Integrate non-SNMP Devices with SNMP Alarm Management
T/Mon Network Alarm Management System
The T/Mon Remote Alarm Monitoring System is really an alarm monitoring master, but when fitted with the appropriate optional software module, it becomes a SNMP proxy agent for multiple sites. T/Mon can take non-SNMP alarms from all your remote sites, mediate them to SNMP traps, and forward the traps to your SNMP manager.
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Get more info on the T/Mon SNMP alarm management solution DPS Telecom network management systems - www.dpstele.com |
Why would you want to do this? Well, one of the biggest hurdles in SNMP alarm management is dealing with all the other protocols you have to support: TABS, TBOS, E2A, TL1... Not to mention the vast collection of proprietary-protocol monitoring equipment that pervades older networks.
That's what makes network managers rush to standardize their networks with SNMP. But simply having an SNMP manager won't end your troubles. Your network could be filled with a ton of non-SNMP equipment in the field. Your non-SNMP equipment could either isn't necessary or too expensive to replace, and it's too critical to just not monitor. But if you're committed to SNMP network management, what can you do with it?
If that's your problem, you might want to consider a solution like T/Mon NOC - integrate non-SNMP devices into your SNMP alarm management.
Physical unit, installation and configuration
The T/Mon unit itself is a rack-mount device, with front LCD display and SVGA monitor connection, and removable storage devices for backing up your database. Its available in dual-power –48VDC or other commercial power versions, depending on your preference. Besides Ethernet, it supports a wide range of legacy ports for attaching serial and modem devices.
How you install a T/Mon depends on your technical confidence. If you're really comfortable with legacy connectors and alarm telemetry databasing, you might want to do it yourself. If you'd like some help, DPS offers installation and configuration services, 24-hour technical support, combined with a four-day on-site training course. We recommend the full service if you want to get the most from the system.
T/Mon supports practically every device and protocol you would have in your network, and converts them all to SNMP traps. (All images courtesy of DPS Telecom.)
What devices does T/Mon support?
The most impressive thing about T/Mon is the number of input protocols it can mediate: ASCII, E2A, SNMP, TABS, TBOS, TL1 and Modbus, which covers most of the equipment out there.
T/Mon also supports proprietary protocols from other companies: Larse, Badger, NEC, and Pulsecom, plus a few others.
Caution: support for all these protocols isn't part of the base T/Mon package. You have to upload additional software modules for each protocol.
On the plus side, T/Mon modules support any device that uses the protocol. If you need to support three different kinds of TL1 device, you just buy one TL1 module instead of three separate device-specific modules.
If you need support for a device that isn't their list, DPS offers custom development of protocol support modules. I'm generally suspicious of custom development - most companies will charge you an arm and a leg for their trial-and-error experiments. But DPS offers a couple of safeguards: they don't charge NRE fees for custom work, and they offer a money-back guarantee on their product if it doesn't work.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all alarms are created equal...
The real genius of T/Mon is what it does with the alarms which means you can collect alarms from any piece of supported equipment and forward them as traps to your SNMP manager. You don't have to worry about MIB hunting or adapting legacy equipment - if it's supported by T/Mon, you can integrate it with your SNMP alarm management.
Incidentally, you can use T/Mon's alarm forwarding features for more than SNMP. T/Mon supports almost as many output protocols as inputs - ASCII, E2A, SNMP, TABS, TBOS, and TL1.
You can also forward these various alarm outputs to multiple targets. So, if necessary, you could be monitoring a large network of diverse devices with T/Mon, and forward all the alarms to several SNMP managers, a TL1-based OSS center, and an ASCII recorder - all at once.
The T/Mon rear panel features up to 24 serial and modem ports for connecting legacy devices.
T/Mon doesn't replace your SNMP manager
T/Mon won't replace all of your SNMP manager features. T/Mon is an "SNMP Trap Processor", strictly for SNMP alarm management. T/Mon doesn't support in-depth SNMP device management. And integrating billing and inventory are outside the scope of its objectives.
But those are outside of the fact that the T/Mon is a multiprotocol, multifunction network alarm manager designed as a single-platform solution for your SNMP or non-SNMP monitoring applications. Orchestrating SNMP support across so many protocols and platforms is no small accomplishment for any type of SNMP Manager. If you need to work with multiple protocols, T/Mon is definitely worth a look.
If you have a T/Mon, do you really need an SNMP manager?
T/Mon works wonders for forwarding SNMP traps. But you can be sure that after working with it for a few days, you'll start to wonder why you don't just monitor all your network alarms with T/Mon.
T/Mon can receive SNMP traps as well as forward them, so it can monitor your SNMP equipment as capably as everything else.
T/Mon also has some cool features for SNMP alarm management that are much better than the bare-bones telemetry functions of a standard SNMP manager. T/Mon filters nuisance alarms, keeps standing alarm and COS alarm lists, sends out pager and email notifications, and even gives system operators little text instructions for correcting alarms.
Most of all, there's something really reassuring about having one system that can cover your whole network. If all your sites report "normal" on the T/Mon display, you can be pretty certain that there's no secret problems anywhere in the network. That's good peace of mind.
Get more info on the T/Mon SNMP alarm management solution