Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

4269.0. "Needed - some better basics & management help" by PTOJJD::DANZAK (Pittsburgher �) Wed Mar 12 1997 22:51

    Management has a way to go - I think. We're now talking about
    mega-galactic next generation of network management, web widgets and
    automatic load balancing software.  That's very glitzy.
    
    But, when it comes to basic management of the box - we fall short.
    
    One customer, who is a package tracking service - where they can NEVER
    be off-line in customer service said to us the other day:
    
       "You know, Digital, you really do build great network boxes,
        but you never really finish the job, you just go on to the 
        next things and leave us hanging..."
    
    She'd have trouble making an all-Digital networking decision because of
    some network management 'gotchas' that we present in a large scale
    configuration.
    
    Notably:
    
     - We can't set some parameters with remote management - she and her
       main data center are in Pittsburgh, as an experiment she put in
       remote hubs in Phoenix.  She found out she needed to set up 
       repeaters and upgrade the firmware and she could *not* do it
       remotely.  Yes, folks, she had to *FLY* a body to Phoenix to
       jack into the RS232 port to set an IP address.  After all, her
       remote people in Phoenix were customer service reps - they
       didn't know 10-base-T from the phone system.
    
       Prior to this, they considered using our hubs in their 150 or
       so remote offices - after this fiasco - nix that one.
    
       Industrial-strength-management means that ALL parameters are
       able to be remotely set!
    
     - In her customer service department, keeping the PCs up is
       critical - none of the MCM stuff really gives her a 
       meaningful 'module snapshot' with any trending etc.  She
       clicks into a repeater and sees lots of dials that are *NOT*
       explained in any documentation, and she can't see any
       history etc.  It's REALLY difficult for her to track down
       bandwidth use, etc., with the current displays.
    
     - Some simple things, like 'find address' simply don't seem to
       work or do meaningful answers.  
    
     - Upgrading firmware/dependencies/requirements, etc., is a nightmare
       for her and her staff.  She gets no coordinated 'how to' manual
       of guidelines for managing a large site.  Nor does she have
       any tools - pieces of tools - yes, but they don't really fill in
       all the blanks of a LARGE installation or give her a roadmap for
       success.  (i.e. suggest products etc.)  Digital gives her no
       "guide to using our products in a production setting" etc.
    
       Now, to counter this, she pulled out her old BAY networks book
       that was a wonderful manual that listed step-by-step procedures,
       typical problems and typical fixes.  It was a bible that she
       could fall back on in her old position.
    
       She doesn't like our "here are the tools - go figure" attitude.
    
    
    I'm concerned.  Our products are great, have wonderful potentials, but
    her comment of "you never finish it" hits home.  I can see that in a
    large installation management of our gear is nightmarish because of:
    
      - A few key software features which we've just chosen to ignore
        to implement (either because we don't seem to find them
        interesting or don't know that people really need them to
        survive in PRODUCTION (i.e. 24x7 don't you dare miss a packet
        environments)  (Abbott Labs, for example, must fill out
        a DETAILED status report of EVERY ring init on their campus
        backbone ring!)
    
     - No procedures, guidelines, official 'crib' sheets on how to
       implement our gear and survive in a production environment.
    
    I really hope that we take a serious look at how things scale and
    concentrate on the LITTLE features that would fill in the gaps as well
    as putting together some guides so ordinary mortals can be successful.
    
    We're not getting as much mindshare as we shoudl because we don't have
    the technical support/collateral for real-world large scale
    environments.