NetAssure® is a high throughput Remote System Assurance tool, which integrates with NetIQ AppManager and Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM). This allows both the systems management application and NetAssure to perform the tasks that they are designed for. NetAssure is designed and optimised for testing thousands of remote systems, by the most appropriate method, freeing AppManager or MOM to perform centralised notification, alerting and corrective actions.
NetAssure performs system assurance tests using several different methods, currently these are:-
These test methods are designed to ensure the widest possible system coverage, whilst also providing a high degree of system confidence.
Future releases of NetAssure will provide additional assurance methods and also widen the scope of the existing methods.
Advantages of NetAssure®
NetAssure is a multi-threaded .NET Service which is optimised for testing Thousands of remote systems. It is designed to complement existing Systems Management solutions and integrate information from remote systems which may not normally be included in your overall systems management strategy.
Allows you to perform, Agent-less, availability monitoring of large numbers of remote systems in a cost effective manner.
Integrates with Systems Management applications from NetIQ and Microsoft.
Event enrichment information with NetAssure data regarding:- Location, Owner, Business Hours, Applications supported etc.
Low Network impact
Multiple Assurance methods
Does not impact the performance of your Systems Management Application
Using NetAssure from multiple locations also provides a test of the different network segments and local DNS resolution capabilities.
Test Systems
The names of the systems to be Assured from a particular location can be imported in NetAssure or added manually. The current import methods include:-
Import From AppManager
You select the AppManager repository that you wish to import the server lists from. You will be presented with a list of systems from the AppManager Repository which do not currently exist in the NetAssure host file.
Import from CSV file
Direct import from a standard CSV (comma separated value) list with each name being separated by a comma, or on a new line.
Import from GHF file
GHF is the Gestio Host File format which is used for the NetAssure configuration file. This allows you to combine fully configured NetAssure configurations into a single test point.
Import From MOM
You select the Microsoft Operations Manager repository that you wish to import the server lists from. You will be presented with a list of systems from the MOM database which do not currently exist in the NetAssure host file.
Import from Text file
Direct import from a standard text file, created in Notepad or as an export from a database, with each name being on a new line.
In all cases the import file is de-duplicated as the systems are added, at the same time system wide defaults are applied for test methods, timeout values etc.
NetAssure - Assurance Methods
The different test methods supported by NetAssure allow you to perform the most appropriate Assurance for the type of system under test , each method has its own Advantages and Disadvantages.
ICMP Ping
A Ping is the most basic of network confidence tests, it shows that the device is connected to the network and that the network card is responding. Computers with "intelligent" network cards do not rely on the main system processor to respond to a network request, so it is possible for a computer to respond to a Ping even if the system is in a non-responsive state to users and applications.
Advantages:- Quick, generates little network traffic. Applicable to 99% of all network connected devices.
Disadvantages:- Does not guarantee that the system is available to users.
Remote Registry Check
This is only applicable to Windows systems. The tests go far beyond a Ping as each time the system test occurs the system performing the assurance test makes a connection to the Registry on the remote machine. This proves that the system is not only connected to the network but also that it is responsive and available for users and applications.
SNMP Connectivity
In this release the SNMP check gathers the system up time and makes sure that the time is greater than it was in the previous check.
Advantages:- Quick. Applicable to a large number of all network connected devices. Provides an indication of system availability. Less network traffic than a remote registry check
Disadvantages:- Not all devices support SNMP
If NetAssure fails to connect via the chosen Assurance method it will also try a Ping. The failure of the primary test method along with the ping response will be recorded and made available to your Systems Management application.