Unsupported devices or device activities in Kiwi CatTools

If your device is not included on the list of CatTools supported device types, and is not covered by one of the CatTools generic scripts, don't worry. Support for additional device types are being added to Kiwi CatTools all the time.

For an up to date list of the devices types currently available in CatTools and the activities supported for each of the device types, see the device matrix.

If the device type required to support your device is not listed in the matrix, review how to request support for your device, and familiarize yourself with the details SolarWinds requires in order to look into adding support for your device. You can also inquire via thwack, the SolarWinds online community site, for further information on your device.

Get support for devices added to CatTools

As of Kiwi CatTools 3.3.2, there is now a facility to create your own custom device scripts. If there is an immediate need to backup the configuration of a device currently not supported by CatTools, you may be able to add support for the device yourself rather than waiting for it to be added in a future CatTools release.

For more information, see Create a custom device.

Requesting support for your device

If you would like us to consider adding your device then please inquire on thwack to let us know your requirements. When considering what devices to add we look at the following factors:

• If SolarWinds can get network access to a device.

  This is by far the fastest way to add a new device. If you can send support a user name and password for your device, and support can log into it from their labs, then adding support for it is so much easier.

• How many requests SolarWinds has for support of that device type.

  Even with limited resources and time, SolarWinds strives to help as many people as possible. A device with a large number of unique requests helps SolarWinds identify those devices that the majority of CatTools users desire support for.

• How much information SolarWinds has on the device.

  If the support team cannot gain network access to a device, the next best thing is to see how the device works by examining logs captured from it. It is recommend you capture logs using a tool such as PuTTY.

The more information about the device you can provide SolarWinds support with the better.

Sample device responses to report when requesting device support

The following are examples of the sort of responses we need to see from your device. If the action is not obvious, such as a Ctrl+Z keystroke, then this should be explained:

• A successful login
• A failed login. Showing responses to bad user name and password entries
• An invalid command being entered
• An incomplete command being entered
• Successfully entering and exiting enable/privileged mode
• Successfully entering and exiting configuration mode
• How to save changes to the configuration, such as write memory or copy running startup
• How to display the configuration (both running and startup)
• A show version type command
• The necessary commands to show Port / MAC / ARP information
• Results of a Ping command. Success, failure, and unreachable.
• Commands to enable and disable paging
• A --More-- prompt (or equivalent paging prompt)
• A Yes / No prompt (or equivalent confirmation prompt)

Requesting support for a device activity

If there is a listing to support your device, but the activity you require is not currently supported by the device type, please contact us via thwack, providing us with as much detail as you can and, if possible, include a PuTTY capture of the relevant command(s).