Network Management Software

[Thomas Dunlap]

When making a selection for network management software, is there a point where OpenView is a better choice that HP Systems Insight Manager?

I am sure the first answer is how much do you want to spend? Is there a tutorial on HP site?

[Rob Buxton]

In summary HPSIM is a monitoring application. It also serves as an Inventory and S/W & F/W Version Control Repository. Anything that can be pinged can be monitored for up/down and with SNMP can be identified. And SNMP Traps from a number of evices can be accurately interpreted.
The Inventory & S/W, F/w stuff is only really done for HP Servers.

HPSIM is free, HP OpenView is a very large suite of programs that costs.

The HPSIM Homepage is:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/hpsim/index.html

[David Claypool]

No, luckily it is a little more cut and dried than that. Since the title of your post is "Network Management Software" I'm going to assume you want to manage the network itself (packets, topology and network devices) and not things connected to the network (servers, clients, printers). If that is in fact the case, HP SIM does not make a particularly good choice.

HP OpenView Network Node Manager is the gold standard for network management, with automatic topology maps, extensive support for network packet management, a vast library of 3rd party add-ons, and is available for a lot less than you might think.

HP SIM, which a great device manager, lacks the key features for network management.

[Rob Buxton]

David, you're almost sounding like a salesman 8-)