Table of Contents

CiscoWorks for Windows Features

CiscoWorks for Windows 1.0 is a suite of integrated PC-based network configuration and diagnostic tools for small to medium-sized networks or remote workgroups that deploy from 5 to 50 Cisco devices.

This chapter provides the following sections on CiscoWorks for Windows applications and features:

• Configuration Builder
  
  
• Show Commands
  
  
• Health Monitor
  
  
• CiscoView
  
  
• Online Help
  
  

The CiscoWorks for Windows Show Commands, CiscoView, and Health Monitor applications must run under HP OpenView. Configuration Builder can run as a stand-alone application or within the HP OpenView platform. CiscoView and Health Monitor applications use the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to monitor and control any Cisco device on the network.

Configuration Builder

Configuration Builder allows you to create configuration files for multiple Cisco routers, access servers, and hubs without requiring you to remember complicated command-line language or syntax for the devices. Using Configuration Builder, you can configure Cisco devices with the most common Cisco Internetwork Operating System (Cisco IOS) features. See Table 2-2 through Table 2-6 for a brief overview of supported Cisco IOS features.

Configuration Builder provides the following special features:

• Multiple device configuration windows
  
  

  You can configure multiple devices simultaneously for remote source-route bridging and Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC) Transport. For example, when you configure a new router into an existing remote source-route bridging virtual ring group, configuration files of all devices in the same virtual ring group are automatically updated.

• Configuration snap-ins
  
  

  You can quickly import predefined priority queuing lists, Internet Protocol (IP) or Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX) access lists, IPX Service Advertisement Protocol (SAP) filters, and AppleTalk filters into multiple configuration files. This ensures consistency among devices that share common configuration parameters.

• Duplicate address and configuration checking
  
  

  You can check for duplicate IP, IPX, AppleTalk, and DECnet addresses in all open configuration files. You can also check for valid entries for common configuration parameters such as addresses, costs for DECnet and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), AppleTalk cable ranges, X.25 parameters, and Frame Relay parameters.

• Guided configuration
  
  

  You can automatically move through the sequence of dialog boxes that need to be filled to create a configuration file. To do so, complete the initial configuration dialog box and then do one of the following after completing each configuration dialog box:

• Press the F2 key.
  
  
• Select the Guided Configuration icon on the toolbar in the main window.
  
  
• Select the Guided Configuration command from the Global menu.
  
  

• Learn hardware capability
  
  

  You can detect the model, software version and image type, and the number and type of installed interfaces on the router you are configuring. You can also learn the number of lines on an access server, and whether or not a hub is connected to a device. This information is automatically placed in the configuration file.

• Remote configuration capability
  
  

  You can configure remote devices if the PC is running a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) stack that is WINSOCK-compliant and has access via TCP/IP to the router you are configuring. The router must have the following minimum configuration:

• IP routing enabled
  
  
• An IP address assigned to an interface
  
  
• Enable and virtual terminal passwords
  
  

What's New in this Release

Since the release of Configuration Builder 1.1, several features have been added. Configuration Builder 2.0 allows you to configure Cisco hubs and access servers as well as routers.

You can perform the following configuration tasks for access servers:

• Group and ungroup lines.
  
  

  In addition to configuring options for a single access server line, you can quickly configure the same options for a group of lines.

• Use expert mode to quickly configure related features.
  
  

  If you are an expert user and are familiar with access server configurations, you can select expert mode to enable additional paths for configuring global access server features, allowing quick access to dialog boxes where you can complete related configuration tasks.

• Configure chat scripts.
  
  

  Create and edit modem chat scripts for your access server asynchronous lines or create and edit login chat scripts for dialer rotary groups.

• Use list boxes to quickly select device features and modem communication parameters.
  
  
• Configure lines for IP, IPX, or AppleTalk Remote Access (ARA) protocols to allow flexibility for remote user login.
  
  
• Configure terminal services.
  
  

  You can select Telnet, local-area transport (LAT), or rlogin for console, TTY, auxiliary (aux), and virtual terminal (VTY) lines. TN3270 is enabled for all lines. You can also configure XRemote for auxiliary and TTY lines.

• Set up security.
  
  

  Restrict access to your access server by creating a list of local usernames and passwords, or by assigning line passwords to lines. If your network has a Terminal Access Controller Access System (TACACS) server available, you can enable TACACS to authenticate usernames and passwords.

• Configure Dial-on-Demand Routing (DDR) to include asynchronous or synchronous serial lines and assign them to a rotary group.
  
  
• Configure protocol translation to enable connections between hosts and resources running different protocols.
  
  

Configuration Builder Files

Configuration Builder generates and stores these files in the \data directory:

• *.cdf — configuration files (binary)
  
  
• *.cfg— configuration files (text)
  
  
• *.cbk — configuration backup files
  
  
• snmphost.chl— SNMP host names file
  
  
• zones.apt— AppleTalk zones file
  
  

Configuration Builder generates and stores these files in the \data\snapin directory:

• *.aal — AppleTalk access lists
  
  
• *.ial — IP access lists
  
  
• *.nal — IPX access lists
  
  
• *.nsl — IPX SAP filter lists
  
  
• *.pql— Priority queuing lists
  
  

The \data\srb directory contains files with the extension *.srb. These files define remote source-route bridging (SRB) groups.

The \data\sdlc directory contains files with the extension *.s. These files define synchronous data-link control (SDLC) tunnel groups.

Caution If you create additional Configuration Builder icons through the Windows Program Manager, be sure to include the directory name in which you installed Configuration Builder 2.0 and the ciscocb.exe command. The working directory must specify the \data subdirectory.

Configuration Builder Main Window

The Configuration Builder main window is illustrated in Figure 2-1. The number and type of network icons displayed in the main window will vary according to your network configuration.

Figure 2-1: Configuration Builder Main Window

The main window consists of the following elements:

• Title bar—Displays the application name and the name of the currently active router configuration. The active configuration name includes the router host name, followed by the filename in brackets. In Figure 2-1, the host name is Mt View, and the filename is MTVIEW.CDF.
  
  
• Menu bar—Provides access to all Configuration Builder dialog boxes. Table 2-1 through Table 2-9 list and explain the options under each menu.
  
  
• Toolbar—Provides the Guided Configuration icon in addition to the standard create file, open file, save file, print file, and help icons. You can use the Guided Configuration icon or the F2 key to activate the guided configuration.
  
  
• Protocol list box—Used with configuration windows, it lets you select a routing protocol. The configuration window indicates whether interfaces are enabled for the specified routing protocol. In Figure 2-1, IP is the selected protocol. You can double-click on any interface icon to open the IP Routing Configuration window.
  
  
• Configuration windows—Appear within the main window and indicate the router model, Cisco software version and image type, and interface status information.
  
  

  In Figure 2-1, the Mt View configuration is for a Cisco 3000 router running Software Release 10.1. Ethernet 1, Token Ring 0, Serial 0, and FDDI 0 are IP-enabled. Serial 1, Ethernet 0, and Token Ring 1 are not IP-enabled as indicated by the yellow cross-out over the interface icon. (A red cross-out over an interface icon would indicate that an interface has been administratively shut down.)

• Configuration file icons—Displayed for any open configuration window that is iconized. In Figure 2-1, the London and Paris configurations are iconized.
  
  
• Status bar—Provides a brief description of the currently selected menu item.
  
  

Show Commands

Show Commands allows you to quickly display detailed system and protocol information for Cisco devices without requiring you to remember complicated command-line language or syntax.

What's in this Release

You can display the following system information for Cisco devices:

• Software version
  
  
• Device configuration (running memory and nonvolatile random-access memory [NVRAM])
  
  
• Controller status
  
  
• Buffer status
  
  
• Device voltage and temperature status
  
  
• Flash memory status
  
  

You can display detailed information about Cisco device interfaces that are configured to support the following protocols:

• IP
  
  
• IPX
  
  
• AppleTalk
  
  
• DECnet
  
  
• CLNS
  
  
• Frame Relay
  
  
• X.25
  
  
• VINES
  
  

Show Commands Main Window

The Show Commands main window is illustrated in Figure 2-2.

Figure 2-2: Show Commands Main Window

The Show Commands main window consists of the following elements:

• Title bar—Displays the Show Commands application name, the active device name, and the name of the current show command window.
  
  
• Menu bar—Provides access to all Show Commands dialog boxes. Table 2-10 through Table 2-15 list and explain the items under each menu.
  
  
• Toolbar—Provides save file, copy text, print file, window refresh, enter text for searching, find entered text, and help contents icons.
  
  
• Status bar—Provides a brief description of the currently selected menu item.
  
  
• Show Commands palette—Floating window from which you can access all Show Commands options.
  
  

Health Monitor

Health Monitor is a dynamic fault and performance management tool that provides real-time statistics on device characteristics, interface status and utilization, and protocol utilization.

Health Monitor allows you to customize feedback on device and interface status via settings in the Preferences dialog box:

• Choose fatal and warning thresholds for CPU load and interface types.
  
  

  Fatal and warning indications are provided by color changes. Color indications include:

• Green (up)
  
  
• Yellow (warning)
  
  
• Red (fatal)
  
  

  Color indications are provided within the IfErrors, IfUtilization, IfStatus, and Environment tabs. And, for the overall health of a device, color indication is provided within the Health Monitor application icon.

• Select polling frequency value to control when you receive device and interface feedback.
  
  
• Set the no-response timeout value to control the duration of time Health Monitor will wait for a reply from a monitored device.
  
  
• Sort interfaces by status or media type.
  
  

What's in this Release

Health Monitor provides the following device and interface information:

• System
  
  

  Provides device name, type, Cisco IOS version, location, and device contact information. Lists total and available random access memory (RAM), flash memory, and nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM). Also provides a reason for the last restart of the device.

• Interface errors
  
  

  Graphs interface error rates and provides warning and fatal threshold color indications for interface error rates.

• Interface utilization
  
  

  Graphs interface utilization and provides warning and fatal threshold color indications for interface utilization.

• Interface status
  
  

  Graphs number of bytes per protocol that an interface has sent or received. Provides interface status by color indication: up (green), test (magenta), dormant (cyan)—waiting for an external event, administratively down (brown), and operational failure (red).

• Protocols
  
  

  Graphs number of packets per protocol that the device has forwarded.

• CPU
  
  

  Graphs device CPU utilization in 5-second, 1-minute, and 5-minute intervals.

• Environmental card status (Cisco 7000 series and AGS+ only)
  
  

  Depicts air temperature and power supply voltage readings for a device. Provides warning and fatal threshold color indications for these readings.

Health Monitor Main Window

The Health Monitor main window is illustrated in Figure 2-3.

Figure 2-3: Health Monitor Main Window

The Health Monitor main window consists of the following elements:

• Title bar—Provides the Health Monitor application name and the name of the current connected device.
  
  
• Menu bar—Provides access to all Health Monitor dialog boxes. Table 2-16 through Table 2-19 list and explain the items under each menu.
  
  
• Tabs—Provide access to all Health Monitor tabs. See Table 2-20.
  
  
• Status bar—Provides a brief description of the currently selected menu item.
  
  

CiscoView

CiscoView provides a physical view of a device's back panel with real-time status indicated through message feedback in the status bar area and through changes in port colors. See the section "CiscoView Main Window" later in this chapter for more details.

You can select cards and ports and instantly obtain system information, device characteristics, interface statistics, configuration settings, and real-time operational statistics.

What's in this Release

CiscoView provides the following features:

• View of device back panel providing:
  
  
• • Device type and operational status
    
    
  • System information (Cisco IOS version and CPU utilization)
    
    
  • Card types, number, and status
    
    
  • Port types, number, and status
    
    
• Port reset capability
  
  
• Launch points from selected CiscoView devices, interfaces, and ports to the main window of these CiscoWorks for Windows applications:
  
  
• • Show Commands
    
    
  • Health Monitor
    
    
  • Configuration Builder
    
    

CiscoView Main Window

The CiscoView main window is illustrated in Figure 2-4.

Figure 2-4: CiscoView Main Window

The main window consists of the following elements:

• Title bar—provides the CiscoView application name and the name of the currently connected device.
  
  
• Menu bar—Provides access to all CiscoView dialog boxes. Table 2-21 through Table 2-27 list and explain the items under each menu.
  
  

• Toolbar—Provides launch points for Health Monitor, Configuration Builder, and Show Commands applications.
  
  
• Device view—provides a view of the device's back panel.
  
  
• System information—Provides a brief description of the device type and the Cisco IOS version.
  
  
• Status bar—Provides a brief description of the currently selected device, interface, or port and provides ongoing operational status, including polling and error message information.
  
  
• Legend—Provides port status as follows: up (green), testing (magenta), minor alarm (yellow), dormant (cyan)—the port is waiting for an external event (such as having packets to transmit or dialing a remote site), administratively down (brown), and operational failure (red).
  
  
• Pop-up menus—launch Configuration Builder, Health Monitor, and Show Commands and open the main windows for these applications. To access the pop-up menus, press the right mouse button over devices, cards, or ports. From the device back panel, you can launch Configuration Builder, Health Monitor, and Show Commands applications. From specified interface cards and their ports, you can launch Configuration Builder and Health Monitor. From auxiliary and console ports, you can launch Configuration Builder.
  
  

Online Help

Context-sensitive online help provides you with step-by-step instructions on how to use CiscoWorks for Windows applications. The online help system also provides a glossary and keyword search capability.

Dialog Box Help Button

Each dialog box has a Help button. Select the Help button to open a help window describing the purpose of the dialog box and the procedures to complete tasks specific to the dialog box. Links to overview material and related information may also be available, depending on the dialog box information requirements.

F1 Key and Context-Sensitive Help

Select a data-entry field within a Configuration Builder dialog box and then press the F1 key to open a context-sensitive help window with information about the selected field. The Health Monitor and Show Commands applications provide F1 key functionality for general dialog box or tab information only. In CiscoView, press the F1 key while the mouse is positioned over a device to view information about that device type.

Help Window Menu and Button Bars

Each help window has a menu bar and a button bar. The menu bar provides standard MS Windows help functions for printing help topics, copying and pasting text from help topics, making online notes about particular help topics, and placing bookmarks.

The button bar provides the following buttons:

• Contents—Opens the help table of contents. Help topics are highlighted and underlined. Select a help topic to open a help screen specific to the underlined topic. Some topics open popup windows which contain a list of subtopics. Select a help subtopic to open a help screen specific to the underlined subtopic.
  
  
• Search—Allows you to open a window in which you can enter keywords to find topics and go directly to help screens on those topics.
  
  
• Back—Allows you to move back sequentially to previously opened help screens.
  
  
• History—Allows you to see the sequence of help windows you have opened and to jump to any of them.
  
  
• Browse—Allows you to browse through sets of related help screens, providing quick access to overviews of particular Configuration Builder help topics.
  
  
• Main—Opens a help window that provides a top-level list of help contents with links to help on all applications, including Configuration Builder, Show Commands, Health Monitor and CiscoView. You can keep the top-level help contents open while you are navigating through other help windows.
  
  
• Glossary—Opens a help window that provides a list of terms that are arranged in alphabetical order. Select a term to open a pop-up window that gives an explanation of the term. You can keep the glossary window open while you are navigating through other help windows. Popup definitions are also available within most help screens.
  
  

Overview and See Also Buttons

Many help windows have Overview and See Also buttons in the help window topic caption area. You can select the Overview button to obtain background information for the procedure described in the current help window. Select See Also to view a list of related topics and to go directly to those topics from the current help window.