RMONster32 - Distributed LAN Monitoring Software for Windows
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Product Overview - RMONster32


sm_RMON32_a.jpg (9602 bytes)Triticom has just released v1.5 of our software-based RMON-2 agent. RMONster32 is a 32-bit, distributed LAN monitoring package that runs under Windows9X/2000/XP. RMONster32 is a low-cost RMON agent that supports IETF RFC 1757 (the RMON MIB) and RFC 1513 (Token Ring extensions to the RMON MIB). Additionally, RMONster32 supports all 13 RMON MIB groups, MIB-II, and is RMON-2 (IETF RFC 2021) compliant.

Configuration is easy and straightforward. Simply install the software on any PC running Windows that has a supported adapter installed. Once RMONster32 is started, the PC functions as a full-time RMON agent for the Ethernet or Token Ring network it is attached to. RMONster32 includes Triticom's AccuCapture drivers that can be installed on a dedicated adapter. This configuration provides high-performance RMON functionality, while control is available through the second adapter. Run-time statistics and controls are typically handled by an SNMP "Management Console" via communications over the network.

The RMON-I MIB groups supported are:

  1. Statistics
  2. History
  3. Host
  4. Alarm
  5. HostTopN
  6. Matrix
  7. Filter
  8. Capture
  9. Events
  10. Token-Ring Station
  11. Token-Ring Station Order
  12. Token-Ring Station Configuration
  13. Source Routing

In addition to RMON-I support, RMONster32 provides support for these RMON-II MIB (RFC 2021) groups:

  1. Protocol Directory
  2. Protocol Distribution
  3. Address Mapping
  4. Network Layer Host
  5. Network Layer Matrix
  6. Application Layer Host
  7. Application Layer Matrix
  8. User History
  9. Probe Configuration

With the latest release, RMONster32 is better than ever at monitoring large networks or monitoring for extremely long periods of time, since the maximum allowable size of many RMON tables is now user-settable.User's can now determine how many items, up to 65000 each, should be allocated for the Host, Matrix, High-Level host, High-Level matrix, and User History functions of the probe.

The following features were included in release v1.4:

  • RMONster32's driver architecture has been completely redesigned to simplify installation and usage, and to support the wide range of Windows operating system environments. Full support for Windows 2000 and Windows Millenium Edition (ME), including Plug-and-Play AccuCapture drivers has been added. NDIS drivers load and unload dynamically, so that no separate NDIS installation step is required, and there is no need to re-boot after RMONster32 installation.
  • Added the User History Group, which expands on the functionality of the History Group of RMON by allowing any MIB variable that can be resolved to an integer, whether signed, unsigned, or enumerated, to be made the subject of regular sampling. This polling and storing of MIB variable values was previously the responsibility of the management station. The User History Group allows the task to be handled by RMONster32, reducing network traffic and providing polling accuracy not available when done by the management station, such as genuinely simultaneous polling of multiple MIB variables.
  • Added support for the Network Layer Matrix Top N table and the Application Layer Matrix Top N table to round out the RMON2 compliance of RMONster32. These tables can be used to determine which conversations are responsible for the largest part of the network traffic, by octets or by packets. By tracking network protocols, responsibility for network loading can be narrowed to certain stations. By tracking the application protocols in use, responsibility for network loading can be narrowed even to the application.
  • Improved the download time of packet captures from RMONster32 to the management station. For typical packet captures of less than one megabyte, the improvement is minor, but for large captures of sixteen megabytes or more, the improvement can be dramatic, often transferring the capture buffer in one-quarter the time of previous versions.

RMONster32 V1.5 is available now for shipment. Contact Triticom Sales at (952) 829-8019 or E-mail us via the Contact Us page.

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Product Specifications

RMONster32™

Distributed LAN Monitoring Software

Version 1.5

RMONster32™ Network Monitor is a low-cost software-only RMON agent that supports IETF RFC 1757 (RMON MIB), IETF 2021 (RMON-2 MIB) and RFC 1513 (Token-Ring Extensions to the RMON MIB). Configuration is easy and straightforward. Simply install the software on any Windows PC that has a supported network adapter card. Once the software is started, the PC functions as a full-time RMON agent for the LAN segment or Ring to which it is attached, while allowing other Windows operations. To support large networks or extremely long monitoring intervals, many of the RMON tables maintained by RMONster32 are user-configurable for up to a maximum size of 65000 entries.

RMONster32 presents a simple user-interface which displays information about its network interface and some basic SNMP statistics, such as SNMP query messages processed and trap messages sent, to allow a network administrator to easily verify proper operation of the probe.

A full-featured SNMP management application, such as Triticom's LANdecoder32 Monitor, is recommended to conveniently control and display the RMON statistics gathered by RMONster32.

System Requirements

  • Microsoft Windows 9X, ME,  2000, or XP
  • Minimum of 64 MB of RAM
  • 166 Mhz Pentium
  • One supported Ethernet adapter or a compatible NIC that supports a promiscuous NDIS driver, including CardBus and WIN9X PPP adapters

TOPOLOGY SUPPORT

  • 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
  • 4/16 Token-Ring

Monitoring Specifications

  • Statistics Group - tracks basic usage and error statistics about the LAN segment being monitored. Both "promiscuous" and "mac" statistics are collected.
  • History Group - data for up to 4 different historical reports may be collected simultaneously. Baseline your LAN or track usage growth over time.
  • Host Group - maintains statistics on up to 65000 network stations simultaneously. A total of 4 Host Control Table rows may be defined.
  • HostTop "N" Group - generates up to 4 HostTopN Reports simultaneously, each containing up to 100 Top N Hosts. Which stations are most active? Which cause the most errors?
  • Matrix Group - maintains statistics on up to 65000 host-to-host "conversations" simultaneously. Four Matrix Group Control Table rows may be created.
  • Alarm Group - up to 20 different alarm variable and thresholds may be defined.
  • Events Group - up to 20 separate Events can be defined, each one associated with one or more Alarms. Events can be logged (200 log entries are supported), and/or cause SNMP Traps to occur, alerting you to network troubles quickly.
  • Filter Group - allows packets to be captured with an arbitrary filter expression. A logical data and event "channel" is formed by these filters. Up to 32 filters and 4 channels can be specified.
  • Capture Group - permits packets to be captured upon a filter match. Up to 4 buffer control table rows may be created to control the captured packets output from a channel.
  • Token-Ring Ring Station Group - maintains statistics and status information for up to 300 stations which are (or have been) connected to the ring.
  • Token-Ring Ring Station Order Group - maintains an ordered list of the ring stations which are actively participating the "ring poll" process. Up to 255 stations may be present.
  • Token-Ring Ring Station Configuration Group - manages stations through active means. Any active station on the monitored ring may be removed or have its configuration information downloaded from it.
  • Source Routing Group - contains utilization statistics derived from source routing information optionally present in Token-Ring packets.

RMON-2

  • Protocol Directory Group - provides a way for an RMON2 manager to learn which protocols RMONster32 is capable of recognizing and to control which protocols the Protocol Distribution, Address Map, Network and Application Layer Host, and Network and Application Layer Matrix Groups collect statistics for.
  • Protocol Distribution Group - maintains counts of the number of octets and packets detected in packets associated with each of the protocols in the Protocol Directory Table.
  • Address Map Group - contains network layer (IP or IPX) address to MAC level address bindings; RMONster32 supports up to 65000 bindings before wrapping.
  • Network Level Host Group - maintains statistics for up to 1024 hosts discovered by the probe, identified by network layer address (IP or IPX)
  • Network Level Matrix Group - maintains statistics for up to 65000 bi-directional host-to-host conversations seen by the probe, identified by source and destination network layer addresses (IP or IPX). Also supports the creation of TopN reports indicating the most active conversation pairs measured by octets or packets. Up to four TopN reports can be prepared simultaneously with different collection intervals, each report containing up to 150 hosts.
  • Application Layer Host Group - maintains statistics for network layer hosts broken out by network layer and higher layer protocols. For each of the 65000 hosts in the Network Level Host Group, statistics are kept for up to 10 protocols.
  • Application Layer Matrix Group - maintains statistics for conversations between pairs of network layer hosts broken out by network layer and higher layer protocols. For each of the up to 65000 conversations in the Network Level Matrix Group, statistics are kept for up to 10 protocols. Also supports the creation of TopN reports. Exactly one TopN report can be prepared over a specified interval, containing up to 150 entries.
  • User History Group - expands on the History Group by allowing any MIB variable that can be resolved to an integer to be made the subject of sample collection at a user-specified interval. RMONster32 supports up to 4 control entries with independent sample intervals, 40 MIB objects parceled out at user discretion among the control entries, and up to 65000 history sample values total.
  • Probe Configuration Group - displays and controls the configuration of standard operating parameters of the RMONster32 probe.

Pricing

Updated pricing is available, see the Pricing section on our web site. Prices includes a user’s manual and software on CD-ROM media.

For More Information
Triticom™
9977 Valley View Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Voice: 952-829-8019
Fax: 952-829-5871
Internet: Contact Us
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