Route tracing is one of the ultimate highlights integrated into Topology Manager. A node is simply selected either in Node Manager or in the graphical map. With just one quick mouse click, the detailed path, including all connecting elements, is shown all the way up to the central network node, e.g. backbone switch. At the same time, a second node can also be selected as a target. The result is the full graphical representation of all connecting components and elements from the start node straight through to the target node.

Route tracing is now augmented by even more information: the Signal Path View, a graphical overview of the current status of the signal path.

Experienced administrators certainly appreciate this function. Where previously the respective configuration parameters in the signal path had to be analyzed in complex single actions, all that one has to do today is select a start node and a target node. With one click, the active port is brought up for each connecting object (port, VLAN) as well as any possible redundant paths, and the current status determined and displayed.
Not only current configuration and status information can be visualized, but performance values can also be computed and visualized for an object such as current utilization and error rates. These values might include:

• current status
• present utilization and error rates 
• port configuration 
• VLAN and QoS configuration
• etc.
  

Plausibility checks are also performed in the Signal Path View. For example, detecting whether a port configured for half-duplex mode is connected with one configured for full-duplex mode.

 

Not seeming to be such a major problem to the layman, this is in reality a highly complex and demanding task. Although SNMP provides standardized MIBs, each manufacturer nevertheless tends to follow its own agenda. In order to get a handle on these greatly varied manufacturer-specific implementations, the Topology Manager relies on theGuard NetworkManager data model. This data model specifies functions for normalizing the manufacturer-specific properties, effectively reducing them to one common denominator.

The normalized data model represents the bottom-line ingenuity of theGuard NetworkManager, constituting the irrefutable difference from solutions of other vendors: one central site to document all manufacturer-specific properties specifying the respective basic functions. Included are: 

• device type, device family, manufacturer
• inventory data (equipment, serial numbers, hardware and firmware versions) 
• relationship between logical interfaces and physical ports (chassis/slot/port) 
• relationship between logical interfaces and virtual networks
• status information on physical and logical components 
• etc.

The Topology Manager tool is based on the model described above and split into two main functions: device detection (Auto Discovery) and computing of the Layer 2 and Layer 3 topology.