If you gotta problem, Yo I'll solve it: Using tools to solve network problems

1. If You've Got a Problem, Yo – I'll Solve It:
Using Tools to Solve Network Problems
Derek Engi
Network Management Engineer
North Carolina State University

2. Agenda

Network Monitoring and Management Tools

Making the Most of Free / Open Source Software

Real World Problems, Real World Tools

Questions and Discussion

3. Network Monitoring's Greatest Hits

NetDisco – Discovery & Inventory

Cacti – Graphing & Alerting

Splunk – Reporting & Analysis

4. NetDisco

Network Discovery Engine

Mix of Perl and PostGreSQL

CDP / SNMP Mappings of Topology

VLAN and Port Up/Down Manipulation

Our Authoritative DB for Other Applications

API! - Woohoo!

6. Cacti

Generate Graphs for Network Devices

PHP with MySQL Backend

Round Robin Database (RRDs)

Device / Interface Statistics

Plugin Architecture

Pseudo-API! - Pseudo-Woohoo!

7. Splunk

Fancy Log Indexer / Analyzer

Free Version and Commercial License

Applications / Plugin Architecture

Scalable and Awesome

Awesome API!

8. It Goes to 11...err Making Things Proactive

9. Case Study #1 – Trending Traffic

Conserving While Leveraging Building Fiber

Targeting Upgrade / Problem Child Area

Open Source Solution!
“My internet/backups/imaging software/$application doesn't run so hot.” Can we get
some additional bandwidth?

10. Case Study #1 – Trending Traffic

Thresholds to the Rescue!

Easy to Configure and Template Cacti Plugin

Alerting Functions

Endless Possibilities

Allows Tracking, Trending, and Review

Port-Channels Cheaper Than Hardware

13. Case Study #2 – Wide Scale Anomalies

Is Something Weird Happening in the DC?

We've Been Adding Port-Channels....

Whoa, Check the WeatherMaps!
“So why does it take our backups so long to complete?”

14. Case Study #2 – PHP Weathermaps

Open Source Cacti/Other Data Source App

Generate Large or Small Scale Snapshots

Integration w/ NetDisco

Getting back to our problem...Dude, something seems wrong.

17. Case Study #2 – Solution

HSRP Between DC Cores, equal cost paths advertised through
OSPF

Arp Cache, set to 2 hours

“I think I will forward this frame out all switch ports..yeah.....”.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

Changing the Arp and CAM timers to match fixes the problem.

18. Where Are We Going?

Utilizing NetDisco for Inventory, Idle Port Reports, VLAN
Management, etc.

Extending Cacti Graphs down to the LAN Admins, thresholding
more stuff, (IPTV,UPS')

Weathermaps – Unicast and Multicast Representation down to
the end-user

Splunk – Providing firewall access logs to appropriate parties via
Firewall Config Tool

19. Extending Management to the End User

Switch Admin Tool – VLAN Config, Port Descriptions,
Duplex/Speed Settings. View MACs on a port. Uses NetDisco,
Cacti.

Firewall Config Viewer – Extending visibility into the security side
of the network.

Extending tool functionality to other OIT groups via an API.

20. Links
NetDisco - www.netdisco.org
Cacti - www.cacti.net
Splunk - www.splunk.com
Cacti Plugins – www.cactiusers.org
PHP Weathermaps - www.network-weathermap.com

21. Questions? Comments?
Other Cool Tools You Can't Live Without?
Thank You!
Derek Engi
derek_engi@ncsu.edu