Cisco® Active Network Abstraction (ANA) provides service providers and other carrier-grade network operators with a comprehensive network management solution for IP next-generation networks. Cisco ANA includes automated discovery, monitoring, event association, and root-cause analysis. Cisco ANA supports all major Cisco service provider network elements, as well as a wide variety of network technologies including Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), Carrier Ethernet, and Cisco Unified Radio Access Network (RAN) Backhaul reference architectures.
Benefits
Cisco ANA offers comprehensive functions in element, network, and service management with the following key benefits:
• Best-in-class deep multilayer technology support: Discovery, topology visualization, and monitoring of all aspects of MPLS/IP, Carrier Ethernet, and Unified RAN Backhaul architectures
• Element management system (EMS) for all major Cisco device and OS families: CRS-1, 7600, ASR 9000, ASR 1000, Cisco IOS® Software, Cisco IOS XE Software, Cisco IOS XR Software, and more
• Integrated networkwide and servicewide fault monitoring and fault analysis
• Standards-compliant information model and northbound interface for integration
• Carrier-class scale and performance
• Field customizable and extensible with built-in tools, partner programs, and Cisco Advanced Services
New in Cisco ANA Release 3.7.3
• Lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for high availability deployments: New, documented, and verified integrated solution with the Red Hat Cluster Suite for local redundancy and embedded solution for geographical redundancy, for Linux servers, reduces ANA deployment and maintenance cost.
• Improved scale: Five times increase in the number of devices in a Carrier Ethernet network managed by a single ANA instance and a 67 percent increase in the configuration archive rate.
• Better usability: Enhanced map options with improved layout, selection, and navigation capabilities.
• Enhanced configuration and image management: Better control of job completion, ability to edit a configuration backup copy before restore, and extended device coverage.
See Table 1 for additional new features and enhancements of Cisco ANA.
Table 1. Enhancements and New Features of Cisco ANA.
Enhancements and New Features
Description
Benefits
Lower TCO for high availability deployments
Integrated local redundancy solution with Red Hat Cluster Suite
• Integrated solution with Red Hat Cluster Suite (customer supplied) for gateway local redundancy
• Dual-node cluster to protect the gateway processes and database server
• Applied when gateway is deployed on a Linux server
• Integrated option in system installation
• Simplified installation and maintenance of gateway local redundancy solution
• Reduced cost
Embedded geographical redundancy solution for Linux platforms
• Embedded Solution for gateway geographical redundancy
• Includes a redundant single-node secondary site to provide failover in case of a failure at the primary site
• Gateway and database data is constantly replicated between the two sites.
• Applied when the gateway is deployed on a Linux server and the embedded database is used
• Integrated option in system installation
• Eliminates the license cost for replication software
• Simplified installation and maintenance of gateway geographical redundancy solution
Improved scale
Number of managed devices in Carrier Ethernet networks
• Five times increase in number of devices in Carrier Ethernet network by a single instance of ANA
• Reduce capital expenditures (CapEx) associated with multiple instances
• Enable end-to-end management
Configuration and image management scale
• 67% increase in configuration archive rate
• Decrease the time required for maintenance work
Better usability
Enhanced options in Cisco ANA network vision maps
• Additional zoom level with more device details displayed
• Selection and dragging inside thumbnail
• Additional layout options
• "Quick view" of multilayer link information
• Appropriate level of details according to zoom level
• Better control on organizing the display of multilayer service
• Easy and fast access to link information
Configuration and image management enhancements
Configuration archive
• Edit configuration archive and deploy
• Additional flexibility in configuration and change management
Job management
• Job completion notification to email recipient
• Allow operators to receive job results remotely
Additional devices
• Additional ANA device support
• Expand the benefits of configuration management automation to more devices in the network
More Information
Download the latest release of Cisco ANA from http://www.cisco.com/go/ana and discover the benefits of this powerful solution with a no-cost, 120-day evaluation license.
