Florida International University Network Management Control Standards PRTG

Florida International University Network Management & Control Standards PRTG Network Monitoring Tool Live Demonstration with Virtual Network Victor F. Pineda Oct/2011

Agenda • PRTG Introduction • PRTG Architectural Description • PRTG Basic Functionalities • Live Demonstration • SW Limitations • References

PRTG Introduction • Network Monitoring – LAN, WLAN, VPNs – Methods SNMP, Net. Flow, Packet Sniffing. • Server Monitoring (Agent-less) – Windows, Linux machines – Methods WMI, SNMP • Self-contained solution • MS Windows required

PRTG Architecture • Main Components – CORE Server (Central Manager) • Implemented as a Windows Service – behaves as an OS process. • Funtions: – Web Server – Database (proprietary Db) – Collection of all Network Statistics – Report Engine – Notification System – Probes (Managing Entities) • Actual monitoring is performed through these elements • Types – Local Probes – Remote Probes – Cluster Probes

PRTG Arch - Diagram

PRTG Architecture (Cont) • Monitoring User Interfaces – Ajax Web Interface • Allows configuration of Devices, Sensors and General Administration – Enterprise Console • Windows GUI App, Allows connectivity to multiple CORE Servers – Smart Phone App • Iphone, Android – API – to implement customized solutions • Configuration Interfaces – PRTG Server Administration • Configure basic CORE server settings – PRTG Probe Administration • Configure local and remote probe settings

PRTG Functionalities • Sensor Technologies ICMP SNMP Net. Flow (Cisco Devices) Qo. S Measurements (Cisco SLA / dual Probe monitoring) – WMI (Windows Servers) – Packet Sniffing – – • Sensor Dependencies Feature (Basic Correlation) – One Sensor depending on the status of another sensor can avoid generating alarms. • Monitoring – Monitor and account bandwidth and network device usage. – Monitor system usage (CPU loads, free memory, free disk space etc. ). – Measure Qo. S and Vo. IP parameters and control service level agreements (SLA).

PRTG Functionalities • Redundancy – CORE Server 1+1 available configuration – Probes Cluster configuration (All active) • Security – HTTPS –SSL capability on Web interface – SNMPv 3 support – Remote probe to CORE Server connection uses SSL encryption.

PRTG - Functionalities • Fault Management – Alarm Notifications on specific Network events • SMS, e-mail – Configurable Triggers, based on: • Thresholds, faulted elements, time, etc. • Performance Management – Collection of Network statistics with a graphical presentation. • Live data / Historical data – Reporting • PDF, HTML, CSV, XML formats available

Live Demonstration • Virtual Network monitored by PRTG – Virtual Server Running PTRG CORE Server / Local Probe – GNS 3 used to implement virtual network

PRTG Limitations • Lack of sufficient integration with existing Network equipment MIBs – Difficult to view in depth equipment variables • No Configuration Management available • Fault Management does not perform any basic corrective actions, It only capture and present alarms. • No Security management for the network

References • Virtual Box – virtualization software - http: //www. virtualbox. org/manual • GNS 3 – Network Simulation tool – http: //geexhq. com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/simulating-network-lab. pdf – http: //www. gns 3. net/ • PRTG Monitoring tool support http: //www. paessler. com/support/manuals

Questions?