The integrated Network Designer tool in Simulation Toolkit 8 supports template based model of device creation, data storage and bulk configurations. The new model enables creation of large networks in seconds with very less storage space and offers superior network performance.  This document focuses on the unique capabilities of the latest version of the Network Designer tool.

In-built Device Library

  • Ready-to-use in-built library of pre-configured devices like host, printers, routers, switches, pix firewall, cable modem and TL1 devices.
  • Support for SNMP, Cisco IOS, Telnet, TFTP, FTP and TL1.
  • Configuration of SNMP agent values, traps, informs, behavior scripts and record real agent values on the devices.
  • Addition/Modification of IOS commands on the router/switch devices.
  • Addition/Modification of Telnet commands on the telnet devices.
  

In-built device library

New Device Creation

New Device Creation

   
  • Addition of new devices to the device tree by specifying MIB/ configuration/SNMP WALK file.
  • Support for SNMP, Cisco IOS, Telnet, TFTP, FTP and TL1.
  • Enable/Disable TFTP/FTP support for the devices.

Network Creation Wizard

The Multiple Device Creation Wizard in Network Designer, offers the facility to add multiple devices in bulk at one shot with unique ipaddress. With option to add any number of devices of different types, you can create the desired network with ease.

  • Create the network with ready-to-use in-built library of pre-configured devices at one shot, by specifying the starting ipaddress and the total number of devices to be created.
  • Dynamic configuration of the ipaddress at network startup.
  • Configuration of unique OID values during network creation. The following types of unique value simulation is supported:
    • Incrementing the specified value.
    • Assigning the value of ipaddress / unique value macro.
    • Assigning the specified random values.
    • Assigning a constant value.
   

ramdom device creation wizard

Random Device Creation wizard of the Network Designer

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Network View

  
  • View network as device images/list with unique device name, IPv4 or IPv6 address, protocols supported and port number.
  • Device ipaddress automatically configured to theipaddrTable.
  • Device unique name automatically configured to the sysName in the system group of RFC1213-MIB.
  • Unique Mac address assigned to each device and updated in ifPhysAddress.

Create and View Network Topology

The Topology editor enables you to establish inter-connections across routers, switches and other network devices and visualize the topological relationship between the devices.

  • Drag and drop devices to the Topology draw area, to establish router to router connections, router to switch connections & router to device connections.
  • The MAC address of the Router/Host device connected to a switch is updated in dot1dTpFdbTable of the switch.
  • The ipaddress of the devices connected to a router/switch is updated in ipNetToMediaTable.
  • Visualize the topological relationship between the devices.
  • Disconnect existing connections in the topology.

 

   

Network Topology

Template Devices and Template based Bulk Configurations

Template Devices are the devices in the device library, that was used to create the network. On creating a network, the Template tree view will be enabled, in addition to the Device tree view. The template tree will list the template devices that was used to create the network and the number of devices of each type.

For example, SunSolaris_1(5) means that the loaded network consists of 5 devices created using the template device SunSolaris. If we add another set of devices of the same type to this network, for example, 4 devices of type SunSolaris, the template tree will display it as SunSolaris_2 (4).

Template Devices

   
  • Double-click on the template device, highlights the template based devices created in the network.
  • Configurations made to the template device reflected on all the template based devices in the network.
  • Template based configuration of SNMP agent values, traps, informs and behavior scripts.
  • Template based configuration of SNMP, TFTP, CLI and Telnet properties.
  • Configuration of Router/Switch properties captured in a single UI to enable easy configuration.
  • Option to select/deselect the template based devices on which the configuration changes must be reflected.

Individual Device Configurations

Individual device configurations can be made on the selected devices in the network, by using the right-click menu options.

  • Configuration of SNMP agent values, traps, informs, behavior scripts and record agent values for specific devices.
  • Configuration of Router/Switch properties captured in a single UI to enable easy configuration.
  • Start/Stop individual/multiple devices or specific proocols in individual devices.
  • Start/Stop behavior scripts/timer traps in specific devices.
  • Configurations made on individual devices will not be reflected on the template device or the devices in the device library.

Individual Device Configurations

Bulk Modification of IPaddress, Port number and SNMP OIDs

Modify the IPv4 or IP6 address, Port number and SNMP agent values corresponding to SNMP OIDs, across all or selected agents present in the network.

Bulk Modifications

   

 

  • Modify the ipaddress of all or a specified range of ipaddress by incrementing the ipadress or by reading the ipaddress list from a file.
  • Modify port number of all the devices with same port number or by incrementing the specified port.
  • Modify the value of a particular MIB node (interested value) across all or selected agents present in the network.
  • Modify the MIB node values with the same value for all the devices or by incrementing the specified value or by using $ prefixed macros.

 

 

Superior Network Performance

The simulated network offers superior network performance in terms of network creation time, memory utilization, network startup time and performance of request processing. View the performance comparison charts .

Watch the 2-minute demo to see the Network Designer tool in action.