Device Manager is a graphical device management tool for configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting of individual switches.
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Introduction
Device Manager displays real-time views of switch configuration and performance. It simplifies configuration tasks with features such as Express Setup and Smartports that can quickly set up the switch and its ports. Use its graphical, color-coded displays, such as the Front Panel view, graphs, and animated indicators to simplify monitoring tasks. Use the alert tools to help you identify and 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 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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Front Panel View
The Front Panel view is a graphical display of the front panel of the switch and is always visible during the Device Manager session.
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. The 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 choosing a port mode from the View list on the Front Panel view or by clicking the Mode button. The meanings of the LED colors are described in the Legend.
To display the information of another switch in the
stack, choose a stack member number from the Stack list.
Move the pointer over a port to display specific information about the port and its status. The speed and duplex modes 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 the link speed for the copper uplink port whether or not the port is active. Depending on the model, the Type field also displays either the type of Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) module installed or Empty if a module is not installed.
The Mode field displays Managed if the switch has an IP address or if you are managing the switch remotely. If the switch does not have an IP address or if you are managing the switch through a physical connection between your PC to one of the switch ports, the Mode field displays Direct Managed. The Mode field 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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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 Device Manager. For more information about the gauges, indicators, and graphs, see Dashboard.
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Toolbar
 |
Refresh |
Updates the
information displayed on the Front Panel view, the graphs, and the configuration
and monitoring windows.
Note: Using the Refresh option from your browser reloads Device Manager and clears the graphs. If you want to update (not clear) the graphs, click Refresh. |
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Print |
Prints 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. |
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Smartports |
Displays
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. |
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Legend |
Displays 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. |
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Help |
Describes the Device Manager features and 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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Menus
Dashboard
The Dashboard is the primary window for monitoring overall switch and port conditions.
The Front Panel LEDs also provide information for monitoring the switch and its ports.
Configure Options
The Configure menu provides options to set up the basic network settings for the switch and its ports and to restart and to reset the switch.
Monitor Options
The Monitor menu provides options to display status and detailed run-time statistics every 60 seconds or when you click Refresh.
The Front Panel LEDs also provide information for monitoring the switch and its ports.
Maintenance Options
The Maintenance menu provides an option to start a Telnet session.
Network Assistant
The Cisco Network Assistant window provides a link to the Cisco Network Assistant website on Cisco.com from where you can download this network management application to the switch.
Active Advisor
The Cisco Active Advisor window provides a link to the Cisco Active Advisor website on Cisco.com from where you can download this service application to the switch.
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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 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.
When you first display Device Manager, it displays a message that asks if you want a secured session with the switch. Choose Yes to use the Device Manager
in secure 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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