Of the myriad of OpenView modules offered by HP, Network Node Manager is the key monitoring and managing component.

It watches over devices, servers and applications, while other OpenView modules provide analysis services, produce additional reports and monitor specific environments, such as storage-area networks. Network Node Manager earned top honors in our test of more expensive midrange tools by accurately discovering our network, tracking device status, graphically displaying the network, alerting us to problems, automatically fixing problems, gathering statistics and processing incoming SNMP alerts from other monitoring products.

Network Node Manager's discovery feature took note of not only network devices, applications and servers but also virtual network services, such as VPNs.

Network Node Manager uses Management Information Base (MIB) data from several sources, including routers, switches, bridges and repeaters, to reset devices or inquire about their health. It captures some Layer 2 data, such as connections and node addresses, but for the most part it maps easier-to-relate-to Layer 3 details. The impressive list of predefined MIBs includes use and error percentages, total packets by category, retransmits, Cisco memory use and full-duplex utilization percentage.

Whitepapers

• Gene Kim's Practical Steps to Mitigate Virtualization Security Risks
• Monitoring and Managing App Performance
• Monitoring and Managing VoIP
• SNMP Monitoring: One Critical Component to Network Management
• SNMP Monitoring: One Critical Component to Network Management
• A Modern Approach to On-Demand Email and Data Security

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Webcasts

• Key Considerations for a Successful 802.11n Deployment
• Best Practices for Deploying WAN Optimization for Disaster Recovery
• Tips and Techniques for Remote Data Backup and Delivery
• WAN Optimization Landscape
• Lowering the Cost of Email Archives
• The High-Touch Remote Helpdesk: Centralized Support for the Decentralized Organization

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Special Reports

• Network World Executive GUide: The Virtualization Equation
• Application Performance Management Executive Guide
• Executive Guide: Building a Service Oriented Architecture
• Optimizing Your Network Management Strategy for Today's Economy
• Get More From Your WAN
• Executive Guide: Storage Heats Up

View more NETWORK MANAGEMENT special reports