Cisco Prime Network provides cost-effective device operation, administration, and network fault management for today's complex and fast-evolving next-generation networks.
Product Overview
The explosive growth in demands for new and differentiated services by business, residential, and mobile customers is placing increasing pressures on service providers to transform their networks and operational processes for improved profitability. As service providers deploy converged networks to cost-effectively deliver voice, video, mobile, and cloud services, today's disjointed management systems make it difficult to achieve the required efficiencies while meeting the service availability requirements that customers expect.
Cisco Prime™ Network is a comprehensive and feature-rich device operation, administration, and network fault management solution specifically designed to help address this need. It provides automated configuration and change management, fault monitoring and correlation, advanced troubleshooting and diagnostics - to enable proactive service assurance for outstanding service availability. Its flexible and extensible architecture is designed to support the multivendor environment, helping service providers meet the challenging demands of today's highly complex and fast-evolving networks.
The preintegrated combination of Cisco Prime Network and Cisco Prime Performance Manager offers a complete network assurance management solution that provides operators granular and real-time visibility into network and service topologies with related performance metrics. This powerful combination provides both postevent fault management and trend information to proactively avoid future service disruptions.
Cisco Prime Network is offered as a standalone product or as a component of the Cisco Prime Carrier Management suite of applications that supports IP next-generation networks including Carrier Ethernet, Unified MPLS and converged packet optical transport networks as well as next-generation mobile, cloud and managed services. (Refer to Figures 1 and 2.)
Figure 1. Centralized Management and Service Assurance for the Whole Network
Benefits
• Increased operational scale and efficiency through simplified and automated network discovery, configuration, and change management
• Enhanced customer satisfaction through accelerated resolution to network issues and prevention of service disruptions by facilitating proactive (versus reactive) service assurance
• Lower integration costs through extensive and simplified support for Cisco® and third-party management applications through preintegration and a standards-based northbound interface (NBI)
Features
• Comprehensive, graphical view of entire network from topology down to the device level with centralized inventory, status, and fault information
• GUI-based device component configuration with more than 200 prebuilt and downloadable scripts
• Up-to-date display of network event, state, and configuration changes
• Topology-guided troubleshooting, automatic root-cause identification, and alarm reduction through de-duplication
• Optimized for multitechnology networks and enabled for multivendor network scenarios, supporting major device types and device configurations
• Preintegrated application component of the Cisco Prime Carrier Management suite, supporting complete lifecycle management of next-generation services including voice, video, mobile, and cloud standards-based NBI, Software Development Kits (SDKs), and support for partner and third-party applications including InfoVista VistaInsight for Networks and IBM Tivoli Netcool
Figure 2. Cisco Prime Network Vision Window
Detailed Features and Benefits
Table 1 provides details on the features and benefits of Cisco Prime Network.
Table 1. Cisco Prime Network
Feature
Description
Benefit
IP next-generation network (NGN) network scope
• Device operation, administration, and network fault management for IP NGN (Ethernet, IPv4/IPv6, IP/Multiprotocol Label Switching [MPLS], MPLS Transport Profile [MPLS-TP], MPLS VPN, Carrier Ethernet/VPLS), ASR 9000 based Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) and network Virtualization (nV) configurations
• Investment protection through a single solution for the entire network
Mobility network scope
• Device operation, administration, and network fault management for mobility networks, including Radio Access Network [RAN] backhaul and Cisco ASR 5000 Series mobility gateway functions deployed for long term evolution (LTE) services
• Investment protection through a single solution for IP NGN transport and mobility networks
Data center devices
• Extension of Cisco Prime Network functional scope to Cisco devices typically deployed in data centers, including Cisco UCS® servers and Cisco Nexus® switches
• Comprehensive network support that includes data center components (Example: For mobile network deployments, Cisco Prime Network supports mobile wireless service policy functions hosted on Cisco UCS servers within a service provider's data center)
Autonomous discovery of the network, device configurations, and changes
• Automatic discovery of devices that exist in the network for import and creation of virtual network elements (VNEs) for each discovered device to be managed with Cisco Prime Network
• Detailed visibility of devices including both Cisco and third-party devices with customization tools to extend scope of discoverable device configurations
• GUI-driven wizard for configuration with more than 200 prebuilt scripts
• Automatic capture and display of configuration changes
• Helps enable increased operational efficiencies for faster time to market of services
• Reduces costs by reducing operational overhead and manually intensive tasks
Discovery and representation of virtual network (service) connectivity
• Detailed and automatic representation of virtual network (service) connectivity including MPLS VPNs, Ethernet virtual connections (EVCs), VPLS, Pseudowire connections, and MPLS-TP tunnels
• Virtual connection views showing routing/switching functions with interconnecting links
• Support for standards-based APIs, to facilitate external applications to access any virtual network (service) connectivity information
• Assists in network troubleshooting through easy access to virtual connectivity information
• Lowers operational costs by eliminating manual tracing of complex Ethernet virtual connections from device configuration data
Management and control of evolving devices
• Support for VNEs with event-based polling. VNEs are independent software processes that run on the Cisco Active Network Abstraction (ANA) unit servers. Each VNE is assigned to manage a single network element (NE) using the NE's management interfaces (for example, Simple Network Management Protocol [SNMP], XML, or Telnet)
• Adaptive polling to gracefully respond to device CPU load conditions
• Monthly published VNE driver update packs for Cisco and third-party devices
• Installation of VNE driver packs without requiring Cisco Prime Network software upgrades
• Eliminates delays associated with network conditions and upgrades, maintaining continuous operations and network availability
Device configuration and image management
• Backup, versioning, and restoration of device configuration files
• Verification of network operating systems loaded and executing on each device; management and distribution of device images
• Ability to compare configuration files using color codes highlighting added or removed configuration elements
• Configuration audit - the ability to audit one or more device configuration files against a specified baseline configuration policy file
• Scheduled distribution and activation of network operating system images to one or more devices
• In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) support for Cisco ASR 903 and Carrier Routing System (CRS) network elements
• Image management for ASR 9000v satellite devices in nV configurations
• Configuration file and image file management for ASR 5000 Series systems
• Accelerated restoration of service through reduction/elimination of system downtime while errors are located and corrected
• Faster verification/validation of the network running as intended
Network monitoring, diagnosis, and repair
• Automated fault to root-cause identification spanning detailed significant events and status information for each device, topology, and virtual network connection
• Archival of history of events and communication of data to external fault management or work center trouble ticketing applications
• Event troubleshooting information report that provides probable cause and troubleshooting information for mobile packet core (ASR 5000 Series) events
• Extensibility of fault management features into network operations by embedding additional, work-center-specific troubleshooting and device configuration methods and sequences
• Customization tools for command sequences, automatically integrated into Cisco Prime Network's user interface and API structure
• Access to network performance trend information and threshold crossing events when combined with Cisco Prime Network
• Shorter service interruptions, greater efficiency for operators, and overall cost savings for the business
• Comprehensive problem identification and isolation of network issues without disrupting work center operation
• Prevention of service disruptions through proactive network/service assurance
Northbound interface for external OSS integrations
• Cisco Prime Network Integration Layer exposing network inventory data through standardized third-generation partnership program (3GPP) and Multitechnology Operations System Interface (MTOSI) web services for integration with external OSS
• Detailed physical and logical inventory for every device to external OSSs such as inventory systems
• XML-based interface for querying the information model, command execution, and notification
• Event notification service for forwarding of SNMP and email notifications
• Cross-launching of applications
• Support for third-party management applications such as video assurance management solutions including InfoVista VistaInsight for Networks and Cisco Info Center/IBM Tivoli Netcool
• Reduced costs through standards-based interfaces
Product Specifications
Tables 2 through 5 outline the product specifications for each functional module in Cisco Prime Network.
Table 2. Cisco Prime Network Foundation and Device Management
Product Specification
Functional Description
Abstract VNE model and mediation layer
• Common network element communication layer (Telnet, Secure Shell [SSH] Protocol, SNMP, XML through SSH)
• Data abstraction layer providing a common information model across all applications (fault, inventory, configuration, service assurance, and performance)
• Access to all lifecycle tasks from a single, centralized interface (Cisco Prime)
• Fully integrated data abstraction helping enable device drivers to be kept up to date without requiring upgrading of Cisco Prime Network
• Support for networks with devices sharing the same IP address
Inventory and topology management
• Discovery of network devices
• Automatic discovery and ongoing synchronization of physical and software configurations of devices
• Discovery of physical topology among devices
• Topological views that identify the location and severity of alarms
• Common launch point for the majority of element management operations
• Supports threshold-based alarms for augmented model variables
Device configuration and administration
• GUI-based methods for device configuration processes
• More than 200 built-in and downloadable scripts for device configuration and administration, including configuration methods for mobile gateway (ASR 5000 Series) LTE and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) features
• Additional scripts added monthly through device driver pack updates
• Customizable GUI wizard-driven configuration
• Model-aware command definition and execution with extensible scripting engine
Device configuration and image management
• Backup, versioning, and restoration of device configuration files
• Comparison among configuration files with color coding for adding or removing configuration elements
• Device software image distribution, activation, and tracking
• Full Cisco IOS® Software image and granular Cisco IOS XR package operations support
• Configuration Audit: Audit configurations from one or more devices against a specified baseline configuration policy file
Fault management
• Event detection using both active and passive monitoring
• Event identification, association, and local correlation
• Event reduction through de-duplication and alarm state management (alarm flapping)
• Network-level correlation (without the need for creating and maintaining rules)
• Alarm (referred to as ticket) creation, management, and archiving
• Event and alarm reporting - ITU-T X.733 specifications
• Event archiving
• Specialized viewer application with navigation capabilities for selecting devices or interfaces and displaying corresponding status/fault information
• Automated alarm and event filter by viewed network map, selected network element, or selected network element component
Network element (device) support
• Specialized device drivers based on device type and version
• Automatic discovery of device type and association of appropriate driver for the device
• Monthly device driver pack with hardware and software updates
• Support for all major service provider devices, including VNEs, device drivers, more than 200 Cisco device types, modules, and plug-ins as well as 70 non-Cisco device types
• Built-in polling methods, including event-based updates and adaptive polling to manage timely updates in various network load conditions
Table 3. Network and Service Monitoring
Product Specification
Description
Monitoring and representation of physical, virtual, and service connection topologies
• Autodiscovery and topological views for physical (for example, Ethernet links), virtual (for example, Pseudowire), and service (for example, Ethernet virtual connection) connections, as well as the multilayer associations between these connections
• Physical, virtual, and service connection representation: Link/connection inventory, topology views, and overlay of virtual and service connections on physical topologies
• Support for Carrier Ethernet, MPLS/IP, MPLS VPN, MPLS-TP, and RAN backhaul topologies and service connections
• Unmanaged network segment support
• Network-level fault correlation and root-cause analysis
• Monitoring and alarm tracking of virtual and service connection events, including Ethernet Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) events
Network troubleshooting
• Identification of event and alarm location down to the alarmed device component
• Event and alarm association with virtual and service connections
• Event troubleshooting information report that provides probable cause and troubleshooting information for mobile packet core (ASR 5000 Series) events
• Detailed device configuration representation to aid in navigating along an affected path with event/alarm overlays and hyperlinks among related device components; helps enable weblike device configuration browsing to greatly speed up any-which-way navigation needed for troubleshooting
• GUI-based representation of topology and device configurations to assist in isolating fault and configuration errors to the root-cause device and particular device component (when available)
• Path trace, Ethernet Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (E-OAM) troubleshooting tools, with access to device-resident troubleshooting commands
• Integration with Cisco Prime Performance Manager for context-sensitive launch of performance reports from within Cisco Prime Network's user interface
Table 4. System Integration and Customization
Product Specification
Description
OSS integration
• Exposes network inventory data through standardized 3GPP and MTOSI web services for integration with external OSS
• Provides physical and logical inventory access to external OSSs to eliminate the cost of building and maintaining direct
• Event notification service for forwarding SNMP notifications and email notifications
• Web services
• Application cross-launch
Solution integration
• Cisco Prime Network is part of the Cisco Prime for IP NGN solution and fully integrated with Cisco Prime Central, Cisco Prime Provisioning, Cisco Prime Performance Manager, and Cisco Prime Optical for A-to-Z fulfillment of lifecycle tasks, including design, fulfillment, assurance, and analysis
• Pretested integration
• InfoVista VistaInsight for Networks for performance management
• Cisco Info Center and IBM/Tivoli Netcool for fault management
• Command Builder: Create device command-line interface (CLI) scripts that can be embedded in and executed from the UI
• Model extension: Soft properties to extend internal models
• Workflow Builder: Toolset for customized workflow orchestration
• VNE Builder: Customize and extend VNE driver support
• Business tags (searchable, user-defined tags that can be attached to device and device component objects, for example, to identify the name of a managed services customer associated with an access port)
• Language support (multibyte language support)
• Rule engine to customize alarm post processing
• Registry Service facilitates extensive customization of Cisco Prime Network application behavior. Includes options for inserting custom-created applications into the Cisco Prime Network system. Implementing these customizations requires in-depth training. Alternatively, customization is available through Cisco Advanced Services
Cisco Developer Network
• Extensive SDK and developer support
• Developer Forums supported by Cisco Prime Network subject matter experts
• Training videos on demand (VoDs)
• Links for downloading utilities, extensions, scripts, and tools
• Best Practices page containing recommendations, tips, and success stories
• Up-to-date information about upcoming training events
Table 5. System Deployment and Administration
Product Specification
Description
User security
• Supports local and external authentication using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
• Multiple methods for user access and security control:
• Security access roles determine the actions each user can perform
• Security scopes determine which devices each user can access and the actions that can be performed on these devices
• Configurable option to execute user-selected device configuration commands with system ID and password or the user's login ID and password.
• Administration GUI includes method for tracking and controlling active GUI and NBI user sessions
System management and redundancy
• Cisco Prime Network gateway server redundancy:
• Local redundancy using Red Hat Cluster Suite for dual-node (
and
) installation with a disk resource that is mountable from both nodes
• Geographic redundancy for Linux platforms using Oracle Active Data Guard for installation in a primary location
(
) and installation of a secondary server (
) and disk resource (
) in a different location
• Local and geographic redundancy configurations are available for Cisco Prime Network gateway servers deployed on Solaris servers through Cisco Advanced Services and customer-supplied Veritas Cluster Server software
• Cisco Prime Network unit server redundancy and Agent Virtual Machine (AVM) process protection through watchdog processes within each unit server and gateway server
• n+m warm standby protection for unit server groups
• Watchdog protocol monitors and restarts failed AVM processes within each unit server
• Users alerted through Cisco Prime Network system events and alarms
• Cisco Prime Network administrative user interface for system and user administration tasks
System Requirements
Distributed Architecture
Each Cisco Prime Network installation consists of unit servers hosting the VNEs, gateway server, embedded database or external Oracle database, and Windows-based clients. Depending upon the scale of the network, Cisco Prime Network unit and gateway server software can be deployed on a single server or across multiple servers for a distributed architecture.
Cisco Prime Network also allows gateway and unit servers to be deployed as virtual servers, using either Oracle VM Server for SPARC (previously called Sun Logical Domains) or VMware for Linux. A wide variety of deployment configurations can be tailored to meet the needs of each customer environment. Systems can also be configured in various standby/high-availability modes to help ensure business continuity.
Unit Servers
Interconnected unit servers can host up to thousands of individual VNEs, each representing a managed network element. As the managed network grows, VNEs can easily be moved from one unit to another, and additional units can be added to host additional VNEs.
For more detailed information on system requirements and technical specifications please refer to the "Gateway and Unit Hardware and Software Prerequisites" section of the Cisco Prime Network Quick Start Guide or Cisco Prime Network Installation Guide.
About Cisco Prime
The Cisco Prime portfolio of enterprise and service provider management offerings empowers IT organizations to more effectively manage their networks and the services they deliver. Built on a service-centered foundation, Cisco Prime supports integrated lifecycle management through an intuitive workflow-oriented user experience--providing A-to-Z management for IP next-generation networks, mobility, video, and managed services.
Services and Support
Cisco offers a wide range of services programs to accelerate customer success. These innovative services programs are delivered through a unique combination of people, processes, tools, and partners, resulting in high levels of customer satisfaction. Cisco services help you to protect your network investment, optimize network operations, and prepare the network for new applications to extend network intelligence and the power of your business. For more information please visit the Cisco Services page on Cisco.com.
Ordering Information
Cisco Prime Network is available for purchase through regular Cisco sales and distribution channels worldwide. To place an order, visit the Cisco Ordering Homepage.
Ordering Information for Cisco Prime Network 3.10 is given in Table 6.
Table 6. Ordering Information for Cisco Prime Network 3.10
Part Number
Description
NETWORK-310-K9
Cisco Prime Network 3.10 - Base Application
NETWORK-310-LAB-K9
Cisco Prime Network 3.10 - Lab. Application (No Production)
NETWORK-310-SBY-K9
Cisco Prime Network 3.10 - Stand-by Application (Redundancy)
NETWORK-310-SR-K9
Cisco Prime Network 3.10 - Service Upgrade (Physical)
NETWORK-3-MTOSI
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - MTOSI Northbound Interface
NETWORK-3-3GPP
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 3GPP Northbound Interface
NETWORK-3-GR-A-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Group A Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GR-B-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Group B Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GR-C-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Group C Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GR-D-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Group D Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GR-E-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Group E Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GR-F-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Group F Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-NC-A-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Non Cisco - Group A Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-NC-B-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Non Cisco - Group B Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-NC-C-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Non Cisco - Group C Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-NC-D-RTM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - Non Cisco - Group D Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRA-SM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 500 Group A Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRA-MD
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 1300 Group A Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRA-LG
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 2500 Group A Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRB-SM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 200 Group B Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRB-MD
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 500 Group B Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRB-LG
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 1000 Group B Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRC-SM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 50 Group C Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRC-MD
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 100 Group C Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRC-LG
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 300 Group C Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRD-SM
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 50 Group D Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRD-MD
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 100 Group D Right to Manage
NETWORK-3-GRD-LG
Cisco Prime Network 3.x - 200 Group D Right to Manage
