IPNetwork Cisco monitoring tool

IPNetwork Monitor: A Powerful Tool for Diagnosing Cisco Network Devices

IPNetwork Monitor is highly effective software for diagnosing and monitoring network devices. It’s a valuable tool for both network administrators and engineers, providing a wide array of features to observe device status, assess load and availability, and alert responsible parties in case of malfunctions or performance degradation.

IPNetwork Monitor requires no additional software installations to monitor Cisco devices (routers, switches, firewalls, etc.). Simply perform a network discovery, and the program will automatically identify all online devices, including their available modules and protocols. After a few checks and potential adjustments to monitor settings, monitoring is fully configured.

IPNetwork Monitor utilizes SNMP monitors for precise control and testing of Cisco devices. Among other metrics, it allows monitoring of:

  • Memory (total and available), using the variables ciscoMemoryPoolFree (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.9.48.1.1.1.6) and ciscoMemoryPoolLargestFree (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.9.48.1.1.1.7) from CISCO-MEMORY-POOL-MIB. This MIB is downloadable from Cisco. Memory consumption alert thresholds may differ based on the device model. This page provides numerous resources for optimal memory usage calculation and alert threshold determination. Regularly recording available memory trends is advisable, as sudden memory depletion can indicate issues such as malware activity within the device’s network.
    Detailed variable descriptions:

    • ciscoMemoryPoolUsed: Shows the number of bytes currently used by applications on the managed device.
    • ciscoMemoryPoolFree: Shows the number of unused bytes currently available on the managed device.
  • CPU Load; monitor either cpmCPUTotalMonIntervalValue (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.9.109.1.1.1.1.10) or cpmCPUMonInterval (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.9.109.1.1.1.1.9) from CISCO-PROCESS-MIB. Download the MIB from Cisco Tools. Investigate the cause if CPU load frequently reaches high levels (approximately 80% or more). Consult this document for troubleshooting high CPU load.
    Detailed variable descriptions:

    • cpmCPUTotalMonIntervalValue: The overall CPU utilization percentage during the last cpmCPUMonInterval (integer from 0 to 100).
    • cpmCPUMonInterval: The interval (in seconds) at which CPU usage is calculated and monitored.
  • CPU Fan State (near failure) is detectable by setting an SNMP trap for chassisAlarmOn (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.5.0.5) from CISCO-STACK-MIB. Download the MIB from the Cisco website. This trap indicates a transition to the ‘on’ state for chassisTempAlarm, chassisMinorAlarm, or chassisMajorAlarm.
    Detailed trap explanations:

    • chassisAlarmOn: Signals that chassisTempAlarm, chassisMinorAlarm, or chassisMajorAlarm has transitioned to ‘on'(2). This trap’s generation is controlled by sysEnableChassisTraps.
    • chassisTempAlarm (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.5.1.2.13): Integer variable: 1 (off), 2 (on), 3 (critical). Set an alert at level 2 to prevent critical device states.
    • chassisMinorAlarm (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.5.1.2.11): Minor alarm (integer): 1 (off), 2 (on). Treat the ‘on’ state as a performance warning.
    • chassisMajorAlarm (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.5.1.2.12): Major alarm (integer): 1 (off), 2 (on). A value of 2 indicates a significant performance issue.
  • CPU Temperature alarms are detectable via chassisAlarmOn (as described above) or by monitoring mUpsEnvironAmbientTemperature (.1.3.6.1.4.1.318.1.1.2.1.1.0) from PowerNet-MIB. Download this MIB from our MIB database. Configure chassis alarms separately. mUpsEnvironAmbientTemperature represents the current temperature. Set appropriate warning/problem thresholds based on the device’s documentation, noting the temperature scale used.
  • Network Inbound/Outbound Bandwidth is determined by observing ifInOctets (.1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.10) and ifOutOctets (.1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.16) and their respective sub-variables for interface-specific values. Total traffic is the sum of these values, keeping in mind these are 32-bit counters; higher bits are discarded upon exceeding the limit. Account for this when calculating relative traffic consumption or data transfer speed. Store historical counter values cautiously. On busy networks, the counter will frequently overflow, requiring logic to calculate the actual difference when a new value is lower than a previous one. Performance warning/problem thresholds are case-specific. Per-device traffic counters are common, offering per-interface counts useful for understanding overall network traffic consumption.
  • Power Unit (redundant power supply) monitoring utilizes chassisPs2Status (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.5.1.2.7) from CISCO-STACK-MIB: 1 (none of the others), 2 (OK), 3 (minor fault), 4 (major fault). Fault details are available via chassisPs2TestResult (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.5.1.2.8). Consult relevant manuals for further information. This requires explicit periodic monitoring (SNMP traps are not applicable).
    Variable descriptions:

    • chassisPs2Status: Status of power supply 2. If not OK, chassisPs2TestResult provides further failure details.
    • chassisPs2TestResult (.1.3.6.1.4.1.9.5.1.2.8): Test result (16-bit integer) for power supply 2. Zero indicates all tests passed; set bits indicate errors.

    Due to the critical nature of power supply health, even brief deviations from ‘OK’ should trigger a performance warning.

  • IP SLA (e.g., IP packet transmission errors) is monitored using ifInDiscards (.1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.13), ifInErrors (.1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.14), ifOutDiscards (.1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.19), and ifOutErrors (.1.3.6.1.2.1.2.2.1.20). Track these counters and calculate relative changes over time. Focus on the rate of errors. Sudden increases indicate network capacity problems or malfunctioning devices. Treat even single error counter changes as performance warnings requiring investigation.

Many other state parameters are retrievable via SNMP; consult official Cisco documentation. Remember the counter overflow behavior when tracking relative values.

If a specific MIB is not mentioned, it is included with IPNetwork Monitor. To install a new MIB, open the SNMP browser, click “MIBs,” then “Import,” and select the .txt or .mib file. Unused MIBs can be unloaded from the same window.

IPNetwork Monitor features a sophisticated alerting system, notifying administrators via email, SMS, audio alarms, Jabber messages, or custom scripts.