WhatsUp Gold 12.0 - What's new in v12:
WhatsUp Gold Real-Time Management and Reporting
Previously, performance data collected and stored by WhatsUp Gold provided historic trend information useful for post-event analysis or to support future planning. In addition to the historical data, network management professionals require instantaneous visibility into device usage data in real-time for predictive management of critical infrastructure.
To accommodate this requirement, WhatsUp Gold v12.0 introduces a number of new features that enable real-time monitoring of data and add configurable reports to allow up-to-the-second intelligence about and visibility into monitored systems or devices.
- Split Second Graphs Workspace Reports - Flexible reports allow you to custom configure and add real-time data into any workspace view.
- Real-time data in Full Reports - 13 new real-time reports that can be added to most full reports; you can configure full reports to include a graph that is updated continuously with real-time information. Real-time data can now be paired with historical data to give you a 360° perspective of the combined information.
- InstantInfo - Throughout workspaces and full reports, you can now view device usage data in real time by simply hovering the cursor over device links in SSG graphs (e.g. hard drive names or network interfaces) to view real-time data with InstantInfo.
- Web Task Manager and Web Performance Monitor - Web-based network tools that extend the functionality of familiar Windows tools to every device you monitor in real time - even for devices that do not run Windows.
These new real-time graphing and reporting features allow WhatsUp administrators to engage in predictive management of almost any device or system that is being monitored. Real-time information is provided in an intuitive format and is instantly accessible in management workspace views.
The new real-time management and reporting capabilities are included in WhatsUp Gold Premium, Distributed and MSP editions.
New SNMP Tools and Enhancements
v12.0 introduces a number of new SNMP tools and enhancements to increase the flexibility, capabilities and configurability of SNMP in WhatsUp Gold.
High Capacity SNMP interfaces
As higher speed devices and NICs are being deployed in all types of networks, existing 32-bit counters cannot handle the amount of information being collected and can lose important data by overwriting the previous data sampled. This is called data wrapping. For example, these faster interface speeds will cause 32-bit counters to wrap so quickly that it can be difficult to poll the counter fast enough to obtain usable data over an extended period of time.
To counteract data wrapping, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) introduced 64-bit high capacity counters in SNMPv2. WhatsUp Gold v12.0 now supports both 32-bit and high capacity 64-bit counters.
With the introduction of 64-bit high capacity counters in WhatsUp Gold, interface data can be sampled without potential for information loss as it would take an interface operating at speeds of 1 Tbs (1000 GBs) approximately 5 years to wrap a 64-bit counter.
NetSNMP and UNIX Performance Monitoring
WhatsUp Gold can now monitor a number of performance parameters on systems running a UNIX OS through the NetSNMP MIB. The NetSNMP MIB is required to be installed and running on UNIX servers to enable monitoring of critical performance areas, such as CPU utilization. This new feature does not have any special installation requirements and is supported in all editions of WhatsUp v12.0.
Custom Names for SNMP Interfaces
Frequently, default SNMP interface names provided by devices are not intuitive and it can be difficult to determine the specific interface when setting up an interface utilization monitor for performance monitors and active monitors.
With WhatsUp Gold v12.0, administrators now have the ability to rename SNMP device interfaces to reflect corporate or other established naming conventions.
This feature is especially useful as it provides a consistent and intuitive view of interface names for performance reports, split second graphs and most other workspace reports.
SNMP Management Information Base (MIB) Tools
v12.0 introduces a number of powerful web-based SNMP MIB focused tools to increase the effectiveness of SNMP-based monitoring and provide more data for reporting in WhatsUp Gold.
WhatsUp SNMP MIB Walker
The SNMP MIB network tool lets you discover, or explore in detail, the SNMP objects that a device supports and that can be monitored with WhatsUp Gold.
As details about a MIB are displayed in MIB Walker, you can click an object (node) for more detailed information about the SNMP object and to walk further down the list of objects. You can display SNMP object details by simply hovering the cursor over a node.
WhatsUp SNMP MIB Explorer
The SNMP MIB Explorer network tool lets you search for, or explore through, SNMP objects defined in MIB files. The MIB File Explorer has three search/explore options:
- ObjectID (OID)
- MIB Module
- Type or description
A key benefit of this tool is that the detailed MIB information presented can be used to create custom performance monitors and active script performance monitors for devices.
WhatsUp SNMP MIB Manager
The SNMP MIB Manager provides a list of all of the MIB files installed in the WhatsUp Gold MIB directory. Using this tool, you can import new MIB files to the MIB Manager and the MIB Explorer will validate all MIB files as they are imported and flags errors if there is a problem with a file.
This feature provides the WhatsUp user instant visibility into any issues that are identified in an imported MIB file. If the MIB file syntax is correct and all MIB file dependencies are fulfilled, then a check mark is displayed next to the MIB file name and a success message displays in the Status column. If a problem is encountered with a MIB then the particular issue(s) is highlighted.
WhatsUP SNMP API Enhancement
The WhatsUp Gold SNMP COM API has been enhanced to allow WhatsUp users to configure multiple SNMP commands in Active Script Actions, Active Script Monitors, and Active Script Performance Monitors.
Multiple instances of Get, GetNext, and SetFunction can now be configured in scripts to query and evaluate SNMP values for devices to improve the performance of your scripted monitors and actions.
Cisco MIBs
v12.0 adds 215 Cisco-specific MIBs to the WhatsUp Gold MIB database for out-ofthe-box monitoring of a number of Cisco services and systems. Some of the Cisco services include:
- DNS Servers
- AAA
- Call Management (H.323)
- BGP
- OSPF
Email Monitor
WhatsUp Gold v12.0 introduces an innovative monitor that uses SNMP, POP3, or IMAP to check mail servers by sending emails to an email address on the server and then validating that the emails are, in fact, received. If the emails are not received within a certain period of time, the mail server is considered down.
The Email Monitor supports encryption with SSL/TLS and SMTP authentication which ensures that the monitor sends emails to a secure email account, ensuring compliance with security and data protection directives.
SMTP Authentication
WhatsUp Gold email monitoring now includes the capability to use SMTP authentication for email actions. This feature provides the capability to set up actions and send email alerts to mail servers that require valid SMTP authentication.
SMS Direct Support
WhatsUp Gold SMS notification functionality has been enhanced in v12.0 to include support for SMS Direct across the entire WhatsUp product family. SMS Direct notifications do not require an SMS provider, but do require that the phone it sends messages to be active and within range.
WhatsUp Gold Upgraded SQL Database
All editions of the WhatsUp Gold product now include the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express (SSE) database. WhatsUp Gold administrators who upgrade to any version of the WhatsUp Gold v12.0 product family will see the following improvements with the incorporation of SSE:
- WhatsUp database capacity is expanded to 4GB (previously 2GB)
- Improved scalability
- Increased data retention periods
- Enhanced database performance
Device Management Drag and Drop Support
WhatsUp Gold v12.0 extends the drag and drop feature in the WhatsUp MAP console to the Device view. WhatsUp users can now quickly and easily organize devices and device groups by dragging the device they want in a particular group to the device group folder.
Passive Monitor Credentials
Passive Monitors, that require credentials, now use the device credentials that are stored in the credentials library.
Dashboard Screen Manager
The Dashboard Screen Manager is a new stand-alone application designed to display a series of web pages with status information and reports. This series or "playlist," can be configured to display on a single monitor or multiple monitors at once. The Dashboard Screen Manager can be configured to display virtually any Web page from WhatsUp Gold or Web pages directly from the Internet.
Vista Support
WhatsUp v12.0 now includes full support for Microsoft Vista both as a monitored OS and as the WhatsUp host system. The following Vista OS versions are supported.
- Windows Vista Ultimate (Windows Vista SP1 recommended)
- Windows Vista Business (Windows Vista SP1 recommended)
New International Business Policies with v12
- New device levels:
- WhatsUp Gold v12 introduces two new device levels; up to 1000 devices and up to 2500 devices. The Greater than 500 device license has been discontinued.
- If you currently operate with the Greater than 500 device level, and you have a valid Service Agreement, you will be eligible to upgrade to 1000 devices with the v12 release.
- Internationally, we are introducing a 25 device tier for WhatsUp Gold v12 Premium Edition, Standard Edition, and Distributed Edition, Remote Install.
- The word Crossgrade will no longer be used. Crossgrades are now referred to as Upgrades.
- The terms Service Agreement Update and Service Agreement Reinstatement are being introduced with this release.
- A new Service Agreement Renewal policy will take affect with this release.
- MyIpswitch.com Licensing is being introduced with this release.