IP Explorer

Network Discovery, Documentation and Visualization

for enterprises, telecommunication service providers, and companies with large networks

 

Most network management processes depend on the availability of up-to-date network information. Almost every system that supports higher-level management processes (such as troubleshooting, configuration and performance management) has some sort of network discovery functionality. However, these solutions are usually limited to a skeleton functionality and the minimum data required for the operation of the given management system. IP Explorer offers the following:

 

• Network discovery with comprehensive functionality and the widest possible scope of up-to-date network information to ensure 360 degree visibility.

• Fully automated, end-to-end (E2E) discovery of any heterogeneous IP/Ethernet/MPLS network.
• Vendor-independent model for storing the discovered network, visualized on a feature-rich Web interface.
• Fast and easy creation of network documentation based on real-life, up-to-date information.
• Standards-compliant open interface that enables any higher-level management process to access current network information.

 

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Benefits

• In addition to the physical connections of the devices, IP Explorer also discovers more complex E2E network connections such as VLAN, L2 VPN, EoMPLS and MPLS VPN.
• The network infrastructure can be analyzed and documentation can be created in view of the actual operation of the entire network.
• IP Explorer as a network management system provides a consistent view of multi-vendor environments to support higher-level management processes.
• Discovery results can be automatically uploaded to a network inventory system via the open northbound interface. Such a multi-layered network inventory is capable to consistently support all higher-level network management processes.
• With its many built-in connectivity options, IP Explorer can be efficiently integrated into any OSS system.
• Even as a stand-alone application, it can be used as an interactive network documentation solution.

 

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IP Explorer architecture

Areas of Use

 

• By automating the network documentation process, the time required for documenting large networks can be significantly decreased, which in turn reduces the inconsistencies resulting from changes made during the documentation process.
• Built-in support for the network design process ensures that the up-to-date structure of the network and accurate information on free capacities are available before the design effort begins.
• As part of troubleshooting support, the root cause error can be identified (when the immediate cause of a failure is identified on the basis of network discovery information), or impact analysis can be performed to identify the services and clients impacted by an error.