New features/ideas - attention of Chris

Question

Hi Chris,

Many thanks for replying my previous post. I look forward to the fix and also I have several ideas/questions regarding new features I would Cirrus to have. I was referred to you So here we go:

1. Why don't SolarWinds implement such a simple solution for loging automation as SecureCRT?

It really works - you can define what to expect and what to send. I have tested several applications for configuration management and nobody has done it. I believe it would give your software a certain advantage and freedom to the user.

2. Cirrus should have the possibility to generate a configuration change report of the last two downloads.

3. Cirrus should also be able to compare and distinguish between the running and startup configs.

4. Cirrus should be able to generate a report on whether the running and startup configs are in sync and also you should be able to synchronize them in bulk.

5. Cirrus should alose be able to list the learnt mac addresses on a selected swicthport.

6. Cirrus should also be able to chain jobs. For example - first you would synchronize the running and startup configs and as soon as it would be finished cirrus would start another job downloading the running configs.

7. Cirrus should also be able to store and run scripts on per/device/vendor/ device group basis - meaning if  I select a HP switch and at the same time a Cisco switch and select a script named  "show version" - it will execute a different script for each device. I know that these basic commands like show version, show running etc are defined in the device templates but the problem is that device templates do not give the user much freedom. With the feature implemented one would basically be able to define their own variables which in turn could be used in jobs, and other scripts. This would add another level of freedom.

These features I have mentioned should quite easy to implement and would save SolarWinds suppport team from many complaints and fix requests. Are Solarwinds working on these features at the moment? if yes which of them and when can we expect them to be available?

I look forward to your reply.

Kind regards,

Ge0rge

ge0rge · Answer

Hi Chris,

just an idea has just ocurred to me. I plan to download and save only changed configs every day at a certain point during the day (a scheduled job). Each config change as defined by our company policies should have a change request number (change ticket number). Each engineer will have to change the name of the downloaded config and add the CR number to the name after they have implemented the change. So when you Start cirrus and see that there are some configs without a CR number you can investigate what happened and whether the change has gone through the Change management process defined in the company SOPs (Standard Operatinmg Procedures). Since we have relatively a few devices, going through the configs and checking the names manually is not an issue. I was just wondering whether SolarWinds have thought about some new features which would somehow oficially incoroprate this Change Request/ Change Management procedures into Cirrus. I do not mean Cirrus to replace Change Request Database. Cirrus could simply only support/enforce the company policies. I am also wondering whether it is possible to prevent some user from deleting configs. Basically the admin would be able to "lock" ceratin configs. These are just ideas which would really have to be thought through and discussed thourghly so they would end up as a really usable solution and not just some unfinished thing.

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks,

Ge0rge

ge0rge · Answer

Hi Chris,

Many thanks for your reply. I want to generate a Config Change Report on each device comparing the last two downloads, the last two downloaded running configs or the last two startup configs.

I look forward to your reply.

Cheers,

Jiri

chris.lapoint · Answer

1. "Just to clarify, you want to compare recently downloaded against the last 2 downloaded configs?"

Yes you are right - the last 2 dowloaded startup or running or just simply the last 2 downloaded configs - no matter whether running or startup.

Can you provide more details on the problem you're trying to solve?    Perhaps there might be a workaround.

2. "We're hopefully going to do better than that.  In addition to better switch port reports, our goal is to incorporate the LANsurveyor discovery capabilities into Cirrus so we can provide the ability to search for IP, hostname, MAC, NetBIOS name and return the switchport its connected to... This is expected in the next major release after v5"

When is this new feature due? I am really looking forward to it! At the moment I am using V4.0.1. You said it will in the next release after V5.

a) Does it mean V6? When is it expected to be released?

b) When is V5 due to be released?

c) Are the existing users automatically eligible for the new major releases or do they have to buy a new licence for each major release (V4, V 5, V6 .....)? If they have to buy a new licence - do they get any reduction or do they have to pey the full price?

a) Yes, this would be a v6 (we're thinking 1H 2009)

b) v5 is coming soon ;-)

c) Annual maintenance is included in the initial purchase price and as long as you stay current on maintenance (renews every year), you will receive upgrades (v5, v6, etc.) at no additional cost.