Using the Console

The Cisco netManager console is the primary interface to the configuration and management of the application and the database that drives it. This chapter describes the different parts of the console, how to navigate the interface, and what you need to know to get started using it.

To access the console, select Start > Programs > Cisco netManager1.0 > Cisco netManager 1.0 Discovery.

Console Overview

The following is a breakdown of the main features found on the Cisco netManager console.

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The Cisco netManager Toolbar. The icons on this toolbar change according to the view you are currently using. Additional toolbar icons can be enabled for the Map view by selecting View > Toolbars.

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Device Group Tree. This is a list of all device groups created through Cisco netManager. When you perform a discovery scan, Cisco netManager creates a top level folder for that scan. All discovered subnetworks are created in subgroups, but can be organized, deleted, or renamed to fit your needs.

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View pane. This pane displays the selected device group based on the view from the tabs below (Device View or Map View).

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Device Types Groups. Click the Basic or Advanced tab to view the device types contained in the group selection. These types can be dragged into the view pane to create a new device based on the selected device type.

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View selectors. Choose the way you want to view your device groups. Each of these views are explained in detail later in this chapter.

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Device View. This view provides an overview of each device and subgroup in a selected device group.

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Map View. This view shows a graphical representation of the devices and subgroups in a selected device group.

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Database Size Indicator Icon. This icon shows the current size of your database. The color and shape changes according the database size thresholds:

About the Device View

With a similar look and feel to Windows Explorer, Cisco netManager's Device View gives you another option to help you keep your complex network organized and performing properly. In this view, devices are organized by device group, and appear in the list in alphabetical order based on the name of the folder or the display name of the device.

Each device's icon provides information about its device state and the state of the monitors associated to that device. In addition, the Status column indicates which specific monitor is down and the duration of the interruption.

When the entry in the Device list is a group folder, the Status column shows the number of devices in the group with a breakdown of how many devices are in each device state.

About Device Icons

The following icons appear in the Device View when viewing the contents of a device group.


Icon	Description
	(Green) All monitors on the device are considered up.
	(Red) Device is considered down, because one or more monitors are down. The green square shows that at least one monitor is responding.
	Device entry appears in another device group. At least one monitor on the device is unresponsive, but at least one is considered up.
	(Orange) Device is currently in maintenance mode.
	Device group contains at least one device that is considered down.
	Device group is empty, or devices have not been polled due to a dependency on another device.
	A bold device name shows that the device has undergone a state change, and that state change has not been acknowledged. For more information about acknowledgements.

Organizing Devices and Device Groups

In the Device View, you can quickly and easily organize your devices and device groups by dragging the device you want in a particular group to the device group folder. After you `drop' the icon or icons, a menu appears, asking if you want to move or copy the devices. If you move the devices, they are deleted from the previous device group. If you copy the devices, the devices appear in both device groups.

Note Devices that are shared between two or more groups share common device properties. Therefore, you only have to change the settings on one device entry instead of remembering where each device is stored. This also means that each device is only polled once, no matter how many times it appears in your device group tree.

About the Map View

Through the Map View of Cisco netManager, you can create graphical representations of your network, organized by any means that suits your needs. Devices can be placed on as many maps as needed, without the devices being polled multiple times. In short, there is an enormous amount of flexibility in the way you can use the Map View feature.

The map above was created after an SNMP Device Discovery Scan. It shows the relationship between the different subnetworks that are connected to each other via the network structures depicted here.

Organizing Device Layout and Views

The Cisco netManager Map View has a number of options you can use to organize your view of devices. Arrange options are available from the Arrange menu on the main menu bar and right-click menu. Display options are available from the View menu on the main menu bar and the toolbar.

Try the different functions on the Arrange menu until you are satisfied with the device layout. Be aware that there is no undo option for the arrange tool.

To clean up a map after completing Discovery, try the following display options:

Step 2

Right-click in the Map View, then select Display > Clip Device Names. This removes the domain part of the device name and shows only the host name.

Step 3

Select all devices in the view by clicking and dragging a selection box around all devices. Then, from the Arrange menu, select Distribute > Device Icons in Rows.

If you have a large set of devices or want to represent a topology specific to your network, you can also use the graphics annotations (such as lines, text, circles) and attached lines to create custom map views.

You can select object(s) in the map, right-click and select Lock Position from the menu. Lock Position keeps an object from moving as you move other items around, or when adding devices to the map. If you want an object to be able to change positions on the map, remove the Lock Position selection. It is very useful to lock images you may place in the background, or text you want to protect.

Adding Annotations to a Map

Annotations are graphical objects that let you customize a map view. You can add text, shapes, lines, and graphics to visually organize a set of devices.

Step 1

In the Map View toolbar, click an Annotation (Draw) icon to make it the active tool.

Step 2

Drag the cursor onto a map to create a line, rectangle, circle, polygon, text, file image, or network cloud.

To change Annotation (Draw) tool properties, such as border width and color, select the annotation, then click Properties from the right-mouse menu.

Using Link Lines

In Map View, you can use Link lines to get a graphical view of the network link (the Interface service) between two devices. Link lines can also show the status of any service which has an Active Monitor on the device.

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Router 1 shows a connecting link (see Connecting Links, page 12-5) to device RRA and this link is currently up. Also shown are eight unconnected links (see About Unconnected Links, page 12-5), all of which represent interfaces on the router. One of the unconnected links is disabled.

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JMA is a workstation that shows two unconnected links that are currently up. These are Ping and FTP monitors, found under Device Properties > Active Monitors.

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RRA is an FTP Server that is currently down and shows five unconnected links, two of which are down.

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Green indicates a service (such as, but not limited to, Interface) that is up. This includes services that have not yet been polled.

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Gray indicates a service listed in the devices' Active Monitors list, but not currently monitored.

Creating Connected Link Lines

Step 1

Manually, in the Map View select a device, then right-click the Link > Link to option on the context menu. (Click Link > Disconnect link to remove the link between devices)

Select a monitor for which you want to display a link line, then click OK. The link line cursor appears.

Step 2

Automatically, during device discovery when using SNMP SmartScan (Click File > Discover Devices > SNMP SmartScan)

Step 3

Automatically, when you right-click a device, then click Properties > Active Monitors > Discover.

Note

When you use one of the automatic discover options, particularly when discovering interfaces on a router or switch, you need to enter the SNMP community string in the appropriate scan dialog. This lets the scan identify all the interfaces on the device.
If scanning a specific device (from the Device Properties > Active Monitors dialog), with the device selected, right-click Properties, then select Credentials. In the SNMP v1/v2/v3 credentials box, select the Public Read Community. Click Active Monitors, then click Discover.
When creating links manually, you are always creating a connected link. If there was an unconnected link for the service, it will be replaced by the connected link.
Both connect and disconnect skips the dialog if there is only one active monitor on the device because it assumes you meant that monitor.

Using Attached Lines

Attached lines show an arbitrary connection between devices and move with the device. These are visual representations assigned by the user, and not a reflection of a true connection between the two devices. The true connection between the two devices is done with Link lines.

Step 3

Click the device icon you want to attach to. Cisco netManager draws an attached line between the two devices.

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