What is the best Cisco Router Configuration and Management Tool?

When it comes to network monitoring and management tool, options are rich – and often overwhelming. After a few months of installation recommended tools, or even often forget what what to do and how to use them. And I know I'm not the only one.

Cisco routers and switches in my weekly column, I introduced a tool frequently, and can indicate to improve and streamline the management of Cisco routers and switches and configuration. I heard from readers about their own experiences and favorite tools, it often inspires me to write something a little more convenient option.

But for now, I want to create a generic Cisco management tool that should be in every administrator's Toolbox, list, need your instructions. Readers, what can't you live without?

Before you answer, let us look at some of the tools discussed in the past:

• Automatically change your Cisco routers and other
• Learn the benefits of Cisco Security Device Manager (SDM)
• Using the open source community for Cisco specific management tools (don't forget to Nagios and cacti).
• Construction management unit with the Cisco network Assistant
• Learning without Cisco administrators should not, what are the three tools

All of these are great tools, and there are many out there. For example, SolarWinds engineer's tool set with CiscoWorks?

But how many Internet tools you can really do? How many tools you have installed your actual use has been done? Reality is that although there are many useful tools that you can use, we always adhere to the tried, true choice.

For me, just install Syslog server (Kiwi), TFTP server (tftpd32), SSH/Telnet client (SecureCRT), network monitoring (WhatsUp), Protocol Analysis (Wireshark/Ethereal) and network performance tools (PRTG), I'm exhausted. It can be hard to remember what all the tools, and how they work--and even harder to get them to the latest version of the date. In a more complex tool, you may need a class or a great book to learn how to use the tool.

My Start menu is so complete, it began to take over my 19-inch monitor, and when I click Start. Why do we need so many tasks?

I can't be the only one to be overwhelmed by all of these tools, but less time. Here is what I want to know:

Tools do you use?

The key tools, what do I have left?

Is there a tool, you feel like you are really "do it all," or that it is not realistic?

You pick up your CiscoWorks, right? It was really "do it all"?

If you were trained in management, the new administrator on the network configuration and troubleshooting, you might say, what are these three tools to use?

I want to hear you! Jump into the discussion of this article, and weigh your ideas and experiences. As it was, to be able to do what you need to do everything on the use of only the Cisco IOS network. Reality is that additional tools are necessary. However, because too much of the available tools, challenges faced by selecting the correct tools.