netTerrain DCIM Erfahrungen

Knowledge is Power

Kommentare: Exceptional from the support team, to ease of use, to the reporting availability. It checkmarks everything I need, to see what is happening at the physical layer in our data center.

Vorteile:

I have been a data center professional since 2011 and inherited an in house Access database of all our connections. Steep learning curve to know how to search and find what you are looking for. Our company did an RFP for a DCIM and picked Graphical Networks, for ease of use, meeting our requirements and cost. Our needs follow with an explanation of what NetTerrain provides. NetTerrain provides a graphical representation of your IT gear, where it is located, and how it is connected both data and power wise. NetTerrain’s search function allows you to search for any 3 character or longer string. It searches everything, device, device name, any object property field. The returned values gives you a link to go directly to that instance and causes a flashing notification on that device. NetTerrain works from a browser, not a specific application that you need to install on every users computer. There is a wide range of user access levels and the ability to create custom access levels to restrict access for particular nodes. Right now I am using it to map out a new data center build and figuring out the fiber infrastructure needed. When I have the fiber trunks documented, I will be able, with a few mouse clicks, to export all the trunks I am going to need, have the lengths and ID numbers to be able to order from the vendor and give to our installers to make their jobs easier. If there is a new device that is not in the catalog, I can design it myself or I can submit a support ticket and within 3 days typically I have the device to add to my catalog. There are many built in reports to the system. With SQL knowledge, I can create my own reports, or again create a support ticket and within a few days Graphical Networks has sent me the report to be added to my server. As our group uses NetTerrain, we come up with things that would be nice to have the ability to do in NetTerrain. Graphical Networks listens and looks to see if it can happen. We have some specialty items in our cabinets that we want to interact with and Graphical Networks has created custom actions so we can do those functions directly in NetTerrain instead of having to log directly into the device. Having this at our fingertips and being able to respond to other departments with the information on their devices in minutes, has made our jobs easier and amazed the other departments on what we can provide.

Nachteile:

No 'UNDELETE' function, as of yet in the application.

Tom - Signal Telecom

Kommentare: Our experience is quite positive overall. We design and produce good documentation from the solution.

Vorteile:

The visual appeal. It looks great and produces good diagrams that can be shared with customers. I love the rack elevations produced, it makes building and managing racks very easy. The devices look great, the team at netTerrain can knock them up super easy too.

Nachteile:

The licensing, to create easily navigatable diagrams especially where we have multiple customers etc. we are racking up a large quantity of nodes. Just to make it look presentable rather than scruffy. The IP side of things could do with some work, we have to use another product to track that.

netTerrain Review

Kommentare: NetTerrain has been beneficial but with all DCIMs it can be daunting to constantly keep up with updating physical links and replacing old equipment with new equipment. One of the best things is the search function. Once you get your network devices imported in and added to the correct geographical locations, rack, room, etc, you are able to search every instance of whatever device you are searching. This beats manually checking each rack to verify if a device is there or traveling to remote sites, especially if the remote site is an hour round trip away. Managing physical links is a beast of a task and will constantly be an ongoing task. This is not a one all solutions, it will take time to implement. I recommend starting off with discovering your network. Next, assigning your devices to the correct geographic location, building, rooms, rack, however you want to organize your structure. Then worry about physical or logical connections last, as it will be an ongoing task depending on how large your network is, and how detailed you want to get with managing physical links.

Vorteile:

Affordable Easy to use after learning shortcuts. Customizable racks, ports, and equipment facials. Network discovery tool. Ability to manage physical links. Great tool for locating devices and rack space management.

Nachteile:

Can be buggy when importing discovered nodes and using background templates. Can be a learning curve. It may be easier if you have a background in database administration. Reporting not the easiest to work with. Goes back to having a db admin background will help with creating reports. Can be tedious creating multiple physical links to different nodes. SNMP monitoring and email alerting still needs improvement.

Highly Recommend

Kommentare: So far everything has been great, we are happy with solution and it is meeting our expectations!

Vorteile:

We love the detailed diagrams and cable tracing that this tool allows us to achieve. It greatly improved out Data center documentation accuracy

Nachteile:

The amount of time to create the diagrams, but that is not netTerrains fault!

The only DCIM tool you need

Vorteile:

It's a very visual and interactive tool. Easy to use, one can get started very quickly. netTerrain can be integrated with virtually anything. Very important are the customization features, such as reports.

Nachteile:

The search needs to be tuned when surpassing 50,000 devices. Apparently a new search is coming up in version 10.

Just What I Was Looking For

Vorteile:

I was having trouble finding a solution to do what I wanted. After hours of research I found Netterrain. Ease of use. Ability to get granular with documentation of fiber and data racks.

Nachteile:

No Cons that I can think of. Overall good experience.

MAA PDS Admin

Vorteile:

Ease of entries and quick views. Click and drag feature is a plus along with the support

Nachteile:

I can’t think of one thing, this software does exactly what I need it to do in order for me to make entries and changes

Excellent software for documenting the network.

Kommentare: Network and device information related to in a unique place and system.

Vorteile:

* The layers feature is very useful to filter objects and not get lost in busy diagrams * Drag and drop to the diagram for easy data entry and rack mounting * Drag and drop of links makes the creation of connections easy * I like the grid option in addition to custom backgrounds to keep diagrams tidy * Easy routing of cables on a floor plan using quick bend point shortcuts * Exports to PDF, Visio and others directly from the client, without having to rely on server exports * Improved look and feel and usability with the latest version including ribbon menus

Nachteile:

* The OSPF feature to find shortest paths is only available on per diagram basis. Since netTerrain supports Inter diagram links and cables, it would be nice if OSPF would support that too. * The excel bulk import functionality is not as intuitive because the column mapping uses generic labeling. I would like to have a drag and drop mapping functionality like the Integration Toolkit has. * The tool is packed with nifty functions and tricks but some of them are buried in the documentation or need to be clarified through support

This app has the best support I have seen

Kommentare: Network tracking ease of use.

Vorteile:

Easy to use and very comprehensive. Easier to use then trying to document with visio or excel. I like the point to point connections that can be hidden when not actively in use. Great for diving down or high level look.

Nachteile:

That we aren't buying more enhancements and licenses. Otherwise a great product. Keep up the good work.

Quality software for documenting your environment.

Vorteile:

-Highly customizable, plus the software is getting better with every version. -Customer service is top-notch.

Nachteile:

Some functions can be a little confusing from time to time. Some diagrams with a lot of objects can slow down the client a bit. Note that we haven't upgraded to the newest version yet.

Net Terrain DCIM

Vorteile:

Net Terrain has been very easy to use when compared to the old excel worksheets and tabbed rack elevation diagrams we had been using. The collector function of the software is outstanding when rolling in new Data Centers, or network closets. The support offered on any issue it utterly astounding. They are so involved in the good of the company at one point the president of the company actually came out to train our team. I highly recommend the product, as well as the people.

Nachteile:

There have not been any cons to this product that I have been made aware of to this point. They work with the admins as well as the developers on a totally equally level.

ok

Kommentare: We document the infrastructure. Employees in the branches make online documentation. The documentation is current.

Vorteile:

What I like most is visualization, reporting and the ability to design my own patterns.

Nachteile:

I don't like the way of designing and mapping expansion cards in devices.

Software is very user friendly. It's a joy to be able to work with such ease.

Kommentare: Easy to ask questions

Vorteile:

Software is wonderful, able to view cabinet layout, equipment, and connection at a touch of a button. Also use it for Power monitoring in cabinets, link to link connections and also view CLR

Nachteile:

Work order management should be revamped!!!!! Doesn't fix our progress, the way it is now, it is useless in its certain state!!!