CiscoWorks Windows is a suite of integrated PC-based network configuration and diagnostic tools for small to medium-sized networks or remote workgroups.
This chapter contains the following sections on CiscoWorks Windows applications and features:
The CiscoWorks Windows Show Commands and Health Monitor applications can only run under HP OpenView or CastleRock SNMPc. Configuration Builder and CiscoView can run as standalone applications or within the HP OpenView or SNMPc platforms.
Note For detailed information on all CiscoWorks Windows applications, see the context-sensitive online help system. This comprehensive online help system provides procedures, overview material, and links to related information.
With Configuration Builder, you can create configuration files for multiple Cisco routers, access servers, hubs and devices without having to remember complicated command-line syntax for the devices. Using Configuration Builder, you can configure Cisco devices with the most common Cisco IOS features. See Tables 2-2 through 2-6 for a brief overview of supported Cisco IOS features.
Note Advanced features or features added in Cisco IOS releases later than those listed in the online help or "Supported Cisco Internetworking Operating System Versions and Devices" section of the Cisco Connection Documentation, are supported through the Configuration Builder Add Commands window—see the online help system for more details.
Configuration Builder provides the following special features:
Multiple device configuration windows
You can configure multiple devices simultaneously for remote source-route bridging and Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC) Transport. For example, when you configure a new router into an existing remote source-route bridging (SRB) virtual ring group, configuration files of all devices in the same virtual ring group are automatically updated.
Configuration snap-ins
You can quickly import predefined priority queuing lists, Internet Protocol (IP) or Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX) access lists, IPX Service Advertisement Protocol (SAP) filters, and AppleTalk filters into multiple configuration files. This ensures consistency among devices that share common configuration parameters.
Duplicate address and configuration checking
You can check for duplicate IP, IPX, and AppleTalk addresses in all open configuration files. You can also check for valid entries for common configuration parameters such as addresses, costs for DECnet and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), and AppleTalk cable ranges.
Guided configuration
You can automatically move through the sequence of dialog boxes that need to be filled out to create a configuration file. To do so, complete the initial configuration dialog box and then do one of the following after you complete each configuration dialog box:
Press the F2 key.
Select the Guided Configuration icon from the toolbar in the main window.
Select the Guided Configuration command from the Global menu.
Learn hardware capability
You can detect the model, software version and image type, and the number and type of installed interfaces on the router you are configuring. You can also learn the number of lines on an access server, and whether or not a hub is connected to a device. This information is automatically placed in the configuration file.
Remote configuration capability
You can configure remote devices if the PC is running a TCP/IP stack that is WINSOCK-compliant and has access via TCP/IP to the router you are configuring. The router must have the following minimum configuration:
IP routing enabled
An IP address assigned to an interface
Enable and virtual terminal passwords
Configure access servers
You can perform the following configuration tasks for Cisco hubs and access servers:
Grouping and ungrouping lines
Using expert mode to quickly configure related features
Configuring chat scripts
Using list boxes to quickly select device features and modem communication parameters
Configuring lines for IP, IPX, or AppleTalk Remote Access (ARA) protocols to allow flexibility for remote users to log in
Configuring terminal services
Setting up security
Configuring dial-on-demand routing (DDR) to include asynchronous or synchronous serial lines and assigning them to a rotary group
Configuring protocol translation to enable connections between hosts and resources running different protocols
Note For detailed information on all Configuration Builder features, see the context-sensitive online help system. This comprehensive online help system provides procedures, overview material, and links to related information.
Configuration Builder generates and stores the following files in the \data directory:
*.cdf
configuration files (binary)
*.cfg
configuration files (text)
*.cbk
configuration backup files
snmphost.chl
SNMP host names file
zones.apt
AppleTalk zones file
Configuration Builder generates and stores the following files in the \data\snapin directory:
*.aal
AppleTalk access lists
*.ial
IP access lists
*.nal
IPX access lists
*.nsl
IPX SAP filter lists
*.pql
Priority queuing lists
The \data\srb directory contains files with the extension *.srb. These files define remote source-route bridging (SRB) groups.
The \data\sdlc directory contains files with the extension *.s. These files define SDLC tunnel groups.
Note If you create additional Configuration Builder icons through the Windows Program Manager, be sure to include the directory name in which you installed Configuration Builder 2.0 and the ciscocb.exe command. The working directory must specify the \data subdirectory.
The Configuration Builder main window is illustrated in Figure 2-1. The number and types of network icons displayed in the main window will vary according to your network configuration.
The Configuration Builder main window consists of the following elements:
Title bar—Displays the application name and the name of the currently active router configuration. The active configuration name includes the router host name, followed by the file name in brackets. In Figure 2-1, the host name is Mt View, and the file name is MTVIEW.CDF.
Menu bar—Provides access to all Configuration Builder dialog boxes. Table 2-1 through Table 2-9 list and explain the options under each menu.
Toolbar—Provides the Guided Configuration icon in addition to the standard Create File, Open File, Save File, Print File, and Help icons. You can use the Guided Configuration icon or the F2 key to activate the guided configuration.
Protocol list box—Used to select a routing protocol with configuration windows. The configuration window indicates whether interfaces are enabled for the specified routing protocol. In Figure 2-1, IP is the selected protocol. With this selected, you can double-click on any interface icon to open the IP Routing Configuration window.
Configuration windows—Appear within the main window and indicate the router model, Cisco software version and image type, and interface status information.
Configuration file icons—Display for any open configuration window that is iconized. In Figure 2-1, the London and Paris configurations are iconized.
Status bar—Provides a brief description of the currently selected menu item.
Save a configuration file as a text file so it can be edited with a word processor or stored on a network server.
Delete
Delete a configuration file.
Communication Timeouts
Specify the timeouts to be used for data transfer from the Configuration Builder to the router.
Send
Send a configuration file to a local or remote router.
Print
Print a configuration file.
Print Setup
Set up printer parameters.
Exit
Exit Configuration Builder.
Table 2-2: Configuration Builder Global Menu Items
Item
Explanation
Guided Configuration
Step through the guided configuration.
Basic
Set basic system parameters, including host names, passwords, and banner.
SNMP
Specify SNMP parameters for network management data, set community strings, and restrict SNMP access to the device.
Priority Queuing
Create new priority output queuing lists or import snap-in lists.
Modify Interfaces
Add or delete device interfaces and specify device type, software version, and image type. Specify device interfaces and lines. Change the sequence of the guided configuration.
Add Commands
Configure advanced features and features added in later Cisco IOS releases.
Hub
Enable hub configuration features.
Table 2-3: Configuration Builder Routing Menu Options
Item
Explanation
IP: Configuration Routing Protocols
Access Lists
Configure primary and secondary IP addresses. Configure Routing Information Protocol (RIP), Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP), and/or OSPF. Create new access lists or import snap-in lists.
AppleTalk: Configuration Distribute-Out Filters
Configure AppleTalk addresses, cable ranges, and zones. Create access lists for filtering AppleTalk packets.
IPX: Configuration Access Lists SAP Filters
Configure IPX addresses. Create new access lists or import snap-in lists. Create new SAP filters or import snap-in lists.
Table 2-4: Configuration Builder Access Server Menu Options
Item
Explanation
Line Characteristics: Chat Script Manager Line Configuration
Configure modem or login chat scripts. Configure line characteristics for TTY and auxiliary lines.
Remote Node: Extended BootP Manager
ARA Line Configuration
Configure an access server for BootP to allow Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) and Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) requests from clients. Configure AppleTalk Remote Access (ARA). Configure remote nodes for TTY and auxiliary lines.
Terminal Services: LAT Manager XRemote Manager Line Configuration
Configure Local Area Transport (LAT). Configure XRemote protocol. Configure terminal services for console, TTY, auxiliary, and virtual terminal lines.
Security: Local User Name Manager TACACS Manager
Line Configuration
Assign usernames and passwords. Configure login method, line passwords, Point-to-Point PPP authentication, and assign IP access lists. Configure security for console, TTY, auxiliary, and virtual terminal lines.
Dial-on-Demand: Dialer Rotary Group IP IPX
Configure the dialer rotary group. Configure DDR for IP. Configure DDR for IPX.
Protocol Translation
View configuration protocol translation features.
Table 2-5: Configuration Builder Bridging Menu Items
Item
Explanation
Transparent Bridging: Configuration Bridge Groups
Configure transparent bridging. Create bridge groups and set spanning-tree and circuit options.
Source-Route: Simple Remote
Configure simple SRB options. Configure remote SRB options. Remote source-route bridging provides multiple router configuration capability. That is, equivalent statements in the configuration files of devices in the same virtual ring are automatically updated.
Configure wide-area network (WAN) protocols, including High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC), PPP, X.25, Frame Relay, and Switched Multimegabit Data Service (SMDS).
Dial-on-Demand
Configure DDR destination subnet, subnet mask, telephone numbers, destination router IP address, and timers.
Dial Backup
Configure dial backup interfaces and delay options.
SDLC Transport
Configure devices for SDLC transport, a subset of serial tunneling (STUN). Provides multiple router configuration capability. That is, equivalent statements in the configuration files of other SDLC devices are automatically updated.
Table 2-7: Configuration Builder View Menu Items
Item
Explanation
By Protocol
Display configuration commands grouped by protocol type.
By Interface
Display configuration commands grouped by interface.
Configuration
Display the configuration as a text file.
Toolbar
Display or hide the toolbar.
Status Bar
Display or hide the status bar.
Expert Mode
Select expert mode to enable an additional path for configuring global access server features.
Table 2-8: Configuration Builder Window Menu Items
Item
Explanation
Cascade
Resize and layer windows so that each title bar is visible.
With Show Commands, you can quickly display detailed system and protocol information for routers without having to remember complicated command-line syntax for each device. Launch Show Commands by clicking on the Show icon in the CiscoView toolbar.
You can display the following system information for devices:
Software version
Device configuration (running memory and nonvolatile random-access memory [NVRAM])
Controller status
Buffer status
Device voltage and temperature status
Flash memory status
Note For detailed information on all Show Commands features, see the context-sensitive online help system. This comprehensive online help system provides procedures, overview material, and links to related information.
Health Monitor is a dynamic fault and performance management tool that provides real-time statistics on device characteristics, interface status and utilization, and protocol utilization. Launch Health Monitor by clicking on the Health Monitor icon in the CiscoView toolbar.
With Health Monitor, you can customize feedback on device and interface status with settings in the Preferences dialog box:
Choose fatal and warning thresholds for CPU load and interface types.
Fatal and warning indications are provided by color changes. Color indications include:
Green (up)
Yellow (warning)
Red (fatal)
Color indications are provided within the IfErrors, IfUtilization, IfStatus, and Environment tabs. For the overall health of a device, color indication is also provided within the Health Monitor application icon.
Select a polling frequency value to control when you receive device and interface feedback.
Set the no-response timeout value to control the duration of time that Health Monitor waits for a reply from a monitored device.
Health Monitor provides the following device and interface information:
System
Provides device name, type, Cisco IOS version, location, and device contact information. Lists total and available RAM, flash memory, and NVRAM. Also provides a reason for the last restart of the device.
Interface errors
Graphs interface error rates and provides color warning and fatal threshold indications for interface error rates.
Interface utilization
Graphs interface utilization and provides color warning and fatal threshold indications for interface utilization.
Interface status
Graphs the number of bytes per protocol that an interface has sent or received. Provides interface status by color indication: up (green), test (magenta), dormant or waiting for an external event (cyan), administratively down (brown), and operational failure (red).
Protocols
Graphs the number of packets per protocol that the device has forwarded.
CPU
Graphs the device CPU utilization in 5-second, 1-minute, and 5-minute intervals.
Environmental card status
Depicts air temperature and power supply voltage readings for a device. Provides color warning and fatal threshold indications for these readings.
Note For detailed information on all Health Monitor features, see the context-sensitive online help system. The comprehensive online help system provides procedures, overview material, and links to related information.
CiscoView provides a physical view of the back panel of a Cisco routers and switches. Some devices in CiscoView may also support a front panel device view. Real-time status is indicated through message feedback in the status bar area and through changes in port colors. See the section "CiscoView Main Window," later in this chapter, for more details.
You can select cards and ports and instantly obtain system information, device characteristics, interface statistics, configuration settings, and real-time operational statistics.
View of the device back panel providing the following information:
Device type and operational status
System information (Cisco IOS version and CPU utilization)
Card types, number, and status
Port types, number, and status
Ability to control and configure specific device information
Ability to reset ports
Launch points from selected CiscoView devices, interfaces, and ports to the main window of the following CiscoWorks Windows applications:
Show Commands
Health Monitor
Configuration Builder
Note For detailed information on all CiscoView features, see the context-sensitive online help system. The comprehensive online help system provides procedures, overview material, and links to related information.
The main window consists of the following elements:
Title bar—Provides the CiscoView application name and the name of the currently connected device.
Menu bar—Provides access to all CiscoView dialog boxes. Table 2-21 through Table 2-26 list and explain the items under each menu.
Note Menu items may vary slightly depending upon device type and interface/port configuration.
Toolbar—Provides icons for accessing the printer, viewing Help, telneting to the device, and launching Configuration Builder, Health Monitor, Show Commands, and other device-specific applications.
System information—Provides a brief description of the device type and the Cisco IOS version.
Device view—Provides a view of the device front or back panel (depending on the device capabilities).
Status bar—Provides a brief description of the currently selected device, interface, or port, and provides an ongoing operational status, including polling and error message information.
Legend—Provides port status as follows: dormant or waiting for an external event, such as having packets to transmit or dialing a remote site (cyan, or greenish blue), administratively down (brown), operational failure (red), minor alarm (yellow), testing (magenta), and up (green).
Popup menus—Launches Configuration Builder, Health Monitor, and Show Commands, and opens the main windows for these applications. To access the popup menus, press the right mouse button over a device, card, or port. You can launch Configuration Builder, Health Monitor, and Show Commands applications from the device back panel (or front panel, if there is one). You can launch Configuration Builder and Health Monitor from specified interface cards and their ports. You can launch Configuration Builder from auxiliary and console ports.
Depending on the device capabilities, several applications are available under an Admin menu.
Context-sensitive online help provides you with step-by-step instructions on how to use CiscoWorks Windows applications. The online help system also provides a glossary and keyword search capability.
Note Report any online help bugs to cs-ciscoworks@cisco.com or bug-doc@cisco.com.
Each dialog box has a Help button. Select the Help button to open a help window describing the purpose of the dialog box and the procedures to complete the tasks that are specific to the dialog box. Links to overview material and related information may also be available, depending on the dialog box information requirements.
Select a data-entry field in a Configuration Builder dialog box; then press the F1 key to open a context-sensitive help window with information about the selected field. The Health Monitor and Show Commands applications provide F1 key functionality for general dialog box or tab information only. In CiscoView, press the F1 key while the mouse pointer is positioned over a device to view information about that device type.
Each help window has a menu bar and a button bar. The menu bar provides standard Microsoft Windows help functions for printing help topics, copying and pasting text from help topics, making online notes about particular help topics, and placing bookmarks.
The button bar provides the following buttons:
Contents—Opens the current help table of contents. Help topics are highlighted and underlined. Select a help topic to open a help screen specific to the underlined topic. Some topics open popup windows that contain a list of subtopics. Select a help subtopic to open a help screen specific to the underlined subtopic.
Search—Opens a window in which you can enter keywords to find topics and go directly to help screens on those topics.
Back—Moves you back sequentially to previously opened help screens.
History—Displays the sequence of help windows you have opened and allows you to jump to any of them.
Browse—Allows you to browse through sets of related help screens, providing quick access to overviews of particular help topics.
Main—Opens a help window that provides a top-level list of help contents with links to help on all applications, including Configuration Builder, Show Commands, Health Monitor, and CiscoView. You can keep the top-level help contents open while you navigate through other help windows.
Glossary—Opens a help window that provides an alphabetical list of terms. Select a term to open a popup window with an explanation of the term. You can keep the glossary window open while you navigate through other help windows. Popup definitions are also available within most help screens.
Many help windows have Overview and See Also buttons in the help window topic caption area. You can select the Overview button to obtain background information for the procedure described in the current help window. Select the See Alsobuttonto view a list of related topics and go directly to those topics from the current help window.
