|
The Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool draws together existing Cisco technologies useful in highlighting year 2000 compliance status of Cisco devices. The assessment tool discovers Cisco devices in your network, collects detailed hardware configuration information about those devices, and presents a report of their state of compliance based on information stored in a database on the Cisco Web site. The tool specifically focuses on Cisco IOS, Catalyst, and WAN switching device software. This assessment tool needs to be used in conjunction with your other year 2000 auditing efforts such as application compliance, tools compliance, server compliance, operating system compliance, and others. When the analysis is complete, the assessment tool provides an up-to-date snapshot of compliance issues on your network and makes upgrade recommendations when appropriate but does not take corrective action. If a Cisco device is reported as needing a Cisco IOS, a Catalyst, or a WAN switching software update to become compliant, you should proceed to upgrade the device using the tools and procedures authorized by your organization.
The Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool is particularly useful in networks with a large number of Cisco routers, switches, and WAN switching devices because it take the place of the manual process of determining their status, thus reducing the time needed to complete a compliance audit. If you choose not to use the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool, you can manually access online information by visiting the Cisco Y2K information site at: http://www.cisco.com/y2k. Additionally, a smaller, Microsoft Windows-based assessment tool is available from Cisco, which can be used in smaller, router-based networks. For information about this tool and download instructions: http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/smbiz/service/y2k/softwareframe.htm.
The Cisco Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool is server based and uses Web technologies to allow browser access to its tools and reports. It is available for Windows NT and Sun Solaris servers. The assessment tool performs five main functions in auditing your network:
The Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool discovery application is used to find Cisco devices throughout the network and pass information related to the address, name, and location of each device to the assessment tool's inventory manager.
The assessment tool discovers devices using standard SNMP and CDP methods. Cisco devices unable to respond using these protocols will not be checked. Connectivity problems such as devices being off-line, located behind a nonpermanent link, or not configured to respond to SNMP or CDP requests will prevent a device from being included in the analysis. The tool's discovery database features an additive collection algorithm so if the discovery process is run subsequent times, new devices will be added as they are detected. Cisco devices previously detected, but not redetected in subsequent discoveries will remain in the inventory database.
This discovery process simplifies the task of identifying Cisco devices and helps ensure that the data used in the year 2000 analysis is up to date. The discovery tool allows you to use the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool in environments that don't have a network management system (NMS) or a product such as CiscoWorks2000 CWSI Campus, which could alternatively be used for discovery. As another option, the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool can import Cisco device information from other sources, which are outlined below.
The inventory report provides detailed information about each Cisco device discovered. Using the address information it receives from the discovery process, the inventory manager determines chassis information, memory configuration, ROM versions, and Cisco IOS or Catalyst software running on each device. The Cisco IOS and Catalyst software information is then used to determine if Cisco has tested it for year 2000 compliance. This checking process eliminates the need to individually query each device and manually track their configurations.
Based on the information stored in your inventory report, the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool quickly produces a year 2000 compliance report. Using Cisco electronic information services, the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool downloads a file from Cisco Connection Online (CCO) containing the results of the Cisco IOS and Catalyst device software testing. The Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool then compares its inventory information to the certificates downloaded to determine each device's compliance. The resulting report summarizes your network's status. The report is organized to highlight Cisco routers and switches both by product families and individual devices. Also included in the report are upgrade recommendations for devices found running noncompliant Cisco IOS or Catalyst software.
The Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool's ability to collect and compare device inventory information with the CCO-based online year 2000 database is a feature also found in the CiscoWorks2000 Resource Manager Essentials 2.0 and Cisco Resource Manager 1.1 products. Resource Manager Essentials 2.0 offers additional tools that can automate the upgrade process and provide detailed prerequisite checking when planning device software upgrades. However, Resource Manager Essentials 2.0 is not required by the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool nor is it required to complete your year 2000 audit.
If you have already deployed either of these products, it is unnecessary to download the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool. If the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool is downloaded into one of these two environments, it must be run from a separate server. If, after using the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool, you decide to install the Resource Manager Essentials product on the server you used to host the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool, you must first uninstall the Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool, then proceed with a normal install of the Resource Manager Essentials product. For more information on the Resource Manager Essentials product and the other tools available in it, see http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/734/enm.shtml.
The Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool is provided by Cisco as an aid in determining year 2000 compliance related to system software running in Cisco devices. This tool is an auditing tool that reports the compliance state of devices it discovers; it makes no alterations to devices, although it can display upgrade recommendations. The tool contains a limited use license, which allows the product to be used through March 15, 2000. At that time, the product will automatically unlicense itself and should be uninstalled.
The Y2K Compliance Assessment Tool is a server-based tool available for either Microsoft Windows NT or Sun Solaris servers. Its discovery and inventory functions leverage a Web server, and it uses a standard browser interface.
Posted: Tue Jun 29 14:52:34 PDT 1999
All contents copyright © 1992--1999 Cisco Systems, Inc. Important Notices and Privacy Statement.