Remote Administration Requirements - Your feedback requested

I'm all for both option A's

The one thing that I look at most often is the find address tool.  Maybe it's just me.  It makes it real easy to find out what server is plugged into what port.   

As an evaluator of the product, I find the lack of a web interface to be one of the glaring weaknesses (add to that scheduling and organization/grouping). 

We are a global organization with Engineers in all regions that would require access to the product.  We're not interested in adding Citrix or TS to the mix just to get additional user access. 

Ideally this would be a fully functional web interface, with the ability to add/remove devices, schedule changes, etc. (no reliance on a win32 client).  The ability to grant limited administration by device groupings would also be desired.  I'm less concerned with end-user or non-engineer technical user access.  As an interim step a read-only web interface would probably suffice provided the ability to view configs/reports, perform address searches, etc were available.

 Both of my answers would be "A"s.

 Solid Cirrus integration with Orion would make the two an absolutely killer tool.  I can wait for the web based admin features but they are an eventual must have as well. 

 
--Jordan
 

1. In what situations do you require remote access to Cirrus functions in your environment (the more detail the better)?  What functions do you typically perform remotely?  When is remote desktop *not* a viable option for you?

I work for a medical software company.  We use IPSEC VPN's to remote clinic to facilitate a connection to our host server for the remote clients.  We also use these tunnels for support of the application.  To manage the configs and  roll out upgrades, changes, etc to the 300+ Juniper NS5GT's and almost 400 Cisco 1100 series AP's we chose Cirrus.   I would like to hand off some of the responsibility to our Implementations and support teams, but I am not willing to give them access to the server itself where Cirrus runs as I also have ORION and the Solarwinds Eng. Toolset on there.  We are running a limited version of Windows 2k3 anyway.  Right now I can only get 3 users on there via RDP at a time.  If the support and implementations teams (total of 20 people tops) had a client they could use to access Cirrus all my problems would be resolved. Again, I DO NOT want to give these guys RDP access to the Solarwinds server.  Just the app running on it.  I have already created multiple pages they can view over http in Orion.

2. In the situations described above, is a web browser interface a must have OR could you meet your requirements with a remote-able Cirrus Win32 client installed on your machine?

Web or Client is fine with me.

3. What is the minimum set of Cirrus functions that would have to be exposed in a remote Cirrus console for it to have value in your organization?

Config view / Config Download / and executing a command script

I'm open to a follow-up call at any time.  My number is 205-298-6874

Sincere thanks for your help.

 Option A is the prefered for the recent companies I have been associated with.  The config, change, and inventory reports would be great to have integrated with Orion, possibly buttons off the node view.

We currently have 1000 nodes in Cirrus and have it running on it's own server.  Will Cirrus have to be on the Orion server?

Thanks,

Nap

 Will the Orion web integration require Orion and Cirrus to be installed on the same server?

Thanks,
Justin 

Our environment would be best suited with a web interface to the cirrus application.   When admins or pc support tech are off-site to remote locations they generally do not have access to a desktop with gui access to Cirrus for reference.

We have multiple admins that can and should be accessing Cirrus from various locations.  Being restricted to the 2 user RDP limit of Windows server reduces their willingness to quickly update / add / remove devices and run reports from our server.

Since this server utilizes multiple web-enabled applications a web-enable Cirrus application should be able to use another port address or url path.

Request for the new version.
    Please add in Orion's Report writer functionality.  Cirrus needs some assiatance there.
   

I was wondering if there was any update on this.  We're getting ready to roll NCM out and so far, I've been the only one using it but as it gets more visibility the other support personnel are going to need to access it.  We have it installed on the same server as NPM and EOC and our server group isn't real keen on the idea of giving out that much RDP access.