Network Weathermap
version 1.1.1 (20040422)
Panagiotis Christias, p.christias@noc.ntua.gr


1. Description

The network weathermap displays in a visual way the utilization of
network links. The required data are acquired from graphs created
arrows on a map representing the logical topology of the network.
The resulted image is presented in a web page using extra DHTML and
JavaScript code for web-over pop-ups, based on the OverLib JavaScript
library. The image can be automatically generated via cron.

 
2. Required software

The network weathermap is written in Perl programming language. It is
using the GD perl module for opening, manipulating and writing image
files. The GD module requires the Gd Graphics Library (libgd). The Gd
Graphics Library requires several libraries like freetype, libjpeg,
libpng and libz.

The current version of the network weathermap does not do any SNMP data
acquisition but relies on MRTG for that task since MRTG does it in a
simple and effective way. MRTG stores the values of the last SNMP query
as HTML comments within the HTML file that creates for each network link:

  <!-- maxin d 128563 --> <!-- maxout d 29795 -->
  <!-- avin d 17219 --> <!-- avout d 18115 -->
  <!-- cuin d 11369 --> <!-- cuout d 19663 -->
  <!-- avmxin d 23106 --> <!-- avmxout d 18598 -->

The network weathermap retrieves the HTML files directly from the file
system or remotely from a specified web server using GNU wget, parses
them and uses the current in and out values (cuin d and cuout d values)
to generate the map.


3. Installation and configu