port 5)

Blocks of text (e.g. report description, table descriptions etc.) will not appear in the CSV file.

Components

Custom Report Types Dialog Box

297

The Custom Report Types dialog box enables you to: ■

Create new custom report types

■

Edit existing custom report types

■

Delete custom report types

The list shown in Figure 139, displays any custom report types already created. It does not list any of the pre-defined report types. Figure 139 Custom Report Types

The panel in this dialog box entitled Information included in this report works in the same way as the panel in the main Reports dialog box.

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If you edit an existing report type, you are warned that if you change the columns used in the report type then 3Com Network Supervisor will remove any existing reports (i.e. the reports listed in the History tabbed pane of the Reports dialog box) that were generated from that report type. However, if you edit the report type and only change the description (i.e. you do not change the columns), all generated reports for that report type will be preserved. If you then click View Report for one of these generated reports (or Save to CSV) the new description will be used. Add/Edit Report Type Wizard

From the Add/Edit Report Type Wizard you can add and amend report types that detail information about the 3Com devices on your network. The Add/Edit Report Type Wizard can be launched from the Custom Report Types dialog box. Columns Step The Columns step is the first step in the wizard as shown in Figure 140: Figure 140 Add/Edit Report Type Wizard - Columns Step

The Content drop down menu sets what items the report will run on. This is either Node Details or Link Details. If Node Details is chosen the report will work on devices on a network. If Link Details is chosen the report will work on links on a network.

Components

299

There are two lists as follows: ■

Available columns — lists columns that can be included in the report. Select the column and click Include - > to add the column to the report.

■

Included columns — lists columns included in the report. Included columns will be used to compose a table for the Custom report and will be ordered from left to right as the list is ordered from top to bottom. For example, in the Add/Edit Report Type Wizard - Columns Step, Device Name will be the first column in the report. To remove a column from the report, select the column and click < - Exclude.

Once columns are included in a report, you can change the order the columns appear in by selecting an entry in the included columns and clicking Move Up or Move Down to change their position in the table. The topmost entry in the list appears on the far left of the table and so on. The first column is used to sort the entire report so if you wish to sort the report by device name, for example, then ensure the Device Name column is first in the report. The columns available for a report change depending on the selected Content, either Node Details or Link Details. Table 60 shows the available columns: Table 60 Available Columns for Node Details Column

Description

Comment

The comment associated with the device. See Properties Dialog Box for a Node on page 183 for more information.

Device Name

The name of the device, which is one of the following: custom name, DNS name, SNMP sysName, IP address, MAC address.

DeviceType

The type of the device, for example, 3Com Switch 3300

Extension Number The extension number of the device. This only applies to phones managed by an NBX call processor. If there is not an extension number for the device i.e. it is not a phone, then this column will have N/A in it. Hardware Version

The hardware version of the device e.g. 01.01.01. This is usually only obtained for 3Com devices. If the hardware version is not available then N/A is displayed in this column.

IP Address

The IP address of the device, or Unknown if it is not known.

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Column

Description

Location

The location of the device. This only applies to phones managed by an NBX call processor. If there is not a location for the device, that is it is not a phone, then this column will have N/A in it.

MAC Address

The MAC address or addresses associated with a device.

Number of Units

The number of units a device consists of, that is, the number of cards in a modular system or the number of units in a stack.

Ports Available

The number of ports on a device.

Product Number

The product number of the device e.g. 3C17203. This is usually only obtained for 3Com devices. If the product number is not available then N/A is displayed in this column.

Registered

Whether the device has been registered with 3Com using the Device Warranty feature.

Serial Number

The serial number of the device, for example, 1ABC2345678. This is usually only obtained for 3Com devices. If the serial number is not available, N/A is displayed in this column.

Software Version

The software agent version running on a device for example, 3.0.0. This is usually only obtained for 3Com devices. If the agent version is not available, N/A is displayed in this column.

Subnet

The subnet the device is on, e.g. 104.204.1.0 (255.255.255.0)

sysContact

The value of SNMP object sysContact for the device

sysDescr

The value of SNMP object sysDescr for the device.

sysLocation

The value of SNMP object sysLocation for the device

sysName

The value of SNMP object sysName for the device.

sysObjectID

The value of SNMP object sysObjectID for the device.

Total Ports

The total number of ports on a device.

Used Ports

The number of used ports on a device.

User Department

The user department of the device. This only applies to phones managed by an NBX call processor. If there is not a user department for the device, that is, it is not a phone, N/A is displayed in this column.

User Name

The user name of the device. This only applies to phones managed by an NBX call processor and devices that have logged in to the network via Network Login. If there is no user name associated with the device, N/A is displayed in this column.

User Title

The user title of the device. This only applies to phones managed by an NBX call processor. If there is not a user title for the device, that is, it is not a phone, N/A is displayed in this column.

Components

301

Table 61 Available Columns for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Link Details Column

Description

Comment (Both ends)

The comment associated with the devices at either end of the link.

Device Name (Both Ends)

Gives the names of the devices at either end of link.

Duplex mode

The duplex mode of the link.

IP Address (Both Ends)

Gives the IP addresses of the devices at either end of link.

Link Aggregation

Whether link aggregation is enabled or disabled for the link.

Media Type

The media type of the link for example, Ethernet.

Port (Both ends)

Gives port number that either end of link is connected to.

Registered (Both Ends)

Whether or not the devices at either end have been registered for Device Warranty using the Device Warranty Wizard.

Resilience Mode

Whether resilience is enabled for the link.

Spanning Tree Mode

The spanning tree mode of the link for example, Blocked.

Speed

The speed of link e.g. 10 Mbps.

Unit (Both Ends)

Gives the unit numbers of the devices that either end of link is connected to.

When generating a link details custom report you may see multiple entries in a table cell for a link, for example two entries for Resilience. The link in question is an aggregated link and is listing the properties of each link that composes the aggregated link.

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Name and Description Step You can use this step to specify the name and description of your custom report as shown in Figure 141: Figure 141 Add/Edit Report Type Wizard - Name and Description Step

The name and description appears in the report when it is generated. They also display in the Reports dialog box in the Information included in this report panel when this custom report type is selected. If you are editing an existing custom report type you cannot change the report name. Summary Step The final step shows all the values you have chosen for your custom report type as shown in Figure 142:

Examples

303

Figure 142 Add/Edit Report Type Wizard - Summary Step

Click Finish, to add the report type to the Custom Report Types dialog box. Click OK to close the Custom Report Types dialog box. You can now use your custom report type in the same way as any of the pre-defined report types.

Examples

Assessing Network Expansion Capability

The following section gives some examples of how the Reporting feature can be used. The feature-specific report types are covered in the chapter for the relevant feature. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;Feature Reports Typesâ&#x20AC;? on page 290 for further details. You have a number of additional servers to add to your network and you want to find out if you have enough capacity in your network and to work out which 3Com devices to connect them to. You can get an assessment of how much network capacity you have by charting available ports using the Save to CSV facility in Reports, in combination with an external CSV tool such as Microsoft Excel. To do this: 1 Launch the Reports dialog box from Tools > Reports and select the Capacity report type. 2 Click Generate Report.

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3 Select the History tab of the Reports dialog box and select the generated report in the table. 4 Click Save to CSV and choose a location for the CSV file. 5 Open the saved file in Microsoft Excel. 6 Select the IP Address column, by drag-clicking the cell entry with the column title IP Address all the way down to the end of the IP Address data. 7 Holding down Ctrl, do the same with the Total Ports and Ports Available columns. 8 Select Chart from the Insert menu. 9 Use the defaults of Chart Type: Column and Subtype: Clustered Column and click Next. 10 Click Next on the Chart Source Data wizard step. 11 Click on the Titles tab on this wizard step, enter Network Capacity as the chart title and click Next. 12 Choose to Place chart As new sheet and click Finish. This gives you a graph showing at a glance how many ports you have free across your range of 3Com devices and where the servers could be best connected. You can also use Excel’s sorting feature to sort the table data by Ports Available, for example. Ensuring Stacks are Running the Same Agent Version

3Com recommends that all units in a stack are running the same agent version to avoid performance issues. You can generate a report providing this information using the Custom Report Types feature. To do this: 1 Launch the Reports dialog box from Tools > Reports. 2 Click Custom Type Reports. 3 Click Add to create a new custom report type. 4 Select the columns you wish to view in your custom report. Device name is already an included column. Select any combination of the following columns and add them to the report: ■

Device type

■

IP address

■

Number of units

■

Software Version

Key Considerations

305

5 Click Next and enter Agents on units as the report name and provide a description. 6 Click Next. 7 After reviewing the details on the Summary step, click Finish. 8 Click OK in the Custom Report Types dialog box to confirm the custom report type addition. 9 Select Agents on units in the list of report types and click Generate Report. The report will enable you to see at a glance which stacks have more than one unit and what the unit agent versions are, allowing you to locate units that require agent version changes.

Key Considerations

Report Information Out-of-Date

Disk Usage

The following section provides some useful advice when using the Reports feature in 3Com Network Supervisor. The information that appears in Reports is based on information held in the current map file. If changes have occurred since the last discovery operation, the report will contain out-of-date information. The one exception to this is the Prioritization Configuration report, which uses SNMP queries on your network devices to generate this report. Generated reports are not aged or deleted automatically in any way. Therefore, over a period of time, the number of reports stored on disk will build up. One generated report will take up approximately 4KB to 5KB, depending on the number of devices reported on. You can delete generated reports from the History tab of the Reports dialog box. If you have more than 500 generated reports stored, 3Com Network Supervisor will display a warning when you launch the Reports dialog box. This is purely for information and will not affect the operation of 3Com Network Supervisor in any way.

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When you generate a report, the report history is stored in XML format on disk. The HTML file produced is a temporary file that is removed once 3Com Network Supervisor shuts down. If you wish to view an old report, you can use the Report History feature to view it. If you wish to use the HTML report outside of 3Com Network Supervisor, generate the report and select File > Save As from your web browser to save the report to a location of your choice. Generate Report not Working

Sometimes, when you click Generate Report in the Reports dialog box it can seem as if nothing is happening. This may be because the map file is unusually large and therefore the report is taking a long time to generate.

10 Overview

CONFIGURING SINGLE DEVICES

This chapter describes the following device administration functions: ■

Web Management — launches your default web browser against a device selected in the network map.

■

Telnet Management — launches your computer’s Telnet application against a device selected in the network map.

■

Administration Menu — contains integrated add-on 3Com device management applications.

■

Registering Devices for Warranty — enables you to register the 3Com devices on your network for any applicable warranty.

The following topics are covered in this chapter:

Key Concepts

Web Management

■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

■

Key Considerations

The following section describes the key concepts for administering devices using 3Com Network Supervisor. Many 3Com devices provide a web interface that enables you to manage a single device or stack of devices at one time. Your default web browser is used to display the web interface. Access to the interface is protected by username and password authentication. A graphical representation of the device is usually displayed, along with various device configuration options and low-level statistics. For more information on the features provided by the web interface, please refer to the user documentation for your device.

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Telnet Management

Most 3Com devices provide a Telnet management interface, enabling you to manage a single device or stack of devices at one time. Access to the interface is protected by username and password authentication. It typically provides the most complete range of configuration options. For more information on the features provided by the Telnet interface, please refer to the user documentation for your device.

SSH Management

For devices which provide an SSH (Secure SHell) management interface, you can integrate your own SSH client into 3Com Network Supervisor. See Chapter C for more information on how to do this.

Administration Menu

The administration menu of 3Com Network Supervisor contains entries for add-on 3Com device management applications. These applications provide management operations specific to a particular device type. For more information please refer to the appropriate management applicationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manual and/or online help pages. Devices that support the features described in the Administration Menu are listed in the Supported Devices PDF available from the Start menu. Network Jack Configuration Manager 3Com Network Jack Configuration Manager provides management for the 3Com Network Jack NJ200. The NJ200 is bundled with a Local Configuration Manager and a Central Configuration Manager. If the Central Configuration Manager is installed, 3Com Network Supervisor will display a launch point for it under the Administration menu. The Central Configuration Manager enables remote discovery, advanced configuration and management of multiple NJ200s.

Key Concepts

Properties Dialog Box

309

The Device Properties dialog box gives you additional details on a selected device. The details are split in to four tabs as follows: General The General tab provides name information for your device as shown in Figure 143. You can change the name by editing the Name text field and clicking OK. Figure 143 Properties - General Tab

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Addresses The Addresses tab provides IP and MAC address information for your device, as shown in Figure 144 Figure 144 Properties - Addresses Tab

Key Concepts

311

SNMP The SNMP tab displays community string information as shown in Figure 145: Figure 145 Properties - SNMP Tab

The following two radio buttons are provided: ■

Defaults — select this option to use the community strings 3Com Network Supervisor is using by default on all other devices. If this community string does not work, 3Com Network Supervisor will resort to using the factory defaults for devices of that device type.

■

Specify — select this option to specify the exact community strings to use for the selected device. You might use this option if you imported your devices using ‘read-only’ community strings but you now want to use the additional permissions that read-write access gives you.

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Registering Devices for Warranty

You can register the 3Com devices on your network for any applicable warranty. 3Com Network Supervisor checks for devices on your network that have not yet been registered and sends this information to 3Com. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;What Data is Sent to the 3Com serverâ&#x20AC;? on page 319 for more details. Registering devices enables the device warranty for all the supported 3Com equipment and enables 3Com services such as technical assistance, hardware repair and hardware replacement.

Components

Device Warranty Dialog Box

The following sections describe how to administer devices using 3Com Network Supervisor. When a discovery operation completes and 3Com Network Supervisor finds that there are unregistered devices, you are given the option to register devices as shown in Figure 146: Figure 146 Device Warranty Dialog Box

If you do not want to see this dialog box after each discovery, de-select the Show the Device Warranty dialog box after a network discovery check box. You can also de-select the Show the Device Warranty dialog box after a discovery operation check box in the General panel of the Options dialog box as shown in Figure 147.

Components

313

Figure 147 Options - General

Device Warranty Wizard

The Device Warranty wizard allows you to enter registration information and to select the devices you want to register for any applicable warranty. To launch the wizard: â&#x2013;

Click Yes from the Device Warranty dialog box, as shown in Figure 146. Or,

â&#x2013;

Select the Tools > Device Warranty menu option

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Introduction Step The Introduction step describes the various stages of the wizard and provides a hyperlink to the 3Com Privacy Statement as shown in Figure 148. Figure 148 Introduction Step

Click on the hyperlink to view the 3Com Privacy Statement in your default web browser. By clicking Next, you consent to the collection, processing and use of the data submitted in the Device Warranty Wizard, in accordance with the 3Com Privacy Statement.

Components

315

Contact Details Step The Contact Details step allows you to enter your contact information as shown in Figure 149. Figure 149 Contact Details Step

All fields are compulsory (marked with a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;*â&#x20AC;&#x2122;), except the second line of the Address and the Phone Extension number 3Com Network Supervisor retains these details for the next time you run the Device Warranty Wizard. This way, you only have to enter your contact details once. Partner/Reseller Details Step The Partner/Reseller Details step enables you to enter contact details for your preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller as shown in Figure 150.

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Figure 150 Partner/Reseller Details Step

The Partner/Reseller Details step displays the following fields: ■

I have no preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller — select this option if you do not order 3Com equipment from an approved 3Com Partner/Reseller.

■

My preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller is — select this option if you order 3Com equipment from an approved 3Com Partner/Reseller.

These fields are only displayed if you select the My preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller is option: ■

Name — the company name of your preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller.

■

E-Mail — the contact e-mail for your preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller.

■

Phone — the contact phone number for your preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller.

If you select the My preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller is option, the Name field cannot be left blank. Just like your contact details, 3Com Network Supervisor retains the reseller details for the next time you run the Device Warranty Wizard. This way, you only have to enter your reseller’s contact details once.

Components

317

Device Selection Step The Device Selection step lists the 3Com devices on your network that have not yet been registered as shown in Figure 151. Figure 151 Device Selection Step

Each row in the list corresponds to a 3Com product. If the device in the map is a stack, the list will contain one row per unit. If the network node in the map is a chassis device, the list will contain one row for each chassis blade. The Device Selection step contains the following columns: ■

Register Now — when the check box in this column is selected, the corresponding device will be registered for warranty. De-select the check box if you do not want this device to be registered

■

Device Name — the name of the device as it appears in the map. If the row corresponds to a unit (for a stack) or a blade (for a chassis), the index of the unit or blade will also be specified. For instance, MySwitch (Unit 2).

■

Device Type — the type of the product.

By default, all supported 3Com devices are listed and selected.

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If you de-select some devices and complete the wizard, the next time you run the Device Warranty wizard, these devices will be listed and de-selected by default. Summary Step At the Summary step you can review the contact details you specified in the previous steps of the wizard as shown in Figure 152. Figure 152 Summary Step

The Summary step provides a summary of the warranty registration information prior to sending it to 3Com. If you consent to 3Com keeping you updated on its products you will receive 3Com product news. If you selected I am registering on behalf of the individual named above in the Contact Details step of the wizard, then the first I consent to: option will be greyed out. Click Finish to connect to the 3Com server and register the devices for warranty.

Components

Connection to the 3Com Server

319

While 3Com Network Supervisor is connecting to the 3Com server, a message, as shown in Figure 153, is displayed: Figure 153 Connecting to the 3Com Server

Click Cancel if you wish to interrupt the connection and abort the registration of your 3Com devices. Once 3Com Network Supervisor is connected to the 3Com server, the data will be transmitted and the message will update. Once the transmission is complete, a confirmation message is displayed as shown in Figure 154. Figure 154 Confirmation Message

3Com will send you an email within 24 hours to confirm that your 3Com devices are now registered for any applicable warranty. What Data is Sent to the 3Com server

To register your 3Com devices, 3Com Network Supervisor will transmit some data to the 3Com server. That data consists of: â&#x2013;

The contact details (name, company, address etc) that you specified in the Device Warranty wizard.

â&#x2013;

The contact details of your preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller (name, email etc) that you specified in the Device Warranty wizard (if any).

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â&#x2013;

The details of the device you want to register (product number, serial number, MAC address).

For security reasons, 3Com Network Supervisor does not send the IP address of your devices. This information is then processed so that the devices are registered for their applicable warranty. Reports

The following reports are produced when administering devices. Device Warranty You can generate a report on the devices on your network that 3Com Network Supervisor registered for any applicable warranty as follows: 1 From 3Com Network Supervisor, launch the Reports dialog box from Tools > Reports. 2 Click Custom Report Types. 3 Click Add from the Custom Report Types dialog box to launch the Add Report Type wizard. 4 In the first step of the wizard, include the Registered column in the report, as well as columns that help you identify the device (for instance, Device Name, Product Number, Serial Number). Click Next. 5 In the second step of the wizard, give the report a name and (optionally) a description. Click Next to show the Summary dialog box and click Finish. 6 Click OK to close the Custom Report Types dialog box. 7 In the Report Types table, click the name of the report you created and click on Generate Report to launch the report as shown in Figure 155.

Components

321

Figure 155 Device Warranty

When you view the report you have generated the Registered column shows: ■

Yes — if 3Com Network Supervisor registered the product.

■

No — if 3Com Network Supervisor did not register the product.

■

N/A — if the product is not supported by the Device Warranty feature.

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Examples

Renaming a Switch 4007 using Telnet

The following section provides some examples of how to administer the devices on your network. You have a Switch 4007 on your network and you wish to rename it using the Telnet Management Interface. To do this: 1 Find the Switch 4007 device in the 3Com Network Supervisor network map. This can be done using Edit > Find if needed. 2 Select the device and right-click on it to launch the right-click menu. 3 Select the Telnet Management menu item. The Telnet console will be launched. 4 Enter your username and password for the device. 5 Type set name < new name >. 6 Type logout. The Telnet console will close. 7 Use Network Discovery to update the current map with the new name.

Disabling a Port on a Switch 4400 using the Web Interface

You have a Switch 4400 on your network and you wish to disable a port on it using the web interface: 1 Find the appropriate Switch 4400 device in the 3Com Network Supervisor network map. This can be done using the Find dialog box if needed. 2 Select the device and right-click on it to launch the right-click menu. 3 Select the Web Management menu item. The default web browser will be launched. 4 Enter your username and password for the device. 5 Select the Device View tab in the web browser. 6 Right-click on the port and select Setup. 7 Change the Port State to Disabled and click OK. 8 Close the web browser.

Registering 3Com Devices for Warranty

You have just bought several 3Com devices and installed them on your network. You now want to register all these devices for warranty using 3Com Network Supervisor.

Examples

323

1 Launch the Options dialog box using Tools > Options and make sure that in the General tab, the Show the Device Warranty dialog box after a network discovery operation option is selected. If it is de-selected, click on the check box to select it. 2 Re-discover the network on which the new 3Com devices are installed. This can be done by selecting Tools > Network Discovery in the main 3Com Network Supervisor window. 3 When the discovery is complete, you will get a message as shown in Figure 156. Figure 156 Registering Devices for Warranty - Example

4 Click OK to launch the Device Warranty wizard. 5 In the Introduction step, make sure you have read the 3Com Privacy Statement and click Next. 6 In the Contact Details step ensure: ■

If this is the first time you have used the wizard, that you enter your contact details and click Next. Alternatively,

■

If you have previously completed the wizard, you review the contact details as they will be pre-set and click Next.

7 In the Reseller Details step ensure: ■

If this is the first time you have used the wizard, enter the contact details of your preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller (if any). Alternatively,

■

If you have previously completed the wizard, the contact details of your preferred 3Com Partner/Reseller (if any) will be pre-set so review the details and click Next.

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8 In the Device Selection step, make sure that your new devices are included and that the Register Now check box is selected for those devices. Click Next. 9 In the Summary step, make sure that the contact details are correct and click Finish. The registration details will be communicated to the 3Com server and a message box will be displayed to confirm the completion of the operation. You will also get a confirmation by email that the devices you selected have been registered by 3Com for any applicable warranty.

Key Considerations Troubleshooting

The following section provides assistance when administering devices. Some advice on errors are outlined as follows: The Device Warranty dialog box is not displayed after a Network Discovery One possible explanations for this is that the Device Warranty dialog box is disabled. To check this: 1 Launch the Options dialog box by selecting the Tools > Options menu. 2 Select the General tab. 3 Check that the Show the Device Warranty dialog box after a network discovery check box is selected. If it is not selected, click on the check box to select this option. The other explanation for this is that there are no devices to register. To check this: 1 Select the Tools > Device Warranty menu option.

Key Considerations

325

2 If all the devices on your network have already been registered, a message, as shown in Figure 157, is displayed. Figure 157 Warning Message

3Com Network Supervisor lists some devices as unregistered, although you have already registered them on the 3Com website The reason for this is that 3Com Network Supervisor only knows about devices that were registered using 3Com Network Supervisor. If the devices were registered on the 3Com website, 3Com Network Supervisor will think these devices are as yet unregistered. If you do register these devices again, this will not affect the original registration. Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions about the device warranty confirmation email. Why are some registered devices missing from the email? If the device selection includes devices that have already been registered (for instance, if you registered them on the 3Com website), these devices will not be listed in the confirmation email. Why is there no warranty associated with some of the devices in the email? There are two explanations for this: ■

The product is not supported by 3Com anymore — if the product has been discontinued, there will be no warranty for that product.

■

The warranty date has expired — if the warranty period for a device has expired, there will be no warranty for that device.

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11 Overview

PRIORITIZING NETWORK TRAFFIC

This chapter describes how 3Com Network Supervisor is used to prioritize network traffic on the 3Com devices on your network. By enabling prioritization, you can specify the importance of certain types of network traffic (such as traffic to and from database servers or NBX phone traffic) over others. This can ensure that important traffic on a configured device flows quicker than other traffic and is less likely to be dropped in times of congestion. Prioritizing network traffic also enables you to ban certain types of network traffic (such as games traffic or connections to streaming media servers). This is called blocking. If a configured device sees traffic that has been blocked, the blocked traffic is prevented from being transmitted over your network. The following topics are covered in this chapter: ■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

■

Useful Information and References

■

Key Considerations

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Key Concepts

Traffic prioritization has three basic aims: ■

To ensure that traffic defined as being more important flows through the network quicker than other types of traffic.

■

To ensure that important traffic is less likely to be dropped if there is congestion on the network.

■

To prevent traffic that has been blocked from flowing on the network.

In order to achieve the aims of traffic prioritization across the network, each Switch in the network must provide facilities for:

Classification

■

Performing identification of the most important traffic and traffic that should be blocked. This is known as classification.

■

Performing suitable actions as a result of classification to meet the needs of the particular traffic type that classification identified. There are three actions that can be performed; marking, queuing and dropping.

Classification identifies different types of traffic by examining the contents of a packet or set of packets. For example, a packet received by a device can be identified as traffic to and from your database server if the destination or source IP address in the packet matches the IP address of the database server. There are many fields in a packet that a device may use to classify traffic, including: ■

Ethernet type

■

Source or destination MAC address

■

IP protocol

■

Source or destination TCP port

■

Source or destination UDP port

Classification can also be much more complex than simply examining a field in a packet. It can involve examining multiple fields in a packet, parsing and analyzing the contents of a packet, or even analyzing flows of traffic rather than a single packet.

Key Concepts

329

Classification is configured on a device as a set of rules. Each rule defines a particular way of identifying the type of traffic. For example, a rule may state that SNMP traffic can be identified as UDP packets that have either the source or the destination UDP port set to the value 161. Marking

Due to the numerous possibilities for classifying packets, not every device can classify the same packets in the same manner. Some devices are capable of extremely complex classification (complex classification devices), while other devices may only be able to match traffic based on the content of one or two fields (simple classification devices). For example, this can mean that while one device in your network is able to identify traffic to and from your database server using the destination or source IP address in the packets, another device may not be able to. There are two standards that specify how a complex classification device can modify packets in a straightforward manner so that a simple classification device can still identify how important those packets are. This modification of packets is known as marking and the two standards are: IEEE 8 02.1D — defines an extended MAC header (known as a tagged header) which contains a user priority field (known as the 802.1p tag), which takes one of eight values (0 - 7) to represent the priority of the packet. IETF RFC 2474 — defines the use of the Differentiated Services (DiffServ) field in the IP header. This field can take one of sixty-four values (0 - 63) which are known as DiffServ codepoints (or DSCPs) to represent the quality of service requirements of the packet. There are no restrictions on what a particular codepoint value may mean, however one use could be to simply represent the priority of the packet. More information on these standards is available in “User Priority Field” on page 356 and “DiffServ Codepoint Field” on page 357.

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As these standards each define a single field in which to store the marking, it means that simple classification devices can still be used as part of a network-wide traffic prioritization solution provided that the following conditions are met: ■

Simple classification devices must be able to classify on the user priority field, the DiffServ field or both.

■

Complex classification devices must be able to mark packets appropriately based upon their traffic type. This must be done using a marking mechanism that the simple classification devices are able to classify. Whilst it is possible to use different marking schemes at different locations in the network 3Com recommends that, if possible, one is selected and used throughout the network.

■

Packets sent across the network must first pass through a complex classification device (such as a 3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 4400) so that they can be marked appropriately. This enables simple classification devices to prioritize packets.

For traffic prioritization to work on an end-to-end basis in your network it is recommended that you structure your network as shown in Figure 158. Figure 158 Network Topology

Device Capable of Complex Classification

Boundary Nodes

Device Capable of Complex Classification

Interior Nodes

Device Capable of Complex Classification

N WA

k Lin

Key Concepts

331

The boundary nodes (shown in the Topology example) are complex classification devices and can perform the appropriate marking of packets. This means that any interior nodes that are simple classification devices are still able to determine the correct traffic prioritization to perform. Queuing

The first two aims of traffic prioritization (forwarding important traffic through the device faster than other traffic and reducing the risk of dropping important traffic) are provided by the queuing mechanism as follows: 1 The classified traffic is queued for output on a particular port in multiple queues rather than in a single queue (as performed on devices that are not capable of traffic prioritization) and those queues are serviced in a particular way that favors the more important traffic over other traffic. 2 Each of the queues is shared between one or more different types of traffic that have been defined as having a similar level of importance. 3 If a particular queue fills up with packets then any further packets for that queue will be dropped until the queue is serviced. This will clear some of the packets from the queue. 4 Packets are taken off the queues and transmitted out of the port according to the particular queue servicing mechanism that is in place. A device may support one or more of the various queue servicing mechanisms that are available, which include weighted round robin and strict priority queueing. Each of these queuing mechanisms has its own characteristics yet they are all aimed at ensuring higher priority traffic is processed and forwarded by the device quicker than other traffic. An example of the results of a queuing servicing mechanism is illustrated in Figure 159. It shows how important traffic flows through the network quicker than the less important traffic and reduces the likelihood of the more important traffic being dropped. The device in the figure defines traffic as being gold, silver or bronze (gold being the most important) with a queue for each type of traffic.

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The example illustrates what happens when a device receives a set of packets of different types that are destined for the same port: â&#x2013;

The queuing mechanism takes the packets (which are received in no particular order) and, based upon whether they were classified as gold, silver or bronze, places them in the gold, silver or bronze queue. The bronze queue does not have enough space to hold all of the bronze packets and so the sixth bronze packet is dropped.

â&#x2013;

The queue servicing mechanism takes packets off the queues, according to the particular mechanism in use and the way it is configured, and transmits them out of the port. This effectively re-orders the packets. The gold packets are transmitted before all other packets whilst the silver packets are transmitted in preference to the bronze ones. In the particular queue servicing mechanism used here it does not immediately transmit all of the silver packets after the gold, instead it allows some bronze packets to be transmitted so that even the lowest priority traffic can receive some amount of bandwidth.

Figure 159 Queue Servicing Mechanism

3 5 6 4 3 2 5 4 3 1 2 2 1 1

Packets Received and Classified

Packets Transmitted Out of Port 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 4 5 3 4 5

Queue Servicing Mechanism

Queuing Mechanism

1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Queue full! 6 Sixth bronze packet is dropped.

If these queuing operations are performed on all devices in the network then the overall effect is to speed up the flow of important traffic through the entire network. Also, by processing the queues containing more important traffic more frequently this reduces the likelihood that the queue will fill up because the queue will be emptied quicker and therefore reduce the risk that the more important traffic will get dropped.

Key Concepts

333

Dropping

The action of dropping allows the device to prevent blocked traffic from flowing on the network. This is achieved by discarding (dropping) packets that are identified via classification as traffic that should be blocked.

Service Levels

The overall set of actions that are performed as a result of a particular classification are commonly known as a service level. Service levels enable a device configuration to be specified in terms of a mapping between the classification rules and the service levels. This enables several classification rules to share the same service level. For example, a device may be configured with service levels for: ■

Business critical traffic

■

Voice traffic

■

The CEO’s traffic

■

Blocked traffic

■

All other traffic

Each of these service levels could perform different queuing and marking of the packets assigned to them.The service level for blocked traffic would not need to perform queuing or marking as traffic assigned to it would be dropped. The device can then be configured with a set of classification rules which are mapped to the service levels as shown in Table 62. Table 62 Service Levels Classification Rules

Service Level

Traffic to or from the database server

Business Critical Service Level

Traffic to or from the email server

Business Critical Service Level

Traffic to or from the company website

Business Critical Service Level

Phone traffic

Voice Service Level

Traffic to or from the CEO’s PC

CEO’s Service Level

Game traffic

Blocked Service Level

All other traffic

All Other Traffic Service Level

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Service levels enable easy identification of end-to-end treatment of traffic. If the example was to be configured appropriately on the devices throughout the network, it would be possible to say that database traffic is treated as business critical throughout the network. Settings within a service level may vary from device to device depending upon the deviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capabilities. One device, for example, may have four queues whilst another device may have two. As a result, a particular service level on one device may put the traffic in queue 3 while on another device it may be queue 1. However, identifying the service levels by name simplifies the understanding of the configuration. Configuring the Network for End-to-end Traffic Prioritization

When some devices in a network are complex classification devices and other devices are simple classification devices, it is necessary to apply configurations in such a way that the markings applied by the complex classification devices are treated appropriately by the simple classification devices. In the previous example it was possible to specify that each service level marked its traffic with a DiffServ codepoint, assuming that the device in question was a complex classification device. The DiffServ codepoints can be seen in Table 63. Table 63 DiffServ Codepoints Service Level

DiffServ Codepoint

Business Critical Service Level

CEOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Service Level

Voice Service Level

All Other Traffic Service Level

The DiffServ codepoints chosen in the table above are taken from the recommended values from RFC2474 and RFC3246. The Blocked Service Level does not require a DiffServ codepoint value as the traffic is dropped anyway which makes marking the traffic unnecessary. In order for devices to be able to provide suitable prioritization when they are not capable of identifying the types of traffic, it is possible to configure the devices to identify the traffic by their DiffServ codepoint.

Components

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These devices would be configured with mappings between classification rules and service levels as shown in Table 64: Table 64 DiffServ Codepoints and Service Levels Classification Rule

Service Level

Traffic marked with DiffServ codepoint 16

Business Critical Service Level

Traffic marked with DiffServ codepoint 24

CEO’s Service Level

Traffic marked with DiffServ codepoint 46

Voice Service Level

Traffic marked with DiffServ codepoint 0

All Other Traffic Service Level

When these devices receive packets they can simply examine the DiffServ codepoint field of the packets to determine the service level, rather than performing the more complex analysis that they are incapable of.

Components

Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard

The following section describes the principles of traffic prioritization using 3Com Network Supervisor. The Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard enables you to simplify traffic prioritization configuration on your network without the need to manually set up classifiers, dropping, queuing and marking. The Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard is launched from Tools > Prioritize Network Traffic. The wizard allows you to select: ■

Servers that traffic should be prioritized to and from.

■

Servers whose traffic (transmitted or received) should be blocked on your network.

■

Applications whose traffic you would like to prioritize.

■

Applications whose traffic should be blocked on your network.

In addition, the wizard automatically detects whether or not you have an NBX telephony solution in your network and, if you do, automatically selects NBX phone traffic for prioritization.

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The wizard determines which of the devices it configures are capable of the required classification and handles these devices as boundary nodes. These devices are configured by the wizard to classify the traffic and to apply appropriate DiffServ codepoint markings. Devices not capable of the required classification are configured by the wizard to classify traffic based upon the DiffServ codepoint values that the boundary nodes mark the traffic with. This ensures that all configured devices are able to participate in the prioritization of network traffic. Whilst the Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard configures devices to mark the user priority field as well as the DiffServ codepoint, it does not configure devices to use the tagged MAC headers. However, if VLANs have been configured on some or all of the ports on the configured devices then the appropriate user priority data will be added to the packets that are transmitted out of these ports. Configuration Type Step You can select which of the supported 3Com devices in your network you wish to configure as follows (See Figure 160): Figure 160 Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard - Configuration Type

Components

337

■

Network-wide Configuration — applies the selected configuration to all of the supported 3Com devices in the current map. 3Com recommends that you use this configuration type whenever you intend to make changes to your selection or when you are first configuring traffic prioritization on your network. If a new configuration is not applied across all of the devices then end-to-end traffic prioritization may not be possible.

■

Device Type Configuration — applies the selected configuration to all of the devices of a specific type in the current map. 3Com recommends that you only use this configuration type when you have added a large number of devices of a particular type to your network and you wish to configure them to participate in a previously configured end-to-end traffic prioritization.

■

Custom Configuration — allows you to choose which of the supported 3Com devices in your network that the wizard should apply the selected configuration to. 3Com recommends that you only use this configuration type when you have added new devices to your network and you wish to configure them to participate in a previously configured end-to-end traffic prioritization.

NBX Step If your map contains an NBX network call processor then 3Com Network Supervisor will detect this and automatically select NBX phone traffic for prioritization. 3Com Network Supervisor will indicate that it has done this by displaying the NBX step:

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Figure 161 NBX step

When 3Com Network Supervisor automatically selects NBX phone traffic for prioritization, traffic identified as NBX phone traffic is treated as more important than non-prioritized traffic and other prioritized traffic by the configured devices. This means that the phone traffic will flow through the network faster and with less chance of being dropped when compared with any other traffic in your network. This improves the quality of your NBX phone calls and ensures that the quality remains high even when your network is congested. 3Com Network Supervisor configures devices that are capable of performing complex application classification to identify traffic as NBX phone traffic by creating classifier rules. See “3Com Network Supervisor Classifier Rules for NBX Phone Traffic” on page 358 for definitions of the classifier rules used for NBX phone traffic by 3Com Network Supervisor. Traffic that matches these classifier rules is also mapped to the Voice service level. See “3Com Network Supervisor Service Levels” on page 359 for definitions of the service levels used by 3Com Network Supervisor. When you are configuring 3Com devices that are not capable of complex application classification, 3Com Network Supervisor configures these devices to identify traffic with the Voice DiffServ codepoint. Traffic that matches this classifier rule is also mapped to the Voice service level.

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Servers Step You can select servers for prioritization or blocking. In terms of the Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard, a server can be any device with an IP address regardless of whether or not the device is present in the 3Com Network Supervisor map. This enables you to perform actions such as blocking traffic to and from streaming media servers that are external to your company or to prioritize traffic to and from your partners websites. ■

Prioritized Servers — when a server is prioritized, two things occur: ■

■

Traffic to or from the prioritized server will be treated as more important than non-prioritized traffic by the configured devices. Traffic will, therefore, flow through the network faster and with less chance of being dropped. Prioritizing the server overrides application blocking, so a server selected for prioritization will still be able to use applications that are selected for blocking without the devices in the network dropping the application’s traffic. 3Com Network Supervisor configures devices that are capable of classifying traffic based upon IP addresses to identify traffic going to or from a server selected for prioritization. This is achieved by creating classifier rules that match packets with either the destination or source IP address respectively set to the IP address of the server. Traffic that matches these classifier rules is mapped to the Business Critical service level. See “3Com Network Supervisor Service Levels” on page 359 for definitions of the service levels used by 3Com Network Supervisor.

When you are configuring devices that are not capable of classifying traffic based upon IP addresses, 3Com Network Supervisor configures these devices to identify traffic with the Business Critical DiffServ codepoint. Traffic that matches this classifier rule is also mapped to the Business Critical service level. ■

Blocked Servers — selecting a server for blocking simply causes traffic to or from that server to be dropped by configured devices that are capable of both classifying traffic based upon IP addresses and of dropping traffic as a result of classification. 3Com Network Supervisor configures these devices to identify traffic going to or from a server that has been selected for blocking. This is achieved by creating classifier rules that match packets with either the destination or source IP address respectively set to the IP address of the server. Traffic that matches these classifier rules is mapped to the Drop service level. See “3Com Network Supervisor Service Levels” on page 359 for definitions of service levels used by 3Com Network Supervisor.

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There are several servers that 3Com Network Supervisor will not allow you to select for blocking. In addition, there are various problems that may arise due to selecting servers for blocking. For more information see “Potential Hazards When Blocking Traffic To and From Servers” on page 363. Applications Step You can select applications for prioritization or blocking (See Figure 162). The Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard defines an application as a collection of classifier rules, each of which specifies one method of identifying traffic belonging to that application. These classifier rules specify the values that certain fields with a packet must have in order for that packet to be considered as belonging to the application. Figure 162 Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard - Applications

When a device is configured with the classifier rules for a particular application only one of the rules needs to match a packet in order for the packet to be identified as belonging to that application. ■

Prioritized Applications — when you select an application for prioritization, traffic identified as belonging to that application is treated as more important than non-prioritized traffic by the configured devices. This means that the traffic will flow through the network faster and with less chance of being dropped.

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3Com Network Supervisor configures devices that are capable of performing complex application classification to identify traffic as belonging to an application by creating classifier rules. These classifier rules are equivalent to the classifier rules that make up the definition in the wizard. Traffic that matches these classifier rules is also mapped to the Business Critical service level. See “3Com Network Supervisor Service Levels” on page 359 for definitions of the service levels used by 3Com Network Supervisor. When you are configuring 3Com devices that are not capable of complex application classification, 3Com Network Supervisor configures these devices to identify traffic with the Business Critical DiffServ codepoint. Traffic that matches this classifier rule is also mapped to the Business Critical service level. ■

Blocked Applications — selecting an application for blocking causes traffic identified as belonging to that application to be dropped. Not all devices are capable of dropping application traffic. A device must be capable of both complex application classification and of dropping traffic as a result of classification in order to drop application traffic. 3Com Network Supervisor configures such devices to identify traffic as belonging to an application by creating classifier rules. These classifier rules are equivalent to the classifier rules that make up the definition in the wizard. Traffic that matches these classifier rules is mapped to the Drop service level. See “3Com Network Supervisor Service Levels” on page 359 for definitions of the service levels used by 3Com Network Supervisor.

3Com Network Supervisor imposes restrictions on the blocking of SNMP traffic. In addition, there are various problems that may arise due to selecting applications for blocking. For more information see “Potential Hazards of Blocking Application Traffic” on page 365. If you prioritize traffic to and from a server then that server will also be able to use any applications that are blocked. Application Field Values Application traffic is identified by examining certain fields in the packets to see if they contain specific values. If you wish to add an application that is not present in the list you will need to know the appropriate field values required for that application.

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More information on how to determine the appropriate field values is available in “Determining Field Values for Applications” on page 358. Finish Step and Progress Changes to your network traffic prioritization configuration are not applied to your network until you select Finish on the Configuration Summary screen. After selecting Finish, the Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard configures each of the supported 3Com devices in the map to prioritize network traffic according to your selected configuration. During the configuration of the devices, the Configuring Prioritization dialog is shown to indicate the progress. You can cancel the configuration at any time. If you do cancel, the wizard will complete the configuration of the devices it was in the process of configuring before aborting. However, the configuration may then result in an inconsistent configuration across your network and so traffic may not receive end-to-end traffic prioritization. As a result, it is recommended that you do not cancel the configuration once it has started. Prioritization Reports

The following reports are produced through the traffic prioritization feature: Agent Upgrades Required for Prioritization report The Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard analyzes the details of your map to determine what devices the wizard can configure. If devices cannot be supported for either agent version or licensing reasons, it will inform you of this problem and subsequently generate an Agent Upgrades Required for Prioritization report. For each device that the wizard cannot support due to its agent version, the report lists the following details: ■

Device name

■

Device type

■

IP address

■

The agent version that the device is currently running

■

The minimum agent version that the device must be running for the wizard to configure traffic prioritization.

Components

343

For each device that the wizard cannot support due to licensing reasons, the report lists: ■

Device name

■

Device type

■

IP address

Network Prioritization Report The Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard automatically generates a Network Prioritization report after it has completed the configuration of your network for traffic prioritization. The Network Prioritization report details the following: ■

The servers whose traffic has been prioritized.

■

The applications whose traffic has been prioritized.

■

The servers whose traffic the network has been configured to block.

■

The list of applications whose traffic the network has been configured to block.

■

The devices in the network that were successfully configured.

■

The devices in the network that the wizard failed to configure. 3Com Network Supervisor reports a reason for each failure.

■

Detailed information about the configuration applied to the devices, including any restrictions as to what the devices will do in terms of prioritization and blocking.

Prioritization Configuration Report If you wish to view the details of the configurations in terms of classifiers, queuing, dropping and marking, run the Prioritization Configuration report. This report can be run from the Reports dialog box, which can be launched by selecting Tools > Reports. For each device that the report is run against, the Prioritization Configuration report lists: ■

The classifiers that are in use on each port

■

The service levels that the classifiers map to

■

The details of each classifier that is currently in use on the device

■

The details of each service level that is currently in use on the device

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The report can help you determine whether you have applied a consistent end-to-end traffic prioritization configuration in your network. This is particularly useful if you have decided to manually configure your devices. Whenever you run the Prioritization Configuration report, 3Com Network Supervisor retrieves the configuration information directly from the supported 3Com devices in your network. As this report must poll each of the devices for data it may take several minutes to run.

Examples

The following section details useful examples of traffic prioritization configuration.

Applying an Existing Configuration to New Devices

You have just upgraded the core of your network to an XRN core and wish to configure the XRN devices to participate in the end-to-end prioritization configuration that you have previously applied to your network. To do this: 1 Ensure that the new devices are present in the map. 2 In the Introduction step, select Next. The wizard will analyze the devices in the map and display the Configuration Type step as shown in Figure 163. Figure 163 Configuration Type - Applying an Existing Configuration to New Devices Example

Examples

345

3 Click the Device type configuration radio button and select 3Com XRN Fabric from the drop-down list. 4 Click Next to show the Servers step in the wizard and continue selecting Next until the Configuration Summary step is shown. 5 Click Finish to apply the previously applied configuration to your XRN core. Prioritizing NBX Voice Traffic

You have recently installed an NBX phone system in your network and wish to ensure that the phone calls made using the system are of high quality, even when the network is congested. To do this: 1 Ensure the NBX network call processor has been discovered by 3Com Network Supervisor and is present in the map. See â&#x20AC;&#x153;NBX Phone Detectionâ&#x20AC;? on page 61 for more information on how to do this. 2 Launch the Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard using Tools > Prioritize Network Traffic. 3 In the Introduction step, select Next. The wizard will analyze your network and display the Configuration Type step as shown below: Figure 164 Configuration Type - Prioritizing NBX Voice Traffic Example

4 Click the Network-wide configuration radio button and click Next to show the NBX step.

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5 Click Next to show the Servers step in the wizard and continue selecting Next until the Configuration Summary step is shown. If the Resource Warning screen is displayed then you may wish to resolve the resource warnings before proceeding. Refer to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Resource Warningsâ&#x20AC;? on page 361 for more information. 6 When you reach the Configuration Summary step, select Finish to apply the updated configuration to the supported 3Com devices in the map. Prioritizing Traffic To and From a SAP Server

You have noticed that during periods of network congestion, several of your users have had difficulties accessing your SAP server. As this is having an impact on your business, you wish to prioritize traffic to and from the server to prevent these difficulties from arising. 1 In the Introduction step, select Next. The wizard will analyze your network and display the Configuration Type step as shown in Figure 164. 2 Select the Network-wide configuration radio button and select Next to show the Servers step as shown in Figure 165. Figure 165 Servers - Prioritizing Traffic To and From a SAP Server Example

3 To add the SAP server to the list of servers, select Setup Servers from the Servers step to display the Setup Servers dialog as shown in Figure 166.

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Figure 166 Setup Servers - Prioritizing Traffic To and From a SAP Server Example

4 In the Setup Servers dialog, select Add to display the Add Server dialog (as shown in Figure 167) enabling you to add the SAP server. Figure 167 Add Server - Prioritizing Traffic To and From a SAP Server Example

5 Type the name of the SAP server (or the function that it performs) into the Name: field and type either the DNS name or the IP address of the server into the DNS name/IP address: field. Select OK to add the server and return to the Setup Servers step.

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If you have entered a DNS name then 3Com Network Supervisor will resolve the DNS name to an IP address for you. 6 Select OK in the Setup Servers step to return to the Servers step where the SAP server is now listed in the Normal list. 7 Select the SAP server from the Normal list and select Set Prioritized then select Next to display the Applications step. 8 Select Next to show the next step of the wizard. If the Resource Warning screen is displayed you may wish to resolve the resource warnings before proceeding. Refer to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Resource Warningsâ&#x20AC;? on page 361 for more information. 9 When you reach the Configuration Summary step, select Finish to apply the updated configuration to the supported 3Com devices in the map. Blocking Access to a Streaming Audio Server

You have noticed that a significant amount of traffic is going to and from a server that provides streams for internet radio stations. This traffic is having an adverse effect upon other traffic and you wish to temporarily prevent access to the streaming audio server. 1 In the Introduction step, click Next. The wizard will analyze your network and display the Configuration Type step as shown in Figure 165 2 Select the Network-wide configuration radio button and click Next to show the Servers step shown in Figure 165. 3 To add the streaming audio server to the list of servers, click Setup Servers from the Servers step to display the Setup Servers dialog in Figure 166. 4 In the Setup Servers dialog, click Add to display the Add Server dialog in Figure 167, enabling you to add the streaming audio server. 5 Type the name of the streaming audio server (or the function that it performs) into the Name: field and type either the DNS name or the IP address of the server into the DNS name/IP address field. Select OK to add the server and return to the Setup Servers step. If you have entered a DNS name then 3Com Network Supervisor will resolve the DNS name to an IP address for you. 6 Click OK in the Setup Servers step to return to the Servers step where the streaming audio server is now listed in the Normal list. 7 Select the streaming audio server from the Normal list and select Set Blocked and dismiss the warning dialog that is displayed. 8 Click Next to display the Applications step.

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9 Click Next to display the next step of the wizard. If the Resource Warning screen is displayed then you may wish to resolve the resource warning before proceeding. Refer to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Resource Warningsâ&#x20AC;? on page 361 for more information. 10 When you reach the Configuration Summary step, click Finish to apply the updated configuration to the supported 3Com devices in the map. Prioritizing a Video Conferencing Application

The CEO is holding a video conference with direct reports over the corporate intranet. Previous conferences like this have been affected by network congestion causing intermittent loss of video and audio. You decide to prioritize the traffic belonging to the video conferencing application to prevent similar disruption to this conference. You have determined that your video conferencing software uses UDP port 2001 for audio, UPD port 2002 for video and UDP port 2003 for signaling. 1 In the Introduction step, click Next. The wizard will analyze the devices in the current map and display the Configuration Type step as shown in Figure 164. 2 Select the Network-wide configuration radio button and select Next to display the Servers step. 3 Click Next to display the Applications step as shown in Figure 168 below.

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Figure 168 Applications - Prioritizing a Video Conferencing Application Example

4 To add the video conferencing application to the list of applications, select Setup Applications from the Applications step to display the Setup Applications dialog in Figure 168. 5 Click Add to display the Add Application dialog as shown in Figure 169.

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Figure 169 Add Applications - Prioritizing a Video Conferencing Application Example

6 To specify the application definition, type the name of the application in the Name field. 7 To add each of the classifiers to the application, click Add to display the Add Classifier dialog as shown in Figure 170. Figure 170 Add Classifier - Prioritizing a Video Conferencing Application Example

8 Select the appropriate type and enter the appropriate value (in this case, UDP and 2001 respectively). Click OK to return to the Add Application dialog.

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9 Repeat steps 7 and 8 to add in the remaining classifiers (in this case, UDP port 2002 and UDP port 2003). 10 Click OK to return to the Setup Applications dialog. 11 Click OK again to return to the Applications screen where the video conferencing application is now listed in the Normal list. 12 Select the video conferencing application from the Normal list. Select Set Prioritized. 13 Click Next to display the next step of the wizard. If the Resource Warning screen is displayed then you may wish to resolve the resource warning before proceeding. Refer to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Resource Warningsâ&#x20AC;? on page 361 for more information. 14 When you reach the Configuration Summary step, click Finish to apply the updated configuration to the supported 3Com devices in the map. Restricting Access to SNMP

For security purposes you wish to restrict the use of SNMP in your network to the PCs used by the network managers. 1 In the Introduction step, click Next. The wizard will analyze the devices in your map and display the Configuration Type step as shown in Figure 165. 2 Select the Network-wide configuration radio button and click Next to display the Servers step as shown in Figure 171. Figure 171 Servers - Restricting Access to SNMP Example

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3 To add the first network managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PC to the list of servers, select Setup Servers from the Servers step to display the Setup Servers dialog in Figure 172. Figure 172 Setup Servers - Restricting Access to SNMP Example

4 In the Setup Servers dialog, click Add to display the Add Server dialog in Figure 173, enabling you to add the first network managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PC.

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Figure 173 Add Server - Restricting Access to SNMP Example

5 Type the name of the PC (or the function that it performs, or the name of the network manager) into the Name: field and type either the DNS name or the IP address of the PC into the DNS name/IP address: field. Click OK to add the PC and return to the Setup Servers screen. If you have entered a DNS name then 3Com Network Supervisor will resolve the DNS name to an IP address for you. 6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 to add in the other network managers’ PCs. 7 Click OK in the Setup Servers step to return to the Servers step where the network managers’ PCs are now listed in the Normal list. 8 Select all of the network managers’ PCs from the Normal list and select Set Prioritized, then select Next to display the Applications step as shown in Figure 174.

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355

Figure 174 Applications - Restricting Access to SNMP Example

9 Select the application Network Management (SNMP) from the Normal or Prioritized list. Select Set Blocked and dismiss the warning dialog that is displayed. 10 Click Next to display the next step of the wizard. If the Resource Warning screen is displayed then you may wish to resolve the resource warning before proceeding. Refer to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Resource Warningsâ&#x20AC;? on page 361 for more information. 11 When you reach the Configuration Summary step, click Finish to apply the updated configuration to the supported 3Com devices in the map.

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Useful Information and References User Priority Field

The following section provides useful information and references when using 3Com Network Supervisor. The user priority field (and the tagged header that it is present in) allows information about the priority level of a packet to be carried with the packet as it traverses the network. The field is defined within the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.1D standard, which is available from the IEEE website: http://www.ieee.org/

This standard defines the use of the eight values that the field may take. These definitions are shown in Table 65. Table 65 User Priority User Priority

Use

Background

Spare

0 (Default)

Best Effort

Excellent Effort

Controlled Load

“Video,” < 100 ms latency and jitter

“Voice,” < 10 ms latency and jitter

Network Control

As the table shows, the default value is 0. This allows some traffic to be marked as less important than normal traffic. The tagged header that the user priority field relies upon can be used in any packet in place of the normal 802.1D header. However, the tagged header is only normally used for packets if VLANs are being used within the network. This means that if VLANs are not being used then the information about the importance of traffic cannot be conveyed from a complex classification device to a simple classification device using this marking mechanism.

Useful Information and References

DiffServ Codepoint Field

357

The DiffServ Codepoint field, defined in the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) RFC 2474, allows information about the quality of service requirements of a packet to be carried with the packet as it traverses the network. There are no restrictions on what any of the codepoint values mean as it is the choice of the network manager or the network management tool to decide the local meanings, although there are recommended uses for some of the values. The codepoint meanings can extend beyond simple traffic priority to more precise specifications such as latency and jitter requirements. Information about the field, its use and the recommended values are available in the IETF RFCs listed in Table 66. Table 66 RFC Definitions RFC Number

Title

RFC 2474

Definition of the Differentiated Services Field (DS Field) in the IPv4 and IPv6 Headers

RFC 2475

An Architecture for Differentiated Services

RFC 2597

Assured Forwarding PHB Group

RFC 3246

An Expedited Forwarding PHB

RFC 3247

Supplemental Information for the New Definition of the EF PHB

RFC 3260

New Terminology and Clarification for DiffServ

All of these RFCs are freely available from the IETF website: http://www.ietf.org/

The RFCs listed in Table 66 do not include all of the RFCs relevant to DiffServ. Additional RFCs can be located on the Differentiated Services Working Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s page on the IETF website. As the DiffServ codepoint field is only present in IP packets, this restricts the use of this marking mechanism to IP packets only. This means that the information about the importance of non-IP traffic cannot be conveyed from a complex classification device to a simple classification device using this marking mechanism.

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Determining Field Values for Applications

In order to create a new application definition, it is necessary to know the field values that can be used to identify that application. Many vendors now provide the information about the field values that their applications use either in the application manual or on the vendorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website to aid firewall configuration. This information may also be used for creating the application definition within the Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard. If you cannot find the information from either the application manual or the vendorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website then there are various other websites that may provide the information that you require. In particular, the IEEE are responsible for allocating Ethernet type values. A list of the assigned Ethernet type values can be found on the IEEE website: http://www.ieee.org/

Similarly, as IANA (Internet Assigned Number Authority) are responsible for allocating TCP and UDP port numbers, a list of known TCP and UDP port numbers can be found on the IANA website: http://www.iana.org/

The IANA website also contains a list of the known IP protocol numbers. 3Com Network Supervisor Classifier Rules for NBX Phone Traffic

When 3Com Network Supervisor configures devices that are capable of performing complex application classification to identify traffic as NBX phone traffic it uses classifier rules shown in the following table: Table 67 NBX Phone Traffic Classifier Rules Classifier Type

Classifier Value

Description

Ethernet Type

0x8868

Used by NBX phones to transmit voice data when operating in layer-2 mode.

DSCP

Used by NBX phones to transmit voice data when operating in layer-3 mode.

UDP Port

2093

Used for setting up conference calls.

Ethernet Type

0x0806

ARP: used to determine the addresses of phones when establishing a call.

Useful Information and References

3Com Network Supervisor Service Levels

359

3Com Network Supervisor uses the service levels on the devices it configures as shown in Table 68. Table 68 Service Levels Used by 3Com Network Supervisor Service Level

Queue

Marking Value

2 Queue Device 4 Queue Device

802.1p

DSCP

Voice

1 (High)

3 (High)

Business Critical

1 (High)

Drop

------------------ Traffic is dropped ------------------

The classifiers created by 3Com Network Supervisor are mapped to these service levels as follows:

Configuration Levels for Supported 3Com Devices

■

Classifiers created for NBX traffic are mapped to the Voice service level.

■

Classifiers created for applications or servers that have been selected for prioritization are mapped to the Business Critical service level.

■

Classifiers created for applications or servers that have been selected for blocking are mapped to the Drop service level.

■

All other traffic is left unclassified and is treated with the Default service level. This service level does not perform any remarking and sends all packets to queue 0 (Low).

The Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard configures devices based upon their capabilities. These capabilities are dependent upon the device type and the agent software version. Table 69 summarizes how the wizard will configure the supported devices:

CHAPTER 11: PRIORITIZING NETWORK TRAFFIC

Agent Version

Drop Traffic

Mark 802.1p

Mark DSCP

SuperStack 3 Switch 4200 Family

Any

SuperStack 3 Switch 4400 Family

Any

✓

2.0 or later

✓

2.0

✓

2.5 or later

✓

Any

✓

SuperStack 3 Switch 4900 SuperStack 3 Switch 4900SX Superstack 3 Switch 4924 Superstack 3 Switch 4950 Superstack 3 Switch 4924 Superstack 3 Switch 4950

Number of Queues

Device Type

Classify Applications

Table 69 Configuration Levels for Supported 3Com Devices

Classify Servers

360

Switch 4050 Switch 4060 Switch 4070

If a device is listed as not supporting Classify Servers or Classify Applications and you select a server or an application for prioritization, the wizard will create a classifier for the Business Critical service level’s DiffServ codepoint value and map it to the Business Critical service level instead. If a device is listed as supporting Drop Traffic it will only be configured to drop traffic to and from servers selected for blocking if it is listed as supporting Classify Servers. Similarly, a device will only be configured to drop traffic for applications selected for blocking it if is listed as supporting Classify Applications.

Key Considerations

Resource Warnings

361

The following section provides assistance when configuring traffic prioritization on your network: Resource warnings occur for the following reasons: â&#x2013;

Each device type has a certain number of resources available for classification which are managed in different ways by different device types. If a particularly complex configuration is selected then it may not be possible to configure all of the supported devices to match the configuration exactly as the configuration may require more resources than are available on some or all of the selected devices.

â&#x2013;

On some devices the classification functionality may differ depending on the agent version running on that device. Similarly, it is not possible to configure a device to exactly match a configuration that requires a certain level of classification functionality if the appropriate agent is not installed on the device.

If either of these situations occur a Resource Warning screen is displayed prior to the Configuration Summary step. The screen will list each distinct problem that has been detected as shown in Table 70.

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Table 70 Resource Warnings Resource Warning Content

Explanation (if appropriate)

The type of devices that are affected by this problem A description of the problem

If the problem is resource related then a percentage indication will be given of the attempted resource usage.

A list of all devices that are affected by this problem Details of the problem

If the problem is resource related then the percentage resource requirements of each server and application selected for prioritization or blocking will be shown.

The reduced configuration that will be applied if the problem is not resolved

In many cases the reduced configuration will be equivalent to treating the affected devices as if they were not capable of complex configuration. If you were to proceed with the configuration without resolving the resource warnings, these devices would only be able to perform traffic prioritization if the traffic had first passed through a device that had been configured to perform complex classification and marking.

A suggested resolution to the problem

If the problem is resource related then it can be resolved by reducing the complexity of the configuration. If the problem is due to the agent version then it can be resolved by updating the agent to at least the minimum agent version suggested in the warning.

If you proceed with the configuration without resolving the resource warnings then the reduced configuration that is applied to your network may not be capable of performing any complex classification. If this is the case then you will effectively have no traffic prioritization in your network.

Key Considerations

Why Errors Can Occur When Adding a Server

363

When you are adding a server it is necessary to enter a unique non-blank name and either a valid DNS name or a valid IP address. If you choose to enter an IP address it must not be a broadcast IP address. If any of these conditions are not met then the wizard will not allow the server to be added and an appropriate warning message will be displayed. 3Com Network Supervisor will resolve DNS names by using the DNS servers that the PC it is running on is configured to use and that 3Com Network Supervisor was able to contact when it was started. This means that you will be unable to add servers by DNS name if any of the following occur: ■

3Com Network Supervisor was unable to contact any of the configured DNS servers when it was started.

■

3Com Network Supervisor was only able to contact some of the configured DNS servers when it was started and none of the DNS servers contacted are able to resolve the DNS name.

■

It is not possible to contact any of the configured DNS servers while you were adding servers.

■

It is only possible to contact some of the configured DNS servers while you were adding servers and none of the DNS servers that can be contacted are able to resolve the DNS name.

If it was not possible to contact a DNS server when 3Com Network Supervisor was started but you are now able to do so, you will need to restart 3Com Network Supervisor before it will use the DNS server. Potential Hazards When Blocking Traffic To and From Servers

Blocking traffic to and from servers is a powerful feature that prevents access to particular resources. However, if you select the wrong servers to be blocked then this can cause severe problems on your network. Whenever you attempt to block traffic to and from a server it is important that you check that: ■

The IP address of the server you wish to block does not belong to a server that is critical to your network infrastructure, such as a DHCP or RADIUS server. Blocking IP addresses such as these may prevent your network infrastructure from functioning correctly.

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■

The IP address of the server that you wish to block does not belong to a server that is critical to your business, such as a database or e-mail server. Blocking IP addresses such as these may have a major impact on your business.

■

The IP address of the server that you wish to block is not an IP address that is served by a DHCP server. A device that has an IP address that is served by a DHCP server can potentially change and this could lead to intermittent problems for users of your network. If one or more of the network infrastructure devices on your network obtained their addresses via DHCP it could prevent your network from functioning correctly.

If you have previously configured the network to block traffic to and from a server it is important that prior to assigning an IP address to a new device (or any existing device whose IP address you wish to change) you check that the IP address that you are about to assign is not an IP address of a server you have blocked. One way to check this is to run the Prioritization Configuration report from the Reports dialog box, which is launched by selecting Tools > Reports and examining the contents of the report for blocked servers. If you accidently block an IP address then you can rectify this problem by re-running the Prioritize Network Traffic Wizard and removing the server from the list of servers to be blocked. Servers That Cannot be Selected for Blocking

3Com Network Supervisor prevents you selecting the following servers for blocking: ■

The PC that is running 3Com Network Supervisor. If you attempted to block this server 3Com Network Supervisor would no longer be able to contact your network. This would prevent it from configuring the devices on your network.

■

Any device in the map that forms part of the network infrastructure, such as a switch, hub or router.

3Com Network Supervisor will not prevent you from blocking traffic to and from a device that is not listed in the map. If any of your network infrastructure devices are not listed in the map you will need to check that you have not accidently selected one of these devices for blocking before configuring traffic prioritization on your network.

Key Considerations

Potential Hazards of Blocking Application Traffic

365

Blocking traffic belonging to applications is a powerful feature for preventing the use of undesired applications on your network. However, if the wrong application definitions are used for blocking an application this can cause severe problems on your network. There are two reasons why blocking a particular application definition may cause problems on your network: â&#x2013;

The application definition may not be narrow enough to prevent accidental classification of other application traffic. For example, if an application runs over TCP/IP then specifying a classifier rule of IP protocol 6 (the protocol number of TCP) in the application definition would not be narrow enough for blocking as this would also block all other TCP/IP traffic. When blocking an application it is important that the definition is as specific as it can be about how to identify traffic belonging to that application. In the example above, it would be better in this case to specify the classifier rule of TCP port 123, assuming that the application uses TCP port 123, as this would only match and so only block TCP/IP traffic using port 123 rather than all TCP/IP traffic.

â&#x2013;

The application definition, while still being narrow, may include rules that will incorrectly classify other applications as belonging to the application you wish to block. For example, if the definition for an application A that you wish to block specifies the classifiers TCP port 123 and TCP port 456 and there is another application B running in your network that uses TCP port 456, then blocking application A would also block application B. For many applications, it is enough to block only some of the traffic that the application generates in order to prevent if from running successfully on the network. Removing the classifiers that overlap with other applications may mean that you are still able to block the application. In the example above, it may be enough to only block TCP port 123 in order to prevent application A from running on your network and this would still allow application B to function correctly.

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CAUTION: Many TCP and UDP based applications use dynamic port assignment to determine the TCP or UDP port that will be used as the source port. If your application definition contains a classifier for a TCP or UDP port that falls within a range that one or more of your devices may dynamically allocate to an application it could cause intermittent problems on your network. Whenever an application is dynamically allocated a port that is blocked it will be unable to function correctly. CAUTION: Some applications allow the user to select the protocols and ports that are used. Whilst blocking the default protocol and port settings for this type of application will prevent an out-of-the-box instance from functioning correctly on your network, it cannot be guaranteed that this will block all instances of the application. Other instances may have been configured to use other protocols and ports. Potential Hazards of Blocking SNMP, HTTP and Telnet

The protocols SNMP, HTTP and Telnet are all used for network management purposes. 3Com Network Supervisor uses SNMP to configure its devices and, in some cases, can use HTTP and Telnet for device discovery and configuration. HTTP and Telnet protocols are also used for manual configuration of devices. Blocking an application whose definition includes the ports used by these protocols would prevent 3Com Network Supervisor from functioning correctly and prevent you from manually accessing these devices. 3Com Network Supervisor will prevent you from blocking any application whose definition includes classifiers for the SNMP protocol unless you have first selected the PC that it is running on for prioritization. This is so that 3Com Network Supervisor can continue to manage your network whilst SNMP is blocked. By prioritizing the traffic of your network management PCs and by blocking SNMP you can prevent any unauthorized SNMP access on your network.

12 Overview

NBX SUPPORT

This chapter describes how to administer a 3Com NBX voice system using 3Com Network Supervisor. gives you the option to discover equipment from the 3Com SuperStack 3 NBX and 3Com NBX 100 networked telephony solutions. Once the voice equipment has been discovered, 3Com Network Supervisor provides the following features: ■

Topology: The NBX Call Processors, line cards and phones are displayed on the 3Com Network Supervisor network map.

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Monitoring: 3Com Network Supervisor checks the status of the NBX Call Processor and the availability of phones on the network.

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Event reporting: 3Com Network Supervisor logs events when the network condition affects the voice system.

This chapter covers the following topics:

Key Concepts

■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

■

Useful Information and References

■

Key Considerations

This section outlines the key concepts of managing an NBX system using 3Com Network Supervisor.

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How 3Com Network Supervisor Discovers the Phone Network

In the 3Com Network Supervisor Network Discovery, you can specify if you have a NBX system on your network. If you do, you can then specify the administrator username/password that 3Com Network Supervisor should use to communicate with the system. See “Discovering the Network” on page 57 for further details. During the discovery and topology process, 3Com Network Supervisor will:

How 3Com Network Supervisor Represents the Phone Network Icons

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Query the NBX Call Processors on your network for the list of line cards and phones on the system.

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Collect information about the line cards and phones on your network.

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Find the physical location of the line cards and phones on your network.

3Com Network Supervisor displays the devices that are part of the NBX system on the 3Com Network Supervisor network map. See the “Working with the Map” chapter on page 105 for further information Table 71 shows the different types of icons and their meaning: Table 71 NBX Map Icons Device Type

Icon

Example

NBX Call Processor

3Com SuperStack 3 NBX Call Processor (750)

Line cards

3Com NBX T-1 Digital Line Card

Analog Terminal Adapter

3Com NBX Analog Terminal Adapter (Phone)

NBX Phones and Attendant Consoles

3Com NBX 1105 Attendant Console

Key Concepts

Device Type

Icon

NBX applications (pcXset and ConneXtions)

369

Example 3Com NBX PcXSet PC

The NBX chassis is not displayed directly on the 3Com Network Supervisor map. Instead, NBX Call Processors and line cards are represented individually as described below: NBX Call Processor 3Com Network Supervisor shows the NBX Call Processor on the map. The NBX Call Processor is shown correctly connected to the rest of the network, and in the appropriate IP subnet for its configured IP address. Line Cards NBX line cards are represented individually on the network map, as seen in Figure 175. Figure 175 Representation of a Line Card on the Map

Although the line cards are managed by the NBX Call Processor, they are shown using a separate icon on the network map to offer a better physical representation of the network. For example, a line card might be physically connected to a different switch than its parent NBX Call Processor. Analog Terminal Adapter and Analog Terminal Card Each Analog Terminal Adapter (ATA) port is represented individually on the map.

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The icon used for the ATA port depends on whether the port is connected to a phone or a fax. For a 4-port Analog Terminal Card, each port uses a separate icon. NBX Phones and Attendant Consoles 3Com Network Supervisor detects all types of NBX phones, as well as attendant consoles. NBX Applications 3Com Network Supervisor also detects PCs running the pcXset (softphone client) and ConneXtions (H.323 Gateway) applications. How 3Com Network Supervisor Monitors the Phone Network

3Com Network Supervisor monitors the phone network in different ways: ■

NBX Call Processor: Whenever the NBX Call Processor becomes unavailable, this affects the whole phone network; all phones on the map become red, showing high stress, and a critical event is logged listing all the equipment affected. In addition, 3Com Network Supervisor regularly polls the NBX Call Processor to check the status of the phones on the network. Whenever the status of a phone becomes offline, the phone becomes red on the map, indicating high stress, and a high severity event is logged against the phone.

■

IP Phones: 3Com Network Supervisor checks the availability of IP phones using the IP Ping Service monitor. Whenever the phone stops responding, it becomes red on the map, indicating high stress, and a high severity event is logged against the phone.

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Network Stress: Whenever an event that could impact the NBX system is logged the details for the event warn you of the devices that may be affected.

Components

Discovering the NBX Voice Network

371

The following section describes how to discover and manage an NBX system using 3Com Network Supervisor. NBX Voice Network Step After you specified the community strings on your network within the Network Discovery Wizard you can specify whether or not you have an NBX system on your network in the step shown in Figure 176. Refer to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Community Strings Paneâ&#x20AC;? on page 83 for details of specifying the community strings. Figure 176 NBX Voice Network Step of the Network Discovery Wizard

Select the Yes radio button and click Next if you have a NBX system on your network. NBX Call Processors Step This step allows you to specify the username/password that 3Com Network Supervisor should use to communicate with the NBX Call Processors on your network.

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Figure 177 NBX Call Processors Step of the Network Discovery Wizard

The NBX Call Processors step displays the following settings: ■

Add/Modify/Remove NBX Call Processors: the table allows you to add details for individual NBX Call Processors on your network. By default, this table is empty. ■

■

Click on Add to specify the login details for a new NBX Call Processor. Click on Modify to specify the login details for the selected NBX Call Processor in the table. Click on Remove to remove the login details for the selected NBX Call Processor in the table.

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Use the factory defaults: Select this option if you do not know the IP address of the NBX Call Processors on your network, and the NBX Call Processors on your network use the factory default username/password.

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Custom: Select this option if you do not know the IP address of the NBX Call Processors on your network, and all NBX Call Processors use the same custom username/password.

During the discovery process, when 3Com Network Supervisor finds an NBX Call Processor on the network, it will try the following username/password combinations:

Components

373

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The username/password in the table of NBX Call Processors, if you specified the NBX Call Processor's IP address in this table.

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The username/password in the Custom section, if:

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The NBX Call Processor's IP address is not present in the table

■

You specified a username/password in the Custom section

The factory default username/password, if: ■

The NBX Call Processor's IP address is not present in the table

■

You specified to use factory defaults

Add NBX Call Processor/Modify NBX Call Processor Click on the Add button to specify the settings for an NBX Call Processor on your network, as shown in Figure 178: Figure 178 Add NBX Call Processor

Click on the Modify button to alter the settings for an NBX Call Processor on your network, as shown in Figure 179:

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Figure 179 Modify NBX Call Processor

The Add NBX Call Processor and Modify NBX Call Processor dialog boxes display the following settings: ■

IP Address: The IP address of the NBX Call Processor. This entry must be a valid IP address.

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Username: The NetSet administrator username for the NBX Call Processor.

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Password: The NetSet administrator password for the NBX Call Processor.

Clicking Cancel will discard the details, clicking OK will validate the details in the step, as shown. You can add NBX Call Processor details to your list even if the IP address of the NBX Call Processor is not in the IP address ranges for this discovery. 3Com Network Supervisor will only attempt to communicate with NBX Call Processors which it considers to be part of the current network discovery. Properties dialog box

The 3Com Network Supervisor Properties dialog box provides detailed information about the NBX phone equipment on your network including the NBX Call Processors, Analog Terminal Adapters and phones.

Components

375

Refer to the “Viewing Device Details” chapter, on page 177 for more details on the Properties dialog box. Monitoring the Phone Network

Monitoring the NBX Call Processor The NBX Call Processor controls the incoming and outgoing phone calls on your voice system. As a result, it is important that this device be monitored. 3Com Network Supervisor considers the NBX Call Processor to be a core device, so it will be monitored by default. 3Com Network Supervisor provides a number of monitors to check the status of the NBX Call Processor: ■

IP Ping Service: 3Com Network Supervisor checks the availability of the NBX Call Processor using the ICMP Ping echo.

■

Other services: 3Com Network Supervisor also checks the response time for the services running on the NBX Call Processor, such as HTTP, FTP and SMTP.

As the NBX call processor controls the incoming and outgoing phone calls on your voice system, when the NBX Call Processor stops responding to the IP Ping Service and its icon on the map turns red, 3Com Network Supervisor will also turn the icons for all monitored phones on the map managed by this processor to red, to indicate that they cannot receive or make calls. When the NBX Call Processor becomes unavailable, no calls can be made or received for the phones on the network managed by this NBX Call Processor. Monitoring a Phone By default, phones will not be monitored on your network, because they are not considered to be core devices. To start monitoring a specific phone, select the icon for it on the map, and use the Monitoring > Start Monitoring menu option. 3Com Network Supervisor provides a number of monitors to check the phone status:

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■

Availability: 3Com Network Supervisor polls the NBX Call Processor to check that the phone is still online.

■

IP Ping Service: 3Com Network Supervisor checks the availability of the phone using the ICMP Ping echo. Note that this monitor is only available for IP phones.

Because 3Com Network Supervisor polls the NBX Call Processor rather than the phone itself to retrieve the phone status, even phones with no IP address assigned can be monitored. If the NBX Call Processor is not responding, the whole phone network will be unavailable. As a result, all monitored phones will become red, indicating high stress, on the map. Monitoring a Line Card By default, line cards will not be monitored on your network, because they are not considered to be core devices. To start monitoring a line card, select the icon for it on the map, and use the Monitoring > Start Monitoring menu option. The only monitor available for a line card is the IP Ping Service. This monitor is only available if an IP address was configured for the line card. If a line card does not have an IP address assigned, the Monitoring > Start Monitoring menu option will be disabled. Understanding Voice-related 3Com Network Supervisor Events

3Com Network Supervisor notifies you of network problems that might affect the voice system by logging events in the events system. The main events that might be generated are: ■

Events related to the NBX Call Processor

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Events related to phones

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Events related to other links or devices on the network.

To view the list of events that have been logged, select the Alerts/Events > View All Events menu option.

Examples

377

Events related to the NBX Call Processor The NBX Call Processor is the most important part of the voice network because it handles all incoming and outgoing phones calls. If the HTTP service becomes unavailable on the NBX Call Processor, an event will be generated, with a severity of Warning. Phone calls can still be made and received while the HTTP service is down. Events related to phones When a phone becomes unavailable, an event will be logged. This event is generated if the phone stops responding to the IP Ping Service. The event resolves when the phone responds to the IP Ping Service again. Events related to other links or devices on the network Even if both the NBX Call Processor and the phones are available, some network conditions might cause calls to be dropped, or result in a loss of voice quality noticeable as delays or jitter. For instance, the following network conditions could affect the voice network: ■

High number of packets being dropped on switches

■

High number of error frames on links

■

High link utilization

■

Switch becomes unavailable

In all these cases, an event will be logged. Details shown for this event will include information such as: ■

What might be the cause of the problem

■

How to resolve this condition

The events resolve when the network condition becomes acceptable again.

Examples Discovering Several NBX Call Processors Simultaneously

You want to discover several NBX Call Processors on your network simultaneously or discover your whole NBX system at once, where each NBX Call Processor uses a different password.

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To discover multiple NBX Call Processors: 1 Start a new discovery using the File > New menu option. 2 Go through the steps of the wizard, as described in “The Network Discovery Wizard” on page 75, until you reach the NBX Voice Network step. 3 Select Yes and click Next. 4 In the NBX Call Processors step, click Add to open the Add NBX Call Processor dialog box. 5 In the Add NBX Call Processor dialog box, specify the IP address, administrator username and password for the NBX Call Processor, then click OK. This will add the NBX Call Processor to the table in the NBX Call Processors step. 6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each of the NBX Call Processors in your network. 7 Click Next and complete the wizard as explained in “The Network Discovery Wizard” on page 75. If you do not know the IP address of one of your NBX Call Processors, or several of your NBX Call Processors use the same username and password, you may omit the NBX Call Processors from the table and instead select the Custom option and specify a username and password. Receiving an Alert when my Phones Stop Working

Phones are critical components of your company’s network and you want to be informed immediately when any of the phones become unavailable. To do this: 1 Create one or more alerts as explained in the “Alert System Components” section on page 269. It is recommended that the body of a text alert contains at least the following variables: ■

$deviceName$

■

$date$

■

$time$

■

$description$

■

$explanation$

2 Select all the phones on the map.

Useful Information and References

379

3 Select the Alerts/Events > Attach Alerts menu option to launch the Attach Alerts dialog box 4 Click the checkboxes corresponding to the alerts you created in the Attach column and click OK to attach the alerts to all selected phones 5 With all the phones still selected, select the Monitoring > Start Monitoring menu option Whenever a phone becomes unavailable, you will now be informed through the alert types of your choice.

Useful Information and References NBX system

The 3Com NBX communications system delivers robust call-processing features coupled with telephony applications over your network. 3Com NBX systems are designed for: ■

Small to midsize businesses and branch offices with up to 200 devices per location (3Com® NBX® 100)

■

Central or branch offices having from two to more than one thousand phones per location (3Com® SuperStack® 3 NBX®)

If you want to learn more about NBX products, you can visit the Products Offering Area on the 3Com web site at: http://www.3com.com/products/. NBX Call Processor

The NBX Call Processor is at the heart of your telephony system. It manages incoming and outgoing calls to and from the phones on your network. It also has call-processing features built-in, such as voice mail and automated attendant.

NBX NetSet

The NetSet utility is an HTML-based web interface for configuring and managing NBX systems. If you have a web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, you already have the client software you need to administer your system.

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The NetSet utility requires no installation. It is provided through an embedded web server in the NBX system. Passwords grant two levels of access privileges: ■

The User Password allows individual phone users to view or change their personal settings such as personal speed dial lists and ringing tones.

■

The Administrator Password allows the system administrator to manage user profiles and devices, and change system parameters such as speed dial lists and dial plan settings.

Key Considerations Troubleshooting

Some advice on errors that may occur on the system is outlined below: The phones are not shown on the map, although there is a NBX Call Processor You ran a discovery on the network where your NBX phone system is located, but although the NBX Call Processor is displayed on the map, the phones are not. There are several reasons why this may happen: ■

The display of end stations in the map has been disabled.

■

The wrong username and password was specified for the NBX Call Processor.

■

There is a problem with the HTTP service for the NBX Call Processor.

■

The NBX Call Processor stopped responding during the network discovery.

The display of end stations in the map has been disabled If the display of end stations in the map has been disabled, neither end stations nor phones will be visible. To make sure end stations and phones are visible, open the View menu and ensure that the Show End Stations option is selected.

Key Considerations

381

The wrong username/password was specified for the NBX Call Processor If the wrong username/password was specified for the NBX Call Processor on your network, NBX devices will be represented by an end station icon and will show the following device type: ■

Generic IP Device, if an IP address was assigned to the device.

■

Generic Device, if no IP address was assigned to the device.

You should check that 3Com Network Supervisor is using the correct username and password to access the NBX Call Processor. To resolve this: 1 Make a note of the IP address for the NBX Call Processor. You can do this by selecting the View > Labels > IP Address menu option. 2 Make sure you know the administrator username and password for the NBX Call Processor. 3 Rediscover the network using the Tools > Network Discovery… menu option 4 Go through the steps of the wizard, as described in “The Network Discovery Wizard” on page 75, until you reach the NBX Voice Network step 5 In the NBX Voice Network step, select Yes and click Next 6 In the NBX Call Processors step which appears, if the NBX call processor is not visible in the table, click Add to open the Add NBX Call Processor dialog box, otherwise select the NBX call processor and click Edit to open the Edit NBX Call Processor dialog box. 7 In the Add/Edit NBX Call Processor dialog box, specify the IP address, username and password for the NBX Call Processor, then click OK. This will add the NBX Call Processor to the table in the NBX Call Processors step 8 Click Next and complete the wizard as explained in “The Network Discovery Wizard” on page 75. When the discovery is complete, the phones should be visible.

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There is a problem with the HTTP service for the NBX Call Processor 3Com Network Supervisor uses the HTTP protocol to communicate with the NBX Call Processor. If this service is malfunctioning, 3Com Network Supervisor could fail to retrieve the list of phones for the NBX Call Processor. To check this: 1 Select the NBX Call Processor icon on the map and select the Monitoring > Live Graphs menu option 2 Using the HTTP service monitor, ensure that the HTTP service is functioning correctly The NBX Call Processor stopped responding during the network discovery If none of the previous diagnoses apply, it might be that the NBX Call Processor momentarily stopped responding during the network discovery. In that case, you should rediscover the network: 1 Rediscover the network using the Tools > Network Discovery menu option. 2 Go through the steps of the wizard until you reach the NBX Voice Network step. Refer to â&#x20AC;&#x153;NBX Voice Network Paneâ&#x20AC;? on page 84. 3 In the NBX Voice Network step, select Yes and click Next. 4 In the NBX Call Processors step, if the NBX call processor is not visible in the table, click Add to open the Add NBX Call Processor dialog box, otherwise select the NBX call processor and click Edit to open the Edit NBX Call Processor dialog box. 5 In the Add/Edit NBX Call Processor dialog box, specify the IP address, username and password for the NBX Call Processor, then click OK. This will add the NBX Call Processor to the table in the NBX Call Processors step. 6 Click Next, and complete the wizard. When the discovery is complete, the phones should be visible.

Key Considerations

Frequently Asked Questions

383

Below are some frequently asked questions about NBX phones on the 3Com Network Supervisor map. Why are there a lot of unconnected phones on the map? 3Com Network Supervisor successfully discovered your NBX network, but a number of phones are displayed at the top-left corner of the map, unconnected. This means 3Com Network Supervisor did not find any network node, router, switch, or hub, connected to that phone. This can mean one of three things: ■

The phone was removed from the network

■

The phone cannot be reached

■

The network device the phone is connected to has not been discovered

The phone was removed from the network 3Com Network Supervisor reads the list of phones from NetSet. If the list of phones in NBX NetSet is out-of-date, and some of the phones listed have been removed from the network, these phones will be shown on the 3Com Network Supervisor map, unconnected. If that is the case, you should: 1 On the 3Com Network Supervisor map, delete the unconnected phones, by selecting the phones on the map and using the Edit > Delete menu option. 2 In NBX NetSet, remove the unused phones from the list. These phones will not be displayed the next time you discover the network. The phone cannot be reached If the phone should be on the network but is unconnected, this means that none of the network nodes on the network (routers, switches, or hubs) saw the physical address (the MAC address) of the phone. This in turn means that the phone is unreachable, possibly due to being disconnected, or having a broken link. To check this: 1 Make sure that the phones can be reached. 2 Check that the phones are correctly connected and the links are up.

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3 Re-discover the network, using the Tool > Network Discovery menu option. The phones should now be connected on the 3Com Network Supervisor map. The network device the phone is connected to has not been discovered If the network device that the phone is connected to has not been discovered by 3Com Network Supervisor then it will not be possible to connect the phone to the rest of the topology. If this is the case then you may resolve this by taking the following steps: 1 Determine the IP address of the network device that the phone is connected to. 2 Launch the Network Discovery wizard using the Tools > Network Discovery menu option. 3 In the Discovery Type stage, select Specify subnets and click Next. 4 In the Specify Subnets stage, add the subnets that contains the network device that the phone is connected to, restricting the ranges to just the IP address of the network device if desired. 5 Complete the network discovery. After the network device has been discovered it should be added to the map and the phone connected to it. Why are some phones on the map showing the user name, while others show the extension number? By default, the label for a phone is the phone user name, in the format first name and last name. However, in some cases the phone user name is not set and shows the default values: New for the first name and User for the last name. For phones that are using the default user name, 3Com Network Supervisor will show a label using the extension number, rather than showing a label of New User, which could cause a number of phones to use the same label.

Key Considerations

385

How do I change the label of a phone or line card? To change the label of a phone or line card you can set the custom name using the Properties dialog box. Refer toâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Viewing Device Detailsâ&#x20AC;? on page 177 for further details. You can also change the type of label displayed for all devices on the map, by selecting your preferred option from the View > Labels submenu.

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13 Overview

LIVE UPDATE

This chapter describes how you can use Live Update to download product updates and product news from 3Com over the Internet. Live Update checks the 3Com server for available software updates and filters the updates so that only files that apply will be downloaded. Live Update also manages the download of these files. By downloading and installing 3Com Network Supervisor updates, you can ensure that 3Com Network Supervisor is up-to-date, enabling you to take advantage of the latest bug-fixes and device support. The Latest 3Com Product News notifies you of new 3Com products and also contains articles on how to make the most of the features on your existing devices. The following topics are covered in this chapter: ■

Key Concepts

■

Components

■

Examples

■

Useful Information and References

■

Key Considerations

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CHAPTER 13: LIVE UPDATE

Key Concepts Connection Type

Service Packs

Live Update Engine

This section describes the keys concepts of Live Update. 3Com Network Supervisor supports three methods of connecting to the Live Update server: ■

Use Browser Settings — 3Com Network Supervisor checks the settings of your default browser and uses the same settings to connect to the Internet.

■

Direct Connection to the Internet — 3Com Network Supervisor assumes it has a direct connection to the Internet.

■

Use Custom Proxy Settings — you can specify the proxy settings that 3Com Network Supervisor should use to connect to the Internet.

A Service Pack is an installable software component that keeps 3Com Network Supervisor up-to-date. It provides updates such as: ■

Latest bug fixes.

■

Day-one management support for the latest 3Com devices.

The Live Update engine ensures that you download only the updates that are relevant to you as follows: ■

3Com Network Supervisor updates — the Live Update engine lists an update only if it is more recent than the version already installed on your PC.

■

Latest 3Com Product News — the Live Update engine only downloads news that you have not already downloaded.

Components

389

The following section describes the Live Update Components in 3Com Network Supervisor. Live Update can be launched by: ■

Clicking Live Update on the toolbar.

■

Selecting the Tools > Live Update menu option.

Live Update consists of two main components:

Live Update Setup Wizard

■

The Live Update Setup Wizard — this lets you select the type of Internet connection.

■

The Live Update dialog box — this dialog box lists the available updates and lets you choose the ones you want to download.

The Live Update Setup Wizard is launched the first time you use Live Update. You can choose the way 3Com Network Supervisor connects to the Internet and specify the proxy settings. Connection Type Step From the Connection Type step you can select the preferred method to connect to the Internet as shown in Figure 180. Figure 180 Live Update Setup Wizard - Connection Type Step

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CHAPTER 13: LIVE UPDATE

These are as follows: ■

Use Web browser settings — 3Com Network Supervisor uses the same settings as your default browser to connect to the Internet. This is the recommended setting if the default browser on your PC is supported by 3Com Network Supervisor.

■

Direct connection to the Internet — 3Com Network Supervisor connects directly to the Internet through the LAN.

■

Use custom proxy settings — 3Com Network Supervisor uses a proxy server that you specify to connect to the Internet. This is the recommended setting if you require a proxy server to connect to the Internet and your default browser is not configured to use that proxy or your default browser is not supported by 3Com Network Supervisor. This is also recommended if your proxy server requires authentication using username and password.

For more information on web browsers supported by 3Com Network Supervisor see “Web Browser” on page 413. 3Com Network Supervisor can only detect your default web browser settings if your default web browser is Internet Explorer or a version of Netscape Navigator earlier than 4.79, and will default to using a direct connection to the Internet for other web browsers. If 3Com Network Supervisor cannot detect the default web browser settings then you can configure the proxy settings manually by selecting the Use custom proxy settings radio button. Use Custom Settings Step The Use Custom Settings step displays if you selected the Use Custom Proxy Settings option in the Connection Type step. From this step you can select the proxy settings such as a proxy server name, port, user name and password as shown in Figure 181.

Components

391

Figure 181 Live Update Setup Wizard - Use Custom Settings Step

This step enables you to enter the following: ■

Proxy Server — either the DNS name or the IP address of your proxy server.

■

Proxy Port — the port number that 3Com Network Supervisor should use to connect to your proxy server.

■

My proxy server requires authentication — select this option if your proxy server requires authentication. If this option is not selected, the Username and Password fields will be ignored.

■

Username — enter the username that 3Com Network Supervisor should use to access the proxy server. This field can only be edited if the My proxy server requires authentication checkbox is selected.

■

Password — enter the password that 3Com Network Supervisor should use to access the proxy server. This field can only be edited if the My proxy server requires authentication checkbox is selected.

Summary Step The Summary step allows you to review the connection settings as shown in Figure 182.

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Figure 182 Live Update Setup Wizard - Summary Step

This step details the following: ■

Connection Type — the type of connection that 3Com Network Supervisor will use to connect to the Internet.

■

Proxy Server — the name or IP address of the proxy server that 3Com Network Supervisor will use to connect to the Internet. This information is displayed if: ■

■

you selected Use Web browser settings and your default browser is configured to use a proxy server to connect to the Internet or if you selected Use custom proxy settings in the Connection Type step.

Proxy Port — the port that 3Com Network Supervisor will connect to on the proxy server. This information is displayed if: ■

■

you selected Use Web browser settings and your default browser is configured to use a proxy server to connect to the Internet you selected Use custom proxy settings in the Connection Type step.

Components

393

■

Username — the username that 3Com Network Supervisor will use to connect to the proxy server. This information is displayed only if you selected Use custom proxy settings in the Connection Type step and selected the My proxy server requires authentication checkbox in the Use Custom Settings step.

■

Password — the password that 3Com Network Supervisor will use to connect to the proxy server. This information is displayed only if you selected Use custom proxy settings in the Connection Type step and selected the My proxy server requires authentication checkbox in the Use Custom Settings step.

■

Show the Live Update Setup Wizard next time — select this option if you want the Live Update Setup Wizard to be displayed the next time you run Live Update. De-select this option if you do not want this wizard to be displayed the next time you run Live Update.

Click Finish to connect to the Internet. If your proxy server requires authentication and you did not specify a username/password, you will be prompted to enter a username/password. If your proxy server requires authentication and the username/password you provided have not been accepted, you will be prompted to enter a new username/password. If you no longer wish to connect to the Internet, click Cancel. Live Update Select File Groups Dialog Box

The Live Update Select File Groups dialog box lists the types of updates that are available to download as shown in Figure 183.

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Figure 183 Live Update - Select File Groups

The dialog box displays if: ■

You have clicked on Finish in the Summary step of the Live Update Setup Wizard.

■

The Show the Live Update Setup Wizard Next Time option is not selected in the General tab of the Options dialog box but you have clicked on Live Update or selected the Tools > Live Update menu option.

Status This is the current status of the initial transaction between your PC and the Live Update server. The Status field will show one of the following: ■

Searching for available updates — 3Com Network Supervisor is connecting to the Live Update server and looking for the updates that are relevant to you.

■

Available updates retrieved — 3Com Network Supervisor completed the initial transaction with the Live Update server. If any updates are available, they are displayed in the list underneath the status message.

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■

395

Failed to retrieve update details — the initial transaction between 3Com Network Supervisor and the Live Update server failed. In this case, an error message is also displayed to help you identify the cause of the problem.

Table of Available Updates The table in the Live Update - Select File Groups dialog box lists the types of update available for download. You can also select the file group that should be downloaded and the total space required on your PC. The table consists of three columns as follows: ■

Load — when this box is selected, all updates within the file group are selected for download. When this box is de-selected, all updates within the file group are excluded from the download. When this box is selected and greyed out, some updates within this file group are selected, whereas some are not. Click More Details to select/de-select individual files for download within that group. For more information see “Select File Group - Group Name” on page 396.

■

File Group — this column indicates the type of file group available for download. 3Com Network Supervisor supports the following file groups: ■

■

3Com Network Supervisor Update — this group contains the latest software updates for 3Com Network Supervisor, this can be a Service Pack or a main release. Latest 3Com Product News — this group contains the latest news about 3Com products and services. Size — the total size required to download the selected files in that file group. Click More Details to view which files are selected for download. For more information see “Select File Group - Group Name” on page 396.

File Group Details The File Group Details section displays a description of the updates available within the selected group. To display the description, select the file group in the table. To view the contents of that file group in more detail, click More Details. For more information see “Select File Group - Group Name” on page 396.

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Select File Group Group Name

This dialog box displays the contents of the file group selected in the Select File Groups dialog box as shown in Figure 184. Use the checkboxes in the Load column to select which files you want to download. Figure 184 Live Update - Select File Groups - Group Name

The title of the dialog box corresponds to the file group selected. For example, if the file group selected is 3Com Network Supervisor Update, the title of the dialog box will be Select File Group - 3Com Network Supervisor Update.

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397

The table in this dialog box consists of several columns as follows: ■

Load — when this box is selected, the corresponding update is downloaded. De-select this box if you do not want to download this update.

■

Version — the value of this column depends on the file group as follows: If the file group is 3Com Network Supervisor Update, this is the version of the update as well as the main version it applies to. If the file group is Latest 3Com Product News, the version is not applicable (N/A).

■

File Size — the size of the file(s) in KB.

The Release Notes button opens the release notes in Windows Notepad for the selected update. If no release note is available for the update, the Release Notes button will be greyed out. Download Progress

This dialog box shows the progress of the ongoing download as shown in Figure 185. Figure 185 Download Progress

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This step details the following: ■

Update Progress — this bar indicates the progress of the overall download.

■

Time Remaining — this is an estimate of the time required to download all of the remaining files.

■

Table — this indicates the download status of individual files, one of: Pending..., Downloading..., Complete, Download Error.

If you click Cancel during the download, the download is suspended. If the connection is lost during the download or you clicked Cancel you can choose to resume the download or cancel it. The completed downloads remain on your PC. When the download is complete, the following occurs: ■

If the update is the Latest 3Com Product News, the downloaded update is launched in your default browser.

■

If the update is a 3Com Network Supervisor update, you are required to restart 3Com Network Supervisor. If you choose to restart, the update installs automatically. If you choose to restart later, the update installs the next time 3Com Network Supervisor is launched.

The 3Com Network Supervisor update and the Latest 3Com Product News files are downloaded to the temporary folder on your PC (usually either C:\Temp or C:\Documents and Settings\My Profile\Local Settings\Temp). Changing the Download Settings

The Internet tab in the Tools > Options dialog box allows you to change the Internet connection settings as shown in Figure 186.

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399

Figure 186 Options - Internet

This tab details the following: ■

■

Direct connection to the Internet — 3Com Network Supervisor connects directly to the Internet through the LAN.

■

Custom proxy settings — 3Com Network Supervisor uses a proxy server that you specify to connect to the Internet. This is the recommended setting if you require a proxy server to connect to the Internet and your default browser is not configured to use that proxy, or your default browser is not supported by 3Com Network Supervisor. This is also recommended if your proxy server requires authentication.

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■

Proxy Server — the name or IP address that 3Com Network Supervisor uses to connect to the Internet. This field is only available when Custom proxy settings is selected.

■

Proxy Port — the port that 3Com Network Supervisor uses to connect to the proxy server. This field is only available when Custom proxy settings is selected.

■

My proxy server requires authentication — select this option if your proxy server requires authentication.

■

Username — the username that 3Com Network Supervisor uses to access the proxy server. This field is only available when Custom proxy settings and the My proxy server requires authentication checkbox are selected.

■

Password — the password that 3Com Network Supervisor uses to access the proxy server. This field is only available when Custom proxy settings and the My proxy server requires authentication checkbox are selected.

The General tab in the Tools > Options dialog box, allows you to choose whether the Live Update Setup Wizard should be displayed when you next run Live Update. Select the Show the Live Update Setup Wizard next time checkbox, as shown in Figure 187, to denote that the wizard should be displayed next time.

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401

Figure 187 Options - General

Live Update Activity Report

The Live Update Activity report can be used to review the download status of all the software updates downloaded using Live Update. To view the report: 1 Select the Tools > Reports menu option. 2 In the Generate Reports tab, select the Live Update Activity report. 3 Click on Generate Report. This will launch the Live Update Activity report in your default browser. If the download operation failed or was cancelled, the File Size column indicates 0 KB.

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Examples Ensuring 3Com Devices are Supported

This section provides some examples of how to use Live Update. You have just bought some new hardware from 3Com and want to update your version of 3Com Network Supervisor to ensure it supports these devices. To do this: 1 Click Live Update on the toolbar. 2 In the Live Update Setup Wizard, select Use Browser Settings and click Next. 3 Click Finish. 3Com Network Supervisor will check for available software updates on the Live Update server. 4 The Live Update - Select File Groups dialog box will display any available updates. If 3Com Network Supervisor is up-to-date, you will get the message seen in Figure 188. This means that your devices are already supported and you need take no action. Figure 188

3Com Network Supervisor Information Example

If an update is available, it will be listed in the dialog box. The File Group Details tell you what benefits that update adds as shown in Figure 189.

Examples

403

Figure 189 File Group Details Example

5 Click More Details... to view the details on that update. This will open the Live Update - Select File Groups - 3Com Network Supervisor update dialog box. 6 Click Release Notes to display the readme file in Notepad. You can then check that this update adds support for your new 3Com devices. 7 Click OK to return to the Live Update -Select File Groups dialog box. 8 Click OK to download the update. 9 When the download is complete you will be asked to restart 3Com Network Supervisor. Click Yes to restart. The downloaded update will be installed automatically. Updating the Connection Information

Your PC previously used a direct connection to the Internet, however, it now requires a proxy server. You want to update the Internet connection settings for Live Update.

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Solution 1 - Automatic Configuration using the Live Update Setup Wizard This is the preferred method if your default browser is supported by 3Com Network Supervisor and is configured to use the proxy server. 1 Select the Tools > Options... menu option. 2 Click the General tab. 3 Click Show the Live Update Setup Wizard next time option if it is not already selected. 4 Click OK to validate the changes. 5 Click Live Update.... This launches the Live Update Setup Wizard. 6 Select Use Web Browser Settings and click Next. The Summary dialog box is displayed which shows the proxy settings that Live Update will now use (as shown in Figure 190). Figure 190 Automatic Configuration Example

7 Click Finish to connect to the Internet using the proxy server specified.

Examples

405

Solution 2 - Manual Configuration using the Options Dialog Box This is the preferred method if your default browser is not supported by 3Com Network Supervisor or if your browser is not configured to use the proxy server. 1 Select the Tools > Options... menu option. 2 Click the Internet tab to display the Internet connections settings. 3 Select the Custom Proxy Settings option. You can now enter the proxy server name (or IP address) and the proxy port as shown in Figure 191: Figure 191 Tools - Options - Internet Tab Example

4 If your proxy server requires authentication, you can also enter a username and password in this dialog box by selecting the My proxy server requires authentication checkbox. 5 Click OK to validate the changes.

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Useful Information and References Proxy Server

The following section provides useful details to do with Live Update.

A proxy server acts as an intermediary between the PCs on your network and the Internet. The main features of a proxy server are: ■

Centralized access to the Internet for all the PCs on your network.

■

Web content filtering

■

Internet access restricted to authorized users.

In most cases, proxy servers also support authentication (also known as logging) whereby the users must provide a username/password before connecting to the Internet. This ensures that only authorized personnel are able to access the Internet.

Key Considerations The Proxy Settings are not Retrieved

The following section provides assistance when using Live Update. A description of this problem is as follows: ■

Your browser is using a proxy server to connect to the Internet.

■

In the Connection Settings step of the Live Update Setup Wizard, you selected Use Browser Settings. However, in the Summary step of the Live Update Setup Wizard, the connection type is set to Direct Connection to the Internet when it should be Connection to the Internet using a proxy server.

■

After clicking Finish, you get an error message. The most likely reason for this is that your browser is not supported by 3Com Network Supervisor.

A suggested solution is as follows: 1 Open your browser and go to the Internet Connection Properties. 2 Write down the proxy server settings (proxy server name/IP address and proxy port). If available, also write down the username and password. 3 In 3Com Network Supervisor, open the Tools > Options dialog box and select the Internet tab.

Key Considerations

407

4 Select the Custom Proxy Settings option and enter the proxy server name/IP address and the proxy port. If your proxy server requires authentication, select the My proxy server requires authentication checkbox and enter the username and password. 5 Click OK to validate the settings. 6 Launch the Live Update Setup Wizard and proceed to the Summary step, which should now show the correct proxy settings. 7 Click Finish, the connection should now succeed. Not Enough Space on the Disk

A description of this problem is as follows: â&#x2013;

On clicking OK in the Live Update - Select File Groups dialog box, to download the selected files, you get an error message informing you that the disk space required to download all the selected updates exceeds the free disk space.

A suggested solution is to free some disk space on the disk drive where the temporary folder is located until there is enough space to download all the updates. Alternatively, you can de-select updates from the list in the Live Update Select File Groups dialog box until the total download size fits into the free disk space.

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OBTAINING SUPPORT FOR YOUR PRODUCT

To take advantage of warranty and other service benefits, you must first register your product at http://eSupport.3com.com/. 3Com eSupport services are based on accounts that you create or have authorization to access. First time users must apply for a user name and password that provides access to a number of eSupport features including Product Registration, Repair Services, and Service Request.

Purchase Value-Added Services

To enhance response times or extend warranty benefits, contact 3Com or your authorized 3Com reseller. Value-added services can include 24x7 telephone technical support, software upgrades, onsite assistance or advance hardware replacement. Experienced engineers are available to manage your installation with minimal disruption to your network. Expert assessment and implementation services are offered to fill resource gaps and ensure the success of your networking projects. More information on 3Com Extended Warranty and Professional Services is available at http://www.3com.com/

Contact your authorized 3Com reseller or 3Com for additional product and support information.

Troubleshoot Online

You will find support tools posted on the 3Com web site at http://www.3com.com/ â&#x2013;

3Com Knowledgebase helps you troubleshoot 3Com products. This query-based interactive tool is located at http://knowledgebase.3com.com and contains thousands of technical solutions written by 3Com support engineers.

410

APPENDIX A: OBTAINING SUPPORT FOR YOUR PRODUCT

■

Connection Assistant helps you install, configure and troubleshoot 3Com desktop and server NICs, wireless cards and Bluetooth devices. This diagnostic software is located at: http://www.3com.com/prodforms/software/connection_assistan t/ca_thankyou.html

Access Software Downloads

Software Updates are the bug fix / maintenance releases for the version of software initially purchased with the product. In order to access these Software Updates you must first register your product on the 3Com web site at http://eSupport.3com.com/. First time users will need to apply for a user name and password. A link to software downloads can be found at http://eSupport.3com.com/, or under the Product Support heading at http://www.3com.com/ Software Upgrades are the software releases that follow the software version included with your original product. In order to access upgrades and related documentation you must first purchase a service contract from 3Com or your reseller.

3Com offers telephone, e-mail and internet access to technical support and repair services. To access these services for your region, use the appropriate telephone number, URL or e-mail address from the list below. You will find a current directory of support telephone numbers posted on the 3Com web site at http://csoweb4.3com.com/contactus/

Telephone Technical Support and Repair

To obtain telephone support as part of your warranty and other service benefits, you must first register your product at http://eSupport.3com.com/

When you contact 3Com for assistance, please have the following information ready: ■

Product model name, part number, and serial number

■

A list of system hardware and software, including revision level

■

Diagnostic error messages

■

Details about recent configuration changes, if applicable

Telephone Technical Support and Repair

411

To send a product directly to 3Com for repair, you must first obtain a return authorization number (RMA). Products sent to 3Com, without authorization numbers clearly marked on the outside of the package, will be returned to the sender unopened, at the senderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expense. If your product is registered and under warranty, you can obtain an RMA number online at http://eSupport.3com.com/. First time users will need to apply for a user name and password. Telephone numbers are correct at the time of publication. Find a current directory of support telephone numbers posted on the 3Com web site at http://csoweb4.3com.com/contactus/ Country

Telephone Number

Country

Telephone Number

Asia, Pacific Rim Telephone Technical Support and Repair Australia Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Malaysia New Zealand Pakistan

1 800 678 515 800 933 486 +61 2 9424 5179 or 000800 650 1111 001 803 61009 00531 616 439 or 03 3507 5984 1800 801 777 0800 446 398 +61 2 9937 5083

Philippines P.R. of China Singapore S. Korea Taiwan Thailand

1235 61 266 2602 or 1800 1 888 9469 800 810 3033 800 6161 463 080 333 3308 00801 611 261 001 800 611 2000

You can also obtain support in this region using the following e-mail: apr_technical_support@3com.com Or request a repair authorization number (RMA) by fax using this number:

+ 65 543 6348

Europe, Middle East, and Africa Telephone Technical Support and Repair From anywhere in these regions, call:

+44 (0)1442 435529

From the following countries, you may use the numbers shown: Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Hungary Ireland Israel Italy

01 7956 7124 070 700 770 7010 7289 01080 2783 0825 809 622 01805 404 747 06800 12813 1407 3387 1800 945 3794 199 161346

Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland U.K.

You can also obtain support in this region using the following URL: http://emea.3com.com/support/email.html

342 0808128 0900 777 7737 815 33 047 00800 441 1357 707 200 123 0800 995 014 9 021 60455 07711 14453 08488 50112 0870 909 3266

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APPENDIX A: OBTAINING SUPPORT FOR YOUR PRODUCT

Country

Telephone Number

Country

Telephone Number

Latin America Telephone Technical Support and Repair Antigua Argentina Aruba Bahamas Barbados Belize Bermuda Bonaire Brazil Cayman Chile Colombia Costa Rica Curacao Ecuador Dominican Republic

1 800 988 2112 0 810 444 3COM 1 800 998 2112 1 800 998 2112 1 800 998 2112 52 5 201 0010 1 800 998 2112 1 800 998 2112 0800 13 3COM 1 800 998 2112 AT&T +800 998 2112 AT&T +800 998 2112 AT&T +800 998 2112 1 800 998 2112 AT&T +800 998 2112 AT&T +800 998 2112

Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Puerto Rico Salvador Trinidad and Tobago Uruguay Venezuela Virgin Islands

You can also obtain support in this region using the following: Spanish speakers, enter the URL: http://lat.3com.com/lat/support/form.html Portuguese speakers, enter the URL: http://lat.3com.com/br/support/form.html English speakers in Latin America should send e-mail to: lat_support_anc@3com.com US and Canada Telephone Technical Support and Repair 1 800 876 3266

AT&T +800 998 2112 57 1 657 0888 AT&T +800 998 2112 1 800 998 2112 571 657 0888 01 800 849CARE AT&T +800 998 2112 AT&T +800 998 2112 54 11 4894 1888 AT&T +800 998 2112 1 800 998 2112 AT&T +800 998 2112 1 800 998 2112 AT&T +800 998 2112 AT&T +800 998 2112 57 1 657 0888

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

This appendix details the system requirements needed in order to utilize 3Com Network Supervisor. Operating System

Web Browser

There are two supported platforms for 3Com Network Supervisor which are: ■

Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 4

■

Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2

A web browser is required to access the Help system and the HTML-based reports. The following web browsers have been successfully tested against 3Com Network Supervisor: ■

Netscape Navigator 4.72

■

Netscape 7.72

■

Internet Explorer 6

■

Internet Explorer 6 SP1

■

Opera 7.22

■

Mozilla 1.5

Netscape 6 is not recommended because of interoperability issues. There may also be restrictions on the web browsers supported by WebHelp. Additional Software Required

Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the PDF files installed with 3Com Network Supervisor.

414

Appendix

B: SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Hardware

The minimum hardware specification required for 3Com Network Supervisor is: ■

IBM PC or compatible, with 500 MHz Pentium III processor

■

256MB RAM

■

250MB free hard disk space

■

1024 x 768 graphics capabilities with 256 colors

■

Network adapter card

The recommended hardware specifications for 3Com Network Supervisor is: ■

IBM PC or compatible, with 1GHz Pentium 4 processor, or better

■

512MB RAM or more

■

250MB free hard disk space or more

■

1024 x 768 graphics capabilities with 64K colors

■

Network adapter card

C Overview

REPORT EXAMPLES

This appendix contains examples of the following type of report: ■

Discovery Report

■

Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report

416

Appendix C: REPORT EXAMPLES

Discovery Report Discovery Report Example

This section contains two Discovery Report examples. 3Com Network Supervisor Discovery Report This report lists any problems that 3Com Network Supervisor encountered whilst discovering devices on your network. Report created: February 5, 2002 12:06 PM Map: edin-test Discovery - 140.204.232.0 Warning 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to determine the write community string for the following SNMP devices. This could be because the write community string for the device has been changed from the factory default and does not match the write community string specified during discovery. For possible side-effects of this, see here. Device NameIP AddressMAC Address 140.204.232.12140.204.232.1208-00-4e-af-f4-6f 140.204.232.3140.204.232.300-80-3e-99-89-2b

The help links will only work if the link is clicked while the report is being viewed in a browser running on a PC with 3Com Network Supervisor installed - if the user clicks on a help link while viewing a report on a PC without 3Com Network Supervisor installed, the user will see the browser's standard missing link page (this varies from browser to browser).

Discovery Report Example Content

417

This section discusses the contents of a typical 3Com Network Supervisor Discovery Report. The following devices stopped responding while 3Com Network Supervisor attempted to read topology information from them This is as it says. The device must have responded at some point for the application to have discovered it. Currently the user has no means of increasing the timeout values, although there is a multiplying factor stored in SITimeoutRetry.properties. The following devices are running with an unsupported version of the management agent software Each device type has a text file associated with it which stores the supported agent versions. If the version read from the device does not match any of the values in that file this warning will be logged. The application will still continue attempting to read information from the device. The following devices are running with an unknown version of the management agent software The application could not determine the agent software version. It is therefore likely that it is an unsupported version. The following devices have been configured into multiple segments Port Switch Hub 40 and 50 allowed the separation of groups of ports into segments. 3Com Network Supervisor does not support this scenario. The segment configuration of the following devices could not be determined This may occur if the agent version is not supported.

418

Appendix

C: REPORT EXAMPLES

The following devices returned invalid port information During the sizing stage the application attempts to determine which ports are enabled and have a link present since it is only those that can take an active roll in the topology. For some third party devices it may fail to obtain any valid ports and this message will be logged. Also, for the CoreBuilder 9000 and Switch 4007 the application does not support the scenario where the management port is the port directly connected to the network. If this is the only connected port then this message will be logged. The exact position of the following devices could not be determined This is really just a statement of fact. It is likely to be due a problem that has occurred earlier such as losing communication with one of the switches, or possibly if no MAC addresses were obtained for the device. 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to write to the following devices, in order to get them to perform operations that could lead to a more accurate topology detection. This is a failure to instruct a device to perform a remote poll. To do this 3Com Network Supervisor performs a write operation using the write community string. If the write community string is incorrect it is likely that the attempt will time out. The configuration of the following devices is not supported by 3Com Network Supervisor This was originally added when support was included for the Switch 4007. Because it was not possible to distinguish between it and other CoreBuilder 9000 devices, if an non-7-slot CoreBuilder 9000 was encountered this error would be logged. This should no longer occur as this restriction has been removed. The following devices have support for the Spanning Tree Protocol enabled Links connected to these devices may in the future be blocked by the Spanning Tree Protocol. 3Com Network Supervisor may not be able to detect this occurring. The following devices have one or more ports that could not be included in the network topology

Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report

419

The following devices have one or more ports that have failed self-test Listings of the devices are provided as described.

Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report Spanning Tree Fast Start

Spanning Tree Fast Start allows you to specify whether a switch port goes directly to the STP Forwarding state when a device is connected to it. This field should be set to enable if the switch port is connected to a single end station, and disable if the switch port is connected to another switch. If a port connected to a single end station is set to disable, whenever the attached end station is powered up, the Spanning Tree protocol will treat this as a topology change event. This results in the Filtering Database entries being flushed and temporary flooding of traffic occurs until the addresses are re-learned.

XRN Fabric

Configure aggregated links using LACP Distributed Link Aggregation ensures that all member ports of an aggregated link distribute the traffic flow across the XRN Distributed Fabric. This provides resilience and enhanced performance. If a switch within the Distributed Fabric fails, aggregated links will redirect all traffic down the link(s) to the unit that is still operating. The optimal solution is to use LACP aggregated links. The 802.3ad (LACP) protocol can automatically resolve network loops and increase bandwidth by automatically creating aggregated links when multiple connections are detected between two devices. To use LACP, the device connected to the XRN Distributed Fabric must support LACP, and must be manually enabled.

420

Appendix

C: REPORT EXAMPLES

Note that manually aggregated links or resilient links are not resilient in the event of an XRN interconnect module failure. This is because the device connected to the Distributed Fabric will not be aware that there is no longer a connection between the units in the Distributed Fabric. The device will continue to send traffic over both links, resulting in data loss. Web Cache Redirection The Webcache Redirection feature of 3Com switches allows web traffic passing through the switch to be transparently redirected to a Webcache on the network. If a switch can support Webcache Redirection, 3Com Network Supervisor provides the ability to enable Redirection via the Misconfigurations and Optimizations reports that are generated post-discovery. Misconfiguration and Optimization Reports The reports described in the following sections provide a hyperlink that allows the user to configure the device to perform Webcache Redirection and configure the Webcache caching mode. Clicking on these hyperlinks will send a request to 3Com Network Supervisor that will result in the operation being performed. A response page will be returned to the user, this response will contain the status of the operation. These responses are described below. Webcache Redirection - not enabled This report will be generated when a device with a Webcache Redirection capable agent and a Webcache are discovered but Webcache Redirection is not enabled from the device to the Webcache. A third column in the table of the report contains a hyperlink which, when clicked, enables Webcache redirection from the device listed in column 1 to the Webcache listed in column 2. The caching mode of the Webcache is also changed to transparent mode, the mode required for the correct operation of Webcache Redirection. After changing the caching mode, the Webcache Traffic Server is restarted. This operation is necessary for successfully redirecting web traffic and will take approximately 20 seconds to complete.

Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report

421

Caching mode unsuitable for Webcache Redirection This report will be generated when a device with a Webcache redirection capable agent and a Webcache are discovered, Webcache redirection is enabled but the Webcache is operating in ëforward proxyí mode rather than ëtransparent modeí as is required to perform Webcache edirection. A third column in the table of the report contains a hyperlink which, when clicked, changes the caching mode of the Webcache to transparent mode before restarting the Webcache Traffic Server. Webcache operating in transparent modes This report will be generated when a device with a Webcache redirection capable agent and a Webcache are discovered. Webcache redirection is not enabled but the Webcache is operating in transparent mode. When Webcache redirection is not enabled the Webcache should be operating in forward proxy mode. Webcache Redirection - device not directly connected to Webcache This report will be generated when a device with a Webcache Redirection capable agent and a Webcache are discovered. The Webcache Redirection capable device is required to be directly attached to the Webcache for the feature to be enabled. As an example, if a Switch 4400 and a Webcache were discovered but there were intermediate devices this report would be generated. Webcache Redirection - device not directly connected to router This report will be generated when a device with a Webcache Redirection capable agent and a Webcache are discovered but the Webcache Redirection capable device is not directly attached to a router. This is the optimal position for the redirector as the closer the device is to the router, the more web traffic will pass through the device and hence be redirected to the Webcache. Webcache Redirection - agent upgrade required This report will be generated when a device capable of performing Webcache Redirection and a Webcache are discovered but the device does not have the supporting firmware. An agent that is capable of performing Webcache Redirection is available for the device and the user is prompted to upgrade the agent.

422

Appendix C: REPORT EXAMPLES

Webcache Redirection - stack upgrade required This report will be generated when a stacked device capable of performing Webcache Redirection and a Webcache are discovered but the units in the stacked device either â&#x2013;

do not have the supporting firmware

â&#x2013;

the units in the stack have different versions of the firmware.

In order to perform Webcache Redirection, all the units in the stack must have the same version of the firmware and this version must be capable of performing Webcache Redirection. Webcache Redirection - redirection table is full This report will be generated when a device capable of performing Webcache Redirection and a Webcache are discovered but the redirection table maintained by the device is full and this table does not contain an entry for the Webcache listed. Webcache not set up for inline mode (1) This report will be generated when a device capable of performing Layer 4 Redirection and a Webcache in inline mode are discovered, but either the WAN or LAN ports on the Webcache are not connected to the rest of the network. To take advantage of inline mode, the Webcache must have both the LAN and WAN ports connected. For this network configuration, you are recommended to change the Webcache to transparent mode instead of inline mode, and enable Layer Redirection on your Layer 4 capable device so it directs Layer 4 traffic to the Webcache. Webcache not set up for inline mode (2) This report will be generated when no devices capable of performing Layer 4 Redirection are found, and a Webcache in inline mode is discovered, but either the WAN or LAN ports on the Webcache are not connected to the rest of the network. To take advantage of inline mode, the Webcache must have both the LAN and WAN ports connected. For this network configuration, you are recommended to either connect your Webcache LAN and WAN ports to the network, or change the Webcache to forward proxy mode instead of inline mode.

Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report

423

Responses to Enable Webcache Redirection Request Clicking on the hyperlink presented in the Webcache Redirection - not enabled report will result in one of the responses below being returned to the client browser. Successful Configuration Successful configuration of Webcache Redirection and alteration of the Webcache caching mode will result in the following status text being returned to the client browser: Webcache Redirection was successfully configured. It will take around 20 seconds for the changes to take effect. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report.

No Free Redirection Table Entries The switch is already redirecting to a Webcache (4400) or a number of Webcaches (49xx) and there are no more free cache entries in the internal redirection table, therefore Webcache Redirection cannot be enabled to this Webcache. This will result in the following status text being returned to the client browser: Unable to redirect web traffic to this Webcache. There are no free redirection table entries available. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report.

Already Redirecting to Webcache Redirection is already enabled from this switch to this Webcache. This will result in the following status text being returned to the client browser: The device is already redirecting web traffic to this Webcache. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report.

No Health Checks Webcache redirection has previously been configured to the Webcache, however there are no health checks being performed on the Webcache. This will result in the following response being returned to the client browser: Web traffic redirection is already configured to this Webcache but there are no health checks being performed on the Webcache.

424

Appendix C: REPORT EXAMPLES

Webcache Redirection Not Being Performed Redirection has been enabled to this Webcache, the health check is ok but redirection is not being performed. This may be due to the Webcache being attached to a port that is a member of an aggregation or a resilient pair. This will result in the following response being returned to the client browser: Web traffic redirection is already configured to this Webcache, the health check is working but redirection is not being performed. Please consult your Webcache user guide. This may be due to the Webcache being attached to a port that is a member of an aggregated link or a resilient pair.

Health Check Failed The health check has failed and although Webcache Redirection is already enabled to this cache, redirection is not actually being performed. This will result in the following response being returned to the client browser: Web traffic redirection is enabled but there is a problem with the Webcache. The health check has failed and redirection is not being performed. Please consult your Webcache user guide.

Unable to Configure Webcache Redirection (1) The redirection status on the switch could not be determined or an error that prevents Webcache Redirection from being enabled has occurred. For example, the community strings have been changed on the switch and 3Com Network Supervisor can no longer write to the device. This will result in the following response being returned to the client browser: Unable to configure Webcache redirection. There was a problem communicating with the device. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report.

Unable to Configure Webcache Redirection (2) An internal problem with the 3Com Network Supervisor database has occurred which prevents the configuration data being extracted. This will result in the following response being returned to the client browser: Unable to configure Webcache redirection. 3Com Network Supervisor was unable to locate the device in its internal database. This device may have been removed. Please rediscover your network.

Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report

425

Unable to Configure Webcache Mode There was an error whilst trying to write the new cache proxy mode to the Webcache. This will result in the following response being returned to the client browser: There was an error whilst changing the Webcache proxy mode. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report.

Unable to Confirm Webcache Mode Changed Changing the Webcache mode is an almost instantaneous operation, if after three successive polls the mode has not changed to transparent the following response is returned to the client browser: Unable to verify that the Webcache mode was changed. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report.

Unable to Determine Traffic Server Status Prior to performing the necessary restart of the Webcache Traffic Server, the value of the webCacheRestartTrafficServer MIB object must be read to determine whether there is already a restart underway. If the status of this MIB object could not be determined, for example, the community strings have been changed on the Webcache and 3Com Network Supervisor can no longer read from the device. This will result in the following response being returned to the client browser: Unable to determine the current configuration of the Webcache. Webcache Redirection will not take place until the Webcache has been power cycled. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report.

Traffic Server Restart Already UnderWay Prior to performing the necessary restart of the Webcache Traffic Server, the value of the webCacheRestartTrafficServer MIB object must be read to determine whether there is already a restart underway. If there is a restart already underway the following response will be returned to the client browser: Webcache Redirection will not take place until the Webcache has been power cycled. Click back to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report.

426

Appendix C: REPORT EXAMPLES

Unable to Restart Webcache Traffic Server If the webCacheRestartTrafficServer MIB object could not be written to, for example, the community strings have been changed on the Webcache and 3Com Network Supervisor can no longer write to the device, the following response will be returned to the client browser: There was an error whilst attempting to update the configuration of the Webcache. Webcache Redirection will not take place until the Webcache has been power cycled. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report.

Cache Mode Not Changed If the cache mode is discovered to be transparent inline mode, the cache mode will not be changed by any requests from 3Com Network Supervisor Misconfigurations and Optimizations report. The following response will be returned to the client browser: The Webcache is operating in an inline configuration, the caching mode of the Webcache was not changed. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report.

Responses to Change Webcache Mode Request Clicking on the hyperlink presented in the Caching mode unsuitable for Webcache Redirection report will result in one of the responses below being returned to the client browser. Successful Configuration Successful configuration of the Webcache caching mode will result in the following status text being returned to the client browser: The Webcache proxy mode was successfully changed to Transparent Mode. It will take around 20 seconds for the changes to take effect. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report.

Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report

427

Unsuccessful Configuration There was some problem which prevented 3Com Network Supervisor writing the new cache mode to the device. For example, the community strings that 3Com Network Supervisor has for the device are no longer valid - the device community strings have been changed and 3Com Network Supervisor is unaware of the new strings. This will result in the following response being returned to the client browser: There was an error whilst changing the cache proxy mode. Click the back button to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report.

428

Appendix C: REPORT EXAMPLES

Webcache Redirection will not take place until the Webcache has been power cycled. Click back to return to the Misconfigurations and Optimizations report.

Limitations

Webcache Redirection and VLANs The Webcache Redirection facility on the Switch 4924 will work on any VLAN. However, the Webcache Redirection feature on the Switch 4400 only works on the default VLAN. Redirection on the Cache Port (49XX) When Webcache Redirection is enabled on the Switch 4924, there will be no redirection of traffic from the cache port.

Misconfigurations and Optimizations Report

429

Webcache Software Releases Version 1.0 of the Webcache agent supports only two caching modes ■

proxyMode(1)

■

transparentMode(2)

however, subsequent agent releases support a third caching mode ■

transparentInlineMode(3)

To ensure the Webcache Redirection feature operates alongside these subsequent agent releases without error, no Webcache Redirection Misconfigurations and Optimizations reports will be generated if the Webcache is operating in this new third mode. Restarting Webcache Traffic Server Once the Webcache mode has been changed it is necessary to shutdown and restart the Traffic Server process running on the Webcache. This is performed as part of the Enable Webcache Redirection hyperlink and as part of the Change mode to transparent hyperlink, however the shutdown and restart of this process takes approximately 20 seconds to complete. Therefore 3Com Network Supervisor does not wait for successful completion of this stage before responding to the client. Once the webCacheRestartTrafficServer MIB object has been successfully written to and the restart is underway, the client will receive one of responses in the section above from 3Com Network Supervisor. If the traffic server restart fails, the Webcache internal recovery mechanism will attempt to restore the device. 3rd Party Devices Webcache Redirection is only offered between 3Com devices capable of redirection and 3Com Webcaches. Report Section Combinations Not all the sections highlighted in the Misconfigurations and Optimizations Reports chapter above can be generated at the same time. The combinations in which these sections are likely to appear and under which circumstances are shown below.

430

Appendix C: REPORT EXAMPLES

If there is a Webcache Redirection capable device but it is not running a Webcache Redirection capable agent the following sections can be generated: ■

Different agents in stack - upgrade stack agent

■

Upgrade agent (non stacked unit).

If a Switch 4400 is found but it is not directly attached to the Webcache, the following section can be generated: ■

Attach the switch to the Webcache.

No other Webcache Redirection specific sections will appear in conjunction with this section. If Layer 4 Redirection is enabled the following sections can be generated: ■

Attach Layer 4 Device to Router

■

Webcache operating in forward proxy mode (as opposed to Transparent).

If Layer 4 Redirection is not enabled the following sections can be generated: ■

Enable Layer 4 Redirection OR Can't enable Layer 4 Redirection - no free cache entries.

■

Webcache operating in transparent mode (as opposed to forward proxy)

ADDING TRAP DECODES

You can add your own SNMP trap decodes to 3Com Network Supervisor by editing the file: <Installation Directory>\templates.ini

3Com Network Supervisor reads this file when it starts, and any trap decodes it contains are added to the built-in trap decodes. If any errors are found in the file then an error is displayed, detailing the type and the location of the error in the file, and the trap decodes contained within the file are ignored. The updated templates will be used to decode any traps received in the future. However, they will not be applied to traps that have already been received. If you specify a decode for a trap type which is already handled by 3Com Network Supervisor, your decode will override 3Com Network Supervisor's built-in decode. The format of the templates.ini file is as follows: ■

·The format of each trap decode is: [OID] name = <trap name> description = <description> explanation = <explanation> severity = <severity>

where the fields are as follows: [OID]is the trap’s OID. For example: [1.3.6.1.4.1.43.47.2.1.0.57]. This is used to match up received SNMP traps with this decode. <trap name> is the name of the trap. For example: linkUp. <description> defines a brief description of the trap that appears in the Description column of the

432

APPENDIX D: ADDING TRAP DECODES

Events window for events caused by the receipt of this trap. <explanation> defines a more detailed description of the trap. This appears in the Event tab of the More Detail dialog box when launched for an event caused by the receipt of this trap. The text “\n” can be used to indicate the end of a paragraph in the explanation.

Remedies can also be added to an explanation by using the format: <remedy>Remedy Text</remedy>

These are shown in the More Detail dialog box as bulleted text, and can be used to suggest remedies for the trap. An example of a remedy is shown in the a3Com_swModuleVerMismatchNotification trap decode example given below. <severity> specifies the severity to be assigned to events generated by the receipt of this trap. The supported severities are, from least to most important: ·info ·warning ·high ·critical

See “Event Severities” on page 235 for more details on event severities and “Monitoring State” on page 212 for details of how event severities are used in the map. ■

Each field in a trap decode should be on a separate line. If necessary, any of the fields in a trap decode can be split over several lines in the templates.ini file by appending a “\” character to the end of each line of the field other than the last one. See the examples below for usage.

■

All of the fields in a trap decode support the use of variables that are replaced in-line when an event is generated for the trap in the following manner: {n} will be replaced with the nth varbind of the trap, where n is numbered from 0 upwards.

433

The Java ChoiceFormat specification is also supported for generating text based upon the nth varbind of the trap, where n is numbered from 0 upwards. Some examples of this format are shown in the a3ComPsePortCurrentStatusTrap example below. For more details on the Java ChoiceFormat, please refer to the Sun Java technology website: http://java.sun.com/ The following additional variables are also supported: $n – A human-readable form of the nth trap varbind value, where n is numbered from 1 upwards. $e – The trap's enterprise field, in dotted-decimal format. For example, 1.3.6.1.4.1.43 $G – The trap's generic field. $S – The trap's specific field. $# – The number of varbinds in the trap. $+n – The nth varbind of the trap, in name:value format, where n is numbered from 1 upwards. For example, ifIndex.1:32 Lines beginning with a “;” character are considered to be comments and are ignored.

434

APPENDIX D: ADDING TRAP DECODES

For example, the following would be valid trap decode definitions: ;a3Com_swModuleVerMismatchNotification [1.3.6.1.4.1.43.47.2.1.0.57] name= a3Com_swModuleVerMismatchNotification description= Unit software version {2} mismatch. Expected version is {1} explanation= This trap is sent when the software versions on two units \ in the stack do not match.\ <remedy>Update the agents running on the units in the stack so they are \ running the same version</remedy> severity= warning ;a3ComPsePortCurrentStatusTrap - For Switch 4400 PWR [1.3.6.1.4.1.43.0.142] name= a3ComPsePortCurrentStatusTrap description= Port Power over Ethernet current status changed. explanation= A current port status related to Power over Ethernet has \ changed to {0,choice,\ 1#OK. Neither an under current or over current condition has \ been detected.|\ 2#Over Current. The port current exceeds the maximum threshold.|\ 3#Over Current. The port current exceeds the maximum threshold.|\ 6#Invalid Power over Ethernet Device. An invalid powered device \ has been detected and will not be delivered power.} severity= {0,choice, 1#info|2#high|3#high|6#warning}

ADDING MAC ADDRESS VENDOR TRANSLATIONS

3Com Network Supervisor can convert the first six digits of a raw twelve digit MAC address into a vendor name. You can enable this feature by checking the Translate MACs option in the General tab of the Tools > Options dialog box. 3Com Network Supervisor includes many hundreds of built-in translations, but you can add your own or edit existing ones, by editing the file: <Installation Directory>\MAC_Addr.txt

3Com Network Supervisor reads this file when it starts. If any errors are found then an error is displayed, detailing the type and the location of the error in the file, and the MAC address translations contained within the file are ignored. 3Com Network Supervisor reverts to a safe, backup copy of the originally installed file until all errors have been corrected. The format for the MAC_Addr.txt file is as follows: Each MAC address translation must occupy a single line in the file. The format for each MAC address translation is: <MAC address> <vendor> <description> where each field is separated by two or more consecutive spaces.

436

APPENDIX E: ADDING MAC ADDRESS VENDOR TRANSLATIONS

The fields are defined as follows: <MAC address> is the first three bytes of the MAC address, in hexadecimal format. For example, 000102 <vendor> is the vendor’s name. Single spaces are allowed, however two or more consecutive spaces will be interpreted as a separator between the <vendor> and <description> fields. For example, 3Com-Corporation is valid, but 3Com--Corporation is not (where “-” indicates a space character). <description> is a field where you can provide your own description of the translation. 3Com Network Supervisor does not use this field. Lines beginning with a “#” character are considered to be comments and are ignored. For example, the following would be a valid vendor translation: 000102

3Com

3COM CORPORATION

437

438

APPENDIX E: ADDING MAC ADDRESS VENDOR TRANSLATIONS

INTEGRATING AN SSH CLIENT

By default, 3Com Network Supervisor allows you to launch web and Telnet management against any device which supports these administration interfaces. 3Com Network Supervisor also has built-in support for other management applications supported by specific device types (see Chapter 10 for more information). 3Com Network Supervisor does not include any default support for devices which support SSH (Secure SHell) administration. However, you can integrate your own SSH client into 3Com Network Supervisor by doing the following: 1 Locate the following file on your disk: <Installation Directory>\SSHClient.properties

2 Follow the instructions at the top of this file. Once your client is integrated, the option SSH Management... will appear on the pull-right menu for all devices on your map. 3Com Network Supervisor will call your client with a single command line parameter: the target device's IP address. If your SSH client expects multiple parameters, or expects the client's IP address to be passed with additional command line options, you can achieve this by: â&#x2013;

instead of specifying the SSH client's name directly in SSHClient.properties, specify a batch file instead.

â&#x2013;

in your batch file, you can call your client with any additional options or parameters that you wish. The client's IP address will be available within your batch file as %1%.

440

APPENDIX F: INTEGRATING AN SSH CLIENT

For example, if your client expects to be called using: myClient -ip <ip address> -verbose, your batch file might contain: myClient -ip %1% -verbose

INDEX

A active monitoring 214 add/edit report wizard 298 adding items map 154 administration menu 308 aggregated link device tree 183 aggregated links configure 419 alert system components 269 overview 269 tokens 273 alerts 238 attaching to devices and links 270 configuring 273 when phones stop working 378 analog terminal adapter 369 analog terminal card 369 application field values prioritizing network traffic 341 applications prioritizing network traffic 340 authentication 391 automatic relayout of map 153 available updates live update 395

B blocking cannot select server 364 servers 339, 363 buttons toolbar, zoom 136

C capacity report 292 changes network 90

changes report 92 changing displayed path 142 classification 328 cloud 178 clouds 120 colors event severity 236 comment filter 256 commenting on events 246 community strings changing for a device 201 components discovering the network 71 live update 389 map 110 configuration custom 337 device type 337 network wide 337 configuring alerts 273 configuring the network end-to-end traffic prioritization 334 connection to the 3Com server 319 connection type live update 388 conventions notice icons, About This Guide 20 text, About This Guide 20 critical severity 236 CSV exporting reports to 291 CSV format exporting events list to 250 custom configuration 337 custom proxy settings live update 388 custom settings 390

D default browser 390 default location map 158 deleted events filter 256 deleting events 248 deleting items and links map 156 description filter 256 detecting NBX phones 61 device 178 device tree 182

groups 111 icons 112 device properties working with 177 device sizing 62 device tree 181 aggregated link 183 device 182 IfIndex 182 port 182 unit 182 device type configuration 337 device warranty dialog 312 reporting 320 wizard 313 devices 112 discovering 58 groups 178 labels and address translation 128 menu 115 dialog box disabled events 260 events list find 251 filter 252 Find 145 live graphs 218 live update select file groups 393 more detail 223 more details 257 properties 177 launching 178 structure 179 report 293 threshold settings 263 DiffServ codepoint 334 field 357 directed pings 65 disabled events dialog box 260 disabling and enabling events 259 discovering the NBX voice network 371 discovering the network 57 components 71 discovery clouds 66 device resolution 65 errors and warnings 98 initial endstation 65 launching 72 outstanding endstation 66 rediscovery 70

remote poll stage 64, 65 report 90 sizing 64 Spanning Tree 64 tree building 66 discovery process 58 discovery report example 416 disk usage reports 305 display live graphs 220 displayed path changing 142 download progress live update 397 download settings changing 398 dropping prioritizing network traffic 333

E end station 178 icons 115 end stations not displayed on the map 380 engine live update 388 event correlation 237 event suppression 238 event system configuration 259 events 233 alerts 238 commenting on 246 critical severity 236 deleting 248 disabling and enabling 259 event correlation 237 event list main window 240 event suppression 238 exporting the list to a CSV format file 250 high severity 235 internal 235 launching the list dialog box 239 list components 239 list menu 243 list table 241 list toolbar 242 list update was stopped 286 manually resolving 247 monitor-based 234

navigating to sources in the map 246 NBX call processor related to other links or devices on the network 377 printing the list 251 recurring event handling 237 recurring severity 236 refreshing the list 249 related to phones 377 related to the NBX call processor 377 resolution 236 severities 235 severity colors 236 SNMP trap-based 234 types 234 undeleting 279 understanding voice-related 376 viewing the unresolved events for a subnet 277 working with 233, 246 events list no events shown 286 events list find dialog box 251 example discovery report 416 examples discovery discovery examples 93 main window 55 NBX call processor 377 reports 415 working with device properties 205 working with events 277 working with the map 161 export reports to CSV 291 exporting high severity events 277 exporting the events list to a CSV format file 250

F fast start spanning tree 419 files menus 42, 43 filter comment 256 deleted events 256 last number of days 255 name 253 resolved 255 severity 255 filter description 256 filter dialog box 252

filter has excluded all events 287 filter status bar 257 filtered view trace path 143 Find dialog box 145 find links search by options 150 finding items items 145 finding links 150 finding NBX telephony components 151 finding on network 145 free ports 293

G Getting Started 23 graphs text displayed in 229 groups of devices 178

H hardware 414 hazards blocking SNMP, HTTP and Telnet 366 high and warning thresholds 263 high severity events 235 HTTP hazards of blocking 366

I icons 107 device 112 end station 115 network infrastructure 113 subnets 121 telephony solution 114 IfIndex device tree 182 information severity 235 Internet 390 direct connection to 388 inventory report 292 IP Ping monitoring 215

key concepts live update 388 prioritizing network traffic 328 key considerations live update 406

L last number of days filter 255 launching the threshold settings dialog box 263 line card monitoring 376 link 178 link monitoring 217 linking items map 156 links finding 150 physical 116 unvalidated 116 live graphs dialog box 218 display 220 menu 222 toolbar 222 tree 219 Live Update 387 live update activity report 401 components 389 connection type 388 direct connection to the Internet 388 download progress 397 download settings changing 398 key concepts 388 key considerations 406 select file groups dialog box 393 status 394 table of available updates 395 use browser settings 388 use custom proxy settings 388 wizard 389 live update engine 388 logical links menu 121

M MAC Addresses translation 130 main window 39

features 41 management web 307 manual layout of map 153 manually modifying map 154 manually resolving events 247 map adding items 154 automatic relayout 153 components 110 creation 92 default location 158 deleting items and links 156 icons 107 keeping up-to-date 157 linking items 156 manual layout 153 manually modifying 154 modifying the layout 153 navigating to event sources 246 navigation 135 saved maps files associated with 175 saving and opening 157 selecting items 133 submaps 110 subnets 110 top-level 110 updates 93 working with 105 zoom 135 map background menu 139 map files 40 map navigation 135 menu devices 115 events list 243 live graphs 222 logical links 121 map background 139 physical links 118 subnets 122 menus files 42, 43 misconfigurations 89 misconfigurations and optimizations report 91, 419 missing information 187 modifying map layout 153 monitor 211 monitoring active monitoring 214

and event generation 212 disabling on the whole network 229 enabling on core devices 228 examples 228 IP Ping monitoring 215 items suitable for 217 line card 376 link 217 NBX call processor 375 non-3Com devices 217 phone 375 phone network 375 problems starting 230 service polling 216 SNMP MIB data retrieval 215 SNMP trap receipt 216 starting and stopping 225 techniques 214 monitoring state 212 grouped view 214 Monitoring the Network 211 monitors controlling event generation 227 disabling and enabling individual 226 more detail dialog box 223 more details dialog box 257 event tab 258

N name filter 253 navigating to event sources in the map 246 navigation 135 using the tree 141 NBX telephony components finding 151 voice traffic prioritization 345 NBX applications 370 NBX call processor 379 events related to 377 examples 377 information and references 379 monitoring 375 no correct username/password specified 381 problem with the HTTP service 382 stopped responding during the network discovery 382 troubleshooting 380 NBX NetSet 379 NBX phones attendant consoles 370

detection 61 NBX step prioritize network traffic 337 prioritizing network traffic 337 NBX voice network discovering 371 network changes 90 discovery 57 finding items 145 misconfigurations 89 optimizations 90 network discovery NBX call processor stopped responding during 382 Network Discovery Wizard 73 network infrastructure icons 113 network traffic prioritizing 327 network view ungrouped 112 network-wide configuration 337 no events in the events list 286 node properties dialog box for 183 nodes 178 non-3Com devices monitoring 217

O opening and saving map 157 operating system 413 hardware 414 web browser 413 optimizations 90 options search by 150 Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI) 130 OUI 130 out-of-date report information 305

P password 391, 393 phone 178 phone network how 3Com Network Director monitors the 370 monitoring 375 phones events related 377

monitoring 375 physical links 116 menu 118 port device tree 182 ports free 293 printing the events list 251 prioritization reports 342 prioritize network traffic NBX step 337 servers step 339 prioritized servers 339 Prioritizing Network Traffic 327 prioritizing network traffic application field values 341 applications 340 classification 328 configuration levels 359 dropping 333 NBX step 337 NBX voice 345 queuing 331 reports 342 resource warnings 361 restricting access to SNMP 352 SAP server 346 service levels 333 wizard 335 product activation 33 properties dialog general 309 properties dialog box 177 applying changes to devices 197 cloud 191 device group 190 end station 187 launching 178 link 192 link to a subnet 194 multiple selection 195 node 183 phone 188 structure 179 supported device 185 tabs 180 tabs for a node 183 tabs for a port 184 tabs for an aggregated link 184 tabs for an IfIndex 184 unsupported device 186 WAN link 194

proxy port 391 proxy server 390, 391, 406 proxy settings custom 388

Q queuing prioritizing network traffic 331

R recurring event handling 237 recurring severity 236 redirection web cache 420 rediscovery 70 refreshing the events list 249 registering 3Com devices for warranty 312, 322 registering as SNMP trap destination 227 release notes 397 report changes 92 discovery 90 live update activity 401 misconfigurations and optimizations 91, 419 topology 91, 292 report dialog box 293 Report Examples 415 Report System 289 report wizard add/edit 298 reporting device warranty 320 reports capacity 292 custom 291 disk usage 305 export to CSV 291 feature reports 290 history 291 information out-of-date 305 inventory 292 prioritizing network traffic 342 selection-sensitivity 290 resolved filter 255 resource warnings prioritizing network traffic 361

S SAP server

prioritizing network traffic 346 saved maps files associated with 175 search within the search results 147 search results searching within 147 selecting items map and tree 133 server farm 282 servers blocking 339, 363 cannot be selected 364 prioritized 339 servers step prioritize network traffic 339 service pack 388 service polling 216 setting thresholds for monitor-based events 262 severities event 235 severity colors 236 critical 236 high 235 information 235 recurring 236 severity filter 255 shortcut symbols 139 sizing device 62 SNMP hazards of blocking 366 restricting access to 352 trap-based events 234 SNMP MIB data retrieval 215 SNMP trap destination registering as 227 SNMP trap filtering 238 SNMP trap receipt 216 software additional required 413 Spanning Tree 64 protocol support 118 spanning tree fast start 419 starting and stopping monitoring 225 status live update 394 submaps 110 subnet 178 subnets 110 icons 121

menu 122 undiscovered 122 Supported Devices 431, 435, 439 symbols shortcut 139 system requirements 413 operating system 413

T table of available updates live update 395 telephony solution icons 114 telnet hazards of blocking 366 Telnet management 322 text displayed in graphs 229 third party devices 97 threshold settings dialog box launching 263 thresholds high and warning thresholds 263 setting for monitor-based events 262 toolbar buttons 41 events list 242 live graphs 222 zoom buttons 136 topology 40 determining 58, 63 report 292 uncertain 120 unknown 66 topology report 91 trace path 141 filtered view 143 wizard 144 traffic prioritization configuring the network for end-to-end Traffic 334 translation MAC Addresses 130 trap filtering 238 tree 108 device 181 navigation 141 selecting items 133 working with 105 troubleshooting NBX call processor 380

U undeleting an event 279 undiscovered subnet 74 undiscovered subnets 122 ungrouped network view 112 unit device tree 182 unknown topology 66 unvalidated links 116 username 391, 393 username/password NBX call processor 381

V viewing the unresolved events for a subnet 277

W web browser 413 web cache redirection 420 web management 307, 322 wildcards 146 window main 39 wizard add/edit report 298 device warranty 313 live update 389 network discovery 73 prioritizing network traffic 335 trace path 144 Working with Events 233 working with events 246 working with the map 105 examples 161

X XRN fabric 419

Z zoom 135 buttons 136

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The Software, Documentation and any other technical data provided hereunder is commercial in nature and developed solely at private expense. The Software is delivered as "Commercial Computer Software" as defined in DFARS 252.227-7014 (June 1995) or as a commercial item as defined in FAR 2.101(a) and as such is provided with only such rights as are provided in this Agreement, which is 3Com's standard commercial license for the Software. Technical data is provided with limited rights only as provided in DFAR 252.227-7015 (Nov. 1995) or FAR 52.227-14 (June 1987), whichever is applicable.

TERM AND TERMINATION

The licenses granted hereunder are perpetual unless terminated earlier as specified below. You may terminate the licenses and this Agreement at any time by destroying the Software and Documentation together with all copies and merged portions in any form. The licenses and this Agreement will also terminate immediately if you fail to comply with any term or condition of this Agreement. Upon such termination you agree to destroy the Software and Documentation, together with all copies and merged portions in any form.

LIMITED WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

All warranties and limitations of liability applicable to the Software are as stated on the Limited Warranty Card or in the product manual, whether in paper or electronic form, accompanying the Software. Such warranties and limitations of liability are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference.

GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, U.S.A. excluding its conflicts of laws principles and excluding the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.

SEVERABILITY

In the event any provision of this Agreement is found to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired and a valid, legal and enforceable provision of similar intent and economic impact shall be substituted therefor.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement sets forth the entire understanding and agreement between you and 3Com and supersedes all prior agreements, whether written or oral, with respect to the Software and Documentation, and may be amended only in a writing signed by both parties. Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement or if you desire to contact 3Com for any reason, please contact the 3Com subsidiary serving your country, or write: 3Com Corporation, Customer Support Information, 350 Campus Drive, Marlborough, MA 01752-3064 3Com Corporation 350 Campus Drive, Marlborough, MA 01752-3064

3Com Baseline Switch 2226 Plus DATA SHEET

Key Benefits Overview

The “smart” 3Com® Baseline Switch 2226 Plus is the latest member in the family of premium value Baseline Plus switches that deliver enterprise-class solutions, customized and priced for small and mid-sized organizations.

• Enterprise-class, cost-optimized “smart” switch for Small-to-Midsized businesses • 24 10/100 ports with 2 dual purpose Gigabit uplinks • Web-based configuration for ease of-use in set up and installation • Wire-speed, non-blocking performance in a 1-RU form factor • Rack-mount or desktop operation

The 3Com Baseline Switch 2226 Plus provides twenty-four 10/100 ports and two dual-purpose Gigabit ports to connect to high-performance computers, high demand servers, or core network backbones, either using the built-in copper Gigabit uplink ports or the SFP based slots for Gigabit fiber connections. With a low entry cost, the 3Com Baseline Switch 2226 Plus offers advanced administration through a userfriendly browser interface so that even network novices can easily configure and administer the network. VLAN support allows greater scalability and support for business-critical applications such as customer relation management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM) and video conferencing. Ports can be trunked, or aggregated, to create an ultra-high bandwidth pipe to the network core. Ethernet Switching

The 3Com Baseline Switch 2226 Plus is a non-blocking Layer 2 switch—all ports switch at wire speed—which helps to eliminate network traffic bottlenecks. Once more, Link aggregation via IEEE802.3ad allows administrators to group any number of copper or fiber ports together to form an ultra-high bandwidth pipe that greatly expands bandwidth capacity to the network backbone. The switch also supports VLANs, which segment the network by grouping users based on data or traffic exchange requirements. These switching features ensure optimal use of available bandwidth as traffic flow is directed according to the needs of the business.

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE A BETTER NETWORK

Intuitive web browser-based user interface

The 3Com Baseline Switch 2226 Plus provides an easy-to-use web-based interface that allows even novice users to quickly and confidently configure the switch during initial setup or normal operation. The web interface makes it easy to configure individual port speeds and duplex configuration, VLANs, Link aggregation, and traffic prioritization, as well as keep an eye on network traffic and statistics. These capabilities make the switch an exceptional value. An enterprise-class solution for Smallto-Mid-sized businesses

The 3Com Baseline Switch 2226 Plus is operational straight out of the box; as long as basic settings are acceptable, there is no need to configure the switch. For networks that require more control, the user-friendly web based interface provides easy-to-use tools to design your network for optimal use. All 3Com networking products go through vigorous testing to ensure top reliability. A proven reputation for quality is backed by an industry-leading support package with a Limited Lifetime Hardware Warranty and Worldwide Next Business Day Advance Hardware Replacement. Service

3Com products are backed by 3Com Global Services and authorized partners with demonstrated expertise in network assessment, implementation, and maintenance. Ask about which 3Com Network Health Check, installation services, and maintenance service packages are available in your area.

3COM 速 BASELINE SWITCH 2226 PLUS DATA SHEET

Product Benefits FEATURES

BENEFITS

Outstanding value

Take advantage of flexible, configurable and powerful switching that costs not much more than an unmanaged switch.

Flexible Gigabit uplinks

Choose to daisychain multiple units together via the built-in copper Gigabit uplink ports or connect to a network backbone via SFP-based fiber modules.

Browser-based user interface for switch configuration and administration

Extremely easy-to-use user interface allows even the most novice users to configure the switch during initial setup or normal operation.

VLANs

Segment the network by grouping users based on their data or traffic exchange requirements. This ensures optimal use of available bandwidth as traffic flow is directed according to the needs of the business.

Link aggregation (trunking)

Group together any number of copper or fiber ports to form an ultra-high bandwidth pipe connecting the switch to a network backbone and prevent any traffic bottlenecks. The switch supports up to four trunks and up to eight ports per trunk.

Traffic monitoring (port mirroring)

Administrators can examine suspect data streams received on any port by mirroring the data stream to a monitoring port.

Limited Lifetime Warranty and Advanced Hardware Replacement

Offerring complete peace of mind.

Typical Installation

line us Base FP Pl 3Com h 2816-S c Swit 485) 6 (3C1

line Base lus 3Com h 2226 P c t i ) S Sw B 6 475 (3C1

line Base lus 3Com h 2226 P c t i ) Sw BS 6 475 (3C1

PC PC

Gigabit copper or Fiber links 10/100 copper

line Base lus 3Com h 2226 P c t i ) Sw BS 6 475 (3C1

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE A BETTER NETWORK

3COM ® BASELINE SWITCH 2226 PLUS DATA SHEET

3Com Baseline Switch 2226 Plus Front Panel

Baseline Switch 2226 Plus

All ports are Auto MDI/MDI-X 1

Ports 25 & 26 = 10/100/1000 or Module

Link/Activity : Green - 100M, Yellow - 10M or 100M Duplex : Yellow = Full, Green = Module Active

10/100 Status 10

Link/Activity

Duplex

Link/Activity

Link/Activity : Green - 100M, Yellow - 10M, Flash - Activity, Duplex : On - Full, Off - Half

10/100 Stat

Duplex : Yellow = Full, Green = 26

10/100 ports

Power

3C16475BS

Dual purpose Gigabit uplinks

7 7

Port Link/Traffic LEDs

Link/Activity : Green - 100M, Yellow Duplex : On - Full, O

Product Features Description

PERFORMANCE Switching Capacity

8.8 Gbps

Forwarding Rate

6.6 Mpps

Forwarding Method

Store and Forward

LAYER 2 SWITCHING MAC Addresses

4,000 MAC addresses

VLAN

64 VLAN’s (IEEE802.1Q)

Link Aggregation

Manual as per IEEE802.3ad

Auto Negotiation

Auto-negotiation and Automatic MDI/MDIX on all ports

Traffic Control

IEEE802.3x full-duplex flow control

CONVERGENCE Priority Queuing

Four hardware queues per port Weighted round-robin queuing

MANAGEMENT Device Management

Web-based configuration for: • Port, speed, duplex configuration • VLANs • Link Aggregation • Traffic Monitoring

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE A BETTER NETWORK

3COM ® BASELINE SWITCH 2226 PLUS DATA SHEET

Specifications

LED Indicators

Standards Conformance

Module active, Power, Link status/Speed/active

ISO 8802-3 IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) IEEE 802.3u (Fast Ethernet) IEEE 802.1d (Bridging) IEEE 802.1Q (VLANs) IEEE 802.3ab (Gigabit Ethernet) IEEE 802.1p (Traffic Prioritization)

Power Requirements

Power Inlet: IEC 320 AC line Frequency: 50/60 Hz Operating Input voltage: 100-240 VAC Current Rating: 1 Amp (maximum) Maximum Power Consumption: 20 Watts Maximum Power Dissipation: 82 BTU Physical Specifications Dimensions

Height: 43.6 mm (1.7 in) or 1U Width: 440 mm (17.3 in) Depth: 173 mm (6.8 in) Weight: 1.7 Kg (3.8 lb) Environmental Specifications

Operating Temperature: 0° to 45°C (32° to 113°F) Operating Humidity: 10 to 95% (non-condensing) Standard: EN 60068 (IEC 68) Regulatory/Agency Approvals

Safety: UL60950-1, EN 60950-1, CSA 22.2 60950-1, IEC 60950-1 Emissions: EN 55022 Class A, FCC Part 15 Subpart B Class A, ICES-003 Class A, VCCI Class A, AS/NZS 3548 Class A, Environmental: EN 60068 (IEC 68) Immunity: EN 55024

Ordering Information

Package Contents

One power cord One switch unit Four self-adhesive, rubber pads One rack-mount kit One user guide One installation CD Warranty flyer Warranty

Limited Lifetime Hardware Replacement Other Service Benefits: Advance hardware replacement with same day shipment for North America and Western Europe. Next day shipment for rest of world. Calls must be received by published cut-off times. 90 days of telephone technical support. Limited software updates. See www.3com.com/warranty for more detail. Register products at http://eSupport.3com.com/

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 3Com® Baseline Switch 2226 Plus

3COM SKU 3C16475BS

Product Options 3Com® 1000BASE-SX SFP Transceiver

3CSFP91

3Com® 1000BASE-LX SFP Transceiver

3CSFP92

3Com Corporation, Corporate Headquarters, 350 Campus Drive, Marlborough, MA 01752-3064 To learn more about 3Com solutions, visit www.3com.com. 3Com is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol COMS.

Copyright © 2005 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. 3Com and the 3Com logo are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. Exercise Choice is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies. While every effort is made to ensure the information given is accurate, 3Com does not accept liability for any errors or mistakes which may arise. Specifications and other information in this document may be subject to change without notice. 400912-001 05/05

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How it Works: Complete the 3Learning courses and pass the tests associated with each course. Then submit your claims to the 3Rewards program to earn 3Reward Dollars on your 3Rewards Visa Card. It's that simple.

How to Get Started: • Complete 3Learning trainings • Pass 3Learning training tests • Submit a 3Com Rewards registration form • Submit your claim information by clicking "Enter a 3Learning claim" Provide a print screen of your 3Com transcript showing your passed the 3Learning tests

3Learning Trainings: Complete the 3Learning Trainings and Pass the associated tests to gain the knowledge to succeed and earn 3Rewards! • 3Learning LAN Training • 3Learning Voice Training • 3Learning Wireless Training • 3Learning Switch 3870 Training 3Com reserves the right to change or discontinue 3Learning Program rules, terms and conditions, and benefits without any notice. In its sole discretion, 3Com may refuse to grant rewards to and may withdraw 3Rewards eligibility from any participant found to be in violation of these rules. Any and all tax liabilities resulting from participation in the 3Com 3Learning or 3Rewards Program are the sole responsibility of the participant. Participants may only create one user profile. 3Com reserves the right to inactivate multiple profiles for the same user.

Copyright © 2004 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. 3Com and the 3Com logo. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective companies. While every effort is made to ensure the information given is accurate, 3Com does not accept liability for any errors or mistakes which may arise. Specifications and other information in this document may be subject to 3Learning Pgm_flyer 09/04 change without notice.