It is usual practice in the case of larger network and system environments for several administrators to be responsible for one network. In order to meet such requirements, theGuard! NetworkManager can also run as a multi-station system, an approach which extends the properties of the base system by the following features:

 

• independent graphical user interface for each user
• centralized polling
• client capability 
• central database

It is frequently the case in multi-user operation that several users will be working on configuration tasks at the same time. In order to now guarantee that results will not overwrite each other, a user can block certain objects. This usually primarily concerns configurations in the graphical representation (map). While it’s being edited, a submap will be blocked; other users will then be limited to read-only access until this restriction is lifted. All changes are immediately available to the local client sessions; i.e. automatically loaded.
Node type objects are likewise blocked during manual editing. However, since node data is also modified by Discovery processes and/or by agents, no blocking is effected in these latter cases.

To avoid loading the network unnecessarily, the polling process (the monitoring of the components) is centralized. The central poller controls the totality of monitoring functions set for the individual client sessions and makes the status available to the clients. Depending upon individual settings, events can be accorded different priorities.

Above and beyond the functions previously described, the multi-user systems (Terminal Server Edition, Multi Site Edition) are additionally client-enabled, meaning that access to nodes can be even further restricted. This configuration is made by allocating individual nodes to specific user groups. In practice, this means assigning the nodes to so-called user groups to which the individual users are in turn assigned. Users then have the access to the system as stipulated by their pre-specified authorization level.
In order to now also give Operators, for example, access to status information on important nodes such as routers or switches, a user with higher rights (administrator) can configure the appropriate maps to contain these nodes. These maps are then assigned to the respective user by the appropriate profile, in this case the Operator level. Now also the nodes from these maps will load for the Operator, even though they have not been assigned as such to him/her in the user group. Yet the user is not granted access to these nodes, they are blocked to him/her, the user only receives the status information in the form of a colored-coded display or log information.
This function also addresses the User level similarly, while Administrators always have access to all nodes and configurations.
Planned future versions will allow even more detailed restrictions.

In addition to Windows-based evaluation functions, theGuard! NetworkManager also enables network information and online statistics to be retrieved via Web Console. Users can thus stay informed about the network status, configurations and performance by web browser. The following functions are available: node status, availability, graphical online statistics, and graphical evaluation of the history database and history log.

The Terminal Server Edition is limited to a maximum of 5000 nodes.

• Windows 2000 Advanced server, alternatively Windows 2003 server 
• One Terminal Server client license per workstation
• Optional: Citrix MetaFrame application server 
• MS SQL server at the central site server (Processor license); for performance reasons, possibly separate from application server; for more information on cascading, see System Concept.
  

Operation can be effected from any workstation computer within the network by means of the Terminal Server client software, not an included component of the delivery. The number of additionally needed workstations for multi-station operation is extended with NetworkManager administrator licenses pursuant to the concurrent user model. One administrator license must be acquired for each theGuard! NetworkManager workstation.