Network Pipeline Inc.

1.888.757.7020

--Contact and Access--

Copyright ©
Network Pipeline Inc. 2000-2009
All Rights Reserved

Network Pipeline Introduces
Info-Vision MobileVu for the BlackBerry and WhatsUp Gold Monitoring

Info-VISION WhatsUp Communication Extension The Info-VISION WhatsUp Communication Extension solution provides the capability to proactively communicate real time information from the WhatsUp application to a number of different channels - LCD screens, a mobile BlackBerry client or a desk top channel to clients. The Info-VISION suite of channels can be used to communicate WhatsUp information and other relevant information which complements the WhatsUp network monitoring application. The three primary Info-VISION channels are: 1) High-VU LCD information display 2) Mobile-VU BlackBerry mobile information display 3) Desk-VU Desk top information display These three channels can assist the network operations team in being aware at all times of the status of their network and communicating the status pro-actively to their clients as desired. A proactive communications approach has the following benefits: A) Increased client satisfaction B) Less email and phone calls to the network operations team (reduced workload) C) Increased awareness of and responsiveness to network status changes All three channels pull WhatsUp data from the Info-VISION Data-VU server that builds a real time SQL db from the WhatsUp server.

MobileVu Overview

The Info-VISION Mobile-VU channel is an alternative to IPSwitch’s WhatsUp mobile application that is available with WhatsUp release 12.4. There are some distinct benefits of using the Mobile-VU, High-VU and Data-VU server instead of the WhatsUp mobile extension for BlackBerry.

1. Security
IPSwitch's WhatsUp for mobile requires the use of a browser in the BlackBerry (or other mobile) to be able to display information about the status of the monitors on the WhatsUp system. This means that the web service in the WhatsUp server within the enterprise network has to be open for external access. The WhatsUp server has to be connected to the outside world which is not a normal practice for many enterprises. Security requirements dictate that servers are either in a DMZ or use a proxy server. The WhatsUp server cannot sit in a DMZ as it would then not be able to monitor the network. Data-VU and Mobile-VU can operate in a DMZ mode and does not require that the WhatsUp server to be opened up for external access.

In addition to this the WhatsUp mobile browser application requires web access through TCP/IP and HTTP access which is only able to offer SSL level security if the enterprise has a certificate. The Mobile-VU application can take advantage of the AES or 3DES security that the BlackBerry Enterprise Server already offers, since it is an application and not a browser.

2. Ease of Use
Mobile-VU is an application and as such can be launched from a one click icon. Once Mobile-VU has been set up (which is fast and easy) it can then immediately launch into a monitoring screen. There is no requirement to launch a browser, navigate to a web page, log in and wait for the page to load

3. Data Traffic
All of the information retrieved by WhatsUp mobile has to be pulled from the server, all the maps, data, charts etc, each time the application is opened. Mobile-VU is an application that already has all the maps, icons and graphics on the device. This means that the data traffic is very small and hence the load on the BES server (for access on the BlackBerry) is far less than with WhatsUp mobile.

4. Real Time Retrieval
Mobile-VU is actually a running application with a heartbeat, which is periodically communicating to the Data-VU server in order to retrieve updated information. The IPSwitch WhatsUp mobile is based on browser access and so has to be refreshed manually. The information arriving at the Mobile-VU application can be programmed to trigger a vibration or tone on the Blackberry to warn of alerts. A user can turn the WhatsUp Mobile-VU application on during a meeting or lunch and be alerted instantly if there is a network problem. The WhatsUp mobile has no such capability as it is only a web page and not an application.

5. Integration with Other Data
Mobile-VU is a client of the Data-VU server and can share the same information as the High-VU applications which can provide additional real time information beyond WhatsUp – for example weather maps, ticker information, company messages, database information and more. When the High-VU channel and the Mobile-VU channel are both activated, they can be programmed so that the messaging on one can be appear on the other. Thus a supervisor could change the messaging on the High-VU channel from their Mobile-VU application.

6. Customization
Mobile-VU has the option to be able to customize the monitors to focus on the critical parts of the network monitoring, as opposed to the WhatsUp for mobile that presents all the information to the user and the user is required to navigate to the information they require.
Desk-VU: The Desk-VU channel is only used if the Network Operations team wishes to communicate to remote branches, stores or other locations regarding the status of their network. Desk-VU uses a browser to communicate to the PC any relevant information. Desk-VU channel is used in the spirit of open, pro-active communication to the clients. The benefits are similar to using a High-VU channel for the same purposes. These benefits are listed in the High-VU section. The Info-VISION WhatsUp Communication Extension can be of significant benefit to any organization which is WhatsUp to monitor their network status. The ability to stay aware of network status at all times, no matter where you are, coupled with the capability to proactively communicate your command of your network operations is indeed a powerful combination.

Call us at 1(888) 757-7020