Introduction

The device manager is a graphical device management tool for configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting of individual switches. Use this introduction to familiarize yourself with its features.

Introduction

The device manager displays real-time views of switch configuration and performance. It simplifies configuration tasks with features such as Express Setup and Smartports for quickly setting up the switch and its ports. It uses graphical, color-coded displays, such as the Front Panel view, graphs, and animated indicators to simplify monitoring tasks. It provides alert tools to help you to identify and to solve networking problems.

Although extensive networking knowledge is not necessary, we recommend familiarity with LAN switch fundamentals. The Cisco Press General Networking Resources website has links to documents that provide internetworking overviews.

You can display the device manager from anywhere in your network through a web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.

We recommend running a secured session with the switch. See Secured Sessions for information on how to ensure that your management session with the switch is protected from unauthorized access.

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Using the Front Panel View

The Front Panel view is a graphical display of the front panels of the base switch and attached switch expansion modules, and it is always visible during the device manager session. Click the Front Panel image to expand or collapse it.

The switch components on the Front Panel view are color-coded by status. The colors help you to quickly see if a fault or an error condition exists. A Legend describes the meanings of the colors.

The system-level LEDs and port-level LEDs on the Front Panel view and on the physical switch match. You can change the port LED behavior by selecting a port mode from the View list on the Front Panel view.

Move the pointer over a port to display specific information about the port and its status. The speed and duplex mode for a port only appear in the pop-up window when a device is connected to the port. For dual-purpose ports, the Type field in the pop-up window displays 10/100/1000BaseTX for the copper uplink port whether or not the port is active. The Type field also displays either the type of SFP module installed or  Empty if a module is not installed.

The Mode field shows if you are managing the switch remotely (Managed mode) or if you are managing the switch through a physical connection between your PC to one of the switch ports (Direct Managed mode). This field also displays a message if the switch is running the factory default image.

The Uptime field shows how long the switch has been operating since it was last powered on or was restarted. Status is automatically refreshed every 60 seconds or when you click Refresh. The refresh counter shows the number of seconds that remain before the next refresh cycle starts.

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System-Level LEDs

The meanings of the system-level LED colors are also described in the Legend.

LED Description

SYSTEM

The SYSTEM LED shows the status of the switch (system).

ALARM The ALARM LED shows the presence of a switch power problem.
SETUP

The configuration mode in which the switch is operating.

The SETUP button on the Front Panel view is not active.

PWR A and PWR B The PWR LEDs show the DC power status.

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Port-Level LEDs

By default, the port LEDs show port status. To display the port duplex mode, the port speed, or the Smartports status from the port LEDs, choose an LED mode from the View list.

The meanings of the port LED colors are also described in the Legend.

LED Mode Description

Status

In this mode, the port LEDs show the status of the ports. This is the default mode.

Duplex

In this mode, the port LEDs show the duplex mode (full duplex or half duplex) of the ports.

Note: The 10/100/1000 ports operate only in full-duplex mode.

Speed

In this mode, the port LEDs show the operating speed (10, 100, or 1000 Mb/s) of the ports.

Smartports

In this mode, each port image shows the applied port role. For information about Smartports, see Smartports.

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Using the Status Field

The Status field displays the severity and number of problems (hardware problems and misconfigurations) on the switch. If no problems exist, the field shows that the overall switch operation is normal. This field is always visible during the device manager session. It is below the Front Panel view.

Click Get Details to display a complete diagnostics report of the problems and their recommended actions.

View the Alert Log for the details of the problems and the most recent time at which the switch detected the problems.

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Using the Dashboard

The Dashboard provides information about the switch and is the main window for monitoring the switch status and its performance. It is the default window and appears each time that you display the device manager. For more information about the gauges, indicators, and graphs, see Dashboard.

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Using the Toolbar Icons

 

Refresh

Click Refresh to update the information displayed on the Front Panel view, the graphs, and the configuration and monitoring windows.

 

Print

Click Print to print a device manager window, such as the Dashboard or the Port Statistics window.

Note: The menu or the Front Panel view cannot be printed. To print an online help page, click Print from the online help title bar.

 

Smartports

Click Smartports to display the Smartports window from which you can enable Cisco-recommended system and port-to-device settings. You can also display the Smartports window from Configure > Smartports. For information, see Smartports.

 

Software Upgrade

Click Software Upgrade to upgrade the switch software. You can also display the Software Upgrade window from Maintenance > Software Upgrade. For more information, see Software Upgrade.

 

Legend

Click Legend to display a color-coded explanation of the icons and colors used on the Front Panel, Port Status, and Port Settings windows. You can also display the Legend from Help.

 

Help

Click Help for a description of the device manager features and for procedures on how to use the features. The Help also provides links to the Legend and to support resources (such as the switch documentation and technical assistance).

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Using the Menus

The device manager has options under these menus to help you monitor and configure the switch:
  • The Dashboard to monitor overall switch and port conditions.
  • The Configure menu options provide some simplified configuration tools to set up the switch and its ports. The menu also provides an option to restart and to reset the switch.
  • The Monitor menu provides options to display status, alerts, and detailed run-time statistics every 60 seconds or when you click Refresh.
  • The Maintenance menu provides the Diagnostics option to generate a report on existing switch problems, the Software Upgrade option to download new versions of the switch software, and the Telnet option to display the switch CLI.
  • The Network Assistant window to link to the Cisco Network Assistant website on Cisco.com.

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Using Secured Sessions

The switch uses the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol to secure the HTTP communications between the switch and your network management station. When you attempt to display the device manager, this protocol

  • Authenticates the web-based connection between the switch and your network management station.
  • Encrypts and decrypts the information exchanged between the switch and your network management station to protect the information from unauthorized access over the Internet.

SSL is enabled by default on the switch. It is only available on the cryptographic version of the switch software image.

When you first display the device manager, it displays a message that asks if you want a secured session with the switch.

If you choose Yes, the switch displays another message that asks if you want to proceed by using the security certificate of the switch.

If you choose Yes, the switch displays the device manager in secure mode.

If you choose No for either message, the switch displays the device manager in unsecured mode.

There are other ways to start a secured device manager session:

  • Enter https:// before the switch IP address. (HTTP over SSL is abbreviated as HTTPS.)
  • Click the Session: Standard | Secured link at the top right corner of the device manager window.

There are several ways to determine whether your device manager session is secured:

  • Look at the URL in the browser Address field. A URL that starts with https:// means that the session is secured through SSL. A URL that starts with http:// means that the session is not secured.
  • Look at the Session: Standard | Secured link at the top right corner of the device manager window.
    • If the link appears as Session: Standard | Secured, the switch is running a secured session.
    • If the link appears as Session: Standard | Secured, the switch is not running a secured session.
  • Look for a locked padlock image at the bottom of your browser window. The locked padlock only appears if the session is secured.

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