Cisco works monitoring tools

One unique feature that this product has is its device access service. Most network monitors will interpret commands and implement them on the device — actions such as implementing queuing, for example. Spiceworks can manage networks with a mix of device brands, including equipment supplied by Cisco Systems. This tool is designed for small networks, because it has a limit of 25 devices. However, it is free to use. The company makes its money from advertising in the dashboard, so you will have to put up with that.

However, it includes an autodiscovery feature, which will give you a list of your network equipment that is constantly updated. The monitor uses SNMP to poll all devices for statuses at regular intervals and also includes the SNMP trap system that results in alert messages shown in the dashboard. Alerts can be customized. Spiceworks produces another tool, called Spiceworks Inventory , which gives you a better track on all of your devices and also includes software auditing and updating facilities.

This tool runs discovery procedures on demand. Another Spiceworks tool that would help you check on the performance of your Cisco devices is called Connectivity Dashboard.

This utility is a troubleshooting tool that checks on connection statuses between two endpoints, which could be across the network or across the internet. Either way, the feedback from this facility will identify any problems you have with your Cisco equipment. Despite being a producer of free network tools, Spiceworks provides full professional support for its network monitoring software.

The company also runs an impressive user community from where you can get tips from other Spiceworks users. Spiceworks Inventory is also available as an online service. You do need to install a data collector agent on your system. Communications between the collector and the remote management tool is all encrypted.

This monitor will discover all of your devices automatically, log them in a register, and create a network topology map. The inventory includes the make and model of each device, so you will be able to quickly identify your Cisco equipment. The tool uses the Cisco NetFlow system to monitor traffic levels and bandwidth utilization. The LogicMonitor agent will communicate with your Cisco routers, switches and wireless access points APs. It will track the statuses of device module and card CPU availability, memory pool, and temperature.

The tool has extra functionality when dealing with Cisco Nexus switches. With Nexus switches, LogicMonitor can perform device configuration management as well as monitoring. In addition to monitoring CPU and memory statuses, the monitor can track supervisor card status and redundancy states, ejector and line card statuses, FRUN status and power draw, VDC status, fan performance, and temperature.

LogicMonitor is available in three service levels: Starter, Pro, and Enterprise — none of which are free. However, you can get a day free trial of LogicMonitor. Zabbix is a great free network monitor that can be extended to have specific functionality. The standard monitoring system uses SNMP, so you get device discovery, status polling, and alerts with this monitor.

The templates available for Cisco equipment give you channels to connect directly to Cisco devices, query them, and update their settings. There are templates for all types of Cisco equipment, including firewalls. These templates are available for free from the user community. The dashboard for the service is very attractive and it is also customizable.

You get a network map page, which is updated automatically from regular SNMP status reviews. You also get a device inventory in the dashboard. Equipment statuses and events are displayed on the screen in text and also in color-coded charts and graphs.

The monitor ships with several standard reports, but you can also write your own, or get them from the user community. Unlike other free network monitors, there is no limit to the number of devices that you can monitor with Zabbix. However, you can pay for support , which is available in five service level packages: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Enterprise.

These include network traffic analysis, forecasting features and anomaly detection for intrusion prevention. Our list includes tools that are suitable for small networks and others that would be good for large systems. Some would work well for companies of any size. You also need to pay attention to the providers of your network equipment.

If all of your network equipment comes from Cisco Systems, then you could use any of the monitors in this list. If you have devices from other manufacturers, you would probably be better off avoiding the Cisco Network Assistant.

Your other considerations when selecting a monitoring tool should be budget and number of sites and servers. Most of the software in this list can monitor WANs and include Cloud-based services. However, some, such as PRTG charge for their software per site and per server. You will discover that SolarWinds and ManageEngine produce other infrastructure management tools that integrate with the utilities explained in this guide.

That expandable operability could be an advantage for you if you need to monitor mobile devices, add on help desk functions, or add specialist monitoring tools for virtualization or security devices. Enjoy your search for a new monitor for your Cisco devices. Now you know the best tools to focus on, the time pressure is off and you can make the most of the free offers of these recommended tools to really put them through their paces.

According to the International Organization for Standardization ISO , the five important aspects of network management systems are:. Cisco Active Advisor performs an on-demand network sweep to compile an asset inventory. Try the Cisco Business Mobile App. This provides management and monitoring tools for wireless networks.

CiscoWorks CiscoView is a Web-based graphical application that provides monitoring and configuration features for Cisco internetworking products switches, routers, hubs, concentrators, and access servers.

CiscoWorks CiscoView aids network management by displaying a physical view of a Cisco device, allowing users to easily interact with device components to change configuration parameters and monitor statistics and front-panel activity. Being Web-based, CiscoWorks CiscoView allows ubiquitous access from any client with a standard browser, network access, and minimum hardware requirements. Easily integrated with CiscoWorks products or partner platforms, CiscoWorks CiscoView provides multiuser device management in the larger context of an end-to-end management solution.

CiscoWorks CiscoView 6. CiscoWorks CiscoView Web-based management aids network management by displaying a physical view of Cisco devices and color-coding device ports for at-a-glance port status, allowing users to quickly grasp essential information.

CiscoWorks CiscoView features provide dynamic status, device monitoring, and comprehensive configuration information for Cisco networking devices. Table 1 lists the features and benefits of CiscoWorks CiscoView. See Figure 1. Network administrators rely on network monitoring systems to help them quickly detect device or connection failures or issues such as traffic bottlenecks that limit data flow. The ability to detect issues extends to parts of the network traditionally beyond their demarcation boundaries.

Protocols are sets of rules and directions for devices on a network to communicate with one another. Network hardware must use protocols in order to transmit data. Network monitoring systems use protocols to identify and report on network performance issues. Through network monitoring, administrators can get a clear picture of all the connected devices in the network. See how data is moving among them, and quickly identify and correct issues that can undermine performance and lead to outages.

Modern enterprises rely on a host of internet-dependent, business-critical services. Each service operates over the internet, making them susceptible to performance fluctuations caused by internet outages or routing issues. Visibility into the network components beyond your control allows you to monitor issues that might impact employees or customers. The hardware and software tools in network monitoring systems reduce manual work for IT teams.

That means valuable IT staff have more time to devote to critical projects for the organization. Network monitoring systems can provide reports on how network components have performed over a defined period. By analyzing these reports, network administrators can anticipate when the organization may need to consider upgrading or implementing new IT infrastructure.

Network monitoring helps organizations understand what "normal" performance looks like for their networks.