The network has become a critical resource in ensuring process continuity and quality of services delivered to end-users and customers. However, due to its increasing complexity, the administrators’ life has become progressively difficult. Datanet Systems specialists have identified three types of common scenarios in which Infosim StableNet network management solution will help you quickly fix network issues and deliver the levels of performance required for business services.

 

1 – Too much time spent on locating problems in the network

Most companies use simple network monitoring tools, effective only for small networks. Their use in interconnected infrastructures, with tens of thousands of components, constrains administrators to handle a large volume of events in parallel. This happens because a single problem reported by a single device generates a chain reaction, affecting several network equipment. Which, in their turn, send notifications regarding new problems. The end result is that administrators face an avalanche of events, thus locating the problem ends up consuming more time than the remediation process itself.

In order to respond to this problem, Infosim StableNet not only ensures the identification of network equipment but also executes a map of the existing dependencies between devices, overlapping it to the network’s topology. By correlating dependency rules between different network elements and alerts, StableNet automatically performs a complete Root Cause Analysis (RCA) process, determining the underlying cause of reported events. The process takes place without the need for administrators to write or update correlation rules, and alerts are enriched with information about business process performance and services, thus providing actionable information. This allows administrators to increase their operational efficiency and lowers the risk of downtime.

In addition, through the Discovery process, the solution covers both network and non-network elements, including Layer 2 and Layer 3 VPNs, VLANs, servers and storage devices, etc., and can monitor external resources from Cloud, which recommends it for managing Cloud Hybrid Infrastructures.

 

2 – The lack of relevant data about network events

To proactively address network hazards, many administrators use Network Fault Management (NFM) systems that collect and analyze data from multiple devices and systems. The problem is, however, that these products come from various vendors. Therefore, the metrics provided by them differ – some equipment may report certain categories of events that others ignore – even formats and measurement units vary. The problem is aggravated by the fact that much of the network equipment does not offer too many possibilities to configure the required information categories or how they are delivered.

Infosim StableNet rezolva aceasta problema prin pre-agregarea datelor furnizate de echipamentele din retea inainte de a trece la analiza efectiva a acestora. Solutia permite definirea de filtre care identifica evenimentele relevante, din care sunt extrase informatiile importante: frecventa aparitiei evenimentelor, valorile anumitor parametri, interpretarea contextuala a nivelului de severitate al alertelor si al impactului etc.

Infosim StableNet solves this problem by pre-aggregating the data provided by network equipment before proceeding to their effective analysis. The solution allows for the definition of filters that identify the relevant events from which important information is extracted: occurrence of events, values ​​of certain parameters, contextual interpretation of the level of severity of alerts and impact, etc.

The Infosim solution provides the opportunity to create a customized rules system that can be expanded and restrained in a flexible way, keeping the volume of event data at an optimal level. Based on the data analyzed, StableNet delivers real-time and/or historical reports via dashboards, which can be provided in a variety of formats.

 

3 – Lack of correlation with configuration and performance management systems

Another critical issue of traditional NFM solutions is that they do not correlate events with equipment configurations, as many problems are based on human errors. To eliminate this shortcoming, StableNet performs an automatic configuration check. If it identifies the modification of a configuration that causes a network incident, it acts directly on the equipment, restoring the previous configuration.

Infosim’s Network Configuration and Change Management component combines Automated Provisioning with Resource Management and Configuration Management Database (CMDB), providing a real-time backup of configurations and their restoration (by versioning each configuration backup) and Automating Processes configuration by creating “templates”.

Another important minus of classic NFM solutions is that they do not give visibility to the impact of network problems on business process performance. StableNet integrates advanced quality and performance management and performance management capabilities, providing real-time Service Level Agreement (SLA), Quality of Service (QoS), and/or resource utilization reports. For this, the Performance Management component uses mechanisms that collect and analyze traffic, network data streams, and performance indicators of the equipment. (StableNet imports and exports data from different sources and protocols: SNMP, NetFlow, WMI, IP-SLA, CDRs, CSVs, SQL, etc.) Administrators can quickly assess how business processes and quality of delivered services are affected, detailed impact.

 

Infosim Stablenet – “Three in one” Network Management system

Practically, Infosim StableNet integrates three solutions into one system that ensure fault management, performance, and configuration. By uniting them into one solution, IT departments benefit from full infrastructure visibility, have the means to increase response speeds, and act proactively to increase operational efficiency, availability of delivered services, and quality of service.

Infosim StableNet is available in two versions, with different niche functionality – Enterprise and Telco – that can be delivered as virtual machines or as physical equipment. In addition, the solution offers the ability to use StableNet Embedded Agent (SNEA), a compact black box device that functions as a “Plug & Play” device and can be centrally controlled and managed.

“Using SNEA is recommended for companies with an expanded geographic distribution that want to monitor and centrally manage networks from different workstations. SNEA is also used by companies who want to use a dedicated agent for each site to process the measurements and initiate SLA tests from that site. By running dedicated scripts on these agents, additional information can be obtained depending on the customer’s specific requirements.” Mircea Huides, SP Consultant – Datanet Systems

The reduction of the total cost of operation (TCO) through the “Three in One” approach and the use of “per-measurement” licensing model is not the only competitive advantages of the Infosim solution.

“Scalability is another strength of Infosim’s solution, modular server-agent-client architecture allowing easy expansion of the StableNet solution. Datanet Systems engineers can quickly implement the solution. We can also make advanced customizations by creating scripts that report data about equipment that can not use the SNMP protocol, as well as integration with other proprietary solutions such as Event Management, Service Desk, CMDB, virtual machine management, etc. The Stablenet application also allows REST API queries, simplifying integration with other monitoring solutions or extracting complex network details. Datanet’s service offer for the Infosim solution is, however, much more extensive and includes:

• Optimizing in detail the measurements used for the most cost-efficient solution;
• Defining alerts and customized monitoring, according to the client’s specific needs
• Developing Compliance policy checking systems for equipment to verify that the configurations are correct and / or according to predefined models etc.”

Cristian Ruta, Deputy Technical Director – Datanet Systems

 

Datanet Systems is one of the most important Infosim partners in Romania for more than 7 years, has a dedicated team of specialists and numerous large data network infrastructure projects already implemented. We have the skills and experience to help you make the best use of Infosim StableNet solutions. If you have made your decision, contact us!