NCM EOS/EOL Dates Query - 7.2

I need to make an important comment on this.  While I applaud Solarwinds for adding this functionality, it simply is not useable except in very rudimentary fashion.  I'll provides some examples.  Let's take the Cisco 37xx devices as a start.  NCM lumps all of them into a single Machine type of 37xx.  In fact Cisco sells about 50 different versions of this device and there is no way in the EOL function to sub list by specific model number, description, or part number.  The unique model number is in fact available via SNMP in NCM but is not one of the filed options on the columns pull down list.  Also in almost every case the suggested date info doesn't match the EOL documents for these devices.  I have found the same thing on other Cisco Machine type Suggested Dates documents.  We have been relegated to using the EOL fields as nothing more than a custom field and manually doing the look up.

In addition while I realize this is a first stab at life cycle management, devices that are chassis and have plug in cards need life cycle management.  We in fact have Chassis that are not EOL but most of the cards are EOL.  What I'm saying is this product needs to be assigned a lot more development cycles

I must agree with Jeffnorton here - while its a nice "feature", its incomplete - it does NOT take into account the actual part number - here is an example - I have 15 ASA5505 firewalls in the field that we montior.  The part number can be anything from "ASA5505-bun-k9" for the most generic, to "ASA5505-UL-BUN-K9" for a different version - however, NCM thinks this is a Cisco CATALYST.. could not be more further from the reality.

If SW can improve on the model detection, it might be usable, but for now - I hide all those panels in the interface.

Hi dclick,

In NCM 7.3, the EoL/EoS part actually uses part numbers for finding the correct dates. See here:Network Configuration Manager v7.3 is Now GA!

You must update inventory for the feature to work.

Regards,

Jiri

So I just did a quick survey using all Cisco 37xx devices in my network for EOS/EOL suggested dates. 100% of the suggested dates were either yellow or read with 100% of those being not applicable. I have 400 37xx devices. That means your database is giving me 100 % non-useful data for every device in this category

jeffnorton,

Sorry that I'm highlighting that again, but have you updated the inventory?

Then you need to resfresh the suggested dates. This operation should take at least a few minutes. If it's very quick then the system is probably not using the part numbers for some reason.

Regards,

Jiri

Where is update inventory? I’ve looked all across the EOL screen and only see the refresh suggested dates

It's NCM (Configs tab) -> Reports -> Update Inventory.

You can also do it through a job.

Jiri

That is being done every night and has been active since the 7.3 update. SO my original statement stands. You’re giving me 100% useless data on the class of device I mentioned

Hi Jeff Norton,

I believe there's a problem in your NCM installation. If you have 400 37XX devices, you should definitely have some "green" EOL data. See the screenshots from my NCM:

I suggest that you open a support ticket so that we could find the root cause of the problem.

Regards,

Jiri

Hi Jeff Norton,

I believe there's a problem in your NCM installation. If you have 400 37XX devices, you should definitely have some "green" EOL data. See the screenshots from my NCM:

I suggest that you open a support ticket so that we could find the root cause of the problem.

Regards,

Jiri

There’s nothing wrong with the install. Your people have been over it on some other issues we had just after the 7.3 install.

Let me try and clarify this a bit. I have 540 37xx devices. Of that amount 400 are not assigned EOL dates. Of the 400 devices not assigned, 100% of those show dates that either are yellow or red. What I’m saying is that if it isn’t a sure fit or even a close fit then don’t show me suggested dates because those dates are 100 % not applicable. As it stands right now I have to go through these things one at a time just to see that none of them are applicable. A better method would be to show me a little color icon at the upper level list that shows me the highest match suggested date category so I don’t waste my time. Or let me apply a filter that says unless it’s green don’t show it as suggested. I recognize that this Is not perfect, but it is definitely doable. Cisco’s Ciscoworks product has had this capability for years and all the data they used are published on their web pages

From: Norton, Jeff

Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 6:55 AM

To: 'jive-504792431-51a-2-58mn@solarwinds6.hosted.jivesoftware.com'

Subject: RE: - NCM EOS/EOL Dates Query - 7.2

There’s nothing wrong with the install. Your people have been over it on some other issues we had just after the 7.3 install.

Let me be even more specific. I have a Cisco WS-C3750G-24TS-E1U. It has an EOL document on the Cisco web site, www.cisco.com/.../eol_c51-696372.html. The dates listed in the Cisco document are not mentioned at all in the Suggested dates for that part number in the Orion NCM database. It took me less than 1 min to find the Cisco document. All I did was google “WS-C3750G-24TS-E1U EOL”. Now I’m no rocket scientist only a humble network engineer, so if I can do that then the developers at Solarwinds should certainly be able to do that.

From: Norton, Jeff

Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 7:08 AM

To: 'jive-504792431-51a-2-58mn@solarwinds6.hosted.jivesoftware.com'

Subject: RE: - NCM EOS/EOL Dates Query - 7.2

Let me try and clarify this a bit. I have 540 37xx devices. Of that amount 400 are not assigned EOL dates. Of the 400 devices not assigned, 100% of those show dates that either are yellow or red. What I’m saying is that if it isn’t a sure fit or even a close fit then don’t show me suggested dates because those dates are 100 % not applicable. As it stands right now I have to go through these things one at a time just to see that none of them are applicable. A better method would be to show me a little color icon at the upper level list that shows me the highest match suggested date category so I don’t waste my time. Or let me apply a filter that says unless it’s green don’t show it as suggested. I recognize that this Is not perfect, but it is definitely doable. Cisco’s Ciscoworks product has had this capability for years and all the data they used are published on their web pages

From: Norton, Jeff

Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 6:55 AM

To: 'jive-504792431-51a-2-58mn@solarwinds6.hosted.jivesoftware.com'

Subject: RE: - NCM EOS/EOL Dates Query - 7.2

There’s nothing wrong with the install. Your people have been over it on some other issues we had just after the 7.3 install.

There’s nothing wrong with the install. Your people have been over it on some other issues we had just after the 7.3 install.

Let me try and clarify this a bit. I have 540 37xx devices. Of that amount 400 are not assigned EOL dates. Of the 400 devices not assigned, 100% of those show dates that either are yellow or red. What I’m saying is that if it isn’t a sure fit or even a close fit then don’t show me suggested dates because those dates are 100 % not applicable. As it stands right now I have to go through these things one at a time just to see that none of them are applicable. A better method would be to show me a little color icon at the upper level list that shows me the highest match suggested date category so I don’t waste my time. Or let me apply a filter that says unless it’s green don’t show it as suggested. I recognize that this Is not perfect, but it is definitely doable. Cisco’s Ciscoworks product has had this capability for years and all the data they used are published on their web pages.

Let me be even more specific. I have a Cisco WS-C3750G-24TS-E1U. It has an EOL document on the Cisco web site, www.cisco.com/.../eol_c51-696372.html. The dates listed in the Cisco document are not mentioned at all in the Suggested dates for that part number in the Orion NCM database. It took me less than 1 min to find the Cisco document. All I did was google “WS-C3750G-24TS-E1U EOL”. Now I’m no rocket scientist only a humble network engineer, so if I can do that then the developers at Solarwinds should certainly be able to do that.

And while we’re on this subject, why is it that if I find the correct dates and assign them, that assignment is not now listed in my local database so that I can use it again? As it stands now I have to re-enter those dates over and over again for every applicable device. That’s just WRONG on so many levels

jeffnorton,

You can validate yourself that correct EoL dates for Cisco WS-C3750G-24TS-E1U are there in the database.

The EoL datafile can be found on your NCM server in C:\ProgramData\Solarwinds\Cirrus\Eos. Open it in an appropriate tool (e.g. SQL Compact Query Analyzer) and run the following query:

select * from Eos where Id in (select EosId from PartNumbers where PartNumber='WS-C3750G-24TS-E1U')

You can see that we have the right data for the above part number:

Regards,

Jiri

That may be but it did not pop up as a suggested data for the part number.

This is tiring. I’m telling you there is a problem with how the database is interacting with the part numbers and you’re just arguing there isn’t. The fact is the EOL tool is NOT reliable and I have shared with you the proof. I just went through 540 devices I have in the Cisco 37xx product line manually yesterday and the correct EOL data popped up maybe 5 times. Now you can either look into it or you can keep arguing. Either way, I and a lot of others that have complained will not rely on the application. While I applaud Solarwinds attempt to provide life cycle management, the implementation, to put it bluntly is crap.

By the way Solarwinds, you need to take a look at the number and depth of respondents on this thread.  EOL does not work as advertised and whom ever from Solarwinds that has been responding to the thread needs to step back and listen instead of continuing to argue

Hi jeffnorton,

I admit I haven't addressed the whole content of your posts because I focus on the most important issue -- data quality. I'm trying to persuade you to work with us (through support) to find out why your NCM doesn't show the right (green) suggestions when it should.

I'm ready to have a call with you on the subject; however if you go through support, you will probably have the resolution sooner.

Regards,

Jiri

I have referred it to support and the response I got was that they would refer to Dev. I don’t have any more bandwidth cycles to spend on this

I’ll tell you what I am willing to do. I’ll send you and excel file that is an export from Orion for all my Cisco 37xx devices. This info will not include the device names or IP address. All of the entered dates on th spread sheet are taken off the Internet from the Cisco web site EOL documents. You can then compare to your database and see what percentage actually matches. All I need is a way to get it to you

From: Norton, Jeff

Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2014 11:06 AM

To: 'jive-207013522-51a-2-58rj@solarwinds6.hosted.jivesoftware.com'

Subject: RE: - NCM EOS/EOL Dates Query - 7.2

I have referred it to support and the response I got was that they would refer to Dev. I don’t have any more bandwidth cycles to spend on this