Brocade Network Advisor

Basic information

• Model: Brocade Network Advisor (BNA) is a software management platform available in several editions: Professional, Professional Plus, and Enterprise.
• Version: The latest stable versions include the 14.4.x series, with 14.4.3 noted as the latest in a 2020 assessment. Specific maintenance releases include 14.2.1 (July 2017), 14.3.1 (December 2017), 14.4.1 (January 2018), and 14.4.2 (April 2018).
• Release Date: While specific major version release dates vary (e.g., 14.x on January 7, 2016), the product has been in use for approximately 15 years as of 2022, suggesting an initial release around 2007.
• Minimum Requirements: Varies by network size (small, medium, large) and specific configuration (e.g., Analytics Monitoring Platform).
• Supported Operating Systems: Primarily 64-bit Windows and Linux systems. Earlier versions supported x86 32-bit Windows and Linux, including Windows Server and Windows XP.
• Latest Stable Version: Brocade Network Advisor 14.4.x (e.g., 14.4.3).
• End of Support Date (EOS): February 8, 2022.
• End of Life Date (EOL): The EOL notification date was March 8, 2019. The Last Customer Ship (LCS) date was February 8, 2020. The End of Support (EOS) date was February 8, 2022.
• Auto-update Expiration Date: Not explicitly defined, but JRE versions used by BNA have expiration dates, requiring updates or workarounds.
• License Type:
  • SAN Professional: No charge, supports up to 1,000 switch ports and one fabric.
  • SAN Professional Plus: Licensed, supports up to 2,560 switch ports and 36 fabrics.
  • SAN Enterprise: Licensed, supports up to 9,000 switch ports and 36 fabrics.
  • IP Base: Licensed, supports multiple VCS fabrics and up to 50 IP devices.
  • SAN+IP Bundles: Previously offered, but new installations of SAN+IP bundles were not supported in versions 14.4 and later; separate SAN and IP licenses are offered.
  • A no-GUI SMI Agent client version does not require a license.
• Deployment Model: Software-based, typically deployed on a server with client access (local or remote).

Analysis: Brocade Network Advisor is a mature network management software that reached its End of Life and End of Support in early 2022. Its licensing model offered flexibility for different network sizes and functionalities (SAN, IP, or combined), though combined licenses were phased out for new installations in later versions. The software was designed for server-client deployment on standard operating systems.

Technical Requirements

• RAM:
  • Server (Professional Edition): 6 GB.
  • Server (Professional Plus/Enterprise Edition): 6 GB.
  • Server (with Analytics Monitoring Platform, 10 AMPs/100,000-200,000 flows): 64 GB.
  • Client (Remote Java Client, small network): 4 GB.
  • Client (Remote Java Client, medium/large network or with AMP): 6 GB.
• Processor:
  • Server (Professional/Professional Plus/Enterprise): 2 cores (1 physical, 2 virtual).
  • Server (with Analytics Monitoring Platform, 10 AMPs/100,000-200,000 flows): 48 cores (24 physical, 48 virtual); minimum two CPUs with six physical cores each.
  • Client (Remote Java Client, small network): 2 cores (1 physical, 2 virtual).
  • Client (Remote Java Client, medium/large network or with AMP): 8 cores (4 physical, 8 virtual).
• Storage:
  • Server (Professional/Professional Plus/Enterprise): 20 GB (small), 60 GB (medium), 80 GB (large).
  • Server (with Analytics Monitoring Platform, 10 AMPs/100,000-200,000 flows): 20 TB (SSD recommended).
  • Client (Remote Java Client): 1 GB (for AMP monitoring).
• Display: Not explicitly specified, but a graphical user interface (GUI) is a key feature, implying standard display capabilities.
• Ports: Network connectivity is essential for managing devices.
• Operating System: 64-bit Windows and Linux are generally required for server installations.

Analysis of Technical Requirements: Brocade Network Advisor's technical requirements scale significantly based on the size and complexity of the network it manages, particularly when integrating with the Analytics Monitoring Platform (AMP). While basic deployments require moderate resources, managing large-scale environments with AMP demands substantial RAM, high core count processors, and significant, high-performance storage (SSD recommended). This indicates a design capable of handling extensive data processing and real-time monitoring for complex network infrastructures.

Support & Compatibility

• Latest Version: Brocade Network Advisor 14.4.x (e.g., 14.4.3).
• OS Support: Primarily 64-bit Windows and Linux. Earlier versions supported 32-bit architectures.
• End of Support Date: February 8, 2022.
• Localization: No explicit information on localization support was found in publicly available documentation, suggesting primary support in English.
• Available Drivers: As management software, BNA does not use traditional drivers. Instead, it supports a wide range of Brocade Fibre Channel SANs (including Gen 5 and Gen 6 platforms, DCX Backbone family, VDX switches) and IP networks, as well as integration with third-party solutions like VMware vCenter and Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM). It also supports Emulex and QLogic adapters.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status: Brocade Network Advisor has reached its End of Support (EOS) date, meaning official vendor support, updates, and patches are no longer provided. While it offered broad compatibility with Brocade's own hardware and integrated with major virtualization and management platforms during its active lifecycle, its current status as an EOS product means users must rely on existing knowledge bases or third-party support for any issues. The lack of explicit localization information suggests it was primarily developed for English-speaking environments.

Security Status

• Security Features: Integrates with third-party solutions, supports policy-driven management, and provides configuration management capabilities to track and restore device configuration changes.
• Known Vulnerabilities:
  • CVE-2018-6445: Allows unauthenticated users to execute arbitrary code or export the user database, including encrypted passwords, in versions before 14.0.3.
  • CVE-2018-6443: Enables unauthenticated, remote attackers to log in to the JBoss Administration interface using undocumented credentials and install additional JEE applications in versions before 14.3.1.
  • Other unspecified vulnerabilities in Oracle Java SE components (e.g., CVE-2018-2579, CVE-2018-2588, CVE-2018-2663) related to sensitive information disclosure.
  • A "Sweet32" attack vulnerability (CVE-2016-2183) related to DES and Triple DES ciphers.
• Blacklist Status: System scans by the VA network indicated the technology was no longer in use and noted known NIST vulnerabilities.
• Certifications: Compliance with NIST standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS), was a requirement for use in certain environments like the VA.
• Encryption Support: Implied by the presence of encrypted passwords and vulnerabilities related to encryption ciphers.
• Authentication Methods: Relies on user credentials, with vulnerabilities identified in how these were managed or accessed.
• General Recommendations: Brocade recommended upgrading to newer versions (or newer) to mitigate identified vulnerabilities.

Analysis on the Overall Security Rating: Brocade Network Advisor has a concerning security history, with critical vulnerabilities identified that could allow unauthorized access, code execution, and sensitive data exposure. Given its End of Support status, these vulnerabilities are unlikely to receive official patches, posing a significant risk for any systems still running the software. While it aimed for compliance with standards like FIPS, the presence of unaddressed security flaws after its EOS date severely compromises its security posture. Organizations are strongly advised against using this software in production environments due to these unmitigated risks.

Performance & Benchmarks

• Benchmark Scores: Specific, quantifiable benchmark scores are not readily available for Brocade Network Advisor, as it is a management software rather than a performance-oriented hardware component.
• Real-world Performance Metrics:
  • Provides real-time and historical performance monitoring for SAN and IP networks.
  • Offers traffic analysis, including sFlow-based monitoring for application performance insights and identifying "Top Talkers."
  • Features customizable dashboards for at-a-glance summaries and proactive identification of problem areas.
  • Enables end-to-end visibility from data center edge to hosts and VMs, and across multiple fabrics.
  • Designed to reduce network downtime through proactive performance analysis and troubleshooting.
• Power Consumption: Not applicable as it is software.
• Carbon Footprint: Not applicable as it is software.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: Brocade Network Advisor is superseded by Brocade SANnav Management Portal and SANnav Global View. These newer solutions offer enhanced visibility, automation, and faster troubleshooting (e.g., identifying root causes in seconds compared to hours with older systems), leveraging modern data streaming and analytics for actionable insights.

Analysis of the Overall Performance Status: Brocade Network Advisor was designed to provide robust performance monitoring and analysis capabilities for complex SAN and IP environments, focusing on proactive issue identification and troubleshooting. Its real-world performance was characterized by its ability to offer comprehensive visibility, historical data reporting, and traffic analysis. However, its architecture and data collection methods (e.g., polling) are considered less efficient compared to its successor, Brocade SANnav, which utilizes data streaming for faster insights and automation. While effective in its time, its performance capabilities are now surpassed by more modern solutions.

User Reviews & Feedback

User feedback, as reflected in product descriptions and EOL announcements, highlights several strengths and implied weaknesses:

• Strengths:
  • Simplified Operations: Praised for its intuitive GUI and customizable dashboards, simplifying network management tasks.
  • Reduced TCO: Contributed to lower Total Cost of Ownership through proactive performance analysis and troubleshooting.
  • Unified Management: Provided a single platform for managing both Storage Area Networks (SANs) and IP networks, reducing the need for multiple tools.
  • Automation: Automated repetitive tasks and offered configuration management features, including wizards for various network components.
  • Integration: Seamlessly integrated with industry-leading management solutions like VMware vCenter and Microsoft SCOM, enhancing end-to-end visibility.
  • Proactive Management: Enabled administrators to proactively identify and resolve issues before they impacted operations.
• Weaknesses (implied by replacement product features and EOL reasons):
  • Complexity with Evolving Data Centers: The EOL announcement suggests it struggled to keep pace with the increasing complexity of data centers and new technologies like NVMe, PCIe 4, and Flash.
  • Data Overload: While providing comprehensive data, it may have led to administrators getting "lost in the data," indicating a need for more actionable insights.
  • Legacy Data Collection: Its reliance on polling for data collection is noted as less reliable and slower compared to modern streaming methods used by its successor.
  • Troubleshooting Speed: Identifying root causes could take hours, a process significantly accelerated by newer solutions.
• Recommended Use Cases: During its active lifecycle, Brocade Network Advisor was ideal for organizations managing Brocade-based infrastructure in data center, cloud, wired/wireless campus, and service provider environments, particularly for Fibre Channel SANs and IP networks. It was suitable for administrators seeking a unified view and proactive management of their network lifecycle.

Summary

Broadcom Brocade Network Advisor (BNA) was a comprehensive network management software designed to unify and simplify the management of Storage Area Networks (SANs) and IP networks. Available in Professional, Professional Plus, and Enterprise editions, it offered a range of features for monitoring, diagnostics, configuration management, and troubleshooting across Brocade's portfolio and integrated with key third-party virtualization and management platforms. Its strengths lay in its intuitive graphical interface, customizable dashboards, and ability to provide proactive performance analysis, contributing to reduced Total Cost of Ownership and improved operational efficiency during its active lifespan.

However, BNA has reached its End of Life (EOL) and End of Support (EOS) on February 8, 2022. This status is critical, as the software has known security vulnerabilities (e.g., CVE-2018-6445, CVE-2018-6443) that allow for unauthorized access, code execution, and sensitive data exposure. With no further official patches or support, continued use of Brocade Network Advisor poses significant security risks.

Technically, BNA required scalable resources, with large-scale deployments, especially those integrating with the Analytics Monitoring Platform, demanding substantial RAM, high-core processors, and high-performance storage. While it provided extensive performance metrics and historical data, its data collection methods were superseded by more modern, efficient approaches.

The product's evolution was driven by the increasing complexity of data centers, leading to its replacement by Brocade SANnav Management Portal and SANnav Global View. These successors offer enhanced capabilities, faster troubleshooting, and more actionable insights through modern data streaming and analytics.

In conclusion, while Brocade Network Advisor was a valuable tool for network management for many years, its current End of Life and End of Support status, coupled with unmitigated security vulnerabilities, makes it unsuitable for ongoing deployment. Organizations are strongly recommended to migrate to supported alternatives, such as Brocade SANnav, to ensure network security, stability, and access to current features and support.

The information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.