Using CiscoView 5.3
CiscoView 5.3

Table Of Contents

CiscoView 5.3

Installing CiscoView

Java Plug-in

CiscoView 5.3 Upgrade Scenarios

Accessing CiscoView

Navigating in CiscoView

Making Selections and Displaying Menus

Tabbed Panel Format Dialog Box Option

Bitmap Property Dialog Box

Using CiscoView

Integrating with Third-Party Vendors

Integration Utility Features

Using the Integration Utility

Package Support Updater

Package Support Updater Features

Using the Package Support Updater

Device List Management


CiscoView 5.3


CiscoView 5.3 operates in client-server mode. In a client-server mode, the device package and basic management functionality is centrally located on the CiscoView 5.3 server.

To ensure that you are set up correctly to use CiscoView and perform basic functions within CiscoView, you must perform certain tasks. Refer to the online help for more information about performing these specific tasks. For more information about your setup, refer to the Installing and Setting Up CiscoWorks2000 CD One guide.

Table 2-1 lists tasks required to set up and use CiscoView.

Table 2-1 CiscoView Setup Overview

Task
Description

Installing CiscoView

Install CiscoView from the CD-ROM package and optionally download device packages from CCO.

Accessing CiscoView

Display menus and options to view device and components for configuration and monitoring.

Navigating in CiscoView

Learn to navigate within CiscoView menus.

Making Selections and Displaying Menus

View the graphical representation of the device and selected components to configure and monitor status.

Using CiscoView

Perform tasks such as selecting devices, setting preferences, selecting components, configuring and monitoring devices, and getting help.


Installing CiscoView

Before you can display a device's view for configuration and monitoring, you must install CiscoView from the CD-ROM package. Refer to the Installing and Setting Up CiscoWorks2000 CD One guide for detailed installation instructions. During the installation process, all available device packages are installed for you. This eliminates the need to incrementally select device packages to install. Cisco Systems device packages are periodically updated, and should be downloaded from CCO as they become available.

Refer to the "Package Support Updater" section later in this chapter for information about how to use this utility to download device packages.

Java Plug-in

Before you can use CiscoView on a client machine, you need to install the Java Plug-in. Detailed plug-in installation instructions for the Windows 95/98/NT/2000, Solaris, HP-UX, and AIX platforms can be found by clicking Help on the CiscoWorks2000 main page, then selecting Server Configuration > Setup > Java Plug-In.


Note Java Plug-in version 1.3 is supported on Windows 95/98/NT/2000, Solaris, and AIX client machines. Java Plug-in version 1.2.2 will continue to be supported on HP-UX client machines.


Make sure that the following patches are already installed on your machine before proceeding with the installation of the Java Plug-in:

HP-UX clients

The following patches are required for HP-UX 11.0: PHCO_20765, PHKL_20202, PHCO_19666, PHKL_20016, PHKL_18543, PHCO_20882 (PHKL_21532, PHCO_19047, PHKL_21392, and PHKL_20674 are dependencies of PHKL_18543).

The following patches are recommended for applications that use AWT: PHSS_20275, PHSS_17535, PHSS_20864, PHSS_21493 (PHNE_20094 and PHSS_20863 are dependencies of PHSS_20864).

For more information and instructions on downloading the patches,
go to the following URL: http://www.unixsolutions.hp.com/products/java/patches.html.

AIX clients

The following patches are required for AIX 4.3.3:
X11.base.lib.4.3.3.15
bos.net.tcp.client.4.3.3.15
bos.rte.libc 4.3.3.15
X11.base.rte.4.3.3.14
bos.rte.libc 4.3.3.15
X11.motif.lib.4.3.3.15
bos.rte.net 4.3.3.1
X11.motif.mwm.4.3.3.10
bos.adt.prof.4.3.3.15
bos.rte 4.2.2.10
bos.rte.libc 4.3.3.15
bos.rte.libpthreads.4.3.3.10
bos.up.4.3.3.10
bos.rte.net 4.3.3.1
devices.isa_sio.baud.rte 4.3.2.1

To access these patches, download AIXptfs.tar from the following URL: http://www6.software.ibm.com.

CiscoView 5.3 Upgrade Scenarios

Table 2-2 describes the different upgrade scenarios and their results.

Table 2-2 Upgrade Scenarios 

 
Results
Existing Software
Local Upgrade
Remote Upgrade

CD One, 3rd Edition/ CiscoView 5.2

Upgrades the existing device packages with the ones provided with CD One using the best effort option.

Preserves user preferences.

Transfers ownership of the log file and user preferences files/directory to the user casuser.

Installs CiscoView 5.3 components on top of CiscoView 5.2 components.

All user preferences files will be transferred to the new CMF 2.0 server.

All installed device packages will be transferred to the CMF 2.0 server. The Package Support Updater will upgrade these device packages on the CMF 2.0 server using the best effort option.

CD One, 2nd Edition/ CiscoView 5.1

Removes all existing device packages.

Provides a list of existing and new device package versions in the install log file.

Preserves user preferences.

Transfers ownership of the log file and user preferences files/directory to the user casuser.

Installs CiscoView 5.3 components on top of CiscoView 5.1 components.

All user preferences files will be transferred to the new CMF 2.0 server.

Not supported since device packages are not in zip file format.

CD One, 1st Edition/ CiscoView 5.0

Removes all existing device packages.

Provides a list of existing and new device package versions in the install log file.

Does not preserve user preferences since they are stored on client machines in CiscoView 5.0.

Transfers ownership of the log file to the user casuser.

Installs CiscoView 5.3 components on top of CiscoView 5.0 components.

Not supported since user preferences are not stored on a server in CiscoView 5.0.

Not supported since device packages are not in zip file format.



Note The best effort option keeps the latest version of device packages provided that dependencies across all device packages are maintained.


Accessing CiscoView

Accessing CiscoView is a simple task. Depending on how you are set up, you can access CiscoView:

Within CiscoWorks2000 by selecting Device Manager > CiscoView from the CiscoWorks2000 navigation tree.

From a third-party network management system (NMS). Refer to the "Integrating with Third Party Vendors" section later in this chapter.

Navigating in CiscoView

When you start CiscoView, the CiscoView window opens. The following components comprise the CiscoView main window:

Select Device drop-down list box

Device Commands buttons

Main Menu buttons

Graphical Device display window

Table 2-3 lists CiscoView Navigation options.

Table 2-3 CiscoView Navigation Options 

Option
Description

Select Device Drop-Down List Box

Use the Select Device drop-down list box to select and display a device. Either enter a device name or IP address, or select from the recently displayed devices listed.

Device names and SNMP read and write community strings are preserved when you open new CiscoView sessions.

Device Commands Buttons

Use the Device Commands buttons to activate device commands unique to the displayed device.

The Device Command buttons are described in the online help for each device package.

Main Menu Buttons

Use the Main Menu buttons to perform various CiscoView tasks.

Refer to Table 2-4 for more information.

Graphical Device Display Window

Use the Graphical Device Display window to view a graphical display of the device's back or front panel once you select a device. The display shows all device components color-coded according to their current status and refreshed according to your polling frequency. If a hot swap is detected, the device is rediscovered and the display redrawn at the next poll.

Status Bar and Buttons

Use the Status Bar and buttons to display the progress and result of device polling, selections, and so on.

Refer to Table 2-5 for more information.


Table 2-4 describes the Main Menu buttons for all Cisco devices.

Table 2-4 Main Menu Buttons

Menu Button
Description

Telnet

Launches a Telnet command-line session to the managed device.

CCO

Launches a separate browser containing the Cisco Connection Online (CCO) web page.

Cisco Support

Opens the TAC Mailer dialog box for sending reports to the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) group. You can describe the problem using the available options and the comment field. When you click Send, your descriptions and information about the runtime device package and operating environment are sent to the specified mail recipients.

For more information on the available fields, refer to the online help.

Preferences

Opens the Preferences dialog box where you can specify SNMP and community string. The preferences settings are preserved for all new CiscoView 5.3 sessions.

About

Displays the following:

CiscoView release version and copyrights

Active device package, if applicable

All installed device package information

Help

Opens CiscoView 5.3 help if no device is selected.

Opens context help if a device or component is selected.


Table 2-5 describes the Status Bar and buttons.

Table 2-5 Status Bar and Buttons

Item
Description

Status Bar

Displays the progress and result of device polling, selections, and so on.

System Info Button

Displays system MIB information (name, description, location, contact, and up-time) for a displayed device.

Print Button

Prints the current graphical display.

Color Legend Button

Describes the significance of the colors on the graphical display. Color schemes are:

Blue—the port is dormant

Orange—the port is down

Red—the port failed

Yellow—the port has a minor failure

Purple—the port is being tested

Green—the port is active


Making Selections and Displaying Menus

When you select a device in CiscoView, a graphical representation of the device is displayed. You can view front or back device panel and select different components (cards, ports, power supply) and menu options to configure and monitor status for these devices.

Table 2-6 lists popup menu options.

Table 2-6 Popup Menu Options

Option
Description

Configure

Configures device categories, such as Management, Physical, ARP Table, TCP, and so on.

Monitor

Displays a set of dynamic charts for selected device categories.

Front and Rear

Displays either the front or back device panel. A logical view can also be displayed as defined by the device package.

Resize

Reduces the graphical display down to 90%, 80%, 70%, 60% or 50%. You can resize it back up to 100%.

Refresh

Triggers component polling and display update.

System Info

Displays system MIB information (name, description, location, contact, and up-time) for a displayed device.


Tabbed Panel Format Dialog Box Option

Starting with CiscoView 5.3, the configuration and monitor dialog boxes displayed by device packages can utilize the tabbed panel format instead of the existing combo box format. In dialog boxes that use the new format, you can switch categories by clicking the appropriate tab instead of selecting a category from a drop-down box. The tabbed panel format dialog box also supports multilevel tab indexes.


Note Not all device packages use the tabbed panel format dialog box.


Bitmap Property Dialog Box

When configuring a device or a port in CiscoView 5.3, you now have the option of specifying how bitmap values in the MIB are displayed. To the right of input fields or table cells that display bitmap values is an icon. Click on the icon and the Bitmap Property Dialog Box appears. All valid bitmap values have a corresponding checkbox. After making the desired selection, click OK and the new bitmap values, separated by commas, are displayed.

Using CiscoView

Once you have installed CiscoView and learned to navigate within CiscoView, you can perform various tasks.

Table 2-7 lists these tasks and descriptions.

Table 2-7 CiscoView Tasks 

Task
Description

Starting CiscoView

Depending on your platform, you can start CiscoView:

From within CiscoWorks2000, by selecting
Device Manager > CiscoView from the CiscoWorks2000 navigation tree.

From third-party NMS, such as HP OpenView, providing you have installed the Integration utility.

Selecting a Device

Select a device to view its graphical representation to configure and monitor it.

The device names and SNMP read and write community strings are preserved when you open new CiscoView sessions.

Setting Preferences

Use the Set Preferences option to change certain options within CiscoView.

Depending on your security level, you might not be able to use the Set Preferences option.

Refer to Table 2-8 for a list of the available options in Setting Preferences.

Selecting a Component

Select a component on the graphical device display to configure and monitor it.

Configuring Your Device

Right-click a device and select Configure to configure multiple categories of information; for example, Interface, Management, Physical, and ARP Table, simultaneously.

Different categories of information can be displayed for each device, card, and port. To see the categories of information that can be displayed for each component type, look at the Category pop up menu from the Configuration window.

Refer to Table 2-9 for a list of buttons and their descriptions available within the Configure dialog.

Monitoring Your Device

Right-click a device and select Monitor to monitor multiple categories of information; for example, Ethernet collisions, Management, Physical, and ARP Table, simultaneously. The Monitoring dialog is non-modal and resizeable.

Refer to Table 2-10 for a list of buttons and their descriptions available within the Monitor dialog.


Table 2-8 lists the available Preference Setting options.

Table 2-8 Preference Setting Options 

Option
Description

Setting Community Strings

Use the Preferences Community tab to delete the read and write community strings for the device currently being managed. This lets you enter the read and write community strings for a device after you display the device. If you want to make changes to a device or port setting, but did not specify community string when you first opened the device display, you can enter the community string without exiting and reopening the device window.

If a host's community strings are not already defined within CiscoView, you can add them with the CiscoView Community Strings dialog. Otherwise, CiscoView allows you to enter the correct community strings when you try to access the host.

If you do not enter a host's community strings when accessing the host, CiscoView uses the default read and write community strings as defined in the SNMP tab.

Setting SNMP Preferences

Use the Preferences SNMP tab to set polling frequency, SNMP timeout and retries, and default read and write community strings.

Use the Default Read and Write Community fields to define the community strings that CiscoView automatically uses for device when you do not specify the device's current community strings.


Table 2-9 lists buttons and descriptions available within the Configure dialog.

Table 2-9 Buttons within Configure Dialog

Button
Description

OK

Writes modification of all categories to managed device then disposes the dialog

Apply

Writes modification of the current category to managed device

Cancel

Aborts changes and disposes the catalog

Print

Prints the current category

Help

Launches dialog-specific help

Create

Launches a table row creation dialog

Delete

Deletes selected row from the table

Refresh

Refreshes configuration dialog



Note Depending on your device, you might not see the Category menu, or you might see different options in the Category menu.


Table 2-10 lists buttons and their descriptions available within the Monitor dialog.

Table 2-10 Buttons within Monitor Dialog

Button
Description

Print

Prints the current category

Help

Launches dialog-specific help

Cancel

Disposes the dialog

Start/Stop

Starts/stops the monitoring of device information


Integrating with Third-Party Vendors

Use the Integration utility to integrate Cisco device information and Cisco applications into SNMP management platforms such as HP OpenView Network Node Manager. This utility allows you to launch CiscoView from an SNMP platform even when CiscoView is running on a different machine than the NMS. It also allows you to integrate other applications into NMS menus.

When CiscoView is installed on the same machine as the target NMS, the Integration utility runs as part of a single CiscoView install. However, when the target NMS is installed on a different machine, the utility walks you through the steps required to integrate Cisco device information and applications into an SNMP management platform. You might need to run the Integration utility to:

Change your CCO login information.

Change your CiscoWorks2000 server location.

Register a new application.

Change the NMS with which you wish to integrate your Cisco applications.

The following topics are described next:

Integration Utility Features

Using the Integration Utility

Integration Utility Features

Use the Integration utility to:

Download the NMIDB (Network Management Integration Data Bundle) from CCO.

Prompt for additional configuration information that might not be available to register each application. This information is used to integrate the Cisco applications with the NMS console menu. In some cases, the NMS allows you to double-click on the device icon in the topology map of the NMS console to invoke an application.

Run an adapter script to integrate the icons, MIBs, and applications into the NMS. You can select an adapter script from the list of NM adapters provided with this utility. New NM adapters can be downloaded and added to the list.

Using the Integration Utility

You can perform certain tasks using the Integration utility, as described in Table 2-11.

Table 2-11 Integration Utility Tasks 

Task
Description

Starting the utility

Depending on your platform, you can start the Integration utility:

From a UNIX platform:

a. Use a Telnet utility to open a connection to the system on which the Integration utility is installed.

b. Navigate to the CiscoWorks2000 /bin directory.

c. Set the X display environment on your X server.

Start the utility by entering ./nmic.sh on the command line.

From a Windows platform:

Click Start > Programs > Change Integration Options.

or

From the command line, navigate to the CiscoWorks2000 /bin directory.

Enter the following script on the command line: .\nmic.exe.

Downloading the Data Bundle

The Network Management Integration Data Bundle (NMIDB) contains the icons and configuration files specific to a Cisco device platform. NMIDB also contains MIBs and the application registration information used to register Cisco applications into the NMS. You can download an NMIDB from a file on your local machine, from CCO, or from another system, or use an already downloaded file.

Registering the Applications

The application registration information is used to integrate Cisco applications with the NMS console menu. The Applications Registration dialog box displays user applications that are to be integrated into the NMS menu. This information is then extracted from the NMIDB. There is one tab for each application.

Running the Adapter Script

The Adapter scripts integrate icons, MIBs, and application with NMS. The Choose Adapter dialog box provides both the Adapters available and their descriptions. The Adapter script checks whether the NMS exists on the machine before integration.


For more information about Integration utility, refer to the online help.


Note NM integration runs automatically when you download a device package through the Package Support Updater.


Package Support Updater

Use the Package Support Updater to integrate new Cisco device information asynchronously with the CiscoView engine, uninstall device packages, install new device packages, or upgrade existing installed packages.

The Package Support Updater operates in one of two modes: interactive mode or stand-alone mode. The functionality of both modes is similar; the only difference between the two is that the interactive mode provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI).


Note Stand-alone mode, which utilizes a Command Line Interface (CLI), is supported only on server machines.


The Package Support Updater allows users to display a list of currently installed device packages and their versions, view a log of all device package changes, uninstall one or more packages, and automate device package installations and upgrades.

The following topics are described next:

Package Support Updater Features

Using the Package Support Updater

Package Support Updater Features

Use the Package Support Updater to:

Install and uninstall device packages.

Upgrade device packages.

Schedule the automatic download of new device packages.

View a list of currently installed device packages and their versions.

View a history of device package changes.

Using the Package Support Updater

You can perform various tasks using the Package Support Updater.

Table 2-12 lists these tasks and descriptions.

Table 2-12 Package Support Updater Tasks 

Task
Description

Starting the Package Support Updater

Start the Package Support Updater by selecting
Start > Programs > CiscoWorks2000 > Package Support Updater.

To start the Package Support Updater in stand-alone mode, run the script psu from the CSCOpx/bin directory.

Installing Device Packages

To install new device packages or upgrade existing packages, log into CiscoWorks2000 and select Device Manager > Administration > Package Support Updater > Add Packages.

 

In stand-alone mode, enter the following command to install new device packages or upgrade existing packages: psu -i -src=x y.

Note In this table, x represents the source directory containing device package jar files, and y represents the package(s) you want to install or uninstall. When referring to multiple device packages, use a single space to separate them.

 

Installing Device Packages (continued)

If a given selection does not result in a consistent package repository even with the base packages, that particular section is not allowed. Also, the Package Support Updater will not allow you to select a package whose superceding version has already been installed in the package repository.

Refer to Table 2-13 for a summary of messages that might be displayed when you perform this task.

Uninstalling Device Packages

The Package Support Updater dialog box shows a list of the device packages that are already installed. It also acts as a launch point for uninstalling device packages.

In stand-alone mode, enter the following command to display a list of device packages that are currently installed on your system, as well as the device packages available for installation in the source directory: psu -q -src=x -a.

To uninstall a device package(s), enter the following command: psu -u -src=x y.



Note Only one client can add or delete device support at a time. After adding or deleting device support, all active users must close their browsers and log back in to CiscoWorks2000.


Table 2-13 lists the device packages message summary.

Table 2-13 Installing Device Package Message Summary

Sample Message
Message Type
Explanation
Message Location

Path /tmp/dir2/x is invalid.

Error

Specified directory is not a valid directory.

Status bar

Found 2 CiscoView packages in the directory /tmp/dir/.

Info

Specified directory is a valid directory.

Status bar

Package C8500 cannot be downgraded to a lower version.

Error

User selected a package whose superceding version has already been installed.

Status bar

Cannot find base package `CDPAddlet' for C8500.

Error

Base packages are unavailable for selected package.

Status bar

Package "IOS Addlet has been added to install list due to dependencies."

Info

Installer automatically selected a base package.

Status bar

Cannot proceed with install. Reason: Insufficient disk space.

Error

Not enough disk space.

Dialog box


Refer to the Package Support Updater online help for more information.

Device List Management

CiscoView 5.3 supports the import of device credentials—IP addresses and SNMP read/write community strings. This information is used to populate a master device list, which can then be broken down into user-specific device lists.

Device credentials can be imported from 3 sources: Campus and Essentials databases, as well as CSV-format files. To access device list management, select Device Manager > Administration > CiscoView Server > CiscoView Device List.

The following device list management options are available to administrators:

Import device credentials into the master device list.

Edit entries in the master device list.

Create a list of devices specific to a particular user(s).

Add/delete entries from a user's device list.


Note Any changes made to an entry in the master device list are automatically reflected in user device lists which reference that entry.


For more information on device list management, refer to the CiscoView online help.