Table of Contents

Overview

CiscoView 5.4 is a graphical SNMP-based device management tool that provides real-time views of networked Cisco Systems devices. These views deliver a continuously updated physical picture of device configuration and performance conditions, with simultaneous views available for multiple device sessions. Additionally, CiscoView is designed for integration with leading network management platforms such as HP OpenView Network Node Manager to provide seamless and powerful methods of managing Cisco devices (such as routers, switches, hubs, concentrators, and adapters).

Note   To start CiscoView from a third-party NMS, you must first have installed the Integration utility. For more information about the Integration utility, refer to the "Integrating With Third-Party Vendors" section in Chapter 2.

CiscoView Features

Use CiscoView to:

• View a graphical representation of front and back device panels, including component (interface, card, power supply) status.
  
  
• Configure parameters for devices, cards, and interfaces.
  
  
• Monitor real-time statistics for interfaces, resource utilization, and device performance.
  
  
• Telnet, access Cisco.com and the TAC mailer, and set values for SNMP and community strings.
  
  

Device Packages

Cisco's router and switches are referred to as network devices. Routers and switch devices must be physically installed in the appropriate chassis and connected to your network (using each specific device's hardware installation guide). Device software is installed as a device package. CiscoView uses the device package to display a dynamic panel view of the physical device and all its modules, submodules, ports, and the like.

The CiscoView engine controls and manages physically connected devices via SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). The SNMP system consists of three parts: SNMP manager, SNMP agent, and Management Information Base (MIB). Each installed device's SNMP agent uses sets of MIB variables that you can configure, monitor, and modify (as necessary) using CiscoView and each installed device package's software.

Although CiscoView is designed expressly to manage all devices, in some cases, there are special management requirements that an application can streamline for you, as in the case of stacked devices. StackMaker works within CiscoView to manage stack devices. For more information about StackMaker, refer to
Chapter 3, "Using StackMaker."

Supported Devices

CiscoView provides support for a considerable range of devices, installed as device packages. Additional device packages can be added to CiscoView anytime after the initial product release or installation. When new device packages become available, they are placed on Cisco.com. Check this site to ensure that you have the latest device release. Also, review the CiscoView Release Notes for each device package because they supply critical information, notes, and caveats about usage. The list of supported devices can also be found in the CiscoView online help.