frame relay monitoring 2

[wybnormal]

:::I need an application to monitor a frame network? The objective is to analyze bandwidth usage.::

I broke this out of the thread since I think it could use it's own thread.

I have a few different ways to monitor frame relay. It comes down to hhow much detail would you like. Some providers like SBC/Pacbell have a web based frame relay monitoring system you can buy into that provides data directly from their switches. it's about a day old but great for building trendlines and to get a snapshot of what is happening. I do not think Verizon(GTE) offers anything like this.

You can get a varity of SNMP tools that can use the router's MIBs to give port statisics and sometimes more frame specific stats.

NAI Sniffer has an optional pod that will let you hook straight into the frame circuit and get the raw frame packets and build your own graphs for that link.

Many routers like Cisco offer a command line that if properly used, can dig up good statistics about frame counts, FRECN, BECN, PVC status and so on.

There may actual frame monitoring software but I suspect it's specialized to the switch rather then the end users.

Mike S
"Diplomacy; the art of saying 'nice doggie' till you can find a rock" Wynn Catlin

 

[Guest_imported]

nice forum!

but when your ISP is saying it's the LAN broadcasting and you are saying you can't find any traffic is there a downloadable to monitor traffic over the subnets.

I get a nice 47ms response from Ireland to UK site on Concert but it keeps timing out for up to 20 seconds every so often. If I could find if a machine is actually broadcasting it would be excellent

 

[wybnormal]

Almost all routers will let you look at gross level packet traffic on the in bound and out bound. A better way would be to use a sniffer that you can insert into the output of the router. I happen to use the snifferbook and a V.35 Y cable that gives me access to the raw data stream. Yet another way that just popped into my head would to be something akin to Cisco's "debug" command and debug either protocol in question, the port and routing activity to try to see what is hitting the link.

Most of the router commands do not need a downloaded toy. there are two downloads that might help. Solarwinds has a bandwidth monitor that will let you look at the load on the port. Castlerock has a good SNMP/RMON tool to pull up more detailed stats but neither will tell you *what* kind of packet it is. That is where the Sniffer comes into play or using the Debug commands on the router.

Mike S
"Diplomacy; the art of saying 'nice doggie' till you can find a rock" Wynn Catlin

 

[Guest_imported]

cheers, out with the books and conjuring up rusty router commands for me so!!!!

 

[jeter]

Debug frame-relay
As a telco employee I have learn that you can test the circuit a few ways. I have a electrodata test set and a new TTC GUI based software which gives a accurate report of data. The router itself is a good tool, and if you can connect directly to the NIU ( the span ) and monitor its functions. Choose the best application for you, and run with it. Good Luck !!! #-) Jeter@LasVegas.com Remember to pass Cisco's CCNA you need at least an 849 to pass!!!

 

[talisker]

The only way to actually see what kind of traffic (apps, destination, source, etc.) is to put a RMON-WAN probe between the router & the DSU. This will enable any SNMP-based monitoring application (ie Network Health) to get very detailed information about what's happening on the frame-circuits. Without the probe, you can only get stats like bits/second, latency, FECNs & BECNs.

Otherwise, the Solarwinds tool is a good way to see real-time bandwidth useage. Too bad there's no logging capability - I have to capture screen shots!

Good Luck!

 

[wybnormal]

Talisker-

I disagree on one point.. RMON/SNMP is not the only way. I use a Snifferbook which inserts a pod between the router and V.35 device ( CSU/DSU) for direct packet captures/decodes OR directly in the circuit. This also works with ISDN with the correct card.

I *do* agree about the pain of not having logging on Solarwinds. Hopefully in the next release we might get a few new bells and whistles like that .. one can always hope.

Mike S
"Diplomacy; the art of saying 'nice doggie' till you can find a rock" Wynn Catlin

 

[Guest_imported]

Our company purchased Solarwinds Network Monitoring tools. The Engineers package provides serveral bandwidth monitors. They utilize Cisco MIB's. We have been very happy with the product. They have various combinations of monitoring tools at different pricings. The engineers pack is around $1000. Their URL

http://www.solarwinds.net

I work for an S&P 100 Financial Services company with about 200 frame relay circuits to monitor. The software will page or email based on what you set up. It provides audio alerts as well. Hope it helps.

 

[Guest_imported]

Hi

We have been using the MRTG .Its freely avaialble on the NET.We are only using to graph the Raw BW utilization.I feel if you know the OID's of your Device, you can monitor the Frame Relay traffic.

Its data logging is beautiful.You can see traffic pattern for Daily , weekly and yearly also.

Vadiraj