Press Contact: Jennifer Khadka
InterWorking Labs, Inc.
831.430.3610 x 30
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For Immediate Release

InterWorking Labs Announces "SilverCreek® Lite, the SNMP Tool Set”

Developers and testers on a limited budget can verify the basics of correct SNMP operation when testing their SNMPv1, v2c, and v3 agents.

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (October 15, 2002) - InterWorking Labs, developers of state-of-the-art tests for computer networking standards compliance, today announced SilverCreek Lite, the SNMP Tool Set.

SilverCreek Lite helps developers and testers on a budget check the very basics of their SNMP agent and its MIBs. SilverCreek Lite includes a MIB compiler, MIB Browser, MIB Walker, Notification monitor, SNMP Command Tool, Command Script Wizard, and Poll Tool.

Conventional network management applications gloss over or hide implementation errors in the SNMP agent. As a result, network administrators get incorrect data and reports, relying on that information to their detriment. SilverCreek Lite will exercise all the basics of an SNMP agent's functionality and provide far more effective coverage than conventional network management approaches.

"I am disappointed when I find out that a device was tested using only simple MIB browsers or managers because in many cases, easy to fix problems end up in shipping products. The problems can cause third party management applications to not be able to interoperate with the device. Or, even worse, these missed problems can result in expensive trouble shooting and down time to the user due to incorrect reporting of device status and statistics." said David Perkins, the well-known author of several SNMP texts. "Unlike these products, SilverCreek Lite won't hide or gloss over basic SNMP errors."

Some examples of SilverCreek Lite's verification:

• The MIB Compiler lists warnings on errors in private and standard MIBs.
• The MIB Walker shows objects that are actually implemented in the MIB, not just a diagram of what objects are supposed to be there. (There is also a MIB Browser that shows what should be implemented in the agent-based on the currently loaded MIBs.)
• Lexicographic ordering tests are automatically performed.
• The output from Command Script Wizard shows variable bindings to enhance debugging.
• The Notification Monitor checks the syntax of incoming traps and informs.
• The Packet Watch and Debugging tools (ASN.1 pseudo-code and hex dumps of sent and received packets) are included for debugging assistance.

In most cases where an organization has done the minimum implementation of an SNMP agent, the organization is most interested in quickly checking three areas: (1) running a series of SNMP command requests, (2) checking the value of objects over time, (3) and sending a trap or inform raising or clearing an alarm condition.

To address these needs, SilverCreek Lite provides: (1) a Command Script Wizard so that the tester can put together sequences of SNMP command requests and build scripts for re-use. (2) a Poll Tool that lets the tester see the values of instances of MIB objects over a given time interval to verify that the values are changing appropriately, and (3) a Notification Monitor that verifies that traps and informs are received. Additionally, there are many other tools, such as the MIB Compiler, MIB Browser, MIB Walker, and Command Tool.

"In my experience with network protocol testing fixtures, I've found that set up, configuration and learning the product requires 80% of the effort," stated Prabha Venu, a network quality assurance consultant. "With SilverCreek Lite, I was able to get things up and running quickly, navigate through the application, and build some simple scripts in the first hour."

SilverCreek Lite is available for Windows, Solaris, and Redhat Linux. Prices start at $995.

About InterWorking Labs

InterWorking Labs, developers of state-of-the-art products for computer networking standards compliance, provides solutions for testing and interoperability of network protocols. SilverCreek, the official SNMP Test Suite, verifies correct operation of SNMP agents and their standard and private MIBs. Boreal, the SNMP Vulnerability Test Suite verifies the robustness of network devices in the face of SNMP vulnerabilities. SilverCreek Lite, the SNMP Tool Set, checks that SNMP agents meet the minimum criteria.

InterWorking Labs has its offices at:

108 Whispering Pines Drive, Suite 115
Scotts Valley, CA 95066-4792
Voice:(831) 430-3610
Fax: (831) 430-9144
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
http: www.iwl.com