OmniVista 2500 v4.1.2R02 Experience?

[jpoley]

We are upgrading from OV 3.5.6 to OV 4.1.2 and I was wondering a few things from folks who have the later versions which use the Web interface instead of the thick client.

* Which platform are you using (Windows or CentOS OVA)?
* How is the new interface working for you?
* Was the transition easy?
* Any gotchas about the transition, install, or new platform?

Thanks in advance

[silvio]

Hi Jason,
I have installed some OV4.1.x at different customers. Mostly OVA, sometimes Server 2012.
OVA - you don't need a MS license. But there are some restriction: you must write the start-license key digit by digit (no copy and past possible). You have no access to the folders (where f.e. the backups from your switches are stored). For update to a newer release you have to install new and have to use restore/backup. So in most cases Windows is the better way. At that time OVA only works with ESX.
you can make backup at your old installation and restore than in the new one. description for the right way you find in installation guide and release notes.
the new interface is looking better than the old one. But for the next months there are still the mostly (and most important) applications running in Java (in a lot of own windows). That is nervly.... But our customers did unterstand and accept that.
regards
Silvio

[devnull]

I use Windows, the OVA is nice to install (though it takes a long time till all servies are up. Updating the ova is (was?) stupid: create a backup, install a new OVA & re-apply backup. Plus you loose the possibility to access your Switch configs
"\OmniVista 2500NMS\ov2500server\data\resourcemanager\snapshots" as it is (currently) as in the old Windows Version. the OVA only has a FTP Server to a directory where the backups are created.

Advantage of OVA:: you do not need a Windows licence

edit: i have a customer that runs the ova under hyperv, so ESXi is not mandatory (but maybe the only certified installation)

I am (at the current stage) not to fond of the new Omnivista.

The Gui is better in HTML5 as it was in Java, unfortunately only parts have been rewritten to HTML (mainly Locator and Access Guardian2 aka Unified Access). All the rest (Resource Manager, Topology, Notifications) that i tend to use most often are still Java, resulting in lots of Java Pages popping up with Security Warnings all over the place.

In the last build SFlow/Analytics was introduced, which can be a nice feature, but as of now it only gives management-level diagrams (means some global overview) and no ways to drill down into these sflow data.

Gotchas: Java Security all over the place, way more resource hungry then 3.5.X. You'll need 4.X when you have 6860/6900-Q32/X72, but in my eyes (as every management software of every vendor *looking at you cisco prime* ) it is work in progress and the first version(s) tend to consist mostly of visions/dreams of what will be implenented in the future.

Still it is not worse than 3.5, so you can use it (and probably have to with 6860).
You can alway buy the starter pack for 10cent and try!

[jpoley]

Thanks so much for your advice and information. It really helps to advice from someone other than the sales engineer.

Cheers,