Network Management Platform; Smartagent Embedded Software - 3Com 4007 Implementation Manual

Key Concepts and Tools 617
Network The network management platform allows you to view the health of
Management your overall network. With the platform, you can understand the
Platform logical configuration of your network and configure views of your
network to understand how devices work together and the role they
play in the users' work. The network management platform that
®
supports your Transcend Network Control Services software installation
can provide valuable troubleshooting tools.
SmartAgent Traditional SNMP management places the burden of collecting network
Embedded Software management information on the management station. In this
traditional model, software agents collect information about
throughput, record errors or packet overflows, and measure
performance based on established thresholds. Through a polling
process, agents pass this information to a centralized network
management station whenever they receive an SNMP query.
Management applications then make the data useful and alert the user
if there are problems on the device.
For more information about traditional SNMP management, see
"SNMP" later in this chapter.
SmartAgent ® software, which uses Remote Monitoring (RMON), is
self-monitoring, collecting and analyzing its own statistical, analytical,
and diagnostic data. In this way, you can conduct network
management by exception — that is, you are only notified if a problem
occurs. Management by exception is unlike traditional SNMP
management, in which the management software collects all data from
the device through polling.