Documentation forNetwork Topology Mapper

NTM 2.2 release notes

Updated January 20, 2015

These release notes provide additional guidance for SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper 2.2.

New features

These new features are available in NTM 2.2:

  • Multiple Maps from One Scan:

    From a Discovery Wizard scan, you can create multiple maps, which update automatically with scheduled updates to the scan

  • Credential Management:

    Discovery Wizard stores credentials, allowing you to activate or deactivate based on the network segment(s) you are mapping

  • Etherchannel:

    Discovery of aggregates (PAgP and LACP protocols, or manually configured)

  • Do No Scan List:

    Define subnets or IP ranges that the Discovery Wizard will not contact

  • New Icons:

    A set of node icons, parallel link icons with indications of aggregation, and support for importing icons.

  • Usability Improvements:

    For example: clicking a Neighbors icon on a node reveals all directly connected nodes or the subnet/IP arrange to which the selected node is connected; and any overlapping but distinct links are indicated with arches.

Fixed issues

  • Fixed the behavior of rescan detecting existing nodes as new nodes
  • Whitespace in Switching from Layered or Orthogonal View.
  • White space appears where excluded nodes would be.
  • Fixes restrictions with map layouts (through movable text, parallel connections, link aggregation indicators, and selectable topology configurations).
  • Fixes limitations with node icons (both by expanding options and flexibility of the NTM set out of the box, and through custom import function).
  • Fixes limitation in iconically representing nodes by model and vendor.
  • Resolves inability to export to Visio and edit NTM maps (with Visio stencils).
  • Resolves inability to customize NTM node icons.
  • Fixes an issue with a print operation crashing NTM.
  • Fixes an issue with NTM not mapping switch ports accurately.
  • Fixes a limitation in using different credentials for discovering different parts of network.
  • Fixes limitation in providing data on aggregated links (etherchannels).
  • Fixes an issue with reporting bandwidth for Allied Telesys switches.
  • Fixes am issue with the NTM jumbling node names.
  • Fixes issue with symbols in the SNMP community string blocking network discovery.
  • Fixes an issue that causes NTM to crash after rescanning a network.

Known issues

Installer

Stability

None.

Product Limitations

  • Nodes from Shortcuts cannot be dropped onto the map after manual connections have been created. Drag/drop from Discovered Notes remains unaffected.
  • A map created in NTM v.1.0.1 that includes aggregated links (EtherChannels) does not display oval icons that indicate aggregated links even after being rescanned in NTM 2.2. The work-around is to uninstall NTM 1.0.1 before installing NTM 2.2, changing an upgrade to an installation operation.
  • Corruption of WMI service on a customer machine causes NTM to shutdown.
  • Missing L2 connections between switches.
  • Nodes identified using CDP/LLDP may display ASCII characters.
  • This behaviour is seen if nodes identified connecting to a SNMP device have unknown or empty device ID information.
  • If you run a discovery for an NTM map that contains virtual machines for which you have already entered credentials, then discovery will run twice.
  • Network Discovery also runs twice when when NTM exports map data with VIM credentials into Network Atlas.
  • Maps containing larger than 1000 nodes may introduce a slight delay while toggling between filters and map layouts.
  • If your devices do not support CDP/LLDP or Bridge table data, then NTM cannot display Layer 2 connections between the devices. More likely these devices will show up as orphan nodes.
  • De-duplication does not work for connections, which were reported by CDP and LLDP.
  • If you run discovery for an NTM map that contains virtual machines that you've already entered credentials for, the discovery will run twice.
  • It takes a long time to open maps larger than 1000 nodes. NTM may appear unresponsive, but the map will open eventually.
  • The integrated Remote Desktop function won't work on Windows Server 2003 64-bit unless you have applied the Microsoft Hotfix and append %winDir%\Sysnative to your %path% variable.
  • If the NTM certificate is deleted or modified by another program, none of the scheduled discoveries will work until you repair the certificate and then reschedule all the discovery jobs.
  • NTM can't display L2 connections from devices that do not provide bridge table data. If you are missing L2 connections, this is the likely cause.
  • NTM does not import unmanaged nodes and edges from Network Atlas maps.
  • Network Segment Nodes do not show up by default in maps created in NTM 1.0.
  • Help links default to the top of the file when displayed in Internet Explorer v8. The workaround is to use a later version of the IE browser.

Legal notices

Copyright 2015 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved worldwide.

No part of this document may be reproduced by any means nor modified, decompiled, disassembled, published or distributed, in whole or in part, or translated to any electronic medium or other means without the written consent of SolarWinds. All right, title, and interest in and to the software and documentation are and shall remain the exclusive property of SolarWinds and its respective licensors.

SOLARWINDS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS OR OTHER TERMS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, ON SOFTWARE AND DOCUMENTATION FURNISHED HEREUNDER INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE WARRANTIES OF DESIGN, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL SOLARWINDS, ITS SUPPLIERS, NOR ITS LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY EVEN IF SOLARWINDS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

The SolarWinds, the SolarWinds & Design, ipMonitor, LANsurveyor, Orion, and other SolarWinds marks, identified on the SolarWinds website, as updated from SolarWinds from time to time and incorporated herein, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other SolarWinds trademarks may be common law marks or registered or pending registration in the United States or in other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks contained and/or mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Microsoft®, Windows® and SQL Server® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.