Anyone here use or have experience with SolarWinds network software tools?

Epsil0n00

Golden Member
Aug 29, 2001
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We just purchased SolarWinds Network Managment Software. Have any of you ever used this software? What do you think of it? It comes with the following tools (mini-software packages):
- Network Discovery
- Fault Monitoring
- Performance monitoring
- IP address mgmt.
- Switch port mapping
- Network Security
- Real time interface monitor
- Real time bandwidth gauage
- Trap receiver
- Spam blacklist
- DNS analyzer
- MIB browser

Do these tools work well? Do you have favorites that you think are really usefull?
Thanks for your opinions!

Epsil0n
 

trikster2

Banned
Oct 28, 2000
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I've used solar winds in the past.

All of the tools have their uses.

I especialy like the bandwidth graphs it produces.
 

dphantom

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2005
4,763
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I've occasionally used some of the tools. Their pretty good. Most of what I use now is free stuff like ethereal, nmap, snort... Never had the money to get the package.

:(
 

Epsil0n00

Golden Member
Aug 29, 2001
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Thanks for the feedback, I am excited to give them a try and see how well they work. I will try to remember to stop back by this thread and give a brief review...

Thanks again!
Eps.
 

Epsil0n00

Golden Member
Aug 29, 2001
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I installed the tools and what I have realized are the following:
- These are powerful tools if configured correctly
- These are powerful tools if you know what the hell you are doing
- I do not know what the hell I am doing!
- I don't know how to congifure them correctly
- I have a lot of learning to do quickly!

I guess I would be classified as one of those assclowns that will soon be hammering my own network with SNMP packets. ROFL
 

n0cmonkey

Elite Member
Jun 10, 2001
42,936
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Originally posted by: Epsil0n00
I installed the tools and what I have realized are the following:
- These are powerful tools if configured correctly
- These are powerful tools if you know what the hell you are doing
- I do not know what the hell I am doing!
- I don't know how to congifure them correctly
- I have a lot of learning to do quickly!

I guess I would be classified as one of those assclowns that will soon be hammering my own network with SNMP packets. ROFL

That doesn't qualify you as an assclown in my book. As long as you aren't touching my network anyhow. ;)
 

Epsil0n00

Golden Member
Aug 29, 2001
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LOL, yeah... well, when I start running the "SNMP brute force attack" utility and the "WAN Killer" we'll see just how much of an assclown I am. So far they have sounded way too itimidating to even mess around with.:cookie:
 

nweaver

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2001
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I have used the trial versions a few times (I am trying to convince my manger that yes, we need them!!. They are a very nice set, and it takes quite a few opensource programs to replace the suite. MRTG, NTOP, and Ethereal are a good start for someone who can't convince their company to buy the Solarwinds suite. The learning curve is (imho) much higher for the opensource stuff.


Only run Wankiller against management machines when you are trying to convince them of an ISP change :evil:
 

Epsil0n00

Golden Member
Aug 29, 2001
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Originally posted by: nweaver
I have used the trial versions a few times (I am trying to convince my manger that yes, we need them!!. They are a very nice set, and it takes quite a few opensource programs to replace the suite. MRTG, NTOP, and Ethereal are a good start for someone who can't convince their company to buy the Solarwinds suite. The learning curve is (imho) much higher for the opensource stuff.


Only run Wankiller against management machines when you are trying to convince them of an ISP change :evil:

Thanks for the feedback--I am hoping that with some learning I will find these tools invaluable. I think the motivation came from overloaded LAN and WAN interfaces and the need to "see what is happening on the network." I didn't have much input into the purchase decision; the software just showed up one day... so I really hope that it is worth the money!

Fortunately I shouldn't need to use WANKiller to convince my boss of the ISP switch... we recently just put in a 7MB DSL connection (which has been completely unreliable thanks to QWest's 'fabulous' service). Now we are seriously looking at upgrading our T1 to a "Burst enabled DS3" - 3MB floor synchronous, burst upto like 45MB when needed. That will rock if we get that service!
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
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Originally posted by: Epsil0n00
Originally posted by: nweaver
I have used the trial versions a few times (I am trying to convince my manger that yes, we need them!!. They are a very nice set, and it takes quite a few opensource programs to replace the suite. MRTG, NTOP, and Ethereal are a good start for someone who can't convince their company to buy the Solarwinds suite. The learning curve is (imho) much higher for the opensource stuff.


Only run Wankiller against management machines when you are trying to convince them of an ISP change :evil:

Thanks for the feedback--I am hoping that with some learning I will find these tools invaluable. I think the motivation came from overloaded LAN and WAN interfaces and the need to "see what is happening on the network." I didn't have much input into the purchase decision; the software just showed up one day... so I really hope that it is worth the money!

Fortunately I shouldn't need to use WANKiller to convince my boss of the ISP switch... we recently just put in a 7MB DSL connection (which has been completely unreliable thanks to QWest's 'fabulous' service). Now we are seriously looking at upgrading our T1 to a "Burst enabled DS3" - 3MB floor synchronous, burst upto like 45MB when needed. That will rock if we get that service!

Careful about those burstable services....they present a variable expense. But for most purposes they are great.