Network Topology Mapping
AirCheck® G3, CyberScope®, CyberScope Air, EtherScope® nXG, LinkRunner® 10G, and LinkRunner® AT 4000 can automatically discover both your wired and WiFi networks for instant mapping in NetAlly’s Link-Live Cloud Service. These comprehensive, up-to-the-minute-accurate network diagrams show your network as it is NOW, integrating Layer 2 and Layer 3 topology information.
Overview
No more struggling to keep manually drawn maps up to date! NetAlly tools automatically discover both your wired and WiFi networks for instant mapping in the Link-Live Cloud Service. These comprehensive, up-to-the-minute-accurate network diagrams show your network as it is now, integrating Layer 2 and Layer 3 topology information, including these connections: switch to host, switch to Access Point, AP to WiFi client, switch to switch, switch to router, and router to router hops.
Now, users can interact with the network in a flexible map-based user interface to quickly identify configuration and topology issues visually, speeding troubleshooting, and automatically creating network documentation.
NetAlly’s patented discovery engine gathers data from wired connections (via SNMP and other methods) and from the air (observing WiFi traffic) to generate comprehensive network connectivity maps.
Easy to use filters and map controls allow you to see exactly what you want, and how you want it displayed. Quickly identify network and device configuration errors and see ‘unknown’ switches and rogue devices. Element icons are color-coded to identify errors or warnings; double-clicking on any map element brings up its detailed discovery information, including status, problems, interface information, and more.
The importance of visualizing your network
The faster engineers can “see” what is going on in their network, to know who is on the network and where they are connected, and what the path is from “here to there”, the faster they can get to root cause when troubleshooting performance issues. This is especially true for maintenance organizations or system integrators who often troubleshoot an “unknown” network. The problem is that traditional methods (CLI or element managers) take too long and present complex data that’s often hard to interpret and difficult to correlate.
Documentation is an essential step for any project, such as pre-deployment network assessments and new technology rollouts, but it can take too much time to complete. From the graphical map-based user interface, one click sends the map data through a Visio file generator, pre-populating the diagram with all discovered devices, links, and corresponding configuration information, saving hours of manual effort, allowing further customization.
“Time has always been money in network support, and the time this network mapping feature will save will be a game changer in complex environments. I’ve come to view the EtherScope nXG as a force multiplier that already reduces tools and different skill sets needed to be successful in WLAN support, and now the LAN side also just got a major boost.”
– Lee Badman
Wireless solutions architect/blogger, WiredNot