From: Conrad_Geiger@NeXT.COM (International NeXT User Groups)
Subject: MIB-II SNMP Agent and Workstation Monitor Application for NeXT
Followup-To: poster
Reply-To: user_groups@NeXT.COM
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Schaumburg, IL
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 00:34:47 GMT

Malibu, CA - July 28, 1992.  Ridgeback Solutions announces the
availability of an SNMP Agent and ServerWatch, a powerful
workstation monitor for NeXT computers that allows network managers
to monitor and generate alarms on key workstation parameters. This is
the first SNMP management solution for NeXT computers and now allows
users to integrate their NeXT computers into any SNMP network
management environment.

Good network management is essential to keeping LANs operating
smoothly and minimizing the time required for a network manager to
find and fix problems.

"I feel that Ridgeback Solutions' SNMP agent and ServerWatch
application are among the most important third party applications to
be offered on the NeXT platform," said Tim Kreps, developer advocate
for communications and connectivity  at NeXT Computer, Inc. "Because
the average size of each installation of NeXT computers is large,
network management has become very important to our customers."


The SNMP Agent for NeXT computers

The SNMP agent is a complete implementation of the MIB-I and MIB-II
specifications and makes  use of  standards such as the Internet
Protocol (IP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and the Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP). Ridgeback Solutions took advantage of the
Private Extension capability supported by the SNMP standards to
define and add its own Private Extensions for NeXT computers. These
extensive enhancements to MIB-II allow the monitoring via SNMP of
Swap File size, Disk Space Available, Disk Space Used, Applications
running, Memory Status, User Login Information and CPU loading.


ServerWatch for NeXT computers

The separate ServerWatch application runs on a NeXT workstation and
uses the Ridgeback Solutions Private Extensions to monitor and
generate alarms for Swap File Size greater than a user-specified
Threshold, Free Disk Space less than a user-specified Threshold, Loss
of Communication to a workstation, a Login or Logout on a
user-specified workstation and SNMP Authentication errors.

For each alarm occurrence, alarm details are written to a log with
the IP Address, Hostname, Time and Date. The user may scroll through
the Alarm Log to review all the alarms. A different threshold and
alarm condition may be specified for each of the workstations
monitored by ServerWatch. Alarms are configured for each workstation
using the Alarm Inspector. Multiple workstations may be set up
simultaneously if they each have the same thresholds and parameters.
Alarm settings may also be viewed using the Alarm Inspector.

Once a workstation is selected from the Network View (an iconic view
of the workstations), it may be queried  using a menu for Swap File
Information, File System Information, Process Status and Login
Information. All these queries are via SNMP with no need to remotely
log in to a workstation to obtain this information.

Thresholds may be set by the network manager to monitor these
critical parameters automatically and be alerted when there is a
problem. By choosing the threshold values carefully, the network
manager can be alerted to potential problems,  and fix them before
the end-user is even aware that there was a problem on his machine.


HP Openview and SunNet Manager

The Ridgeback Solutions private extensions have been successfully
compiled and tested with Hewlett Packard's Openview 3.0 Network
Manager and Sun's SunNet Manager. Network Management applications
such as Openview or SunNet Manager. and the Ridgeback Solutions SNMP
agent allow network managers to easily integrate NeXT computers into
their overall network management framework.

Ridgeback Solutions has also developed an application that runs on
SunNet Manager allowing network managers to easily integrate NeXT
computers with SunNet Manager.


Pricing

The SNMP agent has a suggested retail price of $XXX per workstation
and is currently shipping. A discount schedule is available for large
installations. ServerWatch is bundled with the purchase of 10 or more
SNMP agents and is currently shipping.  The SunNet Manager
application is available for a suggested retail price of $XXXX per
network management console.


Company Background

Ridgeback Solutions, founded in 1991 and based in Malibu, CA,
specializes in the development of network management and
communications applications for UNIX workstations. The company was
founded by Errol Ginsberg, who was previously vice president of
engineering for Fibermux, a $50 Million manufacturer of LAN hubs and
multiplexors. Ridgeback Solutions is privately held and funded.

****

ServerWatch is a trademark of Ridgeback Solutions. NeXT is a
trademark of NeXT Computer, Inc. All other brand names are trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information, contact:
 
    Errol Ginsberg
    Ridgeback Solutions
    23715 W. Malibu Rd., Suite 376
    Malibu, CA, 90265

    Telephone: 310/456-6094
    Fax: 310/456-9715
    Email: info@ridgeback.com or zulu!info@uu4.psi.com
    NeXT Email: info-next@ridgeback.com	
                or zulu!info-next@uu4.psi.com