Leveraging Vendor Websites: Bringing Websites Into Management Solutions

Leveraging Vendor Websites: Bringing Websites Into Management Solutions Jim Metzler jim@metzlergroup.com 617.969.8286 www.metzlergroup.com

Agenda • Background • Vendors • Summary and Recommendations

Web-Based Network Management • The Web: A world-wide, hyper-linked base of information • Web Based Management Leverages • the investment in internet-based technologies and standards • the universality, openness, extensibility, and pervasive features of Internet technologies

Web-Based Network Management • Web based access to access to managed devices • Management reports available over the Web • Development of web-based applications • Simple integration of network management applications— switch from function to function • Data integration among multiple management applications

Network Management Initiatives • Java Management API Initiative (JMAPI) • Standard set of libraries, Java widgets, and User Interface specifications • Simplify development efforts • Web-Based Enterprise Management Initiative (WBEM) • Goal: develop a data description/schema to allow data to be accessed regardless of the original source of the data

Network Management Initiatives • Security • Secure Socket Layer (SSL) currently provides a secure channel between clients and servers • Push Technologies (e.g., Netscape’s NetCaster) • Allow applications to deliver updates of new or changed event information without human intervention • Directory Services (e.g., LDAP) • Automate the decision of who has access to resources

Vendors • NextPoint • Concord Communications • 3Com • Bay Networks • Cisco

Web Strategy: NextPoint Networks • Goal #1: leverage NextPoint web site to provide world-class services to NextPoint customers • Benefit: enhanced customer satisfaction with NextPoint • Goal #2: architect the Web-based NextPoint S3 product suite to integrate with vendor Web-sites • Benefit: enhanced customer productivity

Provide World-Class Services • Customer Training: on-line interactive tutorial • Tech Support: link from NextPoint S3 browser interface into Tech Support pages on the Web site • Search for Tech Tips • Browse Software Release Notices • Download Patches/Updates • Use push technology to receive product bulletins automatically

Link to Vendor Web Sites Within NextPoint S3 • Hyperlink from device icon on NextPoint S3 topology map to equipment vendor’s Tech Support pages • Hyperlink from device icon to vendor’s Web-based device configuration screens (I.e., HTML pages are embedded on device)

Web-Based Network Management • Requirements: • Continuous visibility of critical resources • Automatic information distribution— no operator required • Summarize across resources • Advantages: • Information-based management • Scale information across business units/customers • Scale information from operations personnel to CEO

Web-Based Network Management Router Hub Router Router Boston Router London Chicago Reallocation Rerouting Upgrade Downgrade Load balancing Contingency planning Performance & Utilization Information Planning Process Information-based Changes End UserImpact Bandwidth Allocation Business Requirements

3Com’s Web-Based Management Strategy • Add full-functionality proxy web capabilities to Transcend Enterprise Manager and other Transcend applications • Today’s capabilities and more from the web— not just read-only but also write/set/config • Web-accessible documentation and reporting • Embed web servers in devices and probes • A better, more friendly solution than Telnet • Web-based reporting • in Transcend Enterprise Enterprise and other Transcend applications

3Com’s Web-Based Management Experience • First major vendor to lay-out comprehensive strategy • Networld-Interop Fall 1996 • First major vendor with shipping Web-based applications • First major vendor with widely deployed embedded agent solutions • Solutions for stackable devices, Summer 1997 • Embedded Web being added to all new generation devices • Leading vendor in adding Web to element and network management solutions

Priorities Moving Forward • To maintain the momentum along two fronts: • comprehensive embedded solutions for new devices • comprehensive proxy solutions for new management applications • To provide: • monitoring and configuration • Web-based reporting • comprehensive, interactive help systems • ties to 3Com resources via Internet

Constraints in Embedded Web Development • Memory… Memory… Memory • A big issue with today’s low-end volume devices • Any cost is an issue, even memory • Memory budget for embedded Web can be 128KB • Java is inefficient— HTML is much “leaner” • Fluidity of the Java Language • Shift from JDK 1.02 to JDK 1.1 is disruptive • Browser compatibility has been an issue: • Patches are required for Netscape operation [may be resolved by conference] • What works with one release doesn’t work with the next • “Telnet-equivalence” means embedded solution must be reliable with old and new browsers

3Com’s Innovative CoreBuilder 3500 Web-Based Interface • Common GUI across Layer 3 Switches • full capabilities, superset of telnet and SNMP • configuration wizards for key, complex functions • bulk operations against multiple interfaces • Context sensitive, multi-media help system • separately stored help files deployed on network-attached server • instant help on all dialogs plus general help • video clips on various functions (VLAN management, routing, Quality of Service)

Interactive Links to 3Com WWW Site • Applications and embedded solutions today have links to key 3Com WWW sites • Management agent upgrades and patches distributed via the Web • Solutions in progress to automate information push of key network management details • upgrade notification and distribution • application issues and resolution • direct, automated sharing of HQ expertise with end-users

Optivity Application-Optimized Network Management Switching IP Optimized Networks IP Services Access Management Adaptive Networking

Building From a Position of Strength! • Network Management Leadership • #1 in high-end element management in revenue • #1 in low-end network element management revenue and units shipped • #1 in embedded RMON device instrumentation Source: IDC 1997

Web-Based Network Management • Web-based Network Management • Embedded Web: Configuration, monitor, fault • “Out of the box” manageability • Network-System Management • Universal Web access to all Optivity applications • Web-based network performance monitoring RMON 2 • “Hot links” to critical resources, WEB site and professional and support services • Single GUI for multi-device, multi-vendor management • Discovery, topology, traffic monitoring and configuration • Service Level Management • Web interface to top-down service level management

Evolving Network Element Management • Simplification Through “Webification” • Device: Embedded HTTP servers • Reporting, monitoring and configuration • Deliver instant NM “Out of Box Manageability ” • Network: Web-based reporting, monitoring and configuration • HTTP, HTML, JAVA • “Hot links” to critical resources • Service and support, “best practices” • Web-based RMON2 monitoring • Interface for RMON2 probes • Embedded HTTP in probes for JAVA-based remote LAN monitoring

Web-Based Configuration Management • Web-based GUI Interface for Configuration of Multiple Devices types and Vendors • Web-based GUI delivers intuitive front-end to cryptic configuration tools • Multi-vendor, multi-device for “real world” networking environments • Wizards, dialog boxes, help, etc. • Cookie-cutter approach to rapid configuration delivery

Web-Based Performance & Traffic Management • Web-based report setup and generation offers universal access to information • Access from virtually any station, anytime, anywhere • “Physical” reports: media- specific information • ET, FDDI, FR, TR • “Logical” reports: network and application layer reports • Traffice statistics, TopN reports • “General” reports: statistics for any media • utilization, network availability

Delivering Application-Optimized Network Management • Evolve “best of breed” element management to “best of breed” network-system management • Link application service levels to the underlying network- system • Drive the simplification of network-system and service management Simplify Service Level Management Web-based NetworkSystemMgmt.

External Information Playing an Increasing Strategic Role • Intelligently bringing Cisco’s vast CCO information resource actively into the management process • Automated exchange of TAC case data drawn from inventory, CCO login, and management application to automatically harvest user, device and problem info to pre-populate trouble ticket and allow on-line follow-up • CCO links to inventory and Service contract information, allows customer to inventory / reconcile which products have currant service contracts on them

External Information Playing an Increasing Strategic Role • Context aware searching for new image software on CCO, allow quick identification of what’s new, and how it applies to device in your network • Context aware searching for known software defects affecting device in your network • CCO linked periodically updated tips and hints window

Understand the Impact of Upgrades • IOS upgrade analysis linked to CCO for accurate planning of network upgrades • Inventory information linked to CCO bug reports for determining which devices pose what error risk to the network • User selected discovery of all known bug listed on CCO for particular configuration a device(s). Search can be focused on a date range or severity • Defect reports assessable by date, device, image type, or severity • Proactive network image audit detailing image bug status and deferrals • Hardware and software upgrade prerequisite requirements are linked in from CCO to determine ability of device to accept new image

Improved Upgrade Planning NEW! • Run analysis of image based on CCO filtering criteria or known image • Generate Upgrade Analysis Report detailing hardware upgrades required before download

Dynamic Reporting of Y2K Status • Inventory information is automatically checked against Cisco’s on-line database of IOS and Catalyst software year 2000 certification listings to determine your network’s level of year 2000 compliance • Lists network by device • List software running and first certified version • Can drill down directly to specific device

Summary & Recommendations • Some vendors are making significant strides in leveraging their Web sites to facilitate Network Management. • Some are not. • Explore how your primary vendors leverage their Web sites • Encourage the laggards to do more

Leveraging Vendor Websites: Bringing Websites Into Management Solutions