EV Observe - Monitor Network Traffic
The network enables both data transmission and access to services by internal and external users. As such, the monitoring of network traffic is essential for ensuring that the infrastructure works correctly at all times and for maintaining the availability of services.
Monitoring is performed at two levels.
- Detection of network issues using dedicated service templates that check the most important indicators of the network.
- Analysis of bandwidth usage and resource usage.
Detection of network issues
Technical network issues can be fatal and impede or compromise access to services.
Network monitoring is performed using dedicated service templates that check technical indicators linked to interconnect interfaces via the health status of services and dashboards.
Monitoring using dedicated service templates
You can use four templates to detect network issues.
- SWITCH-Network_Plus
- SWITCH-Network_traffic-InterfaceName_Plus
- SWITCH-Network_traffic-InterfaceName_Plus_SNMPV3
- SWITCH-Network_traffic_Plus_SNMPV3
Role of the templates
- They measure the usage of network traffic for each interconnect interface and indicate the speed and data volume sent or received since the last system startup.
- They collect data on the interface status, the number of packets in error and rejected as well as the actual speed of the card.
- They send notifications when the thresholds defined for the number of packets in error and rejected are exceeded, or when the actual speed of the card is different from the one expected.
How to configure the templates
See How to use service templates dedicated to the monitoring of network traffic
How to analyze traffic
Once the templates have been deployed, the service will return the interface status and information as well as metrics for each of the indicators.
Monitoring via the health status of services
You configure the health status of services once you have set up monitoring for the network hosts and interconnect interfaces.
The modeling enables you to quickly identify the network interfaces and hosts that are at the root of network issues or degradation.
example Health status of services for a network architecture based on a three-tier hierarchical network model
- Description of the architecture
- Description of the health status of services monitoring redundant interconnect interfaces at all levels
- Modeling of network degradation due to a general issue with the DIST_2 distribution switch
Monitoring via dashboards
Dashboard charts are used to integrate elements from the health status of services associated with a list of statuses and indicators for interfaces.
Analysis of bandwidth usage
The monitoring tool provides a detailed view of network traffic so that you can identify the users, applications and protocols with the highest bandwidth usage.
This analysis enables you to define bandwidth usage strategies in order to optimize the cost ratio related to Internet access and ensure sufficient bandwidth for strategic services and applications.
Depending on the technology adopted, you can use two dedicated service templates to configure dashboards for monitoring bandwidth usage.
Procedure: How to use service templates dedicated to the monitoring of network traffic
1. Go to the Web app.
2. Create a new service template.
- Select Configuration > Services > List in the menu.
- Click + Add in the Mode: Box tab.
3. Specify the information below.
General information tab
- Service template: Select the relevant template.
- Name: Enter the name of the new service to be created. Its name should correspond to the event to be captured.
example Link Down
Availability and checks tab
- Specify the information on the template.
- Interface number: ID or name of the interface to be monitored.
- Traffic IN warning/critical threshold: Warning and critical thresholds for incoming traffic, expressed as a percentage.
- Traffic OUT warning/critical threshold: Warning and critical thresholds for outgoing traffic, expressed as a percentage.
- Unit: Output unit, expressed in kilobytes (k) or megabytes (m).
- Bandwidth: Allocated bandwidth, expressed in megabytes per second.
- The value is used for calculating the usage of incoming and outgoing traffic.
- If the field is unspecified, usage is calculated based on the detected interface speed.
- Packets in error: Threshold expressed in the number of packets.
- A critical warning will be sent when the number of packets in error exceeds this threshold.
- Rejected packets: Threshold expressed in the number of packets.
- A critical warning will be sent when the number of rejected packets exceeds this threshold.
- Interface speed: Speed expressed in the selected unit, i.e. kilobytes, megabytes or gigabytes.
- A critical warning will be sent when the detected interface speed is different from the one specified in the field.
4. Click Validate.