SCP Exam Preparation Guide

Introduction_______________________________________________________________2
Exam sections_____________________________________________________________2
Network Management Fundamentals_________________________________________2
Objectives______________________________________________________________________________2
Study resources________________________________________________________________________2
Sample Questions______________________________________________________________________2
Network Management Planning_______________________________________________4
Objectives______________________________________________________________________________4
Study Resources________________________________________________________________________4
Sample Questions______________________________________________________________________4
Network Management Operations____________________________________________5
Objectives______________________________________________________________________________5
Study Resources________________________________________________________________________5
Sample Questions______________________________________________________________________5
Network Fault Per!orman"e #rou$les%ooting______________________________&
Objectives______________________________________________________________________________6
Study Resources________________________________________________________________________7
Sample Question_______________________________________________________________________7
Orion NPM 'dministration_____________________________________________________(
Objectives______________________________________________________________________________8
Study Resources________________________________________________________________________8
Sample Questions______________________________________________________________________8
Sample Questions with Answers_______________________________________13
1
)ntrodu"tion
!is e"am #uide provides an overvie$ o% $!at t!e Solar&inds 'erti(ed
)ro%essional *S')+ e"am covers, recommended study resources, and sample
-uestions to assist in preparin# %or t!e e"am.
!e Solar&inds 'erti(ed )ro%essional e"am is desi#ned to test a participant/s
e"pertise in 0et$or1 mana#ement utili2in# Orion 0)3 in a real $orld
environment. !e certi(cation is an industry standard tec!nolo#y cert, and
not a Solar&inds product cert. !is e"am $ill not certi%y you on Orion, but
$ill certi%y your 1no$led#e o% net$or1in# mana#ement topics and your ability
to implement t!em utili2in# Orion.
O4cial Solar&inds S') Site5 !ttp566$$$.solar$inds.com6certi(cation
Solar&inds t!$ac1 %orum5 !ttp566t!$ac1.com6%orums674.asp"
S') 8ntroduction video5 !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S')
8ntro.$mv
Exam se"tions
Network Management undamentals
O$*e"ti+es
:se and e"plain net$or1 mana#ement protocols *e.#. S03), S03)
raps, Syslo#, 8'3), 0et;lo$, etc.+
<evera#e 38=s, O8>s, and &38 per%ormance counters to dia#nose and
troubles!oot net$or1 problems
Stud, resour"es
&ebsite5
!ttp566$$$.solar$inds.com6certi(cation6learn_net$or1_mana#ement_%u
ndamentals.asp"
?ideos5
0et$or1 3ana#ement ;undamentals
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 1.@.$mv
8ntroduction to 0et$or1 3ana#ement )rotocols
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 1.1.$mv
:nderstandin# 38=s, O8>s, and )er%ormance 'ounters
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 1.2.$mv
2
Sample -uestions
A network engineer has been asked to monitor an Object Identifier (OID) using a custom
poller. The custom poller does not seem to be working, so the engineer takes a packet
capture from the router in uestion.
To best filter the capture data and determine if the router is sending information about
that OID, what would the engineer filter on!
A. destination I" address of the network management s#stem ($%&) and port
'()
*. destination I" address of the router and port '('
+. destination I" address of the network management s#stem ($%&) and port
'('
D. destination I" address of the router and port '()
,hen is $et-low data e.ported from a router to a $et-low collector!
A. when the router is ueried b# the $et-low collector
*. whene/er the router configuration is changed
+. when ten or more con/ersations ha/e started
D. when a T+" con/ersation is finished
,hile attempting to monitor a ,indows )001 &er/er using ,%I, a network management
s#stem is unable to pull the reuested /alues from the ser/er. "acket traces re/eal that the
reuests are making it to and from the ser/er.
,hat is the most likel# cause of the problem!
A. firewall rules
*. ,indows updates
+. ,%I /ersioning
D. ,indows permissions
2our network management s#stem ($%&) le/erages ,%I to uer# ,indows ser/ers for
status. 3ach of the ser/ers is a part of the same Acti/e Director# domain and utili4es the
same credentials for login and authori4ation. O/ernight, one of the ser/ers stops
responding to ueries from the $%&. A uick check re/eals that the ser/er is
9
otherwise running normall#.
,hat should #ou check or /erif# ne.t!
A. The &$%" ser/ice is running on the ser/er.
*. The ser/er has all a/ailable ,indows updates installed.
+. The ,%I ser/ice is running on the ser/er.
D. The ,%I user has read permissions allowed.
Network Management !lanning
O$*e"ti+es
ranslate business re-uirements into monitorin# needs, t!res!olds,
and Orion 0)3 con(#urations
>esi#n a reportin# system t!at meets t!e needs o% t!e various
sta1e!olders
>etermine monitorin# scope and impact on t!e net$or1
>etermine t!e impact o% net$or1 topolo#y on monitorin#
Stud, .esour"es
&ebsite5
!ttp566$$$.solar$inds.com6certi(cation6learn_net$or1_mana#ement_pl
annin#.asp"
?ideos5
0et$or1 3ana#ement )lannin#
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 2.@.$mv
Sample -uestions
A mana#ed service provider *3S)+ is plannin# to deploy a
net$or1 mana#ement system *03S+ to monitor multiple
customer net$or1s. !e 3S) must c!oose bet$een a centrali2ed
or distributed mana#ement arc!itecture.
&!at are t!e t$o most important %actors to considerB *'!oose
t$o.+
4
A. a/ailable bandwidth between the %&" and customers
*. total number of de/ices to be managed
+. choice of &$%" /ersion for polling
D. o/erlapping I" address space between customers
3. choice of &&5 /ersus 6"$ tunnel for communication
A s$itc! !as started to s!o$ recent '): spi1es and buCer
misses. 0o users !ave complained. Dou are able to telnet to t!e
device, but t!e device !as stopped respondin# to S03).
&!at is t!e most li1ely causeB
A. !ere is an S03)Ebased >enial o% Service *>OS+ attac1
on a server plu##ed into t!e s$itc!.
*. S03) !as been manually disabled.
+. !e s$itc! is #ettin# overloaded and !as deEprioriti2ed S03)
responses.
D. !ere is an 8) address conFict on t!e s$itc!.
,hich list of protocols is in order from lowest impact on network bandwidth to highest
impact on network bandwidth!
A. &$%", I+%", $et-low, ,%I
*. $et-low, I+%", ,%I, &$%"
+. I+%", &$%", ,%I, $et-low
D. &$%", I+%", ,%I, $et-low
Network Management "perations
O$*e"ti+es
Gnable devices %or net$or1 mana#ement
>etermine %uture capacity re-uirements
5
>e(ne, monitor, and report on S<As
Stud, .esour"es
&ebsite5
!ttp566$$$.solar$inds.com6certi(cation6learn_net$or1_mana#ement_o
perations.asp"
?ideos5
0et$or1 3ana#ement Operations
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 9.@.$mv
Sample -uestions
,hich t#pe of &#slog message indicates the lowest se/erit# le/el!
A. alerts
*. critical
+. debugging
D. errors
3. informational
-. notifications
,hich protocol is the most secure for establishing remote terminal access to a
s#stem!
A. Telnet
*. &$%"/)
+. &&7/)
D. &$%"/1
&!ic! aspect o% net$or1 monitorin# typically causes a net$or1
mana#ement system *03S+ database to #ro$ -uic1lyB
A. band$idt! utili2ation
*. 0et;lo$ collection
+. '): utili2ation
6
D. application per%ormance
,hich calculation should #ou use to filter out peaks in network utili4ation data!
A. &i. sigma
*. standard de/iation
+. 89th percentile
D. harmonic mean
Network ault # !er$ormance %rou&leshooting
O$*e"ti+es
>etect and veri%y net$or1 %aults
>etermine t!e scope o% t!e net$or1 %ault
'ollect and analy2e net$or1 monitorin# data to determine t!e cause
o% a net$or1 %ault
>etect and veri%y per%ormance issues
>etermine t!e scope o% t!e per%ormance issue
'ollect and analy2e net$or1 monitorin# data to determine t!e cause
o% t!e per%ormance issue
Stud, .esour"es
&ebsite5
!ttp566$$$.solar$inds.com6certi(cation6learn_net$or1_troubles!ootin#.
asp"
?ideos5
0et$or1 ;ault and )er%ormance roubles!ootin#
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 4.@.$mv
7
Sample -uestion
2our network management s#stem ($%&) indicates that a de/ice is down. As a
troubleshooting step #ou attempt to telnet to the de/ice, and #ou are able to
successfull# connect. 7owe/er, pinging the de/ice fails.
,hat should #ou do ne.t to troubleshoot this situation!
A. /erif# la#er ) connecti/it# to the de/ice
*. /erif# that the :down: de/ice can ping the $%&
+. /erif# that the I+%" ser/ice on the $%& is functioning
D. /erif# the &$%" communit# string for the de/ice
2ou ha/e recentl# started deplo#ing a new t#pe of router on #our network.
,hat should #ou do to ensure that the &$%" traps recei/ed from these de/ices
are correctl# interpreted b# #our network management s#stem ($%&)!
A. contact the router /endor for a firmware update
*. re/iew #our firewall rules to ensure the traps are not being blocked en
route
+. contact the router /endor for the latest %I*s and appl# to #our $%&
D. /erif# that #our $%& is using the correct &$%" communit# strings
2our compan# outsources +;% to a &aa& compan#. <sers are complaining that
the +;% is down. 2ou are able to /erif# that Internet connecti/it# is good and
that other Internet sites can be accessed. 2ou contact the +;% pro/ider and find
that none of their other customers are ha/ing issues. 2ou attempt to ping the I"
address from #our network management s#stem ($%&), but the ping fails. After
re/iewing recent changes to #our outside router=s configuration, #ou determine
that an access control list (A+5) update is causing the problem.
At which la#er of the O&I model is the problem occurring!
A. la#er '
*. la#er )
+. la#er 1
8
D. la#er 9
"rion N!M Administration
O$*e"ti+es
3ana#e accounts in Orion 0)3
>iscover and mana#e net$or1 elements *e.#. nodes, inter%aces,
volumes+ usin# Orion 0)3
'on(#ure and use t!e Orion 0)3 :niversal >evice )oller *:n>)+
'reate and run standard and customi2ed Orion 0)3 reports
'on(#ure an Orion 0)3 alert and veri%y t!e lo#ic
'on(#ure and mana#e Syslo# and S03) raps
'ustomi2e Orion $eb console
'ustomi2e Orion 0)3 custom properties, vie$s, and menu bars
'reate and maintain Orion 0)3 maps
Scale Orion 0)3 and optimi2e its per%ormance
8denti%y t!e $ays in $!ic! Orion 0)3 can inte#rate $it! ot!er
mana#ement products
G"plain t!e tec!nical capabilities and limitations o% eac! Orion module
<evera#e t!e e"pertise and custom resources on t!$ac1
Stud, .esour"es
&ebsite5
!ttp566$$$.solar$inds.com6certi(cation6learn_Orion_0)3_Administratio
n.asp"
?ideos5
Orion 0)3 Administration
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 5.@.$mv
Orion &eb Administration and 'ustomi2ation
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 5.1.$mv
3ana#in# >evices $it! Orion 0)3
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 5.2.$mv
Orion 0)3 Alerts and Gvents
7
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 5.5.$mv
3ana#in# Syslo# and S03) raps in Orion
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 5.6.$mv
Orion 0)3 Scalability and )er%ormance
o !ttp566solar$inds.s9.ama2ona$s.com6video6S') 5.1@.$mv
Sample -uestions
2ou need to create an account that can see onl# a subset of the nodes being
monitored b# Orion $"%.
,hat would #ou add to the account to make this possible!
A. account /iews
*. account limitations
+. account permissions
D. /iew permissions
One of #our network engineers is using both Orion $"% and 3ngineer=s Toolset.
The engineer cannot access the toolset from within the Orion ,eb +onsole.
,hat should #ou enable on the engineer=s Orion account!
A. Allow Administrator ;ights
*. Allow *rowser Integration
+. Allow "ass5ink
D. Allow Ad/anced +ustomi4ation
<ni/ersal De/ice "ollers (<nD") can be applied to which two object t#pes!
(+hoose two.)
A. nodes
*. /olumes
+. interfaces
D. applications
1@
3. monitors
,here should an alert be created for a <ni/ersal De/ice "oller (<nD")!
A. *asic Alerts %anager
*. <ni/ersal De/ice "oller
+. Orion ,eb +onsole
D. Ad/anced Alert %anager
,hat can be accomplished with the ;eport >rouping feature in ;eport ,riter!
A. limit the content of the reports
*. modif# the format of the reports
+. manage the distribution of the reports
D. schedule the distribution of the reports
2ou ha/e been asked for a report that shows the top 90 interfaces b# percent
utili4ation.
,hat is the most time?efficient wa# to create this report in Orion $"%!
A. create a new interface report and restrict to the top 90 using a filter
*. run the default top )9 interfaces b# percent utili4ation o/er different
timeframes
+. edit default top )9 interfaces b# percent utili4ation report and update to
the top 90
D. create a new ad/anced &@5 uer# report
2ou ha/e been asked to pro/ide reports on bandwidth utili4ation during business
hours for each of #our remote sales offices for the last month.
7ow should #ou design this report in Orion $"%!
A. pull all of the usage data and a/erage it b# month
*. pull last month=s usage data and sort it b# time of da#
11
+. pull this #ear=s usage data and filter b# month
D. pull last month=s usage data and filter out non?business hours
In Orion $"%, #ou want to send an alert to 3ngineer A first. If 3ngineer A fails to
acknowledge the alert within 10 minutes, #ou want to send the alert to 3ngineer
*.
,hich two settings must be defined to achie/e this t#pe of alert escalation!
(+hoose two.)
A. suppress this alert (Do $ot Trigger) when the following condition
e.ists
*. reset this alert when the following condition e.ists
+. e.ecute this action AA minutesBhoursBda#s after the alert
D. check this alert e/er# AA secondsBminutesBhours
3. do not trigger this action until the condition e.ists for more than AA
secondsBminutesBhours
-. do not e.ecute this action if the alert has been acknowledged
2ou ha/e added se/eral ,A$ routers from different compan# sites to a network
map and added a link line connecting the routers.
7ow do #ou displa# link status on an Orion $"% map!
A. drag and drop the status object on the link line
*. edit the link line and select the appropriate router interface
+. edit the router interface and enable 5ink &tatus
D. edit ;outer &tatus and enable the 5ink &tatus option
>urin# t!e plannin# process, $!ic! t$o %actors determine t!e
license level re-uired %or Orion 0)3B *'!oose t$o.+
A. total number of nodes
*. total number of +"<s of monitored de/ices
+. total number of users
12
D. total number of interfaces
3. total number of sites
19
14
Sample -uestions wit% 'nswers
A network engineer has been asked to monitor an Object Identifier (OID) using a custom poller.
The custom poller does not seem to be working, so the engineer takes a packet capture from the
router in uestion.
To best filter the capture data and determine if the router is sending information about that OID,
what would the engineer filter on!
A. destination I" address of the network management s#stem ($%&) and port '()
*. destination I" address of the router and port '('
C. destination IP address of the network management system (NMS) and port 161
D. destination I" address of the router and port '()
,hen is $et-low data e.ported from a router to a $et-low collector!
A. when the router is ueried b# the $et-low collector
*. whene/er the router configuration is changed
+. when ten or more con/ersations ha/e started
D. when a TCP on!ersation is finished
,hile attempting to monitor a ,indows )001 &er/er using ,%I, a network management s#stem
is unable to pull the reuested /alues from the ser/er. "acket traces re/eal that the reuests are
making it to and from the ser/er.
,hat is the most likel# cause of the problem!
A. firewall rules
*. ,indows updates
+. ,%I /ersioning
15
D. "indows permissions
2our network management s#stem ($%&) le/erages ,%I to uer# ,indows ser/ers for status.
3ach of the ser/ers is a part of the same Acti/e Director# domain and utili4es the same
credentials for login and authori4ation. O/ernight, one of the ser/ers stops responding to ueries
from the $%&. A uick check re/eals that the ser/er is otherwise running normall#.
,hat should #ou check or /erif# ne.t!
A. The &$%" ser/ice is running on the ser/er.
*. The ser/er has all a/ailable ,indows updates installed.
C. The "MI ser!ie is r#nning on the ser!er.
D. The ,%I user has read permissions allowed.
A mana#ed service provider *3S)+ is plannin# to deploy a net$or1
mana#ement system *03S+ to monitor multiple customer net$or1s. !e 3S)
must c!oose bet$een a centrali2ed or distributed mana#ement arc!itecture.
&!at are t!e t$o most important %actors to considerB *'!oose t$o.+
$. a!ai%a&%e &andwidth &etween the MSP and #stomers
*. total number of de/ices to be managed
+. choice of &$%" /ersion for polling
D. o!er%apping IP address spae &etween #stomers
3. choice of &&5 /ersus 6"$ tunnel for communication
A s$itc! !as started to s!o$ recent '): spi1es and buCer misses. 0o users
!ave complained. Dou are able to telnet to t!e device, but t!e device !as
stopped respondin# to S03).
&!at is t!e most li1ely causeB
A. !ere is an S03)Ebased >enial o% Service *>OS+ attac1 on a server
plu##ed into t!e s$itc!.
16
*. S03) !as been manually disabled.
C. #%e swit"% is getting o+erloaded and %as de/prioriti0ed SNMP
responses.
D. !ere is an 8) address conFict on t!e s$itc!.
,hich list of protocols is in order from lowest impact on network bandwidth to highest impact on
network bandwidth!
A. &$%", I+%", $et-low, ,%I
*. $et-low, I+%", ,%I, &$%"
C. ICMP' SNMP' "MI' Net(%ow
D. &$%", I+%", ,%I, $et-low
,hich t#pe of &#slog message indicates the lowest se/erit# le/el!
A. alerts
*. critical
C. de&#gging
D. errors
3. informational
-. notifications
,hich protocol is the most secure for establishing remote terminal access to a s#stem!
A. Telnet
*. &$%"/)
C. SS)!*
D. &$%"/1
17
&!ic! aspect o% net$or1 monitorin# typically causes a net$or1 mana#ement
system *03S+ database to #ro$ -uic1lyB
A. band$idt! utili2ation
+. NetFlow "olle"tion
+. '): utili2ation
D. application per%ormance
,hich calculation should #ou use to filter out peaks in network utili4ation data!
A. si. sigma
*. standard de/iation
C. ,-th perenti%e
D. harmonic mean
2our network management s#stem ($%&) indicates that a de/ice is down. As a troubleshooting
step #ou attempt to telnet to the de/ice, and #ou are able to successfull# connect. 7owe/er,
pinging the de/ice fails.
,hat should #ou do ne.t to troubleshoot this situation!
A. /erif# la#er ) connecti/it# to the de/ice
+. !erify that the .down. de!ie an ping the NMS
+. /erif# that the I+%" ser/ice on the $%& is functioning
D. /erif# the &$%" communit# string for the de/ice
2ou ha/e recentl# started deplo#ing a new t#pe of router on #our network.
,hat should #ou do to ensure that the &$%" traps recei/ed from these de/ices are correctl#
interpreted b# #our network management s#stem ($%&)!
18
A. contact the router /endor for a firmware update
*. re/iew #our firewall rules to ensure the traps are not being blocked en route
C. ontat the ro#ter !endor for the %atest MI+s and app%y to yo#r NMS
D. /erif# that #our $%& is using the correct &$%" communit# strings
2our compan# outsources +;% to a &aa& compan#. <sers are complaining that the +;% is
down. 2ou are able to /erif# that Internet connecti/it# is good and that other Internet sites can be
accessed. 2ou contact the +;% pro/ider and find that none of their other customers are ha/ing
issues. 2ou attempt to ping the I" address from #our network management s#stem ($%&), but
the ping fails. After re/iewing recent changes to #our outside router=s configuration, #ou
determine that an access control list (A+5) update is causing the problem.
At which la#er of the O&I model is the problem occurring!
A. la#er '
*. la#er )
C. %ayer /
D. la#er 9
2ou need to create an account that can see onl# a subset of the nodes being monitored b# Orion
$"%.
,hat would #ou add to the account to make this possible!
A. account /iews
+. ao#nt %imitations
+. account permissions
D. /iew permissions
One of #our network engineers is using both Orion $"% and 3ngineer=s Toolset. The engineer
cannot access the toolset from within the Orion ,eb +onsole.
17
,hat should #ou enable on the engineer=s Orion account!
A. Allow Administrator ;ights
+. $%%ow +rowser Integration
+. Allow "ass5ink
D. Allow Ad/anced +ustomi4ation
<ni/ersal De/ice "ollers (<nD") can be applied to which two object t#pes! (+hoose two.)
$. nodes
*. /olumes
C. interfaes
D. applications
3. monitors
,here should an alert be created for a <ni/ersal De/ice "oller (<nD")!
A. *asic Alerts %anager
*. <ni/ersal De/ice "oller
+. Orion ,eb +onsole
D. $d!aned $%ert Manager
,hat can be accomplished with the ;eport >rouping feature in ;eport ,riter!
A. limit the content of the reports
+. modify the format of the reports
+. manage the distribution of the reports
2@
D. schedule the distribution of the reports
2ou ha/e been asked for a report that shows the top 90 interfaces b# percent utili4ation.
,hat is the most time?efficient wa# to create this report in Orion $"%!
A. create a new interface report and restrict to the top 90 using a filter
*. run the default top )9 interfaces b# percent utili4ation o/er different timeframes
C. edit defa#%t top *- interfaes &y perent #ti%i0ation report and #pdate to the top
90
D. create a new ad/anced &@5 uer# report
2ou ha/e been asked to pro/ide reports on bandwidth utili4ation during business hours for each
of #our remote sales offices for the last month.
7ow should #ou design this report in Orion $"%!
A. pull all of the usage data and a/erage it b# month
*. pull last month=s usage data and sort it b# time of da#
+. pull this #ear=s usage data and filter b# month
D. p#%% %ast month1s #sage data and fi%ter o#t non2&#siness ho#rs
In Orion $"%, #ou want to send an alert to 3ngineer A first. If 3ngineer A fails to acknowledge
the alert within 10 minutes, #ou want to send the alert to 3ngineer *.
,hich two settings must be defined to achie/e this t#pe of alert escalation! (+hoose two.)
A. suppress this alert (Do $ot Trigger) when the following condition e.ists
*. reset this alert when the following condition e.ists
C. e3e#te this ation 44 min#tes5ho#rs5days after the a%ert
D. check this alert e/er# AA secondsBminutesBhours
21
3. do not trigger this action until the condition e.ists for more than AA
secondsBminutesBhours
(. do not e3e#te this ation if the a%ert has &een aknow%edged
2ou ha/e added se/eral ,A$ routers from different compan# sites to a network map
and added a link line connecting the routers.
7ow do #ou displa# link status on an Orion $"% map!
A. drag and drop the status object on the link line
+. edit the %ink %ine and se%et the appropriate ro#ter interfae
+. edit the router interface and enable 5ink &tatus
D. edit ;outer &tatus and enable the 5ink &tatus option
>urin# t!e plannin# process, $!ic! t$o %actors determine t!e license level
re-uired %or Orion 0)3B *'!oose t$o.+
$. tota% n#m&er of nodes
*. total number of +"<s of monitored de/ices
+. total number of users
D. tota% n#m&er of interfaes
3. total number of sites
22