[comp.dcom.lans] Network Management Software

terry@hq.af.mil (Terry Bernstein) (07/05/90)

I am looking for a good network management software package. 

We manage an enterprise-wide LAN.  It consists of a broadband backbone
with numerous baseband segments.  On the broadband we use 3-Com
hardware.  We use several Sun 3/260s to manage the LAN.

We are looking for software to help us detect and isolate network
faults.  We currently use some in house developed software to 'ping'
network devices, but don't use the 3-Com management statistics
extensively.  

Sun-Net manager might fill our needs, but we aren't sure.  Any
comments on this software and other suggestions would be appreciated.

-- terry --

krol@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Ed Krol) (07/10/90)

It seems everyone is marketing 'Gods gift to network management'
software which runs on a Sparcstation.  ACC is working on one,
Hughes is also....  All the ones we looked at appear to be one
release away from truely useful, but come the fall we might
be in the situation of trying to decide which of the many clones
will be one which will survive in the long term.

All tend to be SNMP based products,  claim that futures allow
site definable mibs, and use a standard database so that
custom reports aren't a problem.  Some also claim they will
allow additional displays via X.
 
We are watching the market and waiting for stuff to mature.
 
Ed Krol