Recent Changes in Iris

CITES > Iris > changes

The Iris interface has had a substantial facelift, providing many more options for users to search, sort, and control items.

New in Iris 5.3:

Port security for all switches

With version 5.3, Iris can now set port security options on all three types of switches on campus (HP, Cisco, and Foundry). The Port Security scenario provides more information.

However, due to differences between the three models of switches, version 5.3 also introduces some new known issues with port security behavior and Cisco and Foundry switches.

Editing port security on a switch re-enables the port after a shutdown due to a violation

In previous versions of Iris, a port was not re-enabled until the Reset or Enable buttons were clicked. In this version, the port security is checked as soon as a change is made. This means that as soon as you make any change to a port's security configuration, Iris re-enables the port and checks the port traffic against the new port security configuration.

If the new port security configuration matches the port traffic, the port is left enabled.

If the port traffic does not match the new port security configuration, an intrusion is detected and Iris will either filter or disable the port based on the configuration set.

Simplified page header with state memory

In previous editions of Iris, every page began with a fairly large table providing user information and details about the contents of the current page view.

Version 5.3 simplifies and condenses this user information table, providing a customizable set of views. (This illustration shows the top of the screen for the three most useful options: Hide Details with My Networks, Hide Details with My Switches, and Show Details with My Switches and a particular switch selected.)

The new options include the "Hide Details" view (to save screen space), the "Show Details" view (to provide information such as the make, model, and location of a selected switch), and a choice of first-view pages.

If you prefer to search by networks, click the "My Networks" link in the user information table. You'll be taken to the My Networks view, and whenever you log in from the same computer and same browser, you'll return to the My Networks screen.

Likewise, if you prefer to search by switches, click the "My Switches" link in the user information table. You'll be taken to the My Switches view, and will log in to the My Switches view.

New in Iris 5.2:

Port security (HP switches only)

On HP switches, you can designate up to eight permitted MAC addresses per port and deny any other MAC addresses attempting to use that port. More specifics are available in the Port Security scenario.

Navigation tabs and Zoom In/Zoom Out

You can select or filter a group of ports and use the Zoom In button to focus on those specific ports, then use the navigation tabs to see different information about the selected ports without needing to go back to the full listing of all ports and re-select them. Clicking on a tab performs the same function as clicking the Zoom In button. When you're done working with the specific sub-group of ports, clicking the Zoom Out button will return you to a full list of ports.

New in Iris 5.1:

Instant port enabling and disabling features in more views

In the old Iris interface, you could only enable and disable ports from the "Change Port" window.

The new interface provides an Enable/Disable button to allow this control from more views, including "Port Status Overview" and "Current MAC Addresses."

You can also use the existing menu-driven options in the "Edit Port Settings" view and use its Commit Changes button to apply a collection of edits to any number of selected ports at once.

Links to Contact Manager and campus maps

From the "My Switches" view, you now have instant access to both the switch's entry in Contact Manager and the campus map of the building's location.

To view the switch's Contact Manager entry, click on the [CM] link to the right of the switch name.

If a building is identified for the switch and the building is located on the campus map, there will also be a [MAP] link to the left of the building's name.

Port counts in many views

In most of the locations where the former Iris interface identified only the name of the network, the new interface identifies both the name of the network and the number of ports on the switch that belong to that network.

Search, sort, and navigation tools

There are many new search, sort, and navigation tools in Iris. Several are clustered at the top of column views:

Others are distributed throughout the interface, including more lateral links, more MAC address search options, and more MAC-related data.

Two of the Iris scenarios provide more details about the new features and their uses.

Making the most of the search, sort, and navigation tools:

• Sort arrows for many columns
• Text filters that restrict the view to rows that match the text pattern you provide
• Tool tips to indicate what a link or image will do

Searching for MAC addresses:

• MAC address search option added to the My Switches and My Networks views
• More lateral navigation links, allowing you to easily switch views among the "Port Status Overview", "MAC Addresses", "Logged Changes", and "Detailed Port Status" views for a port or collection of ports
• Tables that display MAC addresses and also display the registered manufacturers of the network device associated with that MAC addresses