Next Level Manager Capabilities for SNMP Remote Monitoring

A good SNMP manager application is an integral part of any professional SNMP Management system. When it comes to choosing the appropriate monitoring tool, there are a few factors to consider.

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) manager application is a software program that monitors SNMP devices. These applications interpret SNMP messages, commonly referred to as "traps", from network elements ("agents") that utilize SNMP for communication. SNMP trap messages indicate status changes at remote sites, such as high temperature or an active alarm.

SNMP monitoring is useful for network administrators because it provides real-time visibility into the health and performance of network devices. This access to information allows them to quickly detect, diagnose, and address issues to maintain network reliability and efficiency.

While cheap or free downloadable software does exist, it may not be appropriate for professional use, especially when dealing with multiple sites. Imagine trying to explain to your boss after a major incident that you were just trying to "save money". Regarding SNMP remote monitoring and network monitoring as a whole, it is better and easier to prevent a problem than to stop or correct it after the fact. Investing in a good network management system saves you money and pays off in the long run.

T/Mon collects event-driven messages (including SNMP traps) from all your monitoring devices like SNMP manager application software. However, basic SNMP software programs only list alarm and clear change of state (COS) events.

As events happen, the COS list will continue to grow, burying the alarms that may require attention. For instance, if an alarm triggers in the middle of the night and hasn't cleared when you return to the office. Finding that alarm costs both time and money.

T/Mon combines the active alarms from this list into a "standing alarm" window. The standing alarm window is a quick, clear way to get a picture of where your attention should be. You can still acknowledge the change of state events. However, the only way to get something off the standing alarm list is to fix the problem.

When the problem is addressed and the T/Mon sees a "clear" message, it will remove the alarm from the standing list automatically. This allows operators to see exactly which alarms require attention at any given time. The value of the standing alarm view stands out during shift changes or when you return to your management console after being distracted.

The standing alarm list is a great way to get your bearings, saving you both time and money, and ensures high system up-time. It allows you to see up-front which alarms need attention and to act quickly based on the results.

While you can utilize a basic SNMP manager application as a network monitoring system, better real-world network monitoring exists. If you just have a few devices in an office environment, any SNMP manager software download will probably work. However, if you work for a telco, utility, railway, government, etc., then it's time to get serious and deploy a dedicated monitoring appliance with a proven track record.

Choosing a comprehensive monitoring appliance, such as the T/Mon network management platform, can save you a great deal in purchasing and labor expenses. That's because T/Mon can interpret many different protocols, unlike typical SNMP management applications which are designed specifically for SNMP. Beyond that, the T/Mon supports SNMP v1, v2c, and even v3. The T/Mon supports virtually any vendor that supplies a MIB file for their devices.

With the optional SNMP modules for T/Mon, you won't have to buy other software or hardware to handle your other protocols. It's integrated into a single system, and everything is monitored and managed on one screen. Whether you need SNMP version 3 support or north-bounding/responder capabilities, the T/Mon remains a flexible, real-time solution that stands the test of time.

T/Mon's graphic interface is a custom dashboard that offers a comprehensive overview of your network, making monitoring straightforward and efficient. The dashboard enhances your monitoring efforts by providing centralized data access, tailored alerts, customizable visualizations, proactive issue prevention, and simplified collaboration for your team.

T/Mon's convenient window view also allows operators to clear alarms as they are being attended to, or silence alarms for any specified period. This includes the silencing of nuisance alarms thus getting rid of repeat notifications of unimportant events that regularly trigger alarms. This T/Mon feature is useful when performing installations or repairs, as it will prevent needless notifications that can cause operators to ignore more critical alarm messages.

There's also the T/GFX map view, where your inbound alarms (both SNMP and other protocols) are shown on a geographic map of your network. T/GFX allows you to zoom in and out, enabling you to drill down from region to city to building to rack with ease.

The T/Mon offers a clear presentation that cheap software downloads simply cannot provide. In SNMP applications, as with everything, you get what you pay for.

With T/Mon, alarm notifications can be sent automatically through SMS or email. This is great for in-the-field notifications. When you can get notifications on your phone without returning to the office, you dramatically boost your efficiency.

T/Mon provides for the escalation of alarms, allowing supervisors to be alerted when operators have missed or ignored an alarm for more than a few minutes. This also prevents busy supervisors from being bothered by quickly resolved alarms.

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Related Topics:
SNMP Management.
SNMP Network.
SNMP Monitoring.