Integrating Network Performance and Fault

HP recently announced version 9.0 of HP Network Node Manager (http://www.infoworld.com/d/networking/hp-updates-network-mode-manager-901). NNMi (as it is now called) has been a network management market leader through the last two decades. Perhaps the most interesting part of the update to the product, is the close integration of network performance (from quality assurance based on IPSLA to traffic monitoring based on NetFlow and good old MIB data collection) into this traditionally topology and fault management focused product.

At the same time, HP has also more closely integrated the Real User Monitor product - acquired as part of the Business Availability Center (BAC) when HP acquired Mercury Interactive - into NNMi. RUM monitors network traffic at the packet/protocol level, and connects these into transactions and sessions. RUM can alert on slow transaction response times, triggering network management to determine whether this is caused by a network problem or by a server or application problem.