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Just when you thought
it couldn't get any better - here comes netViz 7.0.
You won't want to
miss out on these great new features (the following list assumes you
already have a good working knowledge of netViz):
netViz 7.0 adds powerful new functionality that extends its ability to make complex system relationships easier to understand by adding to an already powerful feature set further automation and ease of use. The following feature set description assumes that you already have a good working knowledge of netViz software.
Enhanced Data-Driven Graphics
netViz has added powerful new capabilities to help your organization automate many of the IT and business related documentation tasks. One of the new features is the ability to have a single object be represented by different graphics depending on its data value. In the past, separate graphic and data fields associated with that graphic had to be created to match each resource, such as a router. For example, since Nortel, HP, Cisco, and 3Com routers have to be represented by a different graphic, four different objects had to be created in the catalog. Chances are they have the same data fields; the only difference is the graphic. For the above example, a single object is created called “Router” and includes a data field that identifies the manufacturer and model number. When that field is populated-either manually or from an external database-netViz will automatically supply the correct graphic. Additionally, netViz 7.0 allows for the graphics to change fill color, line color, line thickness, blinking status, rotation, or as described above show an entirely different graphic, dependent on data values.
Macro Fields
Until now, each embedded graphic data field in netViz was the equivalent of a database field - a single value. With netViz 7.0, we introduce macro fields - essentially embedded data fields that can be set to calculate compound values or fetch data from elsewhere in the project. These Macros are powerful because they add automated intelligence to the netViz projects. For example:
- Calculate the cost of a hardware configuration by adding all the costs in objects having a “cost” field.
- Identify a node's parent or child(ren).
- For a Reference Node that is a port, display the name of the switch that the port belongs to (its parent) or the actual parent site (parent's parent).
- For a link, display the name of the starting or ending node.
- For a collection of numeric values, display the sum, average, minimum or maximum.
Alert Mechanism
netViz's ability to link to external data sources allows updates of the netViz visuals based on critical and time-sensitive information. One such example might be netViz linked to network monitoring software that shows the status of network resources. When a device is down, based on the data change in the network management database, netViz can automatically turn the device graphic red and/or flash it in the netViz display.
In netViz 7.0 this feature has been extended to show upward propagation of alarms - alarms propagating up the hierarchy of a multi-level project.
Until now, there was not an easy way to create a high-level business view of critical infrastructure components. This new features allows selected visual overrides to propagate up through the project to warn when a critical situation needs attention. For example, in a network, if a router goes down, netViz can cause all of the router's parents and ancestor nodes to blink, so that a user who opens the project will see a blinking site, containing the down router.
This capability is not only valuable in network management applications, but also other applications such as monitoring business processes. When a low-level business process generates an alarm, the alarm can propagate to the top level, notifying that an issue exists immediately, with the ability to drill down to the issue. The netViz alert mechanism provides a great way to supply critical information in a high level view.
Multi-criteria Search & Search for Unconnected Links
netViz 7.0 expands querying capabilities significantly by supporting unlimited multi-criteria searches. For example, in a single search you can look for all PCs of vendor Dell, with less than 256 MB of RAM purchased for more than $2,000, and located in the New York site. Furthermore, all searches are saved, so that building complex queries is done only once. In additional to having the ability to build complex queries, the result of the searches can now be exported as a comma separated file for further analysis and reports. Finally, you can use the new netViz 7.0 search capabilities to find all the links in a project that are not connected at both ends.
New Graphics Database
In netViz 7.0, the graphics database has been revamped to make it easier to use. This includes a drag-and-drop palette with a tree and dropdown list filter to select categories of graphics to display. In addition, the graphics database is included with the netViz CD, and is displayed as a separate window on the desktop.
Spelling Checker
netViz 7.0 allows spell checking of projects. It can perform spell checking of text in diagrams and also provides the option to spell check the embedded data fields in diagrams. The netViz spell checker provides ultimate flexibility, allowing you to set preferences, create custom dictionaries and perform actions across a whole project or one word at a time.
Rich Text
This new feature allows the user to combine multiple fonts, sizes, and colors within a single free text block on a diagram.
Double-Click Behavior by Type
netViz 7.0 provides the ability to set one double-click behavior (what happens when you click on an object) for multiple objects of that type. For example, this feature can be used to set every Cisco Router to open a Cisco support page, when the icon is double clicked. Setting this double click behavior by type will automatically be inherited by every instance of that type throughout the netViz project.
Larger Page Size
In netViz 7.0 larger print sizes are supported, so that printing to plotters and other large documents can be accomplished. Automatic Notification that Project is Available for Editing
Most desktop-based productivity tools do not allow multiple simultaneous users to edit the same file on a network. When one user is editing a file, that file is read-only to everyone else who accesses it. In netViz 7.0, users wanting to edit a project will be notified when the first user exits and makes the netViz project available to others for editing. This feature is especially beneficial to organizations that have more than one person working on the same netViz project.
Full Screen Mode
Full screen mode is great for presentations of netViz projects. With a single click the netViz toolbar can be removed, along with the hierarchy browser and inspector fields if desired. This allows the audience to focus on the diagram alone. Reference Nodes Alternate Label Positioning
Sometime the information needed to display on the diagram for a graphic object (node) is different than the data needed when that object is displayed as a reference object (reference node). netViz 7.0 offers the option to set displayed fields differently for a graphic, depending on whether the graphic is a real object (node) or a reference object (reference node).
Custom Labels
In netViz 7.0 you can use embedded data field names to go along with the graphic object, essentially creating custom and automated labels for some of the graphic objects. This feature tremendously eases display field setup. For example, from the display fields window in the catalog, custom labels can be set up to show up with that graphic type. For instance, you may want to use a custom label that reads ‘bandwidth'. You can use one of the embedded data fields (inspector fields) that is the bandwidth to display the actual bandwidth.
Recent File List
Similar to the MS-Office application, when File is selected from the menu, the most recent five files used are listed.
Z-order Change for Multiple Objects
In netViz 7.0 multiple objects can be selected and moved to front, or moved to back in the diagrams. This is especially helpful when multiple objects are overlying each other. This feature can be used to bring a whole set of objects to the front view, or move them to the back.
New $keywords
Additional data import directives have been added to netViz 7.0 to allow more automated control over diagram layouts which include print templates, variables for handling inter-diagram link filtering, background, etc.
Password protection
If more than one person is accessing a netViz project, now an optional password protection is available. The netViz project file can be protected with two levels of password – Open-Project and Administrative.
Export Usability and Performance
Export capabilities of netViz have been improved in netViz 7.0. Usability of exporting to Powerpoint has been improved as well maintaining the double-click behavior. Also, export to Visio has been improved to provide higher quality drawing output, as well as greater export speed.
Drag & Drop Graphic
In netViz 7.0 graphics can be dragged from virtually anywhere and dropped into the netViz projects not only as a node, but also as free graphic or a background.
Paste Special Option
NetViz 7.0 allows a paste of text to be RTF, plain text, or WMF formats. netViz 7.0 new features pdf
To download a .pdf file about new features from netViz 6.0, click here.
To
test drive netViz 7.0, contact sales@dstream.com.au
Click
here to download the new 7.0 demo.
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