Managing your network for availability
This presentation by Eric Severson focuses on strategies for optimizing network availability. Key topics include network design principles aimed at maximizing uptime, understanding managed network characteristics, and the importance of proper documentation and training. Participants will learn about vital tools such as SNMP for monitoring, the impact of redundancy on availability rates, and the implications of unscheduled downtime. Emphasis is placed on how to enhance network resilience through systematic management practices, aligning operations with business continuity goals.
Managing your network for availability
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Presentation Transcript
Managing your network for availability Eric Severson – CCNP, CCDP, MCSE Network Specialties, Inc. eric@network-specialties.com (817) 491-0267
Agenda • Network Design for availability • Definition of a Managed Network • Basic tools used to manage a network • Discussion
Availability * Unscheduled downtime
Design for Availability Availability of a Single Component Availability = MTBF/(MTBF+MTTR) Example: MTBF = 120,000 hr MTTR = 4 hr Availability = 0.99997 = 99.9967% Annual downtime = 17.5 minutes
Availability – Multiple Components Multiple Components Availability = Avail(component 1) x Avail(component 2) … x Avail(component n) ISP router firewall switch server
Availability – Other Components • What about A/C power availability? • What about software errors – IOS bugs, application code errors, bad patches or antivirus updates that cause outages? • How about the human fat-finger?
Availability – How Can you Improve? • Add redundancy • Reduce repair time • Manage your network…
Availability – With Redundancy Parallel Availability = Same product of availabilities but use 1-((1-availability)*(1-availability)) for each component that has been made redundant. ISP router firewall switch server ISP router firewall switch server
Managed Network Characteristics • Systems must be managed towards a common goal • Network must be secure • Infrastructure is thoroughly documented • Equipment must be manageable • Enterprise synchronized to a common time source
Managed Network Characteristics • Logging • SNMP trapping • SNMP polling • Vendor specific alerting – e.g. Dell iDRAC • Application monitoring • Personnel trained on equipment and management systems • Network Management System
Why do we want a managed network? • To achieve the availability that was designed into the system • Downtime is costly!
Equipment is Manageable • Enterprise grade hardware • Configurable • Supports industry standards • Evolves to support new standards/features • Redundancy available if design demands it • Remotely accessible (SSH, http, telnet, SNMP)
Comprehensive Documentation • Organized repository (online/offline) • “First Responder” documents • Network diagrams - logical and physical • Network device lists • Circuits lists • Applications/firewall rules • Contact lists – IT/vendors/support/site • Policies/procedures/service level agreements • Business continuity/disaster recovery plan
Enterprise synchronized to a standard time • Hierarchical design • NTP (Network Time Protocol) is used • Real -time clock or approved Internet source • All network hardware must synchronize • All active systems ( Windows, UNIX and proprietary platforms) must synchronize
Equipment must be maintained • Vendor hardware maintenance • Vendor software maintenance • Hot/cold spares • Periodic patches to fix software/hardware issues • Upgrades to add new features • Configuration management • Change control • Life cycle planning
Logging • Syslog server for accepting logged events • Windows/UNIX Event logging • Logging properly configured on all systems • Systems in place to interpret log events • Predetermined/proscribed actions for log events • Out-of-band alerting for actionable events
SNMP Trapping • SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) • NMS to accept SNMP messages • Devices configured to send SNMP messages when events occur • Systems in place to interpret SNMP events • Predetermined/proscribed actions for SNMP events • Out-of-band alerting for actionable events • Operational guidelines for responding to events
SNMP POLLING • SNMP server configured to proactively retrieve operational/performance data • NMS system in place to interpret SNMP events • Proscribed actions for SNMP events • Provide detailed metrics on hardware/software systems • Out-of-band alerting for actionable events • Operational guidelines for responding to events
Application Monitoring • Specific TCP/UDP ports are checked for proper response - e.g. HTTP, SSL, SMTP, DNS, etc • Synthetic transactions are issued – e.g. a query against a web site/database system • Out-of-band alerting for actionable events • Operational guidelines for responding to events
Trained Personnel • Network design • LAN configuration, operation & troubleshooting • WAN configuration, operation & troubleshooting • Windows active directory/networking operations • Vendor specific tools • Generic tools
Systems must be managed towards a common goal • Availability should be specified • Expectations should be explained to customers • Customer expectations should be met • Network metrics should be developed and publicized
Network must be secure • Only authorized access is allowed • Network equipment must be in secure areas • Network equipment must be hardened • AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) should be in place • Network design should support the security paradigms
Logging • Syslog is native to Unix/Linux • Kiwi Syslog is a free Windows program • Syslog can be a part of a network management software package • Windows event logs can be retrieved by NMS or other application • Define how syslog will be used
SNMP Polling/Trapping • Define what you want to track and thresholds for actionable items • SNMP community strings defined on each device/host • SNMP polling and trapping is configured on NMS • Define actions (NMS and human) should an actionable state occur
How to Build a Managed Network • Document existing infrastructure • Set up logging host • Configure all devices/hosts for logging & SNMP • Set up Network Management Station • Configure logging, polling and traps • Document specific actions for events
No-Cost Systems • Use the tools that vendors provide free • Syslog - Linux or Kiwi syslog • NMS – Nagios, OpenNMS, Zenoss, Pandora, Groundwork, Hyperic, NetXMS • Configuration management • Kiwi Cattools - routers, switches and firewalls • Scripting – Perl/TCL/Expect/WMI
Low-Cost Systems • What’s Up Gold • PRTG • GFI Network Monitor
Enterprise Systems • HP Openview • Solarwinds Orion • CA eHealth • IBM Tivoli • EMC • Ciscoworks • Cisco MARS
Next Steps • Develop strategy • Develop short-term tactical plan to rapidly move towards a more manageable network
Further Information • Comparison of network monitoring systems - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_network_monitoring_systems • Popular Network Management Software in Comparison - http://ipinfo.info/html/network_management_software.php
Eric Severson Network Specialties, Inc. eric@network-specialties.com 817-491-0267