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12.13.2007 at 11:31PM PST, ID: 23023060
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Need to measure bandwidth and monitor network traffic between two sites

Tags: bandwidth, network, measure, traffic, monitor
Hello Experts,

Here's my situation: I have two remote sites for which I need to measure bandwidth and monitor network traffic. Currently, there's an 8MB DS3 connecting the two sites. There is a Cisco 7206 router and a Cisco 4506 switch at each site. I don't have a large budget to purchase expensive network monitoring tools, so I'm trying to find a way to accomplish my goal within a limited budget. I know I can set up a monitor port (SPAN) on the Cisco 4506 L3 switches, which are my core switches to which the nodes that I want to monitor are connected to. I have setup two laptops with the latest version of Ethereal. I have done a test and I'm able to mirror the traffic from the source interface to the destination interface, where the laptop is connected. I can see what type of traffic goes in and out of that interface. However, my problem is that I cannot see how much of the DS3 ckt is being utlized. Has anybody out there run into a situation similiar to this? Again, I know that I can go and buy devices worth thousands of dollars to help me accomplish the goal of measuring bandwidth and throughput between two nodes on two remote sites. However, I'm trying to accomplish that goal within a limited budget. I know it's doable, I just havent done it before. I tried some utilities like MRGT but I had a difficult time installing it on a linux box since I'm not a linux person at all. Anyway, any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
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Question Stats
Zone: Networking
Question Asked By: bndit
Solution Provided By: oletu
Participating Experts: 1
Solution Grade: A
Views: 128
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12.14.2007 at 04:37AM PST, ID: 20471129

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12.14.2007 at 07:07AM PST, ID: 20471953

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12.14.2007 at 08:00AM PST, ID: 20472332

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12.14.2007 at 02:02PM PST, ID: 20474828

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12.14.2007 at 04:37AM PST, ID: 20471129
You can use MRGT for windows; you will not achive your goal by using SPAN/Ethereal.

If you find MRGT too cubersome, try Netflow Analyzer:
http://manageengine.adventnet.com/products/netflow/download.html

It is free for 30 days, afterwhich it can become the free edition (limited to measuring two interfaces), since your goal is to measure only two sites, this limitation will not be a problem.

It is easy to install and configure, there is an easy to read/understand guide with it...Since you are monitoring a site-to-site single link, enable ip flow-export on each on those interfaces after adding both routers, this configure should work or better still monitoring the in/out of a single interface will give you a good picture of the bandwidth utilization.

I am using the software and it is good for the price ---FREE.
 
12.14.2007 at 07:07AM PST, ID: 20471953
Hi Oletu,

Thanks for your suggestions. Like I mentioned in my original question, I have looked into MRGT but it's cumbersome for me since I'm not a Linux user. I did go as far as installing Fedora 8...but got stuck there. If you know have a web site with step-by-step installation instructions for MRGT, I would love to see it. Do you use MRGT? Have you installed it before? If so, what Linux distribution did you use? Does it matter which Linux distribution is used? If anybody else out there has these instructions or a good website for me to visit, please let me know.

As for NetFlow Analyzer, I will definitely look into it. I looked up directions how to enable NetFlow on our Cisco 4506 switches, and I see that a piece of hardware is neeeded. "The Catalyst 4500 series switches require WS-F4531 daughter cards and the Catalyst 4500 series switch Supervisor Engine IV to support the NetFlow statistics collection. " http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/12.1/19ew/configuration/guide/nfswitch.html. Again, I will look into this later when I get to the office.

 
12.14.2007 at 08:00AM PST, ID: 20472332
You can install MRGT on windows platform, I have done it before, though it involve alot of step and takes time, but if you follow the steps, you will get it done.

Check out this MRGT for dummies site, it should really help you. Though MRGT is not for dummies, this site attempt to take the pain away and explain things in simple snd stepwize manner.

Take a look at it and let me know how it goes:
http://www.netmon.org/dummies.htm
Accepted Solution
 
12.14.2007 at 02:02PM PST, ID: 20474828
Thank you for the pointers Oletu. I got MRGT to work on a Windows XP SP2 machine. We'll give it a try.
 
 
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