CWSI applications address customer needs for deploying, controlling, and tracking switches both within the wiring closet and across the network backbone. Version 2.1 of CWSI, which began shipping in December, offers a new topology interface with a filtering engine for quickly locating device and links types. To effectively discover and display large network topologies at the physical and logical layers, CWSI uses a multithreaded discovery agent that quickly determines the location of each switch and router node. Graphic displays show network managers how their networks are configured and provide vital information on the physical and logical connection of each device within the network. Managers can schedule this discovery process to automatically update the location of each user based on the frequency of physical moves, adds, and changes within their organizations.
Managers can run queries to quickly locate workstations connected throughout the network.
A new user interface for traffic management within CWSI simplifies access to traffic flow and switch port utilization data. This retooling has simplified the setup and capture of traffic data across Catalyst switches as part of its auto recognition and auto report-generation capabilities. Network managers can easily extract traffic data and generate reports. CWSI is an integral part of campus-based switched internetworks. Managers can answer such questions as who is using the network, how exactly is bandwidth being used, what is the associated cost, and what types of usage should be encouraged or discouraged.