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FAQs covering :-

  • Remote Management

 

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Toolbox information

 

 

This tool is included in

 
Video Tutorial information

These Tutorials can be used to answer questions:-

  • How to configure, connect with and operate Remote Systems

  • How to deploy Codima Toolbox

Click here to access Tutorial Sign up access point

 

Deployment Information

 Remote Manager

For deployment information, see the Codima Toolbox Deployment Guide

 

The Remote Manager tool is included in all the Codima Toolboxes, it is used to view and in some cases control Remote systems. These remote systems can be:-

 

 

FAQs covering Benefits

 

 

 

FAQs covering Scalability

 

 

 

FAQs covering Troubleshooting and Check lists

Check lists:-

For more on Check lists/Reference Material and Evidence requirements - see FAQ - Troubleshooting Codima Toolbox

 

 

FAQs covering Tools
 

 

Area / Question
Background Information/Applications :-
 

 
Applications/Scope/Operation :-
 

Applications :-

Scope/Operations :-

 
Miscellaneous :-

 

 

 FAQs and answers

Tutorials

Are there any tutorials to help me get started?

Yes - there is a tutorial to assist you in learning how to use the Remote facilities. It is accessible from the Help facility and from the Codima Website.

Click here to access the sign in page for the Tutorials:-

The tutorial is titled :-

 

Scalability

Can I extend the domain monitored by the Passive Analysis and Protocol Analysis tool?

Yes, by adding Probes to monitor more of the network.

Deployment example - shows domain extended by adding additional Probes.

 

For detailed information, see

 

How many Probes can a Manager Support?

 

The is no set Probe limit, as the Manager does not maintain a permanent connection with the Probes, the Remote Manager has the resources to process 96 connections simultaneously. Connections are only opened if a Probe has an alarm report or update information to send (it is then closed when the alarm/update receipt is acknowledged), and if the Manager is currently asking the Probe for information, e.g., requesting statistics to fill a History Template or asking for all the Alarms in a log, or retrieving frames.

 

Alarm reporting includes a retry facility, so even if a connection was not available the probe can retry for delivery of alarm report.

All the information is stored on the Probe, the information is only provided to the Manager on request.

 

 

 

 

Background Information/Applications

Can I use Probes as Sink Systems?

The use of Probes as a Sink Systems when using functions that are accessible via the autoVoIP Simulator or autoVoIP Blaster tree branches is not recommended.

For more information, see:-

 

 

What is the Remote Manager - what is it used for?, What is a Remote system?

The Remote facilities provide remote viewing and control. A Remote Manager is used to view and in some cases control the Remote systems, These remote systems can be:-

Type of Remote system What is it used for:-

 

 Enables you to use the functions accessible via remote systems autoAnalyzer and autoVoIP tree branches. Extends the domain being monitored by the Protocol Analysis and Passive analysis tools.
 

Enables you to use the functions accessible via the remote systems autoMonitor or autoPinger tree branches. Allowing you to view for example the Bottleneck Analysis tool or IP Pinger tool running on a Remote System.

 
  • Sink systems designated as Blaster Managers

 

 Enables you to remotely control the stress testing process used by the VoIP Pre Deployment Assessment tool

For more information, see FAQ - autoVoIP Blaster Tree branch and the VoIP Pre Deployment Assessment tool

 section in the Codima Toolbox Deployment Guide

All toolboxes have the Remote Manager tool included.

However you can also use the Remote Manager tool externally as a standalone system, see FAQ

 

 

 

What are Probes - what are they used for?

Probes extend the domain managed by the Toolbox, they enable Protocol Analysis/Passive Analysis to be undertaken on remote systems.

They provide access to functions associated with the following tree branches

 autoVoIP tree branch - includes :-
  • Monitoring functions for VoIP (SIP and SCCP) networks.
  • Troubleshooting functions for VoIP (SIP and SCCP) networks.

autoAnalyzer tree branch - includes

  • Monitoring functions – statistical analysis
  • Analyzer functions – protocol analysis with Expert system
  • SNMP Management/Agent functionality

These Probes operate with:-

 

They are used to provide local management, monitoring and analysis facilities. The following diagram shows how multiple Probes can be deployed to extend the domain managed:-

 

Displays showing the Remote Manager and Probe deployment - Remote Manager in these examples has access to tools locally:-

 

 

 

 

Example showing deployment of when more Probes are used:-

 

Applications

 

What are the Benefits of using the Remote Manager tool?

  • Saves time and money, as you do not need to provide resources to visit remote sites to troubleshoot the remote network.

    • You have a window into the remote network.

  • A secure remote access method with minimal network overheads.

    • Proprietary Protocol used, data sent is highly compressed. Information is requested on demand.

    • Activities such as SNMP polling are undertaken behind the firewall. At no point is raw SNMP Mib information passed over remote links, as it is with conventional SNMP Managers.

  • Can be used to control Toolbox operations from a central point.

  • Can be used to control Toolbox operations from outside the network, e.g., a home office.

  • Can remotely view Toolbox displays and dashboards.

  • Scalable for use on networks of all sizes.

    • You can add Probes to extend the domain monitored. Probes are used in situations where you need to be attached to a Mirror Port or a Tap, to monitor network traffic on the wire. For example when undertaking tasks that involve Passive Analysis and Protocol Analysis.

 

For more information review the Features and Benefits Video Tutorial for the Tools in all Codima Toolbox:-

Click here to access the sign in page for the Tutorials:-

 

or click here to obtain a copy of the Codima Toolbox Features and Benefits list.

 

 

Scope and Operations

 

Can I manage a Remote System from a Home office or a NOC?

Yes, you can have a standalone Remote Manager tool :-

The Host Platform for the Remote Manager tool in this instance will have a license that only allows it to undertake remote operations, it will not have access to any other Codima tools locally.

Display showing the Remote Manager and Probe deployment - Remote Managers in this example have no access to tools locally:-

For more information see Remote Manager section of the :-

 

 

What does the management interface look like?

 

The Remote Manager interface used to view the information from a Probe is accessible via the Pane 1 Tree view, each probe can be allocated a unique color, the displays provided in Pane 2 and 3 are generally the same layout as those provided when using the system locally. So operation looks an feels almost identical to local use. The main difference is that the information to fill the display is requested from the Probe when a specific window is opened. Real time updates are provided for the selected window.

 

The Probe can be used locally at the same time the Remote Manager is requesting information to fill displays.

 

Interface example - shows Troubleshooting Dashboard and Segments Map for two different segments:-

 

 

 

What are the Traffic overheads?

 

The Remote Management process cuts down on the network overheads traditionally associated with SNMP based Network Management, as it does not involve using a regular Polling process to obtain Remote information. Database information is stored locally on the Probe which means that the volume of traffic will be subject to the operations undertaken on the Remote Manager, for example:-

  1. When the Remote Manager is being used to view one of the Probes History Charts for a selected time period - Only the statistical objects needed to fill the chart will be requested and received.
  2. When Probes are not being viewed on the Remote Manager - The only traffic will be information associated with changes, e.g., Alarm Reports, new Node information for the Map etc.

 

What are the security implications?

 

The Codima system does not use SNMP for remote operation, users therefore do not need to have the SNMP ports open on their firewalls.

 

The firewalls on the remote sites will need to be configured to allow access for the specific port used by the Codima Technologies Remote Transaction Protocol.

 

The dialog between the Probes and the Remote Manager is highlight compressed and the protocol used is proprietary.

 

 

How do I make a remote connection?

 

Guidance on how to make a remote connection is provided in the Toolbox help, see entry titled:-

 

This help entry can also be used to learn how to configure the Blaster Remote Manager.

 

Can I remotely manage the operation of the VoIP Pre Deployment Assessment tool?

Yes - For remote operation the VoIP Pre Deployment Assessment tool would need a minimum of three Host Platforms*:-

  • BLASTER MANAGER HOST PLATFORM – This is used to send out RTP frames based on user input to the Sink Platforms IP address and send RTCP APP frames in response to RTP frames sent by Sink Platform, it is also used to send out extra loading to stress the link between Blaster Manager Platform and Sink Platform. 
  • SINK SYSTEM HOST PLATFORM – Remote end, is used to respond, i.e., send back RTCP reports to the Blaster Manager Host Platform, and send out RTP frames to the Blaster Manager Host Platform.
  • BLASTER REMOTE MANAGER HOST PLATFORM : Required if you wish to manage the Blaster Process from out side the customers network, one system can be used to control all the Blaster Managers on multiple customer sites. The Blaster Remote Manager uses multiple Sink Systems and for the duration of a test run will assign a Sink System to the role of Blaster Manager.

This type of remote operation provides a secure access method. Alternatively you can use remote control software such as Logmein® or TeamViewer® to access and control the Blaster Manager.

For more information on deployment options (including diagrams), see :-

For more information on the VoIP Pre Deployment Assessment tool, see

 

 

 

Can I run the Toolbox as a Windows Service?

 

The Toolbox software used by the Probes can be run as a Windows Service. A Windows Service is a long-running executable that performs specific functions and is designed not to require user intervention. Windows services can be configured to start when the operating system is booted and run in the background as long as Windows is running, or they can be started manually when required. This feature is especially useful for unmanned Probes.

 

Access points for selecting/deselecting running Toolbox as a Windows Service:-

 

- Miscellaneous:-

I already have Remote Control software can I use that instead to view and control the Toolbox?

Yes, you can use remote control software such as Logmein® or TeamViewer® to access and control the Toolbox. However you will not have the level of security provided by the Remote Manager tool.

 

Troubleshooting

Can I have a check list to cover what is needed to successfully operate the Remote Manager?

 

Yes, click below to obtain Check list:- 

 

 
 

 

 

 

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