Conference gyro::internet_toolss

	DNS?

		Danny

DHCP?

DNS, DHCP?

You make the assumption that this customer uses such things on his global, 
business critical IP network.....HA! (please note the sarcasm....)

However you just gave me a great idea - if/when I get a hold of such a tool I 
can tie it into namedb zone files, and have it update DNS automatically!!

	Any more offers?

		Tim

	Just use it.  You don't have to tell him that that's what he's using.
  It's an implementation/management detail.

		Danny

:-)

DNS is not a management tool.

The tools to build the DNS databases are not management tools.

The host file is not a management tool.

A system/network manager wants to know why the user of system babln5 is
having problems and where is the system that is causing the problem given
a specific IP address.

The problem is made more complicated by the fact that Microsoft uses IP
but identifies computers by a name that kept in a two level directory
where the top level is the domain and the bottom level is the computer name.

The situation is further complicated when the bean counters want to know
where asset 099-38576 with serial number AS347884 is located.

And then there is the nature of IP and the lack of standard end system routing
which leads to having to actually deal with mapping addresses to physical
which maps to logical network location.  When network managers/designer buy
into the IP myth that large networks are unmanagable and everything needs to
be subdivided with routers, then things get really fun.  And its not likely
that any system/network manager for any medium to large enterprise will be in
the same situation as Wes Melling when he got to make every computer system
a VAX/VMS system, you can't count on the availability of such supposed
"solutions" as DHCP.

There are theoretical solutions, such as using the systems snmp info to
track a lot of the information, but many of the systems that need to be
tracked down are "personal computers".  Most people don't want to be subject
to the slow response of system managers so they want to manage the systems
themselves and usually make it impossible for system managers to do anything
with the systems.  But on the other hand, these personal computer managers
don't want to be bothered with doing the system management stuff like
filling the snmp system info, and if they do fill it in, you can be sure
that they won't update it if they move their system.

I figure that I'm lucky if I can get the people setting up the systems to
keep a card visible that has the system name and addresses and use those
addresses.  At least its possible to walk around and inventory the network
visually.

    Although not a panacea, DMI, along with a suit of "management support"
    tools, certainly seems to go much further than SNMP, at least as far as
    the asset management piece.  If a system manager ensures that all
    systems are DMI compatible (through software, or preferably through
    hardware/BIOS), he probably will have more information available
    automatically BEFORE he begins updating information manually.
    
    jeb
    

    Check out ISOTRO http://www.isotro.com
    Their NetID product may do what you are looking for.  It runs on
    Solaris and Windows NT - uses an Oracle or Sybase database.  Multiple
    user access to database, builds DNS config files, lots more.  
    
    bill