Ramp V1.1 Help

Table of Contents

If this is your first time using this application you are encouraged to take a few minutes to review the entire help contents, but if required you can quickly locate most common functions in this Quick Start section.
 


Overview

This application is a component of the Ramp system and is targeted at network administrators and support staff.  It gives them the ability to lookup and/or maintain their assigned subsets of the data contained in the Ramp database. The concept of logical views has been used to represent an assigned subset of data.  To minimize maintenance views are assigned to groups not directly to users.  To support our diverse environment multiple views can be assigned to a single group and a single view can also be assigned to multiple groups   This setup allows the application to control data accesss by determining which views to display based on a user's group membeship.
 

About Logical Views

A logical view is an object that contains hosts, domans, ranges and pools.  In most cases a view will correspond to a unit, department, facutly but can be any subset of the Ramp database.  Views are created and maintained by the Ramp administrator.
 

Hosts
A host is the most commonly used view object as a host equates to anything that has a network card (mac address) including workstations, portables, servers and network devices and the intent is to register all hosts used on campus into the Ramp database.   Note the network card address (mac) is used as the primary host key.   It is important to understand that corresponding dns/dhcp records are dynamically added, modified or deleted in sync with host maintenance as hosts are the source for dns/dhcp data.

Dynamic and static hosts are supported.

Dynamic hosts are those hosts which use dhcp and do not need to retain  the same ip number and host domain name.  In most cases they can and should be used for client systems.

Static hosts are those hosts which need to retain the same ip number and host domain name.  They may or may not used dhcp.  Most non client hosts will be static hosts.

Domains
A domain(s) are assigned to a view and gives the network administrator rights to that part of the UWO domain tree.

Ranges
A range as the name implies is a set of assigned ip numbers.  Static ranges are available to assign to static hosts while dynamic ranges consists of numbers reserved for dynamic hosts.

Pools
A pool is basically a list of hosts (mac addresses).  They allow administrators to maintain their list of dynamic hosts and are used to identify which macs are allowed on a dynamic port.
 
 
 


Quick Start


About The Search Utility
This utiltiy is used for for adhoc database lookups.  It is the generally the quickest way to determine if a host is registered, who a host is registered to, if a user has a registered host, to lookup host details, etc.

About View Folders
View folders in the tree panel provide structured access to view objects. (Hosts, domains, ranges and pools)

Maintaining View Objects
Refer to this section if you need to add, delete or modify a host or subdomain.

About The Logs Utility
Several logs are available to assist troubleshooting.

TroubleShooting
Need some help refer tho this section.
 
 
 
 
 


The Search Utility

This utility is designed to adhoc access data in the Ramp repository.

Currently that access is limited to 5 methods to search for hosts.  Each one will update the Search Results folder will the results and display number of matches in the message panel.  Click on any one of the entries in the search results folder to display the details for the entry.
 

By Mac Address

Macs (network cards) addresss  are stored in the database as 12 character strings.  Note rhere are no seperators.

This method supports a % sign prefix or suffix as a wildchard.  However the more exact the search the faster the results so it's worthwhile to be more precise.

eg:
00c0f0123002     - will return a list with one mac
00c0%                 - will return a list of all macs starting wih 00c0.
%f2                      - will return a list of all macs ending will f2
 

By IpNumber
This method will lookup a static host by ip number. (Currently no wildcard.)

By Host Name
This method will lookup a static host by the host domain name. (Currently no wildcard)

By Registered To Student or Employee Number
This method will lookup hosts by the student number or employee number. (Currently no wildcard)

By Registered To UWO Userid
This method will lookup hosts by a person's UWO userid.  (Currently no wildcard)
 
 



 

View Folders

The first entry in the tree panel will contain a group or view folder.  A group folder contains multiple view folders.
Each view folder will contain a hosts, domains, ranges and pools folder.   Navigation is typical.

The hosts folder
-contains a static and dynamic subfolder
-both contain a list of hosts by their corresponding mac number
-clicking a host entry will display the host detail

The domains folder
-contains one or more domain trees assigned to the view
-clicking on a domain will display the domain detail

The ranges folder
-contains a static and dynamic ranges subfolder
-the static and dyanmic range folders can contain multiple subfolders
-each static subfolder contains an allocated and a free subfolder
-clicking on an allocated ip number will display corresponding host details
 

The pools folder
-contains multiple pool subfolders
-each pool folder contains a list of hosts by their corresponding mac number
-clicking on a host entry will display host details


Maintaining View Objects

Using the applicable view folder in the tree panel.

Adding Static Hosts
-click the Static subfolder in Hosts folder or click an ip number in a Free subfolder of a Static Range
-click the New Button to bring up a new host detail panel

Required
-type in a mac number
-type userid of host in the registered to field
-type name of host
-naviagte the domain tree and highlight the domain suffix then click the domain name field
-if need to override the default ip number navigate to a free ip number and click the ip number field
 

Optional
-click dhcp for a static dhcp host
-select an operating system
-supply a comment
-click the custom tab and add custom text

Save or Cancel
If you click Save the host will be saved and a new host detail panel displayed.
You can add another host or click cancel when your finsihed adding hosts.
 
 

Modifying A Static Host
-lookup and display host details
-you can do this via a search or clicking on a host or allocated ip number in a view
-click the Modify Button.
-make changes
-click Save or Cancel

Deleting A Static Host
-lookup and display host details
-you can do this via a search or clicking on a host or allocated ip number in a view
-click the Delete Button.
 

Adding Dynamic Hosts
-click the Dynamic subfolder in Hosts folder
-click the New Button to bring up a new host detail panel

Required
-type in a mac number
-type userid of host in the registered to field
-type name of host
-naviagte the pool tree and highlight the pool assign button

Optional
-select an operating system
-supply a comment
-click the custom tab and add custom text

Save or Cancel
If you click Save the host will be saved and a new host detail panel displayed.
You can add another host or click cancel when your finsihed adding hosts.
 
 

Modifying A Dynamic Host
-lookup and display host details
-you can do this via a search or clicking on a host in a view
-click the Modify Button.
-make changes
-click Save or Cancel

Deleting A Static Host
-lookup and display host details
-you can do this via a search or clicking on a host in a view
-click the Delete Button.
 

Domains
-coming soon


The Logs Utility


Three logs are available to assist in troubleshooting.
 

The Poller Log
This log is used to track which macs are active on ports and record security events.

-select the log
-select number of lines
-select type of search
-enter search argument
-click the Go button
 
 

The Dhcp Log
This log is used to  help troubleshoot dhcp problems.
ie: Use it to determine if dhcp requests are being received from a host.

-select the log to user
-select the number of lines
-enter a search argument
-click the Go button
 
 

The Trap Log
Traps are used to auto unlock ports when linkup/linkdown is detected on the port.

Search the trap log to determine if traps are being received and processed correctly.

-select the building.
-select the network device.
-select the log to use.
-select the number of lines to return.
-enter a search argument.
-click the Go button.


TroubleShooting


Static Hosts
Static hosts with hard coded ip numbers tend to be problem free.  Use the Test functions on the Host detail panel to confirm the dns lookups for the host works and that the device can be pinged.  Static dhcp hosts do rely on the dhcp server.
 
 

Dynamic Hosts
 

Dhcp
Confirm the server is seeing dhcp requests from the hosts by searching the dhcp logs.
 
 
 
 


The Ramp Application

The ramp admin application is a distributed java rmi application.
 
 

The Ramp Application Window

The Ramp admin front end consists five basic components.
 
 
  • a menu bar
  • a button bar
  • a tree panel
  • a detail panel
  • a message panel

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    The Menu Bar

    The fixed menu bar display at the top of the application window provide access to the infrequently used functions.
     
     

    NOT SUPPORTED YET!!!

    File Submenu
    Reports Submenu
    Utilties Submenu
    Help Submenu
     
     
     


    The Button Bar

    The dynamic button bar provides access to all common functions.  As you use the application you will notice the button bar is dynamic in that buttons not applicable are hidden to avoid misuse.

    Search        - displays the search panel.
    Logs           - displays the log utility panel.
    Refresh       - updates the tree panel to reflect changes made in the detail panel
    New            - display an applicable detail panel for the current selected item in the tree panel.
    Modify        - changes a detail panel to update mode.
    Delete         - deletes the records corresponding to the display data
    Cancel        - cancel out of a display panel without saving changes
    Save            - saves an added or modifed data based on the displayed panel
     
     
     
     
     


    The Tree Panel

    The tree panel is designed to provide structured access to data in the Ramp repository via the use of folders.

    The main tree consists of a view or group folder, a locked folder and a search results folder.

    View Folder
    The view folder contains a subset of the Ramp repository organized as a set of folders.

    Hosts
    Domains
    Ranges
    Pools
     

    Group Folder
    Contains multiple view folders.
     

    Locked Folder
    Contains two subfolders used to list macs and ports which have locked due to security, abuse or harware problems.
     

    Search Results Folder
    Displays folders listing results of a search request.  Refer to the search function.
     
     
     
     


    The Detail Panel

    It should be no surpise the dynamic detail panel is used to display the various ramp database objects.
  • Hosts
  • Domains
  • Ranges
  • Pools

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    The Message Panel


    The message panel displayed at the bottom of the application window is used to display status and error messages.