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What is New in This Release

New Features

Client/Server Architecture

What is New in This Release

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This chapter provides a brief description of the new features in IPM Release 2.3 and describes IPM's client/server architecture. It includes the following sections:

•New Features

•Client/Server Architecture

New Features

IPM Release 2.3 implements the following new features:

•Support for IPM server on Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server.

•Support for Web browser based IPM client in Netscape 4.75 or later and Internet Explorer 5.5, with Service Pack 1, or later running on Windows 2000 Professional and Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 1.

•Support for Java 2 on IPM client and for Java plug-in 1.3.

•Support for upgrade to IPM 2.3 from IPM 2.2, IPM 2.1, and IPM 2.0.

•Support for CMF 2.0.

•Support for remote upgrade.

•Facility to change the DB password.

Client/Server Architecture

IPM provides central services and database functions on an IPM server, which communicates through a messaging interface to multiple IPM workstation clients (Figure 1-1). The IPM software consists of server software and client software components that can be installed on the same workstation or on different workstations.

For this release of IPM, the server runs on Solaris 2.6, Solaris 2.7, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows 2000 Server systems. The client runs on Solaris 2.6, Solaris 2.7, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows 2000 Server platforms.

The client/server architecture is cross-platform compatible, which allows you to run the client and server software in mixed operating system environments. For example, you can run the IPM server on a Solaris workstation and access it from an IPM client running on a Windows workstation.

Figure 1-1 IPM Client/Server Architecture

The IPM server software consists of a group of functional services that manage the data among the network, client workstations, and the centralized database. The IPM server manages the exchange of data between the IPM database and the network devices, such as the routers. The IPM Process Manager launches and manages all of the IPM servers.

The IPM client software communicates with the IPM server. You can install the IPM client software on the same workstation as the IPM server software, or on a different workstation on the same network as the IPM server. IPM client integrates with the CiscoWorks2000 desktop.

From a Web browser running on any workstation on the network, you can:

•Access the source, target, operation, and collector definitions.

•View Web-based reports of the performance metrics.

•Export IPM data.

•View seed files.

•Access IPM data from the CiscoWorks2000 desktop.