6.0 Base Lining:Baselining is the process of measuring network parameters such as network traffic, error packets, overall usage etc. Establishing a baseline when the network is performing normally enables to troubleshoot any problems introduced at a later stage. Baselining also enables network managers to plan the network expansion based on the current trend. Network monitors are useful establishing a baseline.
7.0 Cisco Network Management Tools:
Important Cisco network management tools that you need to know
are:
1. Cisco Works (includes CiscoView)
2. Netsys
3. TrafficDirector
4. VlanDirector
5. WAN Manager
Note
that, CiscoView is bundled with CiscoWorks. CiscoView is also available
as a standalone product.
CiscoWorks: CiscoWorks is
an important network management product from Cisco. It provides
graphical view of Cisco device panel displays, allowing easy fault
recognition and diagnosis. CiscoWorks uses SNMP (Simple Network
Management Protocol) for monitoring and control of SNMP capable
devices on a network. One of the big advantages of CiscoWorks is
that it can be seamlessly integrated with third party SNMP network
management platforms such as HP OpenView.
CiscoWorks is available in four versions:
1. CiscoWorks
Blue - suitable for integrated IBM SNA and IP environments.
2. CiscoWorks Windows - A PC-based network configuration and
troubleshooting tools. Suitable for small to medium size networks.
3. CiscoWorks Switched Internetwork Solutions (CWSI) - Suitable
for campus LAN management. Include VlanDirector, TrafficDirector,
and CiscoView.
4. CiscoWorks2000 - A web based network management
suite.
Note that CWSI contains TrafficDirector application as
an integral part.
Netsys: Netsys is a suite of simulation
based design and troubleshooting tools. These tools allow designers
to plan the network and see the network behavior before committing
the designs or changes to the actual network.
TrafficDirector:
By using TrafficDirector in conjunction with the embedded RMON agents
allow us to measure traffic utilization, error rates, and other
statistical parameters on any selected port(s).
VlanDirector:
VlanDirector is a Cisco VLAN management tool. Given below are salient
characteristics:
1. Graphical interface
2. Drag and drop functionality
for assigning users to VLANs
3. Enables configuration, management,
and monitoring of Cisco switches and routers.
4. VlanDirector
can be integrated with common SNP management platforms.
WAN
Manager: WAN Manager provides easy configuration, management, fault
detection of wide-area multiservice networks.]
8.0 Buffers:
The following are some important terms with respect to buffers:
1. Hits: This is the count of successful attempts to allocate
a buffer when required.
2. Misses: This is the count of buffer
allocation attempts that resulted in increasing the buffer pool
for allocating a buffer.
3. Trims: This is the count of buffers
released to the system because they were not being used.
4. Created: This is the count of new buffers created in response
to misses. Note that this field is displayed only for dynamic buffer
pools, not for static buffer pools (ex. interface buffer pools).
5. Failures: This is the total number of allocation requests
that have failed because no buffer was available. This will result
in loss of datagram.
9.0 Ethernet:
Runts: This is the number of packets that have been discarded
because they are smaller than the medium's minimum packet size.
For Ethernet, a packet size of less than 64 bytes is considered
a runt.
In the given example, there are 342 runts per 133+
million bytes. This is more than one runt per million bytes, which
is acceptable. Therefore, it is likely that the network is experiencing
excessive collisions.
Giants: This is the number of packets
that have been discarded because they exceeded the maximum allowable
size of the medium. For Ethernet, a packet size of more than 1518
bytes is considered a giant.
10.0 Some important Cisco IOS show commands:
The command 'show cdp neighbors' displays information about the
Cisco devices directly connected to the router.
The command
'show cdp neighbors detail' provides additional information including
network-layer protocol information.
The command 'cdp run'
enables CDP. Note that CDP is enabled by default. To disable CDP,
use the command 'no cdp run' in the global configuration mode.
The command 'show ip route' displays the entries in the routing
table. The routes are displayed by a preceding protocol keyword.
Some of the protocol keywords are:
I -IGRP; E - EGP ; B - BGP
; O - OSPF ; I - IGRP; R - RIP
The network address of the remote
network, the address of the next router to the remote network, and
the interface through which the remote network can be reached are
provided for each route in the output. This command is widely used
for diagnostic purposes for troubleshooting the routing table entries.
<--Previous 0 1 2 3 4 5 Next-->
Please visit our sponsor:
