Overview - Cirrus Configuration Management Features

Scheduled Configuration Backups   With Cirrus’s scheduled task feature, managing routers has never been easier.  Schedule config uploads, config downloads, device reboots, executing command scripts, and more.  Cirrus uses the Windows Task Scheduler to organize the scheduled operations.  Any Job created with Cirrus can be viewed and modified with the Windows Task Scheduler. Cirrus manages the task of backing up and archiving copies of configs for future reference.    Config Comparisons   Another feature of Cirrus is the ability to compare configuration files.  Configs can be compared between two routers or switches.  You can baseline your configs and then compare newer versions to the baseline as they are distributed.   This allows you to easily view and track changes to your network.  Reporting and change history functionality provides additional config compare options.     Bulk Changes   Need to quickly change a community string, password or block a MAC Address? Cirrus can execute Bulk changes either in real-time or at a future, scheduled change window.  Uploads, Changes, and Global Command Scripting can be scheduled by type of device, building, location, owner, or any other custom property. Run complex interrogation scripts across the entire network in real-time.   Upload / Download new IOS Images Cirrus uses the award winning SolarWinds TFTP Server enabling you to  Scheduled uploads of IOS image to your network devices.  With the enhanced grouping capability of Cirrus you can easily manage each type of network device separately.  You no longer have to spend hours downloading and validating the IOS of each device and device type.  Cirrus provides this capability with the click of a button.   Reports   Cirrus Configuration Management ships with predefined reports for Device Location and Contact information, Down Nodes, Current IOS Image and Versions, Last Boot of each device, Current Response Time and System Information, etc. New reports can be created easily. Detailed Inventory reports for each device are also included. Includes ARP table, Port Map, VLANs by Port, Cisco Chassis, Card in Cisco devices, total and used memory, TCP and UDP services, flash memory, card serial numbers and chassis Ids and many other device inventory details.   MIB Browser     Cirrus ships with the award winning SolarWinds MIB Browser integrated into the Cirrus application. The SolarWinds extensive MIB database of over 250,000 standard and vendor specific OIDs significantly extend the capabilities of Cirrus. Several Standard MIBS are included in the Cirrus menu view with the ability for you to add additional MIB's or OID's.   Show Commands   Cirrus has a robust "Show Command" function that you can use to obtain information about the devices on you network.  Combined with the Grouping, Filtering and Pattern Matching features it is possible to obtain specific, real-time, information.  Examples of results include: show processes cpu, show version, show ip interface, show vlan, show port, etc.    Real-Time Interfaces View Real-Time Port Status, Real-Time Traffic Stats, Port Configuration, Real-Time ARP Cache, Last Time data was Transmitted or Received on each Port/Interface, Real-Time Cisco Discovery Protocol, Shutdown/Enable Interfaces     Dynamic Grouping With the Device Grouping capability of Cirrus you are able to organize your view according to your business requirements.  Devices can be grouped by type, location, building, business unit, corporate application, or any other custom set of properties. Backups, scheduled changes, reporting, uploads, etc can be executed by any of these groups… or by combining groups.    Import Devices   Cirrus Configuration Management makes it easy to import devices from an existing list.  Import directly from Excel, MS-Access, SQL Server, Orion Network Performance Monitor, SolarWinds Sonar Discovery database, or a comma delimited or plain text file.   Multi-Vendor Support     Cirrus was designed for today's complex network environment. The Cirrus Configuration Management application provides support for many types of network devices from many hardware vendors.  Cirrus monitors and manages Routers, Switches, Firewalls, VPN Concentrators, Wireless Access Points and more. Cirrus is a robust solution to managing your hybrid vendor network.   Device Inventory    The Enterprise Edition of Cirrus includes a detailed Device Inventory for each managed device.  Interface and Port details, IP Addresses, ARP tables, and many other details are included in the Configuration Management database. This information can be extracted easily for use in other applications.   MAC Address Finder   Finding the location of a MAC Address on a network can be difficult. Cirrus Configuration Management makes this task easy. Use the MAC Finder to locate the switch port a device is plugged into. Searches can be performed by IP Address, MAC Address, or Hostname.   Config Change History   Config Change Reports show what devices have had Config changes over the past week, last night, or any time period. The Config Change Reports can also compare current Configs with a Baseline config.   Database Support   Cirrus, like many of SolarWinds products, support and Open, standard database structure.  SolarWinds does not hide your network data in a proprietary database but instead provides you full access by storing the data in Microsoft SQL Server and MS-Access database.