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Force10 Management System
Overview
FTMS Platform Architecture
The Force10 Management System (FTMS) is a highly customizable, flexible and extensible, management system designed to deliver Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance and Security (FCAPS) management of Force10 products.
The FTMS platform uses standards-based technologies that support a variety of interfaces for standalone operations, or ease of integration into existing NMS infrastructure.
For maximum flexibility, FTMS supports both a web-based Java applet client for universal access as well as a standalone Java application client.
Features and Benefits
Device Auto Discovery
FTMS provides auto discovery of Force10 devices and discovery of all key system components including:
- Line cards and interfaces
- Device components
- Software versions
The system allows users to configure the discovery process to run at desired intervals. During this interval, if a new component is added to the device or an existing one is removed, the change is reflected on the display. After discovery is complete, FTMS performs a periodic verification of objects in the database and also polls the health of all components.
In addition to periodic polling, component insertion or removal is also detected via SNMP traps sent to FTMS by the SNMP agent on the device. On receipt of this event, FTMS performs an audit on the device that issued the event and updates its database.
Network Maps
The network map displays all network devices known to FTMS via the discovery process. Network maps support a color-coded status display of nodes and links in the network denoting the status of the node/link.
The system supports flexibility for grouping devices together based on multiple criteria such as device type or geographic location. Clicking on a group displays devices belonging to the group. Multiple groups can be created in a hierarchy to manage large networks.
Layer 2 Topology Map
FTMS automatically builds a Layer 2 topology map from neighbor details between Force10 devices and third-party devices that have LLDP enabled. Topology updates occur on a configurable basis and immediately when SNMP traps are received.
Node Manager
The node manager is a GUI-based interface that enables network administrators to manage Force10 devices down to the port level. Based on an intuitive Java interface, the node manager supports fault, configuration and performance monitoring functions for each node.
The node manager can also be installed separately as a stand-alone application or integrated on to a third party application such as HP OpenView for maximum flexibility.
Fault Management
The fault management module collects, stores, and displays management information related to the overall health of the Force10 devices and the network.
SNMP traps received from the devices, user configurable event notifications and events generated by FTMS are logged. These events are displayed as color-coded alarms in the FTMS GUI. Functions such as sorting, filtering, reporting and sending alerts via email or pager are supported.
Performance Management
FTMS supports highly flexible and customizable data collection, threshold configuration and performance reporting mechanisms.
The system supports data collection of predefined elements at user configurable polling intervals:
- Interface counters (packets and bytes input/output)
- CPU and memory utilization
- Interface throughput
In addition to predefined data elements, the system allows data collection of any SNMP MIB object. Along with data collection, the system allows users to configure thresholds and corresponding alarms when the thresholds are crossed.
The performance management module supports summary and detailed reporting of collected statistics. Statistics collected are locally in a MySQL database, or exported to external databases or applications using standard SQL tools.
Configuration Management
FTMS supports batch configuration of devices using configuration templates, and the ability to upload or download the configuration. The node manager also supports individual device configuration via the CLI. An audit log detailing the type of tasks performed on individual network elements is also maintained by the system.
Configuration change management features include:
- Scheduled periodic backups of device configurations
- Viewing and editing the configurations offline using the FTMS configuration editor and viewing or merging differences between configurations
- Applying the modified configuration to multiple devices with a single click
- Managing FTOS software versions and upgrades
VLAN Provisioning
FTMS allows users to discover, add, modify and delete VLANs on multiple devices in the network. VLAN provisioning can perform the following functions:
- Create and delete VLANs
- Add or remove ports from VLANs
- Modify a VLAN’s IP address
- View the VLAN configuration
Inventory Database
All devices discovered by FTMS during discovery are populated in an inventory database. The inventory database supports serial number tracking of physical items such as chassis, line cards, switch fabric modules, fan trays and other hardware. It also gives users an easy way to track software and firmware revisions loaded on various network devices.
Secure Management
Security management has two main functional components:
- Secure administration of FTMS
- Secure access to devices
FTMS supports secure administration by multiple users simultaneously.
The system
uses group-based authorization in which users belonging to specific
groups are
allowed access to modules or tasks authorized for that group. User
access to FTMS
is authenticated against a local database. By default the system
supports three
different access levels to which users can be assigned.
In addition to predefined groups, the system also supports the capability to create additional groups to which users can be assigned. Within a group, users can be included or excluded from certain operations or restricted to manage specific nodes or groups of nodes.
All user access to the system is captured via an audit log. FTMS supports SSH-based access to Force10 devices for secure management.
HP OpenView Integration
FTMS supports extensive integration with HP OpenView so that a Force10 device can be managed from within HPOV. The FTMS node manager can be launched by HPOV to manage Force10 devices. HPOV integrations also supports Force10 icons, MIBs, SNMP traps and data collection.
Specifications: Force10 Management System
| Minimum System Requirements* | ||||
| Operating Platform | Processor Type | Processor Speed | RAM | Disk Space |
| Linux CentOS 4.4 | Pentium 4 | 2 GHz |
2 GB | 1 GB |
| Solaris 5.8 | Ultra 5 | 2 GHz | 2 GB | 1 GB |
| Windows NT, XP Professional, Server 2003 |
Pentium 4 | 2 GHz | 2 GB | 1 GB |
| * FTMS is based on Java and is supported on Linux, Solaris and Windows operating systems. These versions have been tested. | ||||
| Minimum Platform Operating Systems | |||
| E-Series | C-Series | S-Series | |
| FTOS Version | 7.5.1.0 (TeraScale) 8.2.1.0 (ExaScale) |
7.6.1.0 |
7.7.1.0 |
| SFTOS Version | — | — | 2.3.1.5 |