Network Monitoring
Datapoint provides network monitoring solutions that can either be purchased outright and run internally or commissioned as a service and run by one of our network partners.
Network monitoring in converged networks requires more comprehensive tools and capability than those used in traditional data only networks. Issues of internal and external security threats combined with the need to maintain robust operational capability means that real time visibility of bandwidth, devices and voice/video paths are vital.
Any issues need to have real time visibility to support staff in terms of high level views down to individual device level for rapid troubleshooting. In combination with clear escalation policies and monitoring capability that allows teams to anticipate as well as react to performance issues, organisations can then stay in control of the greater operational complexity that occurs when all forms of traffic are converged into a single network infrastructure.
These types of monitoring systems are vital when voice and data is combined as there is only so much the quality of service (QOS) functions can achieve. Such systems can monitor, configure and diagnose a network from a single information system.
SLA Management Across The Full Network
Effective monitoring and management of the network path involves establishing clear class of service (CoS) parameters. At the outset, a critical element of IPT infrastructure design, is ensuring that CoS is available throughout the network and that external carriers will also keep that quality of service throughout the network.
Priority voice traffic is the most critical area. Delay should be absolutely minimal, at less than 80 milliseconds . Throughput errors should also be absolutely minimal, with a packet loss of less than 2% although the goal should be less than 1% to ensure voice quality. Jitter should be less than 30 milliseconds.
Real-time video is subject to similarly tight parameters. Voice is often integrated with video sessions, meaning that video is a real-time application with almost exactly the same characteristics as voice. Delays are therefore very apparent to users.
Individual Device Monitoring
Individual devices must be monitored in real time. Their utilisation is monitored to ensure that thresholds are not exceeded which can impact application performance. IP SLA tools individually monitor devices, their network path and performance taking MoS testing into account and other metrics relating to each of the devices as well as their interdependencies. Such methodology ensures smooth functioning of the whole network.
IP SLAs measure jitter, packet loss, latency and quality of service across the voice path. To ensure the service level agreement, data flow needs to be scrutinised in both directions
This entails connectivity testing to ensure visibility and basic availability of all individual IP devices. When video is being used on the network, the same parameters must be run again, specifically for that application.
Real-Time Voice Path Management
In addition to real-time device monitoring, the optimum support model also involves scrutiny of the voice path. Understanding where issues occur and why they occur is best enabled through tracking the entire voice path as it moves from handset across local and inter site networks to reach another handset. This involves bandwidth and security issues from gateways, routers & firewalls as part of the voice path.
The issue to manage here is that some segments of the voice path are easier to monitor and manage than others. Core devices such as the IPT phone, the edge LAN switch and the core LAN switch are physically located within a company’s own infrastructure so support and access monitoring of this type of device are functions that frequently already exist within the organisation.
Furthermore, they are within the organisation’s physical realm of control, so if re-configuration or network changes are required, the organisation has both ease of access and the capabilities to undertake them.
The difficulties arise in supporting and managing the IPT network where the management and device ownership lie outside a company’s own physical environment and responsibility. In the case of a managed wide area network solution, it is extremely unlikely that the company owns the edge wide area network router which will be owned by the carrier. A managed carrier solution limits and precludes any direct access to the device which means that a company has no ability to support or monitor the device.
Therefore the optimum strategy, to minimise any problems that may arise, is to complement the tools already being used internally to manage devices. This involves setting up full network path monitoring whilst also implementing policies to allow interaction with carriers and external partners, who can provide solutions in areas which a company is unable to monitor and manage itself.
Real-time voice path management again involves looking at the MoS score for jitter, latency, and packet loss, across the whole data path through all the devices which serve it. If any network segment fails the MoS test because an individual device is not correctly configured (e.g. a switch mistakenly being set at half duplex speed) then the whole network will fail the test, so granular diagnostic capability is crucial.
Real-Time Bandwidth Utilisation Monitoring and Recording Bandwidth management is another key area for ongoing monitoring. Initial forecasts for a converged network have to take into consideration the combined peaks and troughs of both data and communication users. However as more bandwidth hungry applications find their way onto corporate networks, keeping abreast of actual use versus forecasted use becomes more important.
In all probability bandwidth budgeting and reporting will need to become part of corporate planning to raise awareness of the issue and business functions will then look to IT staff for support in helping them forecast and monitor their own bandwidth consumption. This is therefore another important criteria to consider this when looking for a monitoring solution.
Equally bottlenecks and congestions can easily build at cross over points within WANs and MPLS networks and so these points in the network topology need special attention.
Datapoint has extensive experience in network monitoring and in conjunction with our partners can provide fully converged network monitoring solutions.
Partners
