Paessler PRTG - UVnetworks & Feature Unlocking Complete Network Visibility

UVexplorer, developed by UVnetworks, conducts rapid and comprehensive network exploration, producing automated network diagrams that effectively illustrate the architecture and interconnectivity of your network. It encompasses both wired and wireless components, as well as virtual infrastructure, with detailed port-level information.

In this write-up, Paessler AG aims to explore five different ways you can utilize UVexplorer to your advantage. Please note that there are numerous other features that you can explore on your own. You should to try them out.

#1: Perform network discovery

When you first install UVexplorer, one of the primary configurations you will need to set up is discovery. This process involves identifying available devices on your network using Ping and ARP. You can perform auto-discovery on an ad-hoc basis or schedule it according to your requirements.

Ping and ARP will help you to identify available devices. However, if you want to get more details about devices, such as system information, or if you want to capture them, you would need to specify credentials, for example, SNMP, SSH, HTTPS, PRTG, etc.

In one of my discoveries, UVexplorer found 356 devices, including switches, routers, Wireless APs, Windows, and others. If I navigate to one of these groups, I see a list of available devices and their detailed system information.

Discovered network devices.

#2: Export discovered devices to the PRTG device tree

Once you finish the initial network discovery, you can export discovered devices to the PRTG device tree. By exporting them to the device tree, UVexplorer will create the group and add devices and corresponding sensors to them. During the export procedure, you will need to select your target PRTG Core server, group name, and sensors you want to add.

Export discovered devices to the PRTG device tree

The procedure takes between a few seconds to a few minutes, depending on how many devices you want to export and how many sensors you would like to add. In the screenshot below, you can see a list of successfully exported switches from UVexplorer to the PRTG device tree. As I previously stated, UVexplorer added SNMP sensors to those devices.

Devices are successfully exported from UVexplorer to PRTG

#3: Create layer 2 network mapping

What to do with the discovered devices? When UVexplorer has finished auto-discovery, it creates a layer 2 network map. In computer networking, layer 2 refers to the second level of a communication protocol, which is called the Data Link Layer. This layer is responsible for controlling how data is transmitted over physical connections in a network, such as cables or Wi-Fi signals.

In other words, UVexplorer will show how your network devices are connected via switches/routers. To see the map, you need to navigate to Devices and then click on Map.

Network map

#4: Export network map to PRTG

UVexplorer offers API integration with PRTG through the PRTG Connector, which enables you to export UVexplorer maps to PRTG and load it in the PRTG Map Designer. Once exported, you can customize the map by adding sensors that display the health status of various network devices.

Besides exporting the map to PRTG, you can also export it to Lucidchart (web-based diagramming application), PDF, SVG, and Microsoft Vision.

Once you export the map from UVexplorer to PRTG, it will appear in Map Designer and it may look like this.

Export network map

Once you export the map from UVexplorer to PRTG, it will appear in Map Designer and it may look like this.

PRTG map imported from UVexplorer

#5: Capture and compare config

UVexplorer can also provide you with network configuration management. That means you can capture and back up your running and startup-config on your network devices.

By using a feature called “Capture Config” you can capture the running and startup configuration on your network devices such as switches and routers. Before doing it, you need to specify SSH credentials.

Capture Config is available under Tools.

Capture Config

Once you are done, you can compare running and startup configurations using the Start vs. Run feature, accessible under Tools. In the screenshot below, you can see how old the startup and running config is and if there is any difference between the two.