Enterasys SmartSwitch 6000, User Manual

Page: 137 / 231

Alarm Configuration
4-2 Basic Alarm Configuration
Using the Advanced Alarms feature, you can define custom alarms for almost any MIB-II
or RMON object, as long as it is present in the device firmware and its value is defined as
an integer (including counters, timeticks, and gauges). All aspects of these alarms are
user-selectable: thresholds can be established on either the absolute or delta value for a
variable; events can be configured to create a log, generate a trap, or both; and for devices
that support the Actions MIB, events can also be configured to perform any defined
SNMP SET or series of SETs on device objects. The Advanced Alarms feature also allows
you to configure any events you wish to use in conjunction with the Packet Capture
functionality. (For more information on using the Packet Capture feature, see the RMON
User’s Guide.)
The Basic Alarms feature allows you to assign alarms to any interface type; using the
Advanced Alarms feature, you need only be sure to select variables appropriate to the
interface — e.g., Ethernet for Ethernet — when defining your alarms.
Basic Alarm Configuration
Using the Basic Alarm Configuration application, you can define both rising and falling
alarm thresholds for three selected MIB-II objects: ifInOctets, ifInNUcastPkts, and
ifInErrors. Because these pre-selected objects are not RMON-specific, you can configure
alarms for all interfaces installed in your SmartSwitch 6000 or Matrix E7 series module —
including those, like FDDI, for which no specific RMON statistics currently exist.
In addition to configuring separate rising and falling thresholds, you can also configure
your device’s response to an alarm condition. When a threshold is crossed, the RMON
device can create a log of alarm events, send a trap notifying your management
workstation that an alarm condition has occurred, or both. You can even configure an
alarm to enable or disable bridging on the offending port in response to a rising or falling
alarm condition.
TIP
As long as there is at least one Ethernet or Fast Ethernet module installed in your
SmartSwitch 6000 or Matrix E7 chassis, you can use the RMON Alarms feature to
configure alarms for MIB objects on FDDI, ATM, and other interfaces that don’t
specifically support RMON: the Basic Alarms window provides MIB II objects as alarm
variables; Advanced Alarm configuration allows you to select any object as an alarm
variable, as long as its value is defined as an integer and you assign the correct instance
value. See step 5 on
page 4-19 and the Note which follows it for more information on
assigning the correct instance value to an advanced alarm.
TIP
If you are familiar with the RMON MIB and/or with the original Alarm and Event
functionality provided by NetSight Element Manager (now known as the Advanced Alarm
functionality), you will note that the Basic Alarm Configuration window combines the
three parts of creating a working alarm — configuring the alarm itself, configuring an
event that will announce the occurrence of an alarm (including assigning any actions),
and linking the two — into a single step, and handles the details transparently. For more
information about the individual steps involved in creating an alarm, see
Advanced
Alarm Configuration , on page 4-11 .