MegaVision Pro
Network Management System
Frequently Asked Questions
MegaVision Pro Product General Information
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Q1. What is MegaVision Pro?
A1. MegaVision Pro (formerly know as MegaVision Web) is a network management system (NMS). Its main function is managing networks, which contain MRV devices. It also can discover and perform many functions with virtually any vendor SNMP or TCP/IP devices. It provides you with the consistent end-to-end view of your whole network, helps with its configuration, monitoring and troubleshooting.
Q2. Where can I find the latest information about MegaVision Pro product?
A2. ftp://ftp.mrv.com/pub/software/megavision This is the main place to download the latest version, release notes, demos, presentations, etc.
Q3. Where can I find MegaVision Pro general information and data sheet?
A3. http://www.mrv.com/product/MRV-NM-MVWEB - 'MegaVision Pro' page on MRV Web site.
Q4. What is included in MegaVision Pro product?
A4.
1. MegaVision Pro NMS server and client software (license for one server and unlimited number of clients).
2. MegaVisionJ
3. MegaVision Configurator
Q5. What is MegaVisionJ?
A5. MegaVisionJ is MRV devices node/element manager, a multi-platform Java application that can be integrated with other NMS systems (like HP OV NNM) and provide MRV devices specific GUI (graphic user interface). For details, please see mvjreadme.txt and hpovnnmandmv.pdf on ftp://ftp.mrv.com/pub/software/megavision .
Q6. What is MegaVision Configurator (MV Configurator)?
A6. It is a "mini"-MegaVision for configuring one MRV device at a time only. It can be used as a standalone node/element manager for MRV devices. The software does not require any password and can be distributed freely. It also comes with the full MegaVision Pro Demo, which allows seeing MegaVision
Pro screens without real devices. The latest version can be always downloaded from ftp://ftp.mrv.com/pub/software/megavision (file MVConfigurator.zip). The file is updated about every 2-3 weeks.
Q7. What are the differences in functionality between MegaVision Pro, MegaVisionJ and
MegaVision Configurator?
A7. All of them provide about the same functionality (even the same screens) as MRV devices Element
Manager System (EMS), however MegaVision Pro provides additional services as advanced multi-user, client-server Network Management System for heterogeneous multi-vendor networks. MV Pro provides consistent end-to-end view of the whole network.
Q8. MegaVisionJ vs. MV Configurator
A8.
1. Both MegaVisionJ and MV Configurator are Node/Element Managers (not Network Managers). It means: no maps, no traps - only device front panel and all the windows which are called from the
device front panel. For MegaVisionJ: maps and traps/alarms should be the responsibility of calling
NMS platform (like HP OV NNM).
2. MegaVisionJ runs on any platform (including UNIX, Linux, and Win32). MV Configurator runs on
Win32 only.
3. MegaVisionJ can be called via command line from any NMS (like HP OV NNM). This is not true for
MV Configurator.
4. MegaVisionJ does NOT have the following MV Configurator limitations:
4.1. MegaVisionJ can be called for more than one MRV device simultaneously.
4.2. MegaVisionJ has graphs (lines/speedometers/bars). MV Configurator has no graphs.
Q9. MegaVisionJ vs. MegaVision Pro (MV Pro)
A9.
1. MegaVisionJ does not have maps system representing the whole network. MV Pro does.
2. MegaVisionJ is a node/element management. MV Pro is a network management.
3. MegaVisionJ is a client ONLY. MV Pro is both client and server. It has Web, Telnet, TL1, sysLog, Time Protocol, SQL, SNMP and other servers embedded. It maintains remote users' sessions and multiple users' profiles.
4. MegaVisionJ does not have maps, traps, alarms, e-mail notifications, northbound interfaces etc.
All these services should be provided by the parent NMS platform (like HP OV NNM). MV Pro
(being the platform itself) has all these services.
5. MV Pro server runs on Win32 platform. MV Pro clients can run on any platform that can run Java enabled Internet Browser. MegaVisionJ can run on any platform which can run Java.
Q10. Can you summarize the difference in features for different parts of MV Pro product?
A10.
Feature / Part of
MV Pro Product
MegaVision Pro
Server
MegaVision Pro Client MegaVision
Yes Yes
Configurator
MegaVisionJ
Network
Management
Element/Node
Management
Maps, Traps,
Yes Yes
Yes Yes (via server) No No
Alarms, e-mail notifications, North-
Bound Interfaces,
SQL database...
Can manage more than one device simultaneously
Platforms
Yes Yes
MS Windows MS Windows/UNIX
(Solaris, HP-UX...)/Linux
MS Windows MS Windows/UNIX
(Solaris, HP-
UX...)/Linux
Can be integrated with HP OV NNM or other NMS
Can be called via command line with device paraters
Graphs (Lines, Bars,
Speedometers)
Requires MRV
License to run
Yes (via Web client)
No N/A
Yes Yes
Yes No (Unlimited number of clients per one server)
No, free Yes
MegaVision Pro and "Big" Networks
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Q1. How many devices can be managed by one MegaVision Pro server?
A1. The number of managed devices is limited only by the power of computer MegaVision Pro server is installed on. For big networks dedicated PC-based server (WinNT/Win2000 server, not workstation!) is required. The performance depends on the polling intervals. It also depends how actively MegaVision Pro is used in remote console mode, and how many other applications is running on the same server.
Q2. Do I need to buy more than one MV Pro license?
A2. There is no requirement to have different servers in each sub networks. However, performance depends on a lot of factors (see above). So the general approach is: if user feels that MV Pro operation slows down while the number of managed devices grows, he must add another MV Pro Server. It is also a good idea to have a "backup" MV Pro server for big networks. Our experience shows that one MV Pro server is usually enough for up to 1000 devices.
Q3. How different MV Pro servers are synchronized in the same network?
A3. Currently every MV Pro server works independently (though backup servers can monitor the same devices/networks). User has a possibility to get full picture from all of them, using one location Web
Console. Additionally, by placing remote MV Pro servers' icons on the map of any MV Pro server, user can retrieve all the devices' alarms and status info from the remote MV Pro servers. Later we also have plans to make all these servers talking to each other automatically and exchange NMS information to share database.
Q4. How can I optimize MV Pro performance?
A4. There is a way to make MV Pro server less "busy" in big networks. It is changing (increasing) polling intervals for specific devices/submaps. The default polling interval is 10 sec, but probably most devices do not require such frequent polling.
Q5. Do you have exact formula to calculate computer resources for given number of managed devices?
A5. We do not have estimates: CPU + Memory + Speed=Number of Managed Devices, because of too many factors involved. (Please, see also Q1-Q4 above.)
Q6. How many Web-clients can be served by one MV Pro server?
A6. The number of Web-clients is limited only by the power of MegaVision Pro server and clients (both!).
Several clients may login and work simultaneously.
Q7. Were does MV Pro keeps all the NMS information, history log?
A7. It keeps it in regular ASCII files and standard SQL Database. The standard SQL Database requests can be also used for "NORTH-BOUND" upper layer OSS interface.
Q8. Does MV Pro have any north-bound interfaces for integration with OSS (operation support systems)?
A8. MV Pro has the following North-Bound Interfaces: TL1, XML, SQL Requests, SNMP requests
Please see also xml.pdf and TL1.txt files on ftp://ftp.mrv.com/pub/software/megavision .
Q9. What files from the MV Pro installation should be backed up?
A9. Use WinZip to backup the contents of the following directories:
1. MV Pro root directory (usually c:\megaweb);
2. The whole c:\mssql7\data directory (SQL database).
Backup (zipping) should be done after all the maps are created.
Q10. What information is kept in the SQL database?
A10. 1. Alarms History Log (ALL THE ALARMS) file: c:\mssql7\data\nmsSQL.mdf
2. OptiSwitches application specific info file: c:\mssql7\data\osNMSdb.mdf
3. EventHorizon alarms file: c:\mssql7\data\EventHorizon.mdf
.
User can always access the info it via standard SQL tools. (Some minimal SQL experience is required).
Also the structure of the database tables is clear if user accesses the database via standard SQL tools. Note also that MV Pro history alarms log maybe uploaded into the ASCII file (see History Alarms Log Window)
MegaVision Pro Installation
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Q1. What Java Machine should be used for MV Pro Client Interface: Microsoft or Sun?
A1. MV Pro Client works both with Sun and Microsoft Java, but we recommend Microsoft better. It is always available (and default for Internet Explorer) on most Windows PCs. However, there may be some
XP PCs which do not have Microsoft Java Virtual Machine. XP Service Pack 1 fixes the problem.
If you are running Netscape 6 or higher Sun's Java Machine is your only option.
(Do not confuse MV Pro Client interface, which is Java applet called from Web Browser with MegaVisionJ which is java application and runs independently!)
Q2. How to install a new MegaVision Pro version over the old one and keep all the maps/devices information?
A2. Just install it in the same directory the previous one was installed (usually c:\megaweb).
Important: DO NOT RUN UNINSTALL! Also you must run installation as the same user who had run the previous MV Pro version installation.
Q3. Why am I receiving error messages about SQL Server/MSDE during MV Pro installation?
A3. See mvwebreadme.txt on ftp://ftp.mrv.com/pub/software/megavision . The same file (read.me) is in
MV Pro root directory.
A4. MV Pro installation suddenly closed. Why?
Q4. You probably have deffective CD. Try to copy installation kit directory somewhere else and it may show exactly which files are problematic.
A5. Why MV Pro Client times out suddenly and I am thrown back to the Login Screen?
Q5. See mvwebreadme.txt on ftp://ftp.mrv.com/pub/software/megavision . The same file (read.me) is in
MV Pro root directory.
MegaVision Pro and Security Issues
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Q1. How secure is the remote login process?
A1. When client-user starts Web-session with MegaVision Pro, he must enter a password. The password is configurable on the MV Pro server. MV Pro server will not grant the access if the password is not correct.
The password is sent via proprietary protocol only ONCE when the session is started. After the session is started the MV Pro Server establishes a proprietary link with the client. The whole procedure is much more secure than for example SNMPv1 and SNMPv2, which send the community names in EVERY request using STANDARD commonly known format (so somebody who is sniffing the network may see them.)
Q2. Any additional Web Interface Security features?
A2. User may change the standard http port value (80) to any number (like 5789). In that case anyone who is sniffing the network on port 80 will not get anything (he must also know the port number). Starting from
MV Pro version v2.26 there can be configured a white-list of IP addresses which are allowed to be webclients. Additional security procedures may be applied, but they are not part of MegaVision Pro, but are standard Internet security procedures, e.g.: firewalls, VPN encryption, etc ... can be used in intranets to protect from the lack of security in SNMPv1 SNMPv2.
Q3. Does your Web interface support SSL (https)?
Q4. Currently not, but we have plans to add it.
Q5. Does MV Pro support SNMPv3 (secure SNMP)?
A5. Yes it does. Of course, to use this, the managed devices must support SNMPv3 as well.
MegaVision Pro and HP OV UNIX Platform issues
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Q1. Can MV Pro run on UNIX and be integrated with HP OV NNM UNIX?
A1. There are three ways.
1. MegaVisionJ can run on UNIX and be called from HP OV NNM UNIX via command line (please see mvjreadme.txt and hpovnnmandmv.pdf on ftp://ftp.mrv.com/pub/software/megavision ).
2. MV Pro server can be installed on MS Windows platform only:
Win95/Win98/WinNT/Win2000/WinXP. However, the MV Pro client Java-GUI interface can run on ANY platform via Java enabled Web Browser (including UNIX and Linux). Because the transfer of the client Java software is done automatically, there is no need for specific client software installation. Just start your Web Browser and point it to the address: "http ://< IP
Address>/", where <IP Address> is the IP Address of the PC MegaVision Pro server is running on, e.g.: "http://192.168.1.97/". This approach requires MegaVision Pro PC-based server plugged somewhere in the network. However, it is not a problem, because PC prices go down every day and such server should not cost more than $500. Such PC may be called "Network Probe",
"Management Agent" or "Proxy Manager Web-Server" or any other name. To get MV Pro GUI on
HP OV NNM UNIX user should install MegaVision Pro on any PC plugged somewhere in the network and use HP OV Web Browser Interface to manage MRV devices from HP OV NNM map. The process is described in the MegaVision Pro manual. It integrates seamlessly with the
Web interface which is included in HP OV NNM 6.0 and higher.
3. The third way is a combination of the first two ways.
Q2. Can you compare MV Pro and HP OV NNM as NMS platforms?
A2. MRV does NOT endorse using HP OV NNM or any other vendor NMS platform. MRV has its own
NMS platform - MegaVision Pro, which works faster and is simpler to use than HP OV NNM/other NMS platforms. It is better even when user needs managing other companies devices - MegaVision Pro has the same 3-rd parties integration mechanism as HP OV NNM (double-click action). However there are customers who INSIST on using HP OV NNM, so we provide solution for them, see Q1 above.
