March 20, 2019 at 13:36Network Maps. A brief overview of software for building network maps
0. Introductory ..
..or a little offtopic
This article was born only because it is extremely difficult to find comparative characteristics of such software, or even just a list, in one place. We have to shovel a bunch of material to come to at least some kind of conclusion.
In this regard, I decided to save a little time and effort of those who are interested in this issue, and put together the maximum possible number of systems for network mapping, read by me, in one place.
Some of the systems described in this article were tested by me personally at one time. Most likely, these were irrelevant versions at the moment. I see part of the following for the first time, and information on them was collected solely as part of the preparation of this article.
Due to the fact that I touched the system for a long time, and some of them did not touch at all, I did not have any screenshots or any examples. So I refreshed my knowledge on Google, wiki, on youtube, developer sites, I got screenshots in the same place, and in the end I got such a review.
In this regard, I decided to save a little time and effort of those who are interested in this issue, and put together the maximum possible number of systems for network mapping, read by me, in one place.
Some of the systems described in this article were tested by me personally at one time. Most likely, these were irrelevant versions at the moment. I see part of the following for the first time, and information on them was collected solely as part of the preparation of this article.
Due to the fact that I touched the system for a long time, and some of them did not touch at all, I did not have any screenshots or any examples. So I refreshed my knowledge on Google, wiki, on youtube, developer sites, I got screenshots in the same place, and in the end I got such a review.
1. Theory
1.1. What for?
To answer the question “Why?” You first need to understand what exactly is a “Network Map”. Network map - (most often) a logical-graphical-schematic representation of the interaction of network devices and their communication, which describes their most significant parameters and properties. Nowadays, it is often used in conjunction with monitoring the status of devices and the warning system. So: then, to have an idea of the location of network nodes, their interaction and the relationships between them. In conjunction with monitoring, we get a working tool for diagnosing behavior and predicting network behavior.
1.2. L1, L2, L3
They are Layer 1, Layer 2 and Layer 3 in accordance with the OSI model. L1 is the physical level (wires and switching), L2 is the level of physical addressing (mac addresses), L3 is the level of logical addressing (IP addresses).
It makes no sense to build an L1 map, in fact, it logically follows from the same L2, with the possible exception of media converters. And then, now there are media converters that can also be tracked.
Logically, L2 builds a network map based on the host mac addresses, L3 builds on the host IP addresses.
1.3. What data to display
It depends on the tasks and wishes. For example, I naturally want to understand whether the piece of hardware is "alive", on what port it is "hanging" and in what state the port is up or down. It can L2. Anyway, L2 seems to me the most applicable network map topology in an applied sense. But, for taste and color ...
The connection speed on the port is not bad, but not critical if the final device is there - printer \ PC. It would be nice to be able to see the processor load level, the amount of free RAM and the temperature on the piece of iron. But this is not so simple, here you will need to set up a monitoring system that can read SNMP and output and analyze the received data. About it later.
Regarding L3, I found this article .
1.4. How?
You can with your hands, you can in automatic mode. If with hands - then for a long time and you need to consider the human factor. If it’s automatic, then you need to take into account that all network devices must be “smart”, be able to use SNMP and this SNMP must be correctly configured so that the system that will collect data from them can read this data.
It seems not difficult. But there are pitfalls. Starting with the fact that not every system can read all the data that we would like to see from the device, or not all network devices can give this data, and ending with the fact that not every system can automatically build network maps.
The process of automatically generating a map is approximately the following:
- the system reads data from network equipment
- on the basis of the data forms for each port of the router a table of correspondence of addresses on ports
- matches addresses and device names
- builds port-port \ device communications
- draws all this in the form of a diagram "intuitive" for the user
2. Practice
So, let's talk now about how you can build a network map. Let's take as a starting point that we want, of course, to automate this process as much as possible.
There is specialized software that solves the problem of building a network map. Some software products can only provide an environment for “manually” adding pictures with properties, drawing links and launch “monitoring” in an extremely truncated form (is the node alive or no longer responding). Others can not only draw the network diagram on their own, but also read a bunch of parameters with SNMP, notify the user via SMS in case of breakdowns, provide a bunch of information on the network hardware ports, and all this is only part of their functionality (the same NetXMS).
2.1. Products
The list is far from complete, since there are, well, a lot of this kind of software. But this is all that gives Google on the subject (including the English-language sites):
the Open the Source projects:
LanTopolog
the Nagios
Icinga
Nedi
Pandora the FMS
PRTG
NetXMS
of Zabbix
of The Dude
Nmap
Paid projects:
LANState
of Total the Network Monitor
Solarwinds the Network the Topology Mapper
UVexplorer
Auvik
AdRem NetCrunch
UserSide
2.2.1. Free software
2.2.1.1. LanTopoLog
Website
development software Yuri Volokitin. The interface is as simple as possible. Softina supports, so to speak, semi-automatic network construction. She needs to “feed” the settings of all routers (IP, SNMP credentials), then everything will happen on her own, namely, connections between devices with the indication of ports will be built.
There are paid and free versions of the product.
Video manual
2.2.1.2. Nagios
Open Source software site , exists since 1999. The system is designed to monitor the network, that is, it can read data through SNMP and automatically build a network map, but since this is not its main function, it does it very ... strange ... NagVis is used to build maps.
Video manual
2.2.1.3. Icinga
The
Icinga site is an Open Source system that at one time split off from Nagios. The system allows you to automatically build network maps. The only problem is that it builds maps using the NagVis add-on, which was developed for Nagios, so we will assume that these two systems are identical as building network maps.
Video manual
2.2.1.4. Nedi
The site is
able to automatically detect nodes on the network, and based on these data to build a network map. The interface is quite simple, there is status monitoring via SNMP.
There are free and paid versions of the product.
Video manual
2.2.1.5. Pandora fms
Website
Able to auto-discovery, autoconstruction network, SNMP. Nice interface.
There are free and paid versions of the product.
Video manual
2.2.1.6. PRTG
A
software site does not know how to automatically build a network map, only dragging pictures manually. But at the same time it is able to monitor the status of devices through SNMP. The interface is poor, in my subjective opinion.
30 days - full functionality, then - "free version".
Video manual
2.2.1.7. Netxms
The
NetMXS site is primarily an Open Source monitoring system; building a network map is a side feature. But it is implemented quite accurately. Auto-build based on auto-detection, monitoring nodes by SNMP, can monitor the status of router ports and other statistics.
Video manual
2.2.1.8. Zabbix
The
Zabbix site is also an Open Source monitoring system, more flexible and powerful than NetXMS, but it can only build network maps in manual mode, but it can monitor almost any router settings that can be configured.
Video manual
2.2.1.9 The Dude
Site
In general, it is not a complicated free utility, sharpened for working with Mikrotic routers. Allows you to control devices without leaving the program. It can also work with devices of other vendors, but this has not been officially announced, and I have not found a list of supported devices. For my taste, the interface is not the most pleasant, but you can work in it.
Video manual
2.2.1.10. nMap
Website
The main functionality of this software is network security scanning. But on the basis of the collected data, the system can also build a network map, however, it cannot monitor in the usual sense (as I understand). But it displays comprehensive information on the map.
Video manual
2.2.2. Paid Software
2.2.2.1. Lanstate
Paid software site that allows you to automatically scan the network topology and build a network map based on the detected equipment. Allows you to monitor the status of detected devices only by up \ down the node itself.
Video manual
2.2.2.2. Total network monitor
Site
Paid software that does not automatically build a network map. Does not even know how to automatically detect nodes. In fact, this is the same Visio, only focused on the network topology. Allows you to monitor the status of detected devices only by up \ down the node itself.
I didn’t find the video manual, and I don’t need it ... The program is so-so.
2.2.2.3. Solarwinds Network Topology Mapper
Paid software site , there is a trial period. It can automatically scan the network and independently map according to the specified parameters. The interface is pretty simple and nice.
Video manual
2.2.2.4. UVexplorer
Paid software site , 15-day trial. It can auto-detect and automatically draw a map, monitor devices only in up / down state, that is, through a device ping.
Video manual
2.2.2.5. Auvik
Website
Pretty nice paid program that can auto-detect and monitor network devices.
Video manual
2.2.2.6. AdRem NetCrunch
Website
Paid software with a 14-day trial. Able to auto-detect and auto-build network. The interface did not cause enthusiasm. It also has SNMP monitoring.
Video manual
2.2.2.7. User side
Website
In fact, this is a powerful ERP system for providers. The presentation with the possibilities is here . Able to monitor everything that is possible and as soon as possible. But this is an expensive monster, whose capacities are too large for simple building a network map ... But ... he draws maps ... A
video manual
3. Comparison plate
As it turned out, it’s quite difficult to come up with relevant and important parameters for comparing systems and at the same time fit them into one small tablet. I was born this:
* The parameter " User Friendly " is extremely subjective, and I understand that. But how else to describe "clumsiness and illegibility" I did not come up with.
** " Monitoring not only the network " implies the operation of the system as a "monitoring system" in the usual sense of the term, that is, the ability to read metrics from the OS, virtualization hosts, receive data from applications in guest OSs, etc.
4. Personal opinion
From personal experience - I do not see the point of using software separately for network monitoring. I am more impressed with the idea of using a monitoring system for everything and everything with the possibility of building a network map. Zabbix has this ... difficult. Nagios and Icinga, too. And only NetXSM pleased in this regard. Although, if you get confused and make a card in Zabbix, then it looks even more promising than NetXMS. There are also Pandora FMS, PRTG, Solarwinds NTM, AdRem NetCrunch, and most likely a bunch of other things that were not included in this article, but I saw them only in the pictures and in the video, so I can not say anything about them.
Regarding NetXMS, an article was written with a small overview of the system's capabilities and a small how to.
PS:
If I’ve made a mistake somewhere, but I’ve probably made a mistake, please kindly correct it in the comments, I’ll correct the article so that for those who find this information useful, I don’t have to double-check everything from my own experience.
Thanks.