We protect your network like your business depends on itTM

DPS TelecomYour Partners in Network Alarm Monitoring

5 Essential Features to

Look for When Evaluating

SNMP Proxy Devices

www.dpstelecom.com 1-800-622-3314

SNMP is great for integrating classic telecom telemetry with

modern IP-based network management, because its an

open-standard protocol thats flexible enough to describe

almost anything.

The one hitch is, some of your most crucial network

infrastructure is not built for SNMP ...

Version 1.0

Released November 15, 2004

Proxy Devices DPS Telecom 4955 East Yale Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727 (800) 622-3314 Fax (559) 454-1688 www.dpstelecom.com

2

Copyright 2004 DPS Telecom

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this white paper or portions thereof in any form without written permis-

sion from DPS Telecom. For information, please write to DPS Telecom 4955 E. Yale Ave., Fresno, CA 93727-1523 Call:

1-800-622-3314 Email: info@dpstele.com

Printed in the U.S.A

3Proxy Devices DPS Telecom 4955 East Yale Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727 (800) 622-3314 Fax (559) 454-1688 www.dpstelecom.com

5 Essential Features to Look for When Evaluating

SNMP Proxy Devices

SNMP is great for integrating classic telecom telemetry with modern IP-based network management,

because its an open-standard protocol thats flexible enough to describe almost anything.

The one hitch is, some of your most crucial network infrastructure is not built for SNMP. The reliability

of a telecom network ultimately rests on some pretty humble low-tech equipment: battery plants, diesel

generators, and high temperature, intrusion, and humidity alarms.

It is absolutely essential to have visibility of these critical network elements. If any one of them fails, it

can bring your whole network down.

To integrate your infrastructure elements into your SNMP alarm management, you need to install SNMP

proxy devices at your remote sites. A proxy device is a smart RTU that combines the functions of alarm

collection and protocol mediation. It accepts standard telemetry alarm inputs like contact closures and

analog signals and encodes the data in an SNMP trap.

How do you select the right proxy device for your network? There are a few essential features you must

keep in mind when evaluating SNMP proxy equipment:

1. CapacityThis is a basic question you should ask about all alarm collection equipment: can the device provide ade-

quate coverage for your remote site?

Before you select equipment, develop a capacity profile for each of your remote sites. Think in terms of

alarm inputs, not devices. How many contact closure inputs are at each site? How many analog inputs?

Your capacity profile will tell you whether you need a large, medium, or light-capacity proxy device.

Proxy devices are available in different capacities, so dont feel like youre locked in with a one-size-fits-

all solution.

Environmental Alarms (Temperature, Humidity,

Site Security, etc.)

Power Supply Systems (Generators, Rectifiers,

Battery-plants, etc.)

Revenue-Generating

Equipment

Transport Equipment(Microwave Radios, OC3,

Cellular Switches, etc.)

Proxy Device

SNMP Manager

LAN / WAN

A proxy agent can mediate standard alarm outputs from various types of equipment to SNMP.

Proxy Devices DPS Telecom 4955 East Yale Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727 (800) 622-3314 Fax (559) 454-1688 www.dpstelecom.com

4

Get the capacity you need, but dont overspend. Adequate coverage of your remote sites is a must

unmonitored equipment is a breeding ground for disastersbut theres no point in breaking your budg-

et for capacity you wont use.

If you have sites that have a small number of alarms now, but are likely to grow in the future, be sure to

ask equipment vendors if their proxy devices have expansion capabilities.

2. Dial-Up BackupLAN transport is highly reliable, but that doesnt mean its 100% reli-

able. For mission-critical telemetry data, you always need a backup data

path.

Look for a proxy device that includes dial-up modem capability, to give

you continued visibility of your remote site even during a LAN failure.

A proxy device with dial-up capability is also the ideal way to integrate

remote sites without LAN access into your SNMP monitoring. This eliminates the extra costs and ineffi-

ciencies of maintaining two separate monitoring systems, and you can add LAN to your sites later with-

out replacing any monitoring equipment.

3. Redundant Power SuppliesWith all monitoring applications, redundant power is a must. Your mon-

itoring devices have to be the most reliable elements in your network if

they are to protect your revenue-generating equipment.

Look for a proxy device with dual power inputs. If one power supply

fails, youll have another on reserveensuring that you have continued

visibility of mission-critical equipment.

4. Extra FeaturesThe best quality proxy devices will support additional features for man-

aging your remote sites. This saves money, because you dont need to

buy extra equipment, and it gives you a simple, one-platform solution

for managing every part of your remote site.

Some of the extra features you should look for in a top-quality proxy

device include:

Terminal Server Functionality: Your proxy device can host remote Telnet sessions to interface with the

craft ports of on-site telephony equipment like PBXs, switches, and routers. This gives you easy LAN

access for configuring and rebooting equipment, saving a fortune in windshield time.

Ping Alarms: Your proxy device can also make sure that your IP network elements are operational, by

regularly pinging their IP addresses. If a network device fails to respond to a ping, the proxy device will

immediately send an SNMP trap to the SNMP manager.

Protocol Mediation: You may have additional remote site equipment that supports a classic telemetry

protocol such as TBOS or TABS. Alarm output from these devices can be mediated to SNMP traps.

Dial-up

Connection

SNMP

Element

5Proxy Devices DPS Telecom 4955 East Yale Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727 (800) 622-3314 Fax (559) 454-1688 www.dpstelecom.com

5. Vendor Support and ExpertiseThe most important features to look for in a proxy device is the vendor who stands behind the product.

When youre evaluating vendors, be sure to look for two essential commitments.

Full Support for the Lifetime of the Unit: Monitoring equipment stays in the field a long timean

average of 7-8 years, or even longer in some industries. You want to make sure you have continued sup-

port during that time.

In the last decade, many monitoring equipment vendors, including some big companies and well-respect-

ed names, have dropped support for their older equipmentor in some cases gone out of business entire-

ly.

When choosing your proxy agent, make sure the vendor is committed to you for the long haul.

Expert Consultation: Monitoring is a complex business. Network managers burdened with responsibil-

ities cant make telemetry their full-time job.

As with any complex technology, you need to know telemetry thoroughly to design an optimal system

one that meets your networks needs, wont become obsolete tomorrow, and doesnt break your budget

with unnecessary expense.

Select a vendor with a proven track record of expertise and client support, who is willing to take the time

to listen to your needs, learn about your networkand give you free advice thats in your best interest.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? Theres several other tips you need to know that will

help you evaluate any monitoring equipment from any vendor. For more information, visit

www.dpstelecom.com/white-papers

We protect your network like your business depends on it

Remote Alarm Block 176N: Wire-wrap alarm block

monitors 176 alarm points, 4 controls; reports to any

SNMP manager, T/Mon NOC or T/Mon LT

NetGuardian 216: RTU monitors 16 alarm points, 2

analog inputs, 2 control relays, 1 terminal server

port; reports to any SNMP manager, T/Mon NOC or

T/Mon LT.

NetGuardian 480: RTU monitors 80 alarm points, 4

control relays; reports to any SNMP manager,

TL1 master, T/Mon NOC or T/Mon LT

NetGuardian 832A: RTU monitors 32 alarm points,

8 analog inputs, 8 control relays, 32 ping targets, 8

terminal server ports; reports to any SNMP

manager, T/Mon NOC or T/Mon LT

T/Mon NOC: Full-featured alarm master for up to 1

million alarm points. Features support for 25 proto-

cols, protocol mediation, alarm forwarding, pager

and e-mail alarm notification, Web Browser access,

multi-user access, standing alarm list, alarm history

logging.

Alarm Monitoring Solutions from DPS Telecom

Alarm Monitoring Masters Remote Telemetry Units

T/Mon LT: Light capacity SNMP-only alarm master.

Supports SNMP Trap Processor software module,

up to 10 SNMP devices, and up to 20 DPS Telecom

remotes. Features pager and e-mail alarm notifica-

tion, Web Browser access, standing alarm list and

alarm history logging.

DPS TelecomYour Partners in Network Alarm Monitoring

www.dpstelecom.com

1-800-622-3314

www.dpstelecom.com

1-800-622-3314