Information Provided by Icons Displayed in Maps Window - Graphics View

The Graphics view in the Maps window displays the contents of maps by means of icons that represent managed objects, action objects, system objects, alarm panels and submaps.

Types of Objects

This section describes the built-in object types. In addition, new object types can be defined by users with administrator access rights in the Server Settings dialog box, Object Types panel.

a) The following icons are used to represent managed objects (devices):

IP workstation (generic IP device)

IP switch

IP router

IP server

IP database

IP firewall

IP equipment

IP transmitter

IP printer

81 b) The following icons are used to represent different types of action objects:

MAIL (mail object)

CMD (command object)

SMS (SMS object)

The action objects represent actions (e.g., e-mail sending, SMS sending, command execution) that are carried out by Net Inspector when events are triggered in order to notify users of events/alarms or to fix the detected network problem in an automated fashion. Action objects can be placed onto maps and monitored in the same way as managed objects. Although being primarily used for notifying users about alarms associated with managed objects, action objects themselves trigger alarms when they fail to perform the designated action (e.g., send an e–mail).

Furthermore, the status of the action object changes if any critical fault occurs while performing the action operation.

c) The following icons are used to represent different types of system objects (Net Inspector subsystems):

SYS_CONFIG (configuration object)

SYS_SNMP_NOTIF (SNMP notification object)

SYS_EVENT (event object)

SYS_PERF_MNG (performance manager object)

The system objects represent different parts of Net Inspector system. System objects can be placed onto maps and monitored in the same way as managed objects. System objects trigger alarms when there are problems with the Net Inspector subsystems they represent. Furthermore, the status of system objects changes if any critical faults associated with the corresponding subsystems occur.

This principle lets you monitor the health of both, the network and the management system in the same manner.

d) The following icon is used to represent a map (submap):

Map (submap)

82 e) The cloud symbol is used to represent an unknown device (e.g., hub, unmanaged

switch, etc.) or part of the network. Cloud symbols are added to the workspace by the Net Inspector discovery module or manually by using the graphics toolbar.

Cloud (unknown device or part of the network)

Status of Objects

The background color of an object icon indicates the status of that object (device, action functionality, Net Inspector subsystem). The following table shows the default object status colors, object statuses and their meanings (statuses are ordered from least to most critical):

Default Icon

(M=managed object, A=action object, S=system object)

(blue)

unmanaged

M Device is not being managed (polling is disabled).

A Action operation (e.g., e-mail sending) is disabled.

S Net Inspector subsystem (e.g. configuration module 3) is disabled.

(light blue)

indeterminate

M Device is being managed (polling is enabled) but information about device reachability is currently unavailable (e.g., immediately after enabling polling or after loosing the connection with polling engine).

A Not applicable.

S Not applicable.

(green)

normal

M Device is being managed (polling is enabled) and it is responding to Net Inspector queries.

A Action operation (e.g., e-mail sending) is enabled and it functions normally (no critical faults exist).

S Net Inspector subsystem (e.g. event storage subsystem) is enabled and performs its function successfully (no critical faults exist).

(orange)

major

M Device is being managed (polling is enabled), but it is not responding to Net Inspector SNMP queries.

A Not applicable.

S Not applicable.

83 (red)

critical

M Device is being managed (polling is enabled), but it is not responding to Net Inspector queries.

A Action operation (e.g., e-mail sending) is enabled, but it fails to perform its function due to at least one critical fault.

S Net Inspector subsystem (e.g. event storage subsystem) is enabled, but it fails to perform its function due to at least one critical fault.

By default, the background of the map icon reflects the color of the most critical status that can be found among the objects in the given map and all its submaps.

Tip: Object status colors can be configured in the User Preferences dialog box, Color panel.

New Alarms – Alarm Balloons

Dynamical Nature of Alarm Balloons

Small graphic symbols called “alarm balloons” ( )dynamically appear and disappear above the icons that represent managed objects, action objects, system objects, alarm panels and (sub)maps (if objects are not disabled). An alarm balloon appears above an object icon when at least one new alarm (i.e., active alarm that is not acknowledged) exists on that object, and disappears when all alarms associated with the object are acknowledged or cleared. Similarly, an alarm balloon appears above the submap icon if at least one new alarm exists on the objects within that submap or any of its submaps (if alarm propagation is not disabled), and such alarm balloon disappears when all alarms on those objects are acknowledged or cleared.

Displaying the Number of New Alarms

The alarm balloon above the object icon displays the number of new alarms that currently exist on that object. The alarm balloon above the submap icon displays the number of new alarms that currently exist on the objects within that submap (note that the alarm numbers are propagated only one hierarchical level higher, while alarm colors are propagated up to the top-level submaps of the user view).

Reflecting the Severity of New Alarms

An alarm balloon automatically changes its color to match the color of the most severe new alarm that currently exists on the object. In case of a submap, the alarm balloon reflects the color of the most severe new alarm that exists on the objects within the given map branch (i.e., in the given map and its submaps).

The alarm severity levels and their default colors - and thus also the default colors of alarm balloons are:

84 The alarm severity levels, their symbols and default colors (listed from least to most severe)

Tip: Alarm severity colors can be configured in the User Preferences dialog box, Color panel.

All Active Alarms – Alarm Rectangles

Dynamical Nature of Alarm Rectangles

Small rectangles ( ) displayed in the lower-right section of object and submap icons indicate the number (and severity level) of all active alarms on the given object or on the objects within the given submap.

As alarm balloons, rectangles that indicate the total number of active alarms also dynamically appear and disappear (when objects are enabled). A rectangle symbol appears in the lower-right section of the object icon when at least one active alarm exists on that object, and disappears when no more active alarms exist on that object (i.e., when all alarms are cleared). Similarly, a rectangle appears on the submap icon if at least one active alarm exists on the objects within that submap or any of its submaps (if alarm propagation is not disabled), and such alarm balloon disappears when no more active alarms exist on those objects.

Displaying the Total Number of Active Alarms

The alarm rectangle on the object icon displays the total number of active alarms that currently exist on that object. The alarm rectangle on the submap icon displays the total number of active alarms that currently exist on the objects within that submap (note that the alarm numbers are propagated only one hierarchical level higher, while alarm colors are propagated up to the top-level submaps of the user view).

Reflecting the Severity of Active Alarms

The alarm rectangle on the object icon automatically changes its color to match the color of the most severe alarm that currently exists on that object. The alarm rectangle on the submap icon reflects the color of the most severe alarm that exists on the objects within the given submap and all its submaps. The picture above displays the alarm severity levels and their default colors.

85

Example

Let us suppose that 2 active alarms concurrently exist on the managed object.

The severity levels of these alarms are Major and Critical. The ‘critical’ alarm has been acknowledged by the network operator, while the ‘major’ alarm has not been acknowledged yet. In such case, the alarm balloon will indicate the number 1 (as there is one non-acknowledged alarm associated with the object) and reflect the color assigned to the Major severity level (i.e., orange, by default, as shown in the picture on the left). The alarm rectangle, on the other hand, will show the total number of active alarms (2) and reflect the color of the critical alarm (i.e., red, by default). Note also that the icon background in the picture on the left reflects the red color, indicating that the status of this managed object is Critical (according to the default color settings).

86