Four Pakistani students from Sir Syed University Karachi have developed a user-friendly, easily manageable software with graphical user interface to configure/control a variety of large-scale cisco routers, which are usually controlled/configured through command line.
Ilyas Ghichki, Obaid Shakeel, Muhammad Nabeel and Syed Tabish Abbass from Telecom department of Sir Syed University developed this software as their final year project which, according to them, will simplify the process of configuring routers – that are essential part of today’s computer networks.
Ilyas Ghichki, while speaking with ProPakistani maintained that system has been tested and implemented successfully for different series of Cisco routers.
Ghichki told me that command line interface or even the graphical user interface that comes with Cisco devices is hard to understand, making it tougher for network administrators to remember the command or usage. He claims that this first of its kind solution will ease down the process of network configuration.
The Cisco IOS software, operating system for routers, is a complicated real-time operating system consisting of multiple sub-systems and tens of thousands of possible configuration parameters on command line, which are hard to remember resulting into potentially high rate of error in configuration and maintenance. Cisco offers certifications to those who gain expertise in router configurations for designing a computer network.
Developed on Visual C# .NET, this software provides GUI platforms for various types of configuration for entire series of Cisco routers. It includes the configuration for all interior routing protocols and all types of most common used tools for large scale routers, especially those that are deployed at ISPs.
Illyas said that this was a final year project, but they have plans to enhance the functionality before floating this software into market for commercial usage.
Below are few screenshots of the software.
MashAllah brilliant, again nice effort by Pakis.
I know some people prefer GUI interfaces to routers, but I think if you are a large organization, you’d prefer the commandline. Reason? It is easy to write scripts that connect to several hundred or thousand routers and switches to run commands or reconfigure them. It is very hard to script GUI interfaces.
My Salute to these students…. this is what major ISPs looking for using CISCO.
It means the work will be easy to do :).
Congratulations on doing a nice job.
Wonderfull effort . thumps up guys
Developed over .Net platform (C#), how can it work on non-windows based platforms e.g. Linux, etc, where most of the networked systems e.g. servers are configured?
Exactly what I was thinking but it is a good student project we can expect excellent from those guys but for the time being I think they can compile on some opensource C# compiler to make it work on linux.. Im not sure :p
Hopefully it will run with mono?
I think they have used remote windows machine first you need to connect with router via IP address after that you will be able to remotely configure router via Windows Machine.
Yes, The idea was same to configure router remotely at any place
Really Brilliant work!
If they put all basic and advanced configuration, they can easily market this product and earn alots of revenue.
Only thing is proper planning.
nice effort, but a serious networks guy would hardly ever use a GUI.
I doubt that this software can be a commercial success. It is a good final year project, but that is basically it. From the screen shots provided, it looks like an attempt to redo the Cisco Device Manager, which was an old GUI interface for Cisco routers.
Brilliant!
good but command line is always better then GUI remember this and dot.net mean its for windows base where good companies use Linux which stronger in security then windows.
Best OF luck To those Student
Woooww Main be CCNa Kar Raha hoo :)
Have you guys never heard of Cisco SDM
yar my first thought was the one you written on ur comment. :)
We already have a software called SDM which is a complete solution
i thnk we should explore first and then put effort on products rather, Reinventing the wheels.
Good Job.
Though that’s one fugly UI, I’d prefer command line over this anytime.. :P
Good work !
First version is never perfect.
Great work
great effort SSUETIANs
This is something a must share !! Nice work
gr8 work guys proud to be SSUETIANs
this final year project is from class 2008
class 2009 also developing some high profile project wait n see coming updates :D
Please correct the name its syed tabihs abbas not syed tabish ilyas
This is all bogus,Simple USE CISCO SDM or cisco configuration professional Tool for GUI with HELP features.
No need to Reinvent the Wheel
Those who are calling the UI Fugly etc…are jealous of this great job, if you prefer command line over GUI then you are backward idiots. I prefer GUI over command line because it saves time and is a lot easier to remember. I am sure this is the first version and it will enhance more. So, guys just take a chill pill and quit being jealous and applause for these smart gentlemen.
Dear SFH
GUI is time saving but it really depends what you are configuring/Troubleshooting.
GUI is already developed by CISCO ,CISCO SDM (Retarded) and cisco configuration professional Tool .
Why sSUETIANS are reinventing the Wheel
lol :p keep it Higher ;) current GUI is not as good, that need to be posted here… GUI IS ART :)