3Com extends network management suite to better handle larger networks

Administering software upgrades for network devices can be a very time-consuming, stressful task especially in larger networks. Network managers are often forced to individually update each device and keep track of software versions for different devices. Organisations may miss out on useful enhancements or new features and wait for major releases of new software because of the time involved in updating products with new software.

Offering network managers a timesaving alternative, 3Com Corporation today announced new enhancements to 3Com Network Supervisor, a powerful yet easy-to-use management application, as well as the addition of an `Advanced Package`. Among the new features is the ability to easily distribute software upgrades for network devices throughout a network in just a few clicks with 3Com`s intuitive software.

"Keeping our network running smoothly is critical," said Dag Jestrup, network administrator at Norsk Aller AS, a Norwegian publishing company. "With 3Com Network Supervisor, we have a high level view into all of our network devices so that we can manage the network proactively and sustain the network performance and uptime our users require - all with the software that 3Com offers us free of charge."

The Advanced Package for 3Com Network Supervisor helps network managers to easily distribute new software updates across a large network through a new feature called bulk agent upgrade. This innovative capability works by downloading the latest software versions for 3Com devices via the Web through a "live update" feature so that network managers can keep the network equipment up-to-date and can quickly take advantage of new software enhancements. The Advanced Package also increases the node limit for 3Com Network Supervisor, allowing it to manage larger-sized networks - up to a total of 2 500 IP devices.

"With over 860 SuperStack 3 Switch 3300s on our network, we previously managed upgrades through our own scripts which often proved to be less than user friendly," said Michael White, coordinator of network operations at Oklahoma State University (OSU), which has 26 000 bachelor, master and doctor candidates annually. "Using the bulk agent upgrade feature in 3Com Network Supervisor makes upgrades much easier and ultimately saves us a lot of time."

3Com Network Supervisor Version 3.5 now supports multiple SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) community strings, a mainstay of network management security. This function enables network managers to control the management of network devices, preventing rogue management stations from making changes to the devices. Version 3.5 also presents the network map either grouped by IP subnet or as a flat Layer 2 view, offering managers of even larger networks a consolidated picture of the layout of their network environment. For networks managed with an open management platform, Version 3.5 can forward alarms and alerts from 3Com Network Supervisor to HP OpenView Network Node Manager, allowing network managers to more centrally monitor the status of the network.

3Com Network Supervisor graphically discovers, maps, and displays network links and IP devices, including 3Com NBX telephones and third-party products from vendors including Cisco, HP and Nortel. It maps devices and connections to easily monitor stress levels, set thresholds and alerts, view network events, generate reports in user-defined formats, and launch device configuration tools.

"With our network currently totalling over 2 200 devices and continuing to grow, we looked to 3Com`s network management software for a full-featured solution that offers room for growth," said Professor Yasuo Tan, associate professor at the School of Information Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. "We found the automatic detection function to be a particularly strong feature, and the Layer 2 network view also helped us to see the relationship between network devices within the context of the entire network. Because management is achieved via a "trap-based" system rather than by polling, monitoring relatively large numbers of nodes is now a highly efficient, scalable process that is far less burdensome for our network managers."

3Com Network Supervisor is included with most 3Com SuperStack 3 devices and is available free for download at www.3com.com/3ns. 3Com Network Supervisor Advanced Package is available now for trial download at www.3com.com/3ns_ap and is sold for $495 (US List).