3Com's Web-based tools are designed for both enterprise and small-office markets. Within the enterprise, 3Com offers an external server to provide Web-based access to network devices, complementing its existing network management system, Transcend Enterprise Manager (TEM). For the small-office environment, 3Com embeds Web server technology into its network devices, giving net administrators with Java-enabled Web browsers direct access to management information about these devices. Even though these devices, such as OfficeConnect, are self-configuring, they will require a certain amount of monitoring and managing, which will be provided by an embedded Web server and the Web-based management applications.
Via a standard Web browser any node on the network, the authorized user connects to the corporate intranet and accesses the URL of the device to be managed. Once password access is granted, a graphic representation of the device is shown, along with performance statistics. From desktops anywhere on the corporate intranet and using simple point-and-click actions, managers can perform such functions as:
§ Do installation, configuration, and maintenance
§ Access device-specific views
§ Run diagnostic tests
§ Perform troubleshooting tasks, such as enabling/disabling ports or achieve auto-load balancing to optimize network performance
§ Access historical data of the device's performance over time
Although there are many net management products available with Web front-ends, 3Com's TEM goes beyond them by offering true interactivity. While other products offer only static views of various information, such as an event log, 3Com's fully functional interface allows not only viewing from the Web, but lets actual configuration tasks to be performed. A home page feature, called Transcend Central, provides a single view of all 3Com equipment. This gives users a starting point from which to launch various management tools and facilitates navigation.
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