Table of Contents

Product Overview

Network Management Functional Areas
Configuration Management
Device Management
Fault Management
Accounting Management
Performance Management
Security Management
CiscoWorks Applications

Product Overview

CiscoWorks Release 1.0 is designed to monitor complex internetworks and to aid network troubleshooting and analysis. Because CiscoWorks uses the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), it can monitor and control any SNMP device on the network. CiscoWorks consists of five areas of operation: configuration management (which includes device management), fault management, accounting management, performance management, and security management.

Release 1.0 implements the Cisco Systems strategy to integrate CiscoWorks with the popular SNMP network management platform, SunNet Manager (SNM). CiscoWorks applications appear directly on the SNM Tools and Glyph menus.CiscoWorks uses SNM's map and menu functions.

CiscoWorks Release 1.0(2) offers improvements to Release 1.0(1). These include:

• Network Information Services (NIS) support. The CiscoWorks configuration script prompts you to update your NIS information after completing the CiscoWorks configuration.
  

• Some database changes that allow the disk space to be used more efficiently to store polling table information.
  

• A retry popup window, indicating the loss of connectivity to a device, has been added to the Health Monitor, Path Tool, Show Commands, and Environmental Monitor applications.
  

• You can update the list of devices shown in the Configuration Management window to reflect the current list of devices in the database. As a result, the devices displayed in the Configuration Management window are identical to the devices in the database.
  

• The maximum size of a configuration file or a comments file has been increased from 108 to 128 kilobytes (KB).
  

• A new field called Write Community has been added to the Device window in the Device Management window. This field enables you to specify the ReadWrite (RW) community string for a device.
  

• The Show Flash command in the Show Commands window enables you to view files in Flash memory for a Cisco device.
  

• The Interfaces window has been modified to display a lookup window when you click on the Line Type field. To assign a line type to an interface, click on a line type in the lookup window.
  

• The following utilities, found in the $NMSROOT/contrib directory, have been added:
  

  • nmlogclean --- Cleans out nmslog messages.
    

  • nmpolldump --- Dumps polling data to a file that can be imported to a spreadsheet.
    

  • nmpollpurge --- Helps with the deletion of old polling data without destroying the poll table.
    

For more detailed information, refer to the individual README files also located in the $NMSROOT/contrib directory.

CiscoWorks Release 1.0(3) is a maintenance release and does not add any new features. However, the Sybase server has been upgraded to Version 4.9.1.

CiscoWorks provides a fully integrated relational database that is based on the Sybase relational database and uses SNM's capabilities to produce a dynamic, user-configurable, visual network map.

Figure 1-1 illustrates the general relationship of CiscoWorks functions.

Figure 1-1 CiscoWorks Functional Diagram

Network Management Functional Areas

CiscoWorks applications target the five network management functions: configuration management, fault management, accounting management, performance management, and security management.

The following sections describe the tasks you can perform with CiscoWorks in each functional area.

Configuration Management

You can use configuration management operations to do the following:

• Dynamically access the configuration parameters of remote Cisco Systems devices on your network.
  

• Edit and browse device configuration files that can be loaded to the Cisco device. Scroll through and search for text strings in a configuration file.
  

• Identify a Cisco device, select the appropriate configuration command script, and invoke the load operation.
  

• Change individual parameters in a Cisco device configuration while the device is on line by reading and editing the loaded configuration.
  

• Compare loaded with stored configurations.
  

• Import a configuration script file from a given directory and store it in the database.
  

Device Management

Included as a subset of configuration management is device management. The following list describes the major operational areas in device management:

• Create, modify, and maintain a complete inventory of the network---hardware, software, release levels of operational components, responsible individuals involved in the network, and associated locations. The Device Mgmt application provides access to the windows that allow you to enter data on network devices, interfaces, contacts, and so on into the database tables.
  

• Synchronize the information in the CiscoWorks Sybase database with the information in the SNM database using the Sync w/Sybase application.
  

• Quick access to administrative and maintenance personnel associated with devices on the network using the Contacts application.
  

Fault Management

You can use CiscoWorks fault management operations to do the following:

• Access specific device information on Cisco routers to monitor router environment and interface information using the Device Monitor application.
  

• Access event, trap, and error information from the Log Manager.
  

• Emulate router EXEC show commands on Cisco routers using the Show Commands application.
  

• Display a dynamic graphical routing path from a source device to a destination device using the Path Tool application.
  

• Analyze a graphical routing path for link utilization and error rate information using the Path Tool application.
  

• Access the Cisco AGS+ router environmental monitor card for temperature and voltage information using the Env. Monitor.
  

• Access device information from the Health Monitor application, which includes Show Commands and Real-Time Graphs data.
  

• Quick access to administrative and maintenance personnel associated with devices on the network using the Contacts application.
  

• Store, query, and delete events, traps, and messages gathered from devices on the internetwork. These messages are stored in the Log Manager application.
  

Accounting Management

The following list describes the functions you can perform for accounting management:

• Emulate router EXEC show commands for Cisco routers for information on IP accounting checkpoint using Show Commands.
  

• Use Device Polling to access Cisco private MIB object information.
  

Performance Management

With CiscoWorks, you can retrieve status and administrative information about the network devices and display the information for multiple devices concurrently so that you can act on the changing needs of your internetwork environment.

You can use CiscoWorks performance management operations to do the following:

• Compare device statistics dynamically using Polling Summary and Real-Time Graphs applications.
  

• Display historical data over a selected timeframe using Polling Summary and Real-Time Graphs applications.
  

• Dynamically graph real-time router information including data on router health, interface health, and protocol traffic using the Real-Time Graphs application.
  

• Emulate router EXEC show commands on Cisco routers using the Show Commands application.
  

• Specify MIB objects to continually monitor selected devices in your network using the Device Polling application.
  

• Display the polled information of network variable statistics in a graphic plot format, permitting you to monitor and compare network component performance using the Polling Summary application.
  

• Invoke a Sybase DWB application to run a database report and print polling table information gathered in the Polling Summary application.
  

• Create a custom report format of any data element collection that is available in the database, using standard Structured Query Language (SQL) or Visual Query Language (VQL) commands using the Sybase DWB application.
  

Security Management

You can use the Security Mgr application to perform security management operations in the following areas:

• Set up authority checking for selected CiscoWorks applications.
  

• Set up security privileges for selected users and groups to restrict access to device configuration files, network management processes, device database information, and network activity information.
  

• Modify or delete CiscoWorks user permissions for network management application use.
  

CiscoWorks Applications

Figure 1-2 and Figure 1-3 indicate the locations of the CiscoWorks applications on SNM. Table 1-1 and Table 1-2 briefly describe each Tools or Glyph menu application. The SNM Tools menu is found on the SNM menu bar and contains all global CiscoWorks applications. These applications can be performed on any network device. The SNM Glyph menu is a Cisco device-specific menu. Access the Glyph menu by selecting a Cisco-specific device and pulling down to the menu selections.

Note: Applications that are grayed out in Figure 1-2 and Figure 1-3 are SNM applications.

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Figure 1-2 shows the CiscoWorks applications available on the SNM Tools menu.

Figure 1-2 CiscoWorks Applications on the SNM Tools Menu

Figure 1-3 shows the CiscoWorks applications available on the SNM Glyph menu that appear when you click on the Tools option for a device. A glyph is the SNM term for icon. The glyph represents a device.

Figure 1-3 CiscoWorks Applications on the SNM Glyph Menu

Table 1-1 CiscoWorks Tools Menu Applications

Application	Overview of Tasks
Config Mgmt	Access configuration files of local and remote Cisco Systems devices in your network to analyze or edit them as necessary. You can also compare the contents of two configuration files in the database or the configuration currently running on the device and the configuration that represents the last time you performed a Database to Device command.
Device Mgmt	Create and maintain a database that holds a complete inventory of your network---hardware, software, release levels of operation components, individuals responsible for maintaining the devices, and associated locations. The Device Mgmt menu allows you to enter data on network devices, networks, interfaces, contacts, vendors and so on, into the database tables.
Device Monitor	Monitor your network devices for information about environmental and interface statistics.You can also specify how often CiscoWorks should check this information and whether or not to log it to the Log Mgr application.
Device Polling	Probe and extract information about the condition of your networks using a polling feature. Information acquired from polling is stored in the database for further evaluation and analysis. You can compare the relative performance and status of devices and interfaces on the network.
Log Mgr	Store, query, and delete messages gathered from network devices and CiscoWorks applications.
Login	Perform a generic login for all CiscoWorks applications that require user authentication. This application means you do not have to log in to each separate application.
Logout	Log out of secured CiscoWorks applications. This ensures security for those applications with authority checking turned on.
Path Tool	View and analyze the path between two devices. Perform analysis on the path to collect utilization and error data. The display shows the devices encountered between the source and the destination device, the link speeds connecting these SNMP devices, and the interface names.
Polling Summary	Summarize the polling setup by the Device Polling application. You can also browse data, and stop and start polling
Process Mgr	Start or stop CiscoWorks-related processes. These processes include the Log daemon (nmlogd), Polling daemon (nmpolld), Event Logger daemon (nmeventd), Device Monitor daemon (nmdevmond), System Log daemon (syslogd), and the Sybase Server daemon (dataserver).
Security Mgr	Set up authority checking procedures to protect selected CiscoWorks applications and your network devices from unauthorized individuals. You can set up your CiscoWorks environment to require a login to access applications. This protection ensures that only users with a valid account and password can perform tasks such as configuring a router, deleting database device information, or defining polling procedures.
Sybase DWB	Access Sybase Data Workbench utilities to run and print reports on any table created with the Device Polling application.
Sync w/Sybase	Synchronize the SNM database to the Sybase database. CiscoWorks maintains data in the Sybase database, whereas SNM maintains its own database. Sync w/Sybase ensures device data from SNM database is in the Sybase database. Generally, synchronize the databases whenever new devices are added to your network.

Table 1-2 CiscoWorks Glyph Menu Applications

Application	Overview of Tasks
Contacts	Obtain information about the contact person for a specific device. Information in this window includes the complete name, phone number, e-mail address, title, location, and address of the person responsible for the device.
Env. Monitor	View a Cisco AGS+ router's environmental status including temperature and voltage statistics. This function can be performed only on AGS+ routers running System Software Release 9.0 or above with an environmental monitor card running ENVM Microcode Version 2.0 or higher software.
Health Monitor	View information about the status of a device, including buffers, CPU load, memory available, and protocols and interfaces being used. Enables you to access the Show Commands and Real-Time Graphs windows through the Health Monitor window.
Path Tool	View and analyze the path between two devices. Perform analysis on the path to collect utilization and error data. The display shows the devices encountered between the source and the destination device, the link speeds connecting these SNMP devices, and the interface names.
Real-Time Graphs	View device information such as the router health (buffer space, CPU load, environment, free memory, and security), interface health (bits per second, bytes, errors, packets per second, packets, and queues), and protocol traffic (IP, ICMP, SNMP, TCP, UDP, AppleTalk, DECnet IV, Novell, VINES, and XNS) using the SNM Grapher utility.
Show Commands	View device data about any SNMP device, including Cisco routers and communication servers. The device data you can view includes the software version, buffers, selected device interfaces, traffic mix, IP accounting checkpoint, ARP, and IP route. This application emulates Cisco's EXEC show commands.
Sync w/Sybase	Synchronize a single device from the SNM database to the Sybase database. Synchronize the SNM database to the Sybase database to ensure that both databases share the same device data. Generally, synchronize the databases whenever new devices are added to your network.

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