Network Atlas - Questions

First off I would just like to say that this product is leaps and bounds better than its previous version. But I do have a few questions:

1. I noticed PNG files are not supported. Is this something that can be added on the roadmap?

2. Is there a way to change the status colors for the object icons? It seems like they are statically set. Light Green = Up, Red = Down, etc.

3. What is the best practice for displaying interface status? I notice you can link objects together but this doesn't provide status for the actual interface. What I have been doing is link an object to an interface LED and then linking that LED to the next object.

Any help or direction would be appreciated.

Thanks!

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Accepted answers

RogerWong

Those are in the \Program Files\Solarwinds\Orion\Network Atlas\Maps\Overlays folder. I don't know what graphics format they are in, but at least knowing where they are you might be able to switch some around.

Square-up.Overlay

Square-warning.Overlay

Square-down.Overlay

Square-unknown.Overlay

Square-unmanaged.Overlay

Square-external.Overlay

If I could make a couple suggestions based on some informal testing I did last year with one of our color-blind support techs:

1. Try using the darkest hue for critical, and the lightest for up.

2. Mix and match the shapes. You might use the 'colored square' style, but map some other shapes to the actual files. For example, a dark square for Down, a gray Yield shape for warning, a light circle shape for up.

All comments

njoylif

on # 2, it is a pain if you want to change a lot of them, but I created a bunch of custom graphics (usually from vendor stencils) and you can make them any color you want.
I used visio to create the image. save it 4 times as "image.vsd, image-up.vsd, image-down.vsd, image-warning.vsd) the native is "unknown"...probably have to ungroup several times to be able to change the image background colors.

you then have to save each as a .wmf file and transfer them to your orion web servers in the directory:::
\Maps\NetObjects\Scaleable\<your company>

Then navigate there for selection object graphic...see attached

For #3, (not that this is best practice) we use the remote sides' DLCI or VPN Tunnel interface, etc... for the "line".

That way, the head end is only a diamond icon and the remote end is more "visible".

RogerWong

1. PNGs are officially supported as backgrounds. If that's not working, something is up.

From: Administrator Guide : Creating a Basic Map : Adding a Background

Selecting a Background Image
Orion Network Atlas allows you to use images as the background of your map. The source of the background image can be a graphics file on your hard drive or a URL to a graphics file on the Internet in any of the following graphics formats:

• Graphics Interchange Format (.gif, non-animated)

• Joint Photographic Experts Group (.jpg)

• Microsoft Windows Bitmap (.bmp)

• Portable Network Graphics (.png)

2. Short answer: Not in any way that is supported, scalable, or maintainable.

Long Answer: The LED graphics icons are individual graphics files on the Orion NPM web console and in the Network Atlas program folder and there's nothing stopping you from switching some of them around. But, you're on your own if you do that.

This certainly sounds like a feature request, though, and I'll pass it along. Out of curiosity, is it that you have a different preference or is it because you're trying to accomodate a color vision deficient team member?

3. Yes, you can make the links represent interface status instead of node status.

From: Administrator Guide : Creating a Basic Map : Connecting Map Objects

To make link status represent actual interface connections between objects:
1. Right-click a link, and then select Properties.
2. Select Status in the left pane of the Link Properties page.
3. Drag the appropriate interface objects from the left pane of the Orion Network window to the link status assignment areas.

EagleONE

Roger -

1. OK. I did notice that. I am trying to use .PNG for custom icon files and they don't appear. It works fine with .GIF or .JPG.

2. Yes, we have a color deficient person that we are trying to modify the colors so they can see them correctly.

3. Thanks, that answers that question!

EagleONE

Roger -

Also in response to 2. I have looked but can't find where the 'Colored Square' is stored. I am looking to change the colors for these objects:

RogerWong

Square-up.Overlay

Square-warning.Overlay

Square-down.Overlay

Square-unknown.Overlay

Square-unmanaged.Overlay

Square-external.Overlay

If I could make a couple suggestions based on some informal testing I did last year with one of our color-blind support techs:

1. Try using the darkest hue for critical, and the lightest for up.

RogerWong

Okay, I asked the devs and the .overlay files are also .wmf files. As njoylif suggests, you can edit them with Visio.

1. Rename the .overlay file to .wmf

2. Edit it with Microsoft visio (as njoylif says, you have to use the Visio 'Ungroup' command on the shape to be able to change its fill color).

3. Save As .wmf

4. Rename the .wmf to .overlay

So, now you can change the color too.

david1970

njoylif and Roger,

I am trying to find a fix for the problem of Orion only being a monitoring software package and not keeping devices offline in a managed inventory database. In other words, a database that can still keep the information you have on a particular device which is now offline, yet not be showing up as down or 'unmonitored' in the 'Top 10' tab within Orion, which NOW would require you to delete the device if you did not want it to show up any longer in the 'Top 10' tab. Sorry for the run on. ;o)

My idea is to create a new colored status icon of say 'black' that we can associate an offline device to. Give that device status icon a number value of '99' ( like the values associated with up, down, unmonitored, etc.). Then not allow the '99' to be monitored per se by Orion, so that the devices do not show up in the 'Top 10' tab as (up/down/turned off, etc.).

My main goal here is to be able to still get the data from the devices such that I can still pull that information into spreasheets and reports. Ex. serial numbers, location, smartnet contract #, etc. Then we can use it for inventory management.

Is this something that can be done, or am I just crazy? Worse case scenario I would like this to be put submitted for a Feature Request please.

Thanks,

David

njoylif

Personally, I've resorted to using filters on the top 10 pages. My example is firewall interfaces showing ACL denys as discarded packets so Millions of drops - thus, firewall interfaces were all that would ever show up and that was expected behavior. For this, I went low-tech and enter criteria in Filter Interfaces. click edit on that section of the top 10 and enter sql statement - like below:

(Interfaces.NodeID NOT IN (352,353,354,355,356,357,651,652,653,654,655,656,657,658,659,660,661,662,424,425,450,704,705) AND Interfaces.Caption NOT LIKE '*Trunk*' AND Interfaces.Caption NOT LIKE '*XCON*' AND Interfaces.Caption NOT LIKE '*Channel*' AND Interfaces.Caption NOT LIKE '*RSPAN*' AND Interfaces.Caption NOT LIKE '*Servo*' AND Interfaces.Caption NOT LIKE 'Adaptive Security App*' )

You could even go so far as to create a custom property/field for these devices that is logical (yes/no) and select for devices to monitor but not be on top 10, then your filter criteria statement would be very simple.

<field> != 1

would cover it (would need to verify the value based on what you configure.

Hope that helps.

RogerWong

David, I think setting your inactive devices to Unmanaged will accomplish what you're trying to do.

Setting a node to Unmanage keeps it in the database in an inactive state. All the configuration details for the node are retained, but Orion NPM won't poll a device that has been set to Unmanaged, nor display it in any of the Top XX resources.

You're supposed to set re-activation date, but you can set that 5 years in the future if you like. You can re-manage the node at any time it by clicking the appropriate commands described in the documentation:

http://www.solarwinds.com/netperfmon/SolarWinds/OrionAdministratorGuide.1.79.htm#10001596