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Conference azur::mcc

Title:DECmcc user notes file. Does not replace IPMT.
Notice:Use IPMT for problems. Newsletter location in note 6187
Moderator:TAEC::BEROUD
Created:Mon Aug 21 1989
Last Modified:Wed Jun 04 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:6497
Total number of notes:27359

3910.0. "DECmcc and competitors (OPENview+NetView)" by STRASB::MOSER (Jean-Marc MOSER -- Strasbourg @ZTO) Fri Oct 16 1992 11:49

Hello everybody,

I have seen a lot of information in this notes_file about minimal
configuration to manage big networks (300 nodes and above).

My question is about big IP networks.
Roughly, the DECmcc solution is based on the polling (PING for example) method 
and the only tuning process is a trial to lower the polling number and 
polling frequency.

Can somebody explain us the method used by HP OPENview or NetView 6000 tools
to do the same work ??
About OPENview and NetView 6000 we (and some prospects too) have the impression
that these products are listening the traffic or IP broadcast messages.
They are using polling only when there is no more traffic or braodcast comming
from a node.

Is this true ??

Are we planning to implement this kind of feature ??

This solution is very interesting for the customer because:
* the platform is no (over)loaded by the polling process (and can be cheaper),
* the network is not used by management messages (and can be less performant).

Many thanks for your answers or explanations...

Best Regards

Jean-Marc MOSER
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3910.1new functionality every daySKIBUM::GASSMANFri Oct 16 1992 13:3732
    I've also heard that the HP/IBM approach involves a combination of
    listening and polling.  This is effective on a LAN, but across a WAN
    this doesn't make sense.  Another approach that IBM is pushing along
    with 3COM is the use of CMIP over an ethernet/token-ring logical link,
    making notification when if the connection oriented logical link dies.  
    The polling factor is becoming an issue - not that it should in all
    cases because netmgt traffic may be only a few percent of traffic, but
    it is becoming marketing hype by those that vendors that strive to
    minimize it.  MSU's approach is one of the best on the market, because
    it supports remote polling daemons which report back to a central
    registration process thru standard distributed SQL techniques.  MSU
    also has a leading polling technique by asking routers for their
    interface status during a poll, not just ping or simple request.  
    
    The DECmcc BMS product has not yet focused on the node status problem
    or the incremental autotopology problem, which are related.  The
    framework service "domain to domain copy" needs to be supported to do
    it right.  However, daily thought is being put into figuring out what
    the right solution should be.  Working with MSU's existing pollers
    either at the SQL level or using some kind of RPC/TRAP mechanism may
    make sense.  
    
    Future functions available (from leading vendors) will allow domains to 
    be created on the fly which show top talkers, features to fade objects 
    to shade or remove from the 'active' map if they have not been heard 
    from for a while will exist, and status information will be consolidated 
    from many sources.  
    
    There is lots of talk about HP's owning the GUI for DME.  I sure hope
    it's not going to be that limited!!  
    
    bill
3910.2More on HP OpenView reachabilityCUJO::HILLDan Hill-Net.Mgt.-Customer ResidentFri Oct 16 1992 16:1015
    HP OpenView also checks IP routing nodes to determine node
    reachability.  This is how they get around the problem of simply
    listening for packets on a LAN segment ((Since bridges filter traffic
    that is not destined "off segment", there may be instances where the
    network management station will never see a node's packet.)).
    
    The DECmcc V1.3 IP reachability method is billed as being substantially
    better in performance and functionality by "listening" to the network. 
    There is talk about using the same methodology as MSU.  Is this
    happening?
    
    DECnet Phase IV node reachability still must be addressed.  (( Are you
    tired of hearing this yet???  ;-)   ))
    
    -Dan
3910.3IP Poller does pings...CHRISB::BRIENENDECmcc LAN and SNMP Stuff...Fri Oct 16 1992 17:0812
RE: 3910.2 (Dan Hill)

>    The DECmcc V1.3 IP reachability method is billed as being substantially
>    better in performance and functionality by "listening" to the network.

  The V1.3 IP reachability method is actually an IP Reachability Poller
  (it "pings" entities of interest).

  The poller turns out to be *considerably* more efficient (and faster!)
  that using a wildcarded alarm rule checking ipReachability.

						Chris
3910.4ping sync interfaces??CTHQ::WOODCOCKFri Oct 16 1992 18:568
>  The V1.3 IP reachability method is actually an IP Reachability Poller
>  (it "pings" entities of interest).

How is the 'ping'er set up? Can it also hit the other (sync) interfaces
for status? This also appears more efficient than SNMP.

brad...
3910.5YAHEY::BOSEMon Nov 02 1992 10:587
>>How is the 'ping'er set up? Can it also hit the other (sync) interfaces
>>for status? This also appears more efficient than SNMP.

	No, currently the poller does not poll the interfaces for status.

	/rb