Network Visualization - Layer 2

This section describes extended support for Layer 2 devices in NP-View. This support was added in V6.0.

Layer 2 derived from layer 3 devices

This feature adds baseline support for Layer 2 visibility derived from Layer 3 devices.

Supported devices:

• Cisco IOS
• Cisco ASA

Layer 2 information is inferred from configuration, ARP, MAC, and Route data files. This data is automatically collected by the supported device connectors. Route data is loaded with the configuration file, while the ARP and MAC data can be added independently to views as auxiliary data.

If loading data manually, load only one configuration file at a time and include all Layer 2 data on the same import for proper file association.

Layer 2 Capabilities:

• Control the map from Topology Settings to display or hide Layer 2 Nodes / Links.
• Control the map to expand or collapse Layer 2 Networks and attached hosts.
• Search function to locate, highlight, and open the info panel of a Layer 2 node.
• View VLAN information on the node info panel.
• View Layer 2 / VLAN data in the interface table.

Layer 2 connections identified from Layer 3 devices are represented by a blue dotted line to a gateway.

To see the Layer 2 details, enable the 'Show Layer 2 Connections' from the topology settings.

Once enabled, Layer 2 networks will be displayed as teal clouds. Hosts / endpoints will be displayed as classic hosts.

Endpoints defined from Layer 2 communications will display the MAC Address where Layer 3 hosts will display a hostname or IP address. Only Layer 2 endpoints

with and IP address will be considered verified.

Clicking on the endpoint will display the info panel with the addition of the new VLAN section.

Note that Layer 2 topologies can get very complex very quickly.

Limitations:

• Duplicate L2 and L3 networks and endpoint may occur if there is no data tying them together.
• Layer 2 from Layer 3 can add a lot of data to the topology making navigation and topology save slower than usual.
• Path analysis does not apply to Layer 2.

Layer 2 from manually-populated, user-generated spreadsheet

There are cases where not all devices have a configuration file. This is common in Layer 2 switches. This feature adds baseline support for Layer 2 visibility from Layer 2 devices using a manually generated file.

A manually created excel data file called the common model is used to define a layer 2 switch and contains the following required fields:

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If the device name is of an existing firewall or router, the switch will be added to the firewall and the layer 2 connections.

If the device name is of a new switch, the switch will be added as a new switch with the layer 2 connections.

In both cases a license will be allocated to the L2 device.

Limitations:

• If the user makes input errors, the system will display what they typed.
• Users need to verify that the topology represents the data as they expect it. There is no way for NP-View to know the data is incorrect.
• This function allocated licenses to Layer 2 devices, if the user mistypes the device name licenses will still be used.
• Duplicate L2 and L3 networks and endpoint may occur if there is no data tying them together.
• No rules, objects or paths will exist for L2 switches.