Frontier Software Development offers WebCast, a tool that provides access to the reporting capabilities of Frontier's NETscout Manager through common Web browsers. With WebCast, network managers can see end-to-end network reports through all seven layers of traffic on any topology, including Ethernet, Token Ring, Fast Ethernet, Switched LAN, VLAN, WAN, Frame Relay, FDDI, and CDDI.
WebCast automatically converts NETscout Manager traffic reports into Web pages that can be read quickly and easily by authorized users throughout a distributed computing network. This makes network data, traps, and Java-enhanced alarms accessible through an organization's intranet at very low cost.
WebCast makes all this network data available over the Web through its EnterpriseRMON, which is a superset of RMON1 and RMON2. EnterpriseRMON extends standard RMON functions by adding client/server application traffic reports, and improves enterprise traffic management and system-level troubleshooting.
In addition to its detailed reporting capability, WebCast gives network administrators location-independent management capabilities. Administrators can use WebCast to configure probes and agents on a network or edit agent configurations through a Web browser. For example, managers can use WebCast to view utilization reports and host lists for IP and Web traffic running over a Frame Relay PVC, or look at vital statistics and information for any switched port in a Switched LAN environment.
Among its other management functions, WebCast can bill and charge back network users to help administrators control costs. WebCast software's embedded security lets network managers regulate access to ensure that sensitive information is viewed only by people who need to see and work with it. WebCast embedded security can create groups of users authorized to view any combination of auto reports, on-demand individual reports, alarming or SQL queries. Access to information is set by the network manager and the privileges are activated at the time of user log-on.
WebCast automatic polling updates reports at intervals selected by the network administrator, so the information is always current. The reports can be updated daily, weekly, monthly, or all three. WebCast also formats the reports so that busy network administrators can review the information quickly. This reduces management overhead on the network by gathering the data only once, an approach that eliminates repeat traffic and reserves valuable bandwidth for mission-critical applications and communications. Java-based traps and alarms are integrated to alert administrators to current or potential problems, before they affect network performance.
WebCast customized queries let users specify their own query criteria for the SQL data base by filling in a simple form. No SQL experience is required. The forms enable users to make a specialized report for a specific network segment or a specific timeframe.
NETscout Server is a polling and data collection engine that supports end-to-end network monitoring by enabling many probes to reside on the network while not clogging it with unnecessary traffic. NETscout Server periodically polls localized servers for data, information, and alarms from RMON-based probes and MIB2 devices, eliminating the traffic caused by constant data transmissions. With NETscout Server, companies can build manageable, scalable networks with extensive instrumentation. With WebCast, any data aggregated at remote sites can be accessed through a Web browser.
WebCast supports virtually an unlimited numbers of users and requires no additional training because it works through universally familiar Web browsers. According to Frontier, WebCast's advanced reporting and management capabilities come at about 3 percent of a dedicated workstation's cost.
WebCast is the first phase in Frontier's program to bring Web-based tools and distributed reporting to network users. The subsequent phases will introduce enhancements to NETscout Server's scalable mid-level management capabilities to allow peer-to-peer report aggregation of RMON information. Eventually, Frontier will introduce a Web interface for all of NETscout Manager's real-time diagnostic and analysis tools.
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