Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

3400.0. "clearVISN Press Announcement (via VTX Live Wire)" by SLINK::HOOD (Your bad news bear) Mon Mar 25 1996 14:40

enVISN rollout continues with launch of
clearVISN network management portfolio
   
         Digital today delivered a key component for its enVISN network 
   architecture with the announcement of its clearVISN network management 
   program, the first wave of clearVISN products, and virtual LAN (VLAN) 
   and remote monitoring (RMON) switch upgrades.  
         Using policies, intelligent agents and application integration, 
   the clearVISN suite of products provides the level of "lights out" 
   automation that enables network managers to focus on managing the 
   overall network rather than individual devices.  This automation is 
   particularly valuable to network managers who are deploying new 
   technologies such as switching and virtual local area networks (VLANs), 
   which introduce their own management challenges. 
         To smooth integration of the emerging switching paradigm with 
   legacy internetworking solutions, clearVISN also features support for 
   multivendor legacy internetworking products, including routers from 
   Digital, Cisco, Bay and 3Com.  
         The clearVISN program rolls out in three waves, with each wave 
   implementing increasingly comprehensive policies through tighter data 
   integration and control passing among management applications.  The 
   first wave of integrated products reduces reactive management by 
   providing VLAN management, router management, and graphical RMON-
   based performance reporting.  Windows NT is the premier platform for 
   the clearVISN products.
         "The most effective approach for managing emerging switched 
   networks incorporates centralized policy administration with 
   distributed intelligent agents," said John McConnell, president of 
   McConnell Consulting, Inc.  "Digital's Network Product Business has 
   gone further by integrating the applications network managers are 
   looking for to manage diverse, multivendor legacy internetworks through 
   clearVISN."  
   
  Policies simplify management
   ---------------------------- 
   
         Under clearVISN, policies -- high-level rules and procedures that 
   implement a predefined course of action in response to specified 
   conditions -- are defined centrally and carried out by intelligent 
   agents that are distributed throughout the network.  Policy-based 
   management provides a level of abstraction that makes it easier to 
   manage complex networks and devices, facilitates end-to-end management, 
   and provides data and control passing between  applications.  
         The Wave 1 products announced today implement simple policies for 
   network visibility.  Wave 2 products, planned for the second half of 
   this year, implement more sophisticated policies to provide decision 
   support.  The final wave, planned for the first half of next year, will 
   integrate sophisticated policies to deliver automated response.  
         A group of eight related electronics distributors, America II 
   Group, Inc. is one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in 
   the U.S.  The network is paramount to the organization's ability to 
   manage and leverage this rapid expansion.
         "ClearVISN's policy-based network management suite will help me 
   run my network the way we run the company -- lean and mean," said 
   Michael Mullicane, CIO at America II Group, Inc.  "I see the ability to 
   model the network as key.  I'll be able to optimize both my capital and 
   human resources and avoid painful forklift upgrades." 
   
  clearVISN Router Manager
   ------------------------
   
         ClearVISN smooths migration toward switch-based virtual 
   networking while giving network managers better control of their legacy 
   routed internetworks.   
         The clearVISN Router Manager enables network managers to 
   administer and support multivendor routing products, including routers 
   from Cisco, Bay, 3Com, and Digital.  This multivendor capability 
   preserves network managers' investments in existing technology while 
   giving them maximum flexibility in choosing new routers.  The Router 
   Manager centrally manages configuration of all routers on the network 
   and provides fault detection, performance trending, path tracing and 
   traffic accounting to give managers useful information for planning.  
         ClearVISN applications tie into the central core, which provides 
   application integration, data sharing, event infrastructures, and 
   control passing among the clearVISN applications.  This integration is 
   the basis for the sophisticated management policies that automate 
   aspects of network management.  
         The core ships with the first clearVISN application ordered and 
   is automatically updated as new clearVISN products are added.  
   
  Wave 1 products deliver network visibility
   ------------------------------------------
   
         The clearVISN products announced today provide simple policies -- 
   such as port-based VLANs, repeater port security, and backup and 
   restore configuration -- to provide network visibility.  For 
   convenience, all clearVISN applications ship on a single CD-ROM.  
   The following applications ship in the first wave in June: 
    
         o  clearVISN VLAN Manager -- for constructing VLANs using 
            Digital's Ethernet to FDDI switches,  providing 
            port-based policies.  Priced at $1,495.
    
         o  clearVISN Router Manager -- for managing Digital, Cisco, 
            Bay, 3COM and other routers.  Priced at $4,995.  
    
         o  clearVISN RMON Manager -- uses intelligent probes and 
            alarms to provide central administration of performance, 
            thresholding, and configuration.  Priced at $2,995.       
             
         o  clearVISN Stack Manager -- graphical tool configures 
            DEChub 90 and Digital MultiStack System devices; monitors 
            status and activity on these devices.  Priced at $495.  
   
         o  clearVISN MultiChassis Manager -- manages the DEChub and 
            GIGAswitch families of products as well as all modules 
            that work standalone or in these chassis.  Priced at 
            $995.  

         o  clearVISN Recovery Manager -- backs up, copies and 
            restores network device configurations.  Priced at $495.  
            
         o  clearVISN Router Configurator -- for configuring 
            Digital's routers.  Free of charge with Digital's 
            routers.     
    
         o  clearVISN Flash Loader -- downloads firmware images over 
            the network.  Free of charge with both clearVISN Stack 
            Manager and clearVISN MultiChassis Manager.  
    
         To complement the clearVISN VLAN Manager and RMON Manager 
   applications, Digital is offering two firmware upgrades for its  
   Ethernet to FDDI switches: 
   
         o  DECswitch 900 Version 1.6 -- providing VLAN support and 
            the four basic RMON groups.  Available as a free upgrade. 
            
         o  Ethernet Switch Full RMON Upgrade V1.0 -- optional 
            support for all nine RMON groups.  Priced at $1,495. 
   
         Additional information on Digital's Network Product Business is 
   available on the World Wide Web at http://www.networks.digital.com. 

    Hi
    
    When will the clearVISN tools got to field test?  I'm not asking for
    dates that are inappropriate for an open forum.  I'd just let to get a
    feel, even by quarter, so I can plan my work (as I plan to test all of
    them).
    
    Thanks
    tl

>    When will the clearVISN tools got to field test?  I'm not asking for
>    dates that are inappropriate for an open forum.  I'd just let to get a

Uh, "soon".  It's not whether the dates are appropriate for an open
forum.  It's just that I don't like typing dates. ;-)  Ask Jack NAC::Forrest.

Tom
clearVISN bad answer giver

    what platforms besides WNT will these products run on?
    

clearVISN OS longish-term strategy:
	Windows/NT (intel)
	Windows 95
	with most apps (more added daily) ported to:
		Windows/NT (Alpha)
		Digital UNIX
		HP-UX
		IBM AIX

Most of the next wave of products are also supported under Windows 3.1

Tom Hood,
clearVISN engngngng,
who reminds you to always check with Jack NAC::Forrest.