NetXMS 5.0.5: open-source monitoring system that knows how to work with big-size maps

Major changes in network maps

NetXMS 5 brings several significant updates to network maps.

No need to manually save any more

First, forget about manually saving changes. Here’s the new process:

1. Click the “Unlock” button.
2. Move the nodes as needed.
3. Node movement is saved and refreshed automatically.
4. Click “Lock” to finish editing.

Now, the map locks itself, and you don’t have to remember to save anymore. Also, there will be no accidental dragging of objects when the map is in locked mode.

Customize your network links

Second, you can now personalize network map links. For instance, you can:

• Use dots for the line style.
• Make the line thicker.
• Move the line label postioning it on link.
• Create line styling script that will automatically set link styling based on the objects it connects.

Adjust the line styling for a specific link or for the entire map in the network map properties.

Convenient visualisation of big-size maps

Another significant update is the handling of large maps. Now, NetXMS maps have a defined size. The line around shows the map’s size.

Why is this crucial? With these size options, you can determine the extent of the network map background.

How it used to be

If you were working with a huge map with a lot of objects on it, before NetXMS 5, you were required to zoom out, then to choose automatic layout and then the system would normally spread it.

Improvements in NetXMS 5

Now, automatic layout takes into the consideration not just the area that you currently see, but the whole area of the map.

So you can conveniently work with the map that has a lot of objects, you can set really big sizes, and then it will all be properly extended.

This allows you to work with the large maps much more efficiently. The system will spread all nodes according to the full map size — not just the area that fits to a user’s screen.

Enhanced zoom functionality

Zoom functionality has also been improved. When you zoom in, labels and text zoom in as well. The same applies to zooming out. In zoom out, link labels extend slightly to remain visible. Previously, when zooming, labels were not adjusting.

Another cool feature in this release is the link styling script, which allows automatic styling of links on a network map, based on the objects it connects.

Think of automatic maps like Level-2 network maps or IP topology maps. Before, only links were created automatically. Now, with the link styling script, you can automate additional changes, such as adding data collection items or information on the links.

Change link colours

Another improvement is link color source. Before the last major NetXMS release, a user was able to set up the link’s color based on.

• interface status.
• interface objects.

And now additional option was added — based on the interface utilization.

To set this up, follow these steps:

1. Set the interfaces connecting the objects.

   

2. Then, you also need to configure a data collection item (DCI) with the traffic. This DCI should relate to the object and interpret as interface outbound/inbound traffic.

   

3. Choose the link line color option “based on interface utilization”.

   

Utilization will be automatically calculated for the interface, based on the configured DCIs.

Network map link will now indicate utilization status through color. Blue colour indicates that there is no utilization at all, while green to red will appear if bandwidth is fully utilized.

These are the main map-related features in the latest major NetXMS release. A large ISP requested and sponsored these features, improving data visibility. Now, all NetXMS users around the world can benefit from these updates.