NerveCenterTM 3.8: An Overview
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Contents - NerveCenter Integrated with a Network Management Platform -
Using one of NerveCenter's three platform adapters -- OVPA, SEMSOPCA, and the universal platform adapter -- you can integrate NerveCenter with a network management platform. The type and extent of integration varies with the platform you're using. NerveCenter Platforms, Adapters, and Integration Level lists the platforms supported along with the adapter and level of integration for each.
NerveCenter Platforms, Adapters, and Integration Level
| Platform | Adapter and level of integration |
|---|---|
NerveCenter uses the Universal Platform adapter to insert events into the event console. |
NerveCenter can operate with the network management platforms in various combinations, for example, by integrating with both OpenView Network Node Manager and Micromuse Netcool/OMNIbus. You can also integrate multiple NerveCenters with one or more platforms. Each NerveCenter might monitor one or more subnets and provide event information to the platform.
The following sections describe the integration configurations for each of the three NerveCenter adapters.
NerveCenter's OVPA platform adapter enables integration with Hewlett Packard's OpenView Network Node Manager. In this configuration, the platform typically provides node information to NerveCenter.
OVPA retrieves node and topology information from the platform and forwards this information to the NerveCenter Server. The Server can be configured to monitor all platform nodes, a subset of nodes, or nodes that have certain capabilities or system object IDs (OID). NerveCenter in turn forwards noteworthy events back to the platform by sending informs to OVPA, which relays them to the platform's event console.
When NerveCenter sends informs to the platform, if color changes are required, OVPA sends a message to NerveCenter's NCApp process, which then forwards instructions for color changes to the platform map.
NerveCenter and the platform can have a co-resident installation, that is, they can be installed on the same system. Co-resident installations are supported both on Windows and UNIX.
NerveCenter Co-resident Platform Integration shows a typical co-resident platform integration.
NerveCenter Co-resident Platform Integration
In a co-resident configuration, SNMP traps are sent to the platform. NerveCenter Trap service detects this information from the platform and forwards the traps to NerveCenter.
On UNIX, NerveCenter Trap service is always used whether or not the integration is co-resident. When NerveCenter and the platform are on separate machines, NerveCenter Trap service receives traps directly from the network and forwards the information to NerveCenter. OVPA Integration on UNIX, not Co-resident shows NerveCenter and the platform installed on separate machines. In the figure, NerveCenter's OVPA and NCApp components are located on the platform host machine.
OVPA Integration on UNIX, not Co-resident
NerveCenter OVPA Integration on Windows, not Co-resident shows OVPA integration with NerveCenter on Windows. NerveCenter and the platform are installed on separate machines. In the diagram, NerveCenter's OVPA and NCApp components are located on the platform host machine.
NerveCenter OVPA Integration on Windows, not Co-resident
Note that NerveCenter Trap service is not required in the Windows configuration shown above. Traps are detected by Microsoft's trap service and forwarded to NerveCenter.
For the platform, integration with NerveCenter means increased efficiency. NerveCenter can be configured to take over all event processing and minimize the number of events that appear in the platform's event console. NerveCenter does this by:
Redundant and Unfiltered Events shows an OpenView event browser that contains a number of events all caused by the same problem.
Redundant and Unfiltered Events
Filtered, Important Events shows what might appear in the browser if NerveCenter were used to screen and correlate the conditions and pass on only important information to the platform event browser.
When you install OpenView integration on a system that contains Hewlett Packard OpenView IT/Operations, the installation script gives you the option of configuring integration with IT/Operations. If you choose this setup, NerveCenter installs the SEMSOPCA adapter as well as the OVPA adapter. The SEMSOPCA adapter enables NerveCenter to exchange information with IT/Operations.
NerveCenter IT/Operations Integration shows IT/Operations integration with NerveCenter. In the diagram, NerveCenter's SEMSOPCA component is located on the IT/Operations host machine.
NerveCenter IT/Operations Integration
The IT/Operations agent software, including SNMP agents, must be loaded onto each managed node. IT/Operations sends events to SEMSOPCA, which forwards them to NerveCenter. To accomplish this, IT/Operations must be configured to divert messages to NerveCenter.
NerveCenter detects the IT/Operations events by using special masks called OpC masks. In return, NerveCenter notifies IT/Operations of significant events by sending InformOpC messages, which are inform messages that have been customized to include IT/Operations information. InformOpC messages are sent to SEMSOPCA and then relayed to the IT/Operations message console.
NerveCenter's universal platform adapter, paserver, enables NerveCenter to send informs to the following platforms:
The adapter is typically installed on the network management platform host machine, though there are other possible configurations. Other NerveCenter components, including the Server, can be installed on the same machine or on a different machine.
The following sections describe a typical setup for each platform.
NerveCenter can forward important events to the Tivoli TME Enterprise Console on Sun Solaris. Tivoli TME Enterprise Console Integration shows TME Enterprise Console integration along with the other NerveCenter components.
Tivoli TME Enterprise Console Integration
The NerveCenter Server forwards noteworthy events to the platform by sending inform messages to paserver, which relays the informs to the TME Enterprise Console. NerveCenter includes information about the associated node, the MIB values that were evaluated, the alarm that generated the inform action, and the severity of the states to and from, which the alarm transitioned when the inform was sent.
NerveCenter can forward important events to Computer Associates Unicenter TNG on Windows. Computer Associates Unicenter TNG Integration shows Computer Associates Unicenter TNG integration along with the other NerveCenter components.
Computer Associates Unicenter TNG Integration
The NerveCenter Server forwards noteworthy events to the platform by sending inform messages to paserver, which relays the informs directly to the Unicenter TNG console. NerveCenter includes information about the associated node, the MIB values that were evaluated, the alarm that generated the inform action, and the severity of the states to and from, which the alarm transitioned when the inform was sent.
NerveCenter can forward important events to Micromuse Netcool/OMNIBUS on Windows and on UNIX. Micromuse Netcool/OMNIbus Integration shows Netcool/OMNIBUS integration along with the other NerveCenter components.
Micromuse Netcool/OMNIbus Integration
To integrate the universal platform adapter with Micromuse Netcool/OMNIbus, you must obtain a NerveCenter probe from Micromuse. NerveCenter's inform messages travel from NerveCenter to the platform adapter, then to the probe, and finally to the Netcool/OMNIbus ObjectServer. You can customize the inform messages by editing the nervecenter.rules file located in $OMNIHOME/probes/platform.
Micromuse recommends that the probe be installed on the same machine as paserver, and this configuration is the default setting for paserver. See your Micromuse documentation for details.
The NerveCenter Server forwards noteworthy events to the platform by sending inform messages to paserver, which relays the informs directly to Micromuse Netcool/OMNIbus. NerveCenter includes information about the associated node, the MIB values that were evaluated, the alarm that generated the inform action, and the severity of the states to and from, which the alarm transitioned when the inform was sent.
The NerveCenter Server and paserver are not required to be installed on the same system as Micromuse Netcool/OMNIbus and the probe. NerveCenter Server can be installed on any supported platform and still relay messages through paserver to Netcool/OMNIbus on Windows, Solaris, or HP-UX.
| Web-based Monitoring | Multiple NerveCenters |
| 29 July 2003 |