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NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: NEAL WEINBERG on
PRODUCT REVIEWS 12/21/01 Today's focus: Gigabit Network design tools, Part 2 Dear Wincenty Kaminski, In this issue: * A closer look at the Visionael, Microsoft and Didyma net design tools * Links related to Network World product reviews * Featured reader resource ____________________________________________________________ THE STORAGE OPTIONS Ever since September 11th, spending on storage has increased. How are you ensuring that you're choosing the right network storage options? Network World's Deni Connor evaluates the networked storage options. Before you start spending next year's budget check out what Connor has to say at: http://nww1.com/go/ad219.html ____________________________________________________________ Today's focus: Network design tools, Part 2 By Neal Weinberg As we said last time, nobody's perfect, and neither were the various network design tools we tested. We tested Visionael's Visionael 6.4, Compuware's EcoPredictor 3.2, Microsoft's Visio Professional 2002 with Enterprise Network Tools, NetRule 4.0 from Analytical Engines and Bert Houtriet's shareware Didyma 1.72. In the last newsletter, we looked at EcoPredictor and NetRule. This time, we turn our attention to the rest, none of which met our criteria for a full-featured network design tool. Visionael is a superior tool for discovering, designing and documenting a network, but it didn't let us simulate application or network activity. Didyma can discover, design and document a network, but it can't simulate the effect of the changes you make. Microsoft's Visio is an excellent network design diagramming tool that, with the Enterprise Network Tools option, can discover and document a network, but it can't simulate application activity within the network. Visionael was the most complex and comprehensive of the products we tested. In the lab, its discovery feature used SNMP-based software probes to gather network layout and device identification data. Optional Microsoft System Management Server and Hewlett-Packard's OpenView software probes can collect data from those respective products. Because Visionael is as much a network and system inventory tool as a design tool, the discovery process collects far more computer and network device detail, such as basic I/O system versions and adapter slot usage, than a network planner needs. During design sessions, the diagramming tool collects this same level of detail about proposed network components. Even while you're designing network changes in Visionael, it continues to monitor the existing network to ensure its baseline data is accurate. In our tests, Visionael stored network component data relationally in an Oracle 8i database. Visionael also offers versions of its product that work with Sybase Adaptive Server or Microsoft SQL Server. Visio's Enterprise Network Tools option collects the same information regardless of whether a network node is a router or a computer. Visio stores its diagramming specifications and network device details in a proprietary binary format. In addition to rendering the network drawing in hard copy or Web page form, Visio can produce Web pages, Visio table shape or XML-based asset reports containing asset types, asset owners, names and manufacturers. Visio can also export data to Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access or a relational database via Open Database Connectivity. While it doesn't have a simulation feature for modeling the behavior of a proposed network design, Didyma has a monitoring function that can periodically ping existing network devices to detect their health. Its discovery feature updates the current design workspace with only the identities of the devices it finds, which makes for even more data entry effort during the design sessions that follow a discovery operation. Furthermore, as it collects data during a design session, Didyma doesn't distinguish among the various types of network nodes. Whether a node is a computer, router or other device, Didyma, like Visio, asks for the same information. This consists of name, IP address, SNMP community string, interface type (Ethernet, token ring or serial), media access control address, DNS name, whether to monitor the node and whether to include it in reports. For the full report, go to: http://www.nwfusion.com/reviews/2001/1203bgtoc.html _______________________________________________________________ To contact Neal Weinberg: Neal Weinberg is features editor at Network World, in charge of product reviews, Buyer's Guides, technology primers, how-tos, issue-oriented feature stories and the Technology Insider series. You can reach him at mailto:nweinber@nww.com. _______________________________________________________________ Promote your services and generate qualified leads! Register on Buy IT, NW Fusion's Vendor Directory and RFP Center. It's cost-effective and eliminates the headaches of finding new business. List your company today and access millions of dollars in RFPs posted by active buyers. Go to NW Fusion now! http://www.nwfusion.newmediary.com/091201nwwprovnwltr1 _______________________________________________________________ RELATED LINKS The Thinkmap Web design tool: Outstanding Network World Web Applications Newsletter, 01/19/00 http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/web/0117web2.html Application development tools on tap from Microsoft Network World, 05/28/01 http://www.nwfusion.com/archive/2001/121066_05-28-2001.html The archive for Reviews is: http://www.nwfusion.com/reviews/index.html ______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE JOIN IN! Network World Forums are a great place to voice your opinion and hear what your peers have to say about a latest product release or trend in networking. Our Forums cover such topics as "Should you upgrade to XP?" to a "Help Desk Forum" in which you can ask the expert advice of Network World Fusion's Help Desk editor, Ron Nutter. Our Forums are a great way to express your opinions and interact with your peers. http://www.nwfusion.com/forum/index.html _______________________________________________________________ May We Send You a Free Print Subscription? You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered at your fingertips each day. Now, extend your knowledge by receiving 51 FREE issues to our print publication. Apply today at http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/nl ______________________________________________________________ SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World e-mail newsletters, go to: http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/news/scripts/notprinteditnews.asp To unsubscribe from promotional e-mail go to: http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/ep To change your e-mail address, go to: http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/news/scripts/changeemail.asp Subscription questions? Contact Customer Service by replying to this message. Have editorial comments? Write Jeff Caruso, Newsletter Editor, at: mailto:jcaruso@nww.com For advertising information, write Jamie Kalbach, Director of Online Sales, at: mailto:jkalbach@nww.com Copyright Network World, Inc., 2001 ------------------------ This message was sent to: vkamins@enron.com
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