WebNM Is Making a Difference!

By Duncan Bond

When thinking about this second article (see the Maine IS Technology Newsletter May issue), I realized WebNM has become totally integrated into the operation of the Wide Area Network (WAN) in just three months of operation. This product enables any of the Bureau of Information Services’ (BIS) Data or Transport staff (Jeff Welsh, Brian Taylor and Dave Rodrigue) to quickly tell whether or not there’s a problem on the network. If anything other than green is displayed on WebNM’s terminal - there’s a problem. Latencies, broadcast storms, network loops, circuit or power failures – you name it, it’ll manifest visually on WebNM.

There are lots of eyes watching WebNM. Everyone in the data group 1) glances at the screen when entering or leaving the area, and 2) comes running whenever there’s a WebNM siren blast indicating a device missed a poll. In addition user agencies, the BIS Help Desk, and Production Services also rely on WebNM for current status information. All these eyes and ears on the network result in vastly improved reliability, and now it’s rare that a network problem exists without someone addressing it promptly.

For a demonstration of effective graphs, go to the "DMZ and Internet" screen on WebNM (http://webnm.ddp.state.me.us:8001), click the unnamed icon (link info) between the UM Router (UMO) and GW-MEGOVT. Click on the graph, and scroll down to the "Monthly" and "Yearly" charts. It’s obvious the link was running steadily at 6.0 megabits per second (Mbps), which was the size of the "pipe" to the Internet. 100% utilization clearly translates into slower performance for all Internet users. This is how the Data Network staff knew the link needed more bandwidth. The day the link was upgraded to 10Mbps, utilization increased to about 7 Mbps (or 70% utilization). This translates to improved performance for all the State’s Internet users, with room to grow.

We use WebNM to check utilization and error statistics whenever we get complaints of slowness at particular sites. If a serial link is running at 65% utilization (or more), then there is a perceivable delay to the user, and a reconfiguration or upgrade is considered. If there are errors, the Transport staff either fixes the Channel Service Unit (occasionally the source of the problem) or has Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic) fix the circuit (the usual cause).

WebNM was also invaluable in troubleshooting when some routers were upgraded to new firmware code on the advice of a vendor. It turns out that the firmware was faulty. How did we know? WebNM showed us memory and CPU utilization increased dramatically when the firmware was upgraded. A call to the vendor’s support center resulted in a recommendation to use the previous release.

BIS’ Production Services staff also use WebNM continually. It is now in full production from their standpoint, and has replaced tedious, repetitive, manual, server console checks. Rather than make the rounds of all the 125+ servers, operators can now simply glance at the WebNM screen for each server’s status. In addition, each device icon now has a pointer to operator instructions, which provide detailed procedures/instructions in the event of trouble with any device - WAN, LAN or server.

BIS customers also use WebNM. For example, when a Department of Labor (DOL) remote server or service stops responding, or Denise Brann or Sheldon Bird receive network-related calls, they immediately check WebNM. If a WAN component is down, it’s up to BIS Network Services to fix it. If WebNM shows "good" status, then it’s a DOL problem to resolve. Denise and Sheldon also think the statistical graphs are great because they provide a historical basis for researching problems and/or potential bottlenecks.

Debbie Pushard at the Department of Public Safety (DPS) says "We love it!" when describing WebNM. DPS implemented a new application for digitally-based storage of calls at their dispatch center, which is then transferred via the WAN to a central site. They used WebNM statistics to monitor this application’s impact on WAN links when it was first tested, and continue to monitor the application’s impact regularly.

Mike Violette, first shift supervisor of BIS’ Production Services is pleased too. "If it weren't for WebNM, we would not have been able to run 24 hours without an operator in the machine room over Christmas this year, because of the 125+ servers which must be regularly monitored. WebNM will allow us to go without staff on Christmas, and that’s a morale issue. We can rely on WebNM to page appropriate staff if there’s a problem, and we already have a volunteer who’ll dial in from home during the holiday to check WebNM periodically."

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