Community Strings & Solarwinds vs. MRTG

[service]

I am new to this but am trying to learn. Where can I start and learn about MRTG & network management? I am trying out a Solarwinds Network Management Software because I don't know Linux. And I guess that rules out MRTG, right? What is a community string by the way?

[rmushtaq]

Have a look at: http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/535/3.html, http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/cisintwk/ito_doc/snmp.htm, http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/c3550/1214ea1/3550scg/swsnmp.htm and http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/477/SNMP/12.html. Will give you a good understanding about SNMP and Community Strings in general.

[b.hart]

MRTG will run on a windows platform with no problems. I have been using MRTG for quite a while now and it produces better results that alot of expensive commercial software out there. Learn it, you won't regret it.

Community strings are like passwords. Basically you have a RO and a RW (read only & Read / Write) If you don't know the community strings (passwords) of the device then you won't be able to manage it or request information from it like statistics of utilization.

Good Luck

Barry Hart

[jkemery]

I have run MRTG on Win2k server for some time and once I setup Solarwinds I will never use MRTG again. Why put yourself thru the hassle of building configs all the time. When a router changes or gets moved you have to reconfig MRTG, with Solarwinds it's point and click!!!!

Check out Orion by Solarwinds its the best!!!!!!!!