Comparing Solarwinds & dopplerVUE Layer 2 Switch Port Mapping…

When a customer calls with a problem, I often start the troubleshooting process by validating the connection. I start at the switch port and cable level. This process can be time consuming and challenging because you have to find the specific port a user or server is connected to on the network by checking the cable or manually connecting to a switch. Who has time for that lengthy process?

Fortunately, several tools now have layer 2 switch port mapping capabilities. I recently watched a demonstration of Solarwinds and dopplerVUE’s layer 2 switch port mapping capabilities and found them to be quite different despite the same name. The Solarwinds toolset provides very basic functionality. It identifies the switch port a device is connected to and it’s up/down status.

In a nutshell, here are four reasons to consider dopplerVUE over Solarwinds.

dopplerVUE’s layer 2 switch port mapping delivers:

• the same and added functionality vs Solarwinds
• complete mapping in 4 steps vs the 7 steps required by Solarwinds. That’s half the work and time.
• a simpler process - there is no need to memorize the switch/router and community strings
• a view of what is connected with how it is performing in a single dashboard (screenshot below)

The dopplerVUE screenshot below displays a complete device view including the switch port it is connected to, it’s current up/down status, the amount of traffic over the interface and any alert conditions. If you want to view a switch and a list of every connected item, simply choose the switch name instead of the end target device name.

I’ve provided a comparison of the steps and process to use each product below. Feel free to check out the steps for yourself by downloading a free trial of dopplerVUE.

The Right Network Dashboard Can Make All the Difference

I’ve found that dashboards can be a huge help when managing the network, so I wanted to share some thoughts on the topic. A picture can be worth a thousand words in my experience. The dashboard I use (see below) makes it easy at a glance to see the status of the network and drill down into device details and troubleshoot network problems.

Of course setting up a dashboard that really provides value can be a time consuming process. To make the process easier, I’ve found it helpful to decide up front what elements are most important to display and then create the dashboard. Another key step is picking the right tool to create your dashboards. Three key questions can assist you in picking the right tool and avoiding confusion and disappointment later in the process.

1. How easy is it to create a dashboard? (Does it require importing or code?)
2. Can it mash-up network topology maps, performance data and alarm data?
3. Does the drill down capability provide for rapid jumping to detailed device/alarm data?

So why are dashboards so valuable? I’m able to display the information that helps me manage the network more effectively. For example, the screenshot of my dashboard below shows a distributed site. When managing across a WAN, I add elements into my dashboard that include where the alerts are, what type of network services are potentially impacted and the overall health and status of the network (bandwidth, router CPU load, etc). My dashboard shows all of these elements, and also goes a few steps further by including a network topology map, the top alarmed devices and customized pieces that show response time and availability of a specific website.

Depending on your specific situation, the dashboard capabilities can extend across multiple systems or take a deep dive into a single service provided by an IT organization. For example, an application dashboard would have a blend of device status, applications status, application services, and status of key dependencies all on a single page.

The dashboard that I’ve included was created with dopplerVUE my network management system of choice. If you’re interested in easily creating a custom dashboard give it a try by downloading the 30-day free trial.

Have you heard the Buzz?

Lately, many Gmail users have noticed a new option right below their Inbox that says “Buzz”. If you’re like me, you probably read the quick Google summary and then ignored it while you took care of your email. I finally decided to investigate Buzz a few days ago, and after hearing some colleagues expressing confusion about this new feature, thought I would address a few questions I’ve heard over and over:

What is it?
Google Buzz is similar to an RSS feed, except that it integrates all of your social networking data into one area, while also serving as a messaging tool. Buzz users can share things such as status updates, comments, video and pictures, which makes it fairly similar to Facebook and Twitter. The difference? Instead of going to different apps or sites to check all of your profiles, you can combine it all in Buzz.

Why do I need it?
Those of you that use social networking sites and like integration and consolidation will get the most use out of it. If you’re already using Gmail, Buzz is right there for your convenience. It’s also handy for those who love mobile apps. However, you must have an iPhone/iPod Touch, Windows Mobile, Android 2.0, Openwave or S60, for Buzz to work on your mobile device.

Side note- For those thinking of using Buzz with a supported mobile device, it can integrate your posts with Google Maps so that you can see your location and others around you using Buzz (similar to Google Latitude).

Are there privacy features?
While this is a question I’m still trying to gather all the details on, Buzz didn’t have stringent privacy features at first. However, after Google was threatened with multiple lawsuits in February, they added a few privacy features. There is an option to make your Google profile private, so that you don’t show up in directories and/or searches. You can also choose the sites that you want to link with for your contacts/followers to see, so you control the information you share. Choosing contacts is also completely in your control, and while Google will suggest people from your Gmail contact list, you have the option to add, ignore or even block them. As added value, you can also view who’s following you and choose how you want to react (add, ignore or block), so you can keep tabs on who can see your information.

What type of stuff can I integrate?
Sites currently integrated: Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, Google Reader and Blogger.

Can Buzz benefit an IT or Network Manager?
Sure, if you use Gmail (or want to start) and use any of the integrated sites to communicate with others for IT or networking purposes. For instance, if you notice you’re having bandwidth problems, you could Twitter about it to notify your coworkers or get advice from your followers and also upload a screenshot of your network stats to Flickr so everyone can see details. Both of those examples can be done directly from within Buzz- no need to go to the Twitter website and Flickr website separately. You could also then use Buzz to tap into your Google Reader to look for tips to help increase your network speed or manage your bandwidth more efficiently.

For those of you that love to try out new tools and software, Google Buzz is an efficient venue for sharing information and opinions quickly. Again, being able to do the majority of your sharing within one area (Buzz) is the key.

Since Google Buzz is still pretty new, the adoption rate isn’t as high as Facebook, Twitter or any other mediums of the same nature. However, as Google tweaks it and integrates with additional sites, I can see how convenient it may turn out to be. In an age of information overload, consolidation can really cure a headache!

Is anyone currently using Google Buzz? What do you think of the overall user experience? Any tips to add?

The iPad – The Network Manager’s Friend or Foe?

So I’ve heard all the buzz about the iPad - pretty much impossible to avoid unless you live in a cave. Other than the unfortunate name, I’m intrigued by the technology and its potential to make managing a network a bit easier. I haven’t bought one yet, since I’m still determining, if it’s a network manager’s friend or foe at the moment.

On the plus side, from what I’ve read due to its size, it is much better than carrying around a larger laptop to monitor, troubleshoot or configure network devices. You could easily load ebooks to help you with troubleshooting in real-time. It definitely beats heading over to the office desk to grab a book for reference.

On the negative side, the iPad could easily become a security concern on the wireless network without antivirus and firewall protection. Connecting a device that is geared for personal use into the network could have some serious consequences. The usefulness of the iPad will also be dependent on the applications that are developed to help monitor the network.

Sounds like there is still some development work to be done from a security standpoint before the iPad is ready for prime time for network managers. That being said, as the technology matures and security concerns are resolved it could become a very helpful tool. Are you using the iPad? What do you think?

Avoid Traffic Headaches on the Road and in your Network

Traffic congestion on the way to work is a sure way to get an immediate headache. That is why I’m a big fan of viewing live traffic patterns from my smart phone. I get a live view of traffic that shows which routes are congested and clear. With this information, I arrive at the office much faster and in a better state of mind (my co-workers agree).

Wouldn’t it be nice if finding congestion in network traffic was as simple as flipping on your smartphone and pressing a couple of buttons? Maybe someday. In the mean time, to make life as simple as possible, I use dopplerVUE which has Netflow built in, so I can look deep into routers and capture rich details about what types of traffic, which IPs are talking and how much bandwidth is being used. Take a look at dopplerVUE in action below. You can try it out free for 30 days.

If you don’t have access to tools like dopplerVUE, there are free tools that can help you as long as you’re willing to invest the time.


There are basically two types of techniques to monitor congestion - packet monitoring and packet capturing. I’ve listed some free tools for both methods below.

Packet Monitoring
Packet monitors watch the number of packets whizzing by and tell you a little bit of information about them, such as the number of packets and if there are any errors in the packet. But that is about it, you don’t get much more detail. So this method is good for watching long term trends.


1) For Windows users, look at the network interface properties. The display shows you packets sent and received. This is an easy way to see if your interface is working.

2) The Windows command line provides a number of useful tools to determine the performance of your TCP/IP connection. The Netstat command can give you details about each TCP connection including how many packets have been processed. Below is the result of a netstat –e command.

A list of the most common communications related commands available for the Windows command line are listed below:

Packet Capturing
Packet capture actually stores a copy of each packet that comes by which allows you to look at all characteristics of the packet. But all this detail comes with a down side - it will eat up storage space very quickly. So this method is best to capture a small sample of traffic for deep analysis.


1) For packet capture, the gold standard for open source tools is Wireshark. Here is a screenshot of a packet capture done with Wireshark on my laptop. As you can see, every packet is listed with full details about source and destination address, protocol type and data contents.

Wireshark is one of many open source tools that leverage the Winpcap tool for network monitoring. A list of tools that use Winpcap can be found here.


2) Windows server users have access to a similar tool called Network Monitor that helps monitor network traffic. Below is a screenshot of Network Monitor in action.

I hope these tools help you avoid congestion on your way to work and in your network.