It's been almost 2 years since I last mentioned AdRem's NetCrunch (see "NetCrunch watches heterogeneous networks from a single console") but the longtime NetWare utility supplier has just shipped a new release (NetCrunch Version 4) and it's something you should be aware of.
Meet the Windows Server 2008 robot
Help on the way for SMB telephony reseller margins being squeezed to death by Cisco
E-Mail article
|
|
Print article
|
|
Contact author
|
Reprint
|
AIM article
|
del.icio.us |
Reddit
|
Digg
|
Stumble
|
Slashdot It!
|
Not only is it a very good network-monitoring package but it also is optimized for NetWare. AdRem describes the application as a tool to discover and visualize TCP/IP networks in order to monitor, alert and report on performance of network servers, devices, services and applications. In other words, it keeps its eye on your network - and everything running on it - 24/7, so you don't have to. The program controls systems running Windows NT/2000/XP, Windows Server 2003, NetWare 3.x and higher, Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, AIX, or any other platform or device supporting SNMPv1, v2 or v3. OK, you say, it supports SNMP traps. Ho-hum. But - as they say - wait, there's more.
NetCrunch can retrieve and graph statistics about Novell NetWare servers via performance counters available in NetWare 3.x to 6.x and Novell OES (NetWare kernel) systems. This way, you can keep tabs on vital operational parameters of the NetWare server such as processor and memory utilization, disk space usage, NLM usage, connections, and files and many others. But in addition to monitoring, all the SNMP-aware NetWare servers discovered in your network can also be controlled using NetCrunch's SNMP management capabilities.
NetCrunch can track and alert on issues affecting mission-critical server subsystems and components, such as:
* CPU, memory, disk
* Print jobs and queues
* Statistics and performance counters
* Processes, jobs and NLMs
* Directory and file system
* Network utilization
In addition to monitoring and alerting, though, you can set up a proactive threshold conditions on each monitored NetWare counter, which can trigger remedial actions as well as notifications. For example, you can configure NetCrunch to unload an NLM or down/restart a NetWare server in response to a specific event. NetCrunch allows you to set up a wide range of NetWare-related events, some of which are preconfigured in the program including:
Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. He's written a number of books including the (sadly) now out of print "Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks." His musings can be found at Virtual Quill.
Kearns is the author of two Network World Newsletters: Windows Networking Strategies, and Identity Management. Comments about these newsletters should be sent to him at these respective addresses: windows@vquill.com, identity@vquill.com .
Kearns provides content services to network vendors: books, manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing, technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill provides "words to sell by..." Find out more by e-mail.
| Start a public discussion with other Network World users on this article (scroll up to send this article to a colleague). Log In | Register for an account (Why you should) |
Note: Register to have your user name appear; otherwise your comment will show up as "Anonymous."
*Anonymous comments will only appear once they are approved by the moderator.
Copyright 2008 Network World Inc.
Browse Newsletter categories: Branch Office Best Practices | Convergence | High Speed LANs | Identity Management | IT Careers and Training | IT Leadership | Linux | Messaging | Network Optimization | Network/Systems Management | New Data Center Strategies | Novell NetWare Tips | Optical Networking | Outsourcing | Security Strategies | Servers | Service Provider News Report | Small Business Technology | Storage in the Enterprise | Technology Executive | View from The Edge | Virus and Bug Patch Alert | VORTEX Digest | VPNs | Web Applications | Wide Area Networking | Windows Networking Strategies | Wireless in the Enterprise |
|
Does Verizon's Voyager stack up to the iPhone? |
5 IT skills that won't boost your salary [1,407]
Women 4 times more likely than men to cough up personal info [589]
Japan's 10 funniest tech-related commercials [Videos] [407]
Throwing away a promo CD is "unauthorized distribution"? [1,265]
Adults too quick to dismiss educational video games [682]
Attack of the iPhone clones [Slideshow] [578]
10 things IT needs to know about AJAX [1,258]
This Year's 25 Geekiest 25th Anniversaries [Slideshow] [409]
Comprehensive Network & Voice Management Visit CA Network & Voice Management Resource Center and get insights into industry best practices, information that helps you to address your challenges.
Voice over IP (VoIP) has much to offer in cost savings but some customers have concerns about VoIP call quality compared to the quality of traditional voice services. This white paper will help you learn how to take the right steps so that voice quality is assured.
Managing your network is serious business. This paper discusses the benefits of integrating configuration change-awareness into your network fault management solution
