Perform Network-Wide Path Insight Tracing

Perform Network-Wide Path Insight Tracing for Releases before Cisco vManage Release 20.6.1

This section describes how to perform network-wide path insight tracing in releases before Cisco vManage Release 20.6.1. To start a trace, follow these steps:

  1. From the Cisco SD-WAN Manager menu, choose Monitor > Network Wide Path Insight.

  2. In the Policy area, choose Site ID(*) from the drop-down list. Ensure that you only choose a site that you have access to.

  3. In the VPN(*) field, choose a VPN ID from the drop-down list. Only VPNs associated with the chosen site are listed.

  4. (Optional) Enter the Source/ Destination IP Addresses.

  5. (Optional) Choose the Application from the drop-down list.

  6. (Optional) Specify the required Trace Duration in minutes. The default trace duration is 60 minutes and the maximum duration supported is 1440 minutes.

  7. (Optional) Choose Device and Source Interface from the drop-down list.

  8. (Optional) Choose Protocol from the drop-down list. TCP and UDP protocols are supported. The All option indicates both UDP and TCP protocols.

  9. (Optional) Choose DSCP from the drop-down list.

  10. Click Start to initiate a path trace. A dialog box displays the Trace ID, Start time of the trace, and all the details such as their IP addresses and trace status of the started devices.


    Note


    To stop an ongoing trace before the timer expires, click Stop. You can also stop a trace from the Trace section.

Perform Network-Wide Path Insight Tracing for Cisco vManage Release 20.6.1 and Later Releases

This section describes how to perform network-wide path insight tracing from Cisco vManage Release 20.6.1.

Tracing provides detailed information about application issues and can discover domains and applications that run in domains. You can configure various options to specify the tracing that you need and view detailed information about trace flows.

To start a trace, follow these steps:

  1. Cisco vManage Release 20.6.x and earlier releases

    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1

    Cisco vManage Release 20.6.x and later releases

    Network Wide Path Insight is part of the Monitor menu.

    You can also start a trace by choosing Create a Trace from the Monitor > Overview > Global Network View page.

    From the Cisco SD-WAN Manager menu, choose Tools > Network Wide Path Insight.

  2. Perform one of the following actions:

    From Cisco vManage Release 20.6.1 through Cisco vManage 20.11.x

    From Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1

    (Optional) In the Trace area, check the Enable DNS Domain Discovery check box to enable DNS domain discovery for network-wide path insight.

    Click New Trace.

    Click New Trace.

    (Optional) In the Trace area, check the Enable DNS Domain Discovery check box to enable DNS domain discovery for network-wide path insight, or continue to Step 3.


    Note


    When you enable DNS domain discovery, to discover DNS domains and the applications that are running in the discovered domains, Cisco SD-WAN Manager uses DNS snooping. You can then monitor the domains under the Application option to obtain information about health, trends, and metrics. When you disable this option, the trace monitors the application flows based on the criteria and filters that you specify.

    Enabling this option provides deep insight information for DNS domains, especially in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Cloud OnRamp for SaaS and Direct Internet Access (DIA) deployments. Check the discovered domains for information about DNS domain queries before you start a trace to probe the traffic in these domains.


  3. Field

    Description

    (Optional) Trace Name

    Enter a name for the trace.

    If you don't enter a name, the system assigns the name trace_ID, where ID is the system-generated identifier of the trace.

    Trace Duration

    Enter the number of minutes for which the trace lasts.

    The minimum value is 1. The maximum value is 1440 (24 hours). The default value is 60.

  4. In the Filters area, perform these actions:


    Note


    All the fields in both Filters and Advanced Filters use the logical AND Operator. Cisco SD-WAN Manager monitors only those flows that match all the configured conditions.


    Field

    Description

    Select Site

    From the drop-down list, select the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN network site in which you want to perform the trace.

    VPN

    choose the service VPN for the trace to monitor. From Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1, you can choose up to 64 VPNs.

    (Optional: This option is applicable only if DNS domain discovery is disabled.)

    Source Address/Prefix

    Enter the source IPv4 or IPv6 IP address and the prefix of flows for the trace to monitor. If you leave this field blank, the trace monitors flows with any source address or prefix.

    (Optional: This option is applicable only if DNS domain discovery is disabled.)

    Destination Address/Prefix

    Enter the destination IPv4 or IPv6 IP address and prefix of flows for the trace to monitor. If you leave this field blank, the trace monitors flows with any destination address or prefix.

    (Optional: This option is applicable only if you enable DNS domain discovery.)

    Client Address/Prefix

    Enter the source IPv4 or IPv6 IP address or prefix of flows for the trace to monitor. If you leave this field blank, the trace monitors flows with any source address or prefix.

    (Optional: This option is applicable only if DNS domain discovery is disabled.)

    Application

    Choose this option to designate specific applications for the trace to monitor.

    If you don't choose an option, the trace monitors all the applications.

    To remove an application from this field, click X next to the corresponding application name.

    Application Group

    Choose this option to designate specific application groups for the trace to monitor. The trace then monitors all the applications that an application group includes.

    Use the check boxes that appear to choose the application groups for the trace to monitor.

    For example, if you choose the application group ms-cloud-group, Cisco SD-WAN Manager monitors all the applications included in this group. These applications are ms-office-365, ms-services, ms-teams, and more.

    If you don’t choose an option, the trace monitors all the applications.

    To remove an application group from this field, click X next to the corresponding application group name.

  5. (Optional) If you enable DNS domain discovery, expand the Advanced Filters area and configure parameters for the trace to monitor.


    Note


    All the fields in both Filters and Advanced Filters use the logical AND Operator. Cisco SD-WAN Manager monitors only those flows that match all the configured conditions.


    Field

    Description

    Device

    Choose one or more devices for the trace to monitor by checking the check box for each device.

    If you don’t choose a device, the trace monitors all devices for the site that you specified in Step 4.

    Source Interface

    Choose the source interface of traffic for the trace to monitor.

    If you don’t choose a source interface, the trace monitors traffic from all source interfaces in the VPN that you specified in Step 4.

    Source Port

    Enter the source port number of traffic that the trace should monitor. The trace monitors traffic that flows from this port number.

    If you don’t choose a source port, the trace monitors traffic for all source ports.

    Destination Port

    Enter the destination port number of traffic for the trace to monitor. The trace monitors traffic that flows to this port number.

    If you don’t choose a destination port, the trace monitors traffic for all destination ports.

    Protocol

    Choose the traffic protocol type for the trace to monitor.

    If you don’t choose a protocol, the trace monitors traffic for all supported protocols.

    DSCP

    choose the DSCP type for the trace to monitor. The DEFAULT selection indicates DSCP0.

    If you don’t choose a DSCP type, the trace monitors traffic for all DSCP types.

    (Optional) ISE Users

    (Minimum supported release: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.13.1)

    check the check box, then click the ISE Users field and check the check box for each user whose traffic the trace should monitor. The trace monitors bidirectional traffic between this user and applications in your network.

    If you don’t choose a user, the trace monitors traffic for all users.

    Note

     
    ISE Users option is available only if you integrate Cisco ISE with Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN.

    (Optional) ThousandEyes Agent

    (Minimum supported release: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.14.1)

    To designate a Cisco ThousandEyes agent whose tests the trace should monitor, check the check box. Check the check box for the Cisco ThousandEyes Enterprise Agent that you want.

    You must choose an agent that served as a source agent in the monitored Cisco ThousandEyes test.

    If you click the ThousandEyes Insight option as described later in this procedure, the trace collects data as described in the following table:

    ThousandEyes Agent Option Enabled and Enterprise Agent Designated

    Cisco ThousandEyes Enterprise Agent Installation Location

    Result

    No

    Router from which you started the trace

    The trace collects complete data from the Enterprise Agent on the router. If your network has other Enterprise Agents, the system also monitors tests from them, but it might not collect some or all of their test data.

    No

    Any device

    If your network has other Enterprise Agents, the system also monitors tests from them, but it might not collect some or all of their test data.

    Yes

    Any device

    The trace collects complete data from the designated Enterprise Agent only.


    Note


    We recommend that you designate a Cisco ThousandEyes agent to ensure maximum trace outcome in any condition. To monitor other traffic while monitoring a Cisco ThousandEyes agent, create another trace and disable the ThousandEyes Insight option on the same site.


  6. (Optional) Expand the Monitor Settings area and configure the following parameters:

    Field

    Description

    QoS Insight

    (Minimum supported release: Cisco vManage Release 20.9.1)

    Includes application, VPN, interface, and queue-level throughput and drop-rate metrics for all traffic in the trace.

    This option is enabled by default.

    ART Visibility

    Includes the application response time (ART) metrics for TCP traffic in the trace. These metrics include client network delay (CND) and server network delay (SND) information.

    This option is enabled by default.

    App Visibility

    Uses the SD-WAN Application Intelligence Engine (SAIE) flow to discover applications and application groups in the trace.

    Note

     

    In Cisco vManage Release 20.7.x and earlier releases, the SAIE flow is called the deep packet inspection (DPI) flow.

    If you chose applications or application groups in Step 4, this option is enabled automatically.

    If DPI isn’t enabled, we recommend that you enable App Visibility to map the flows to the correct applications. Enabling this option authorizes Network-Wide Path Insight to enable DPI in the first hop router of the trace during the trace.

    DIA Visibility

    Enable the viewing of downstream information from direct internet access flows, beginning with the first flow.

    Enabling DNS domain discovery automatically enables this option by default.

    This option doesn’t affect the applications transported over a Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN tunnel.

    If you don’t enable this option, the device discovers direct internet access traffic automatically, but it can take some time for this discovery to begin.

    WAN Visibility

    From Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1, Hub WAN Visibility is called WAN Visibility.

    When starting a trace, include flows initiated in the WAN to LAN direction.

    By default, a trace monitors flows initiated in the LAN to WAN direction.

    For releases before Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1, enabling DNS domain discovery automatically enables this option by default, and it can’t be disabled. For releases from Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1, this option is disabled by default in all cases and you can enable it as needed.

    Note

     
    Because traffic typically flows from a spoke to a hub, we recommend that you start a trace from a spoke site.

    ThousandEyes Insight

    (Minimum supported release: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.14.1)

    To have the trace capture test results from Cisco ThousandEyes Enterprise Agents.

    If you have entered your Cisco ThousandEyes username and OAuth bearer token in Administration > Settings > ThousandEyes User API Tokens, this option is selected automatically. (See Configure Cisco Thousand Eyes Username and OAuth Bearer Token.)

    If your username and OAuth bearer token aren’t configured, the Add ThousandEyes User API Tokens dialog box appears. Enter your username in the Username field and OAuth bearer token in the Bearer Token field, and click OK. The information that you enter here is configured in Administration > Settings > ThousandEyes User API Tokens automatically.

    Sampling

    To enable sampling when tracing, which causes the trace to capture flows at the specified interval.

    Sampling Interval

    Enter the time interval, in seconds, between samples. For example, if you enter 100, one flow is traced every 100 seconds even if there are multiple other flows.

    The minimum sampling interval value is 1 second. The maximum value is 86400 seconds (24 hours). The default value is 60.

    The sampling options can extend the trace monitoring period by increasing the time it takes to reach the maximum number of flows.

    Local Drop Rate Threshold(%)

    Set the maximum acceptable packet loss rate for this device.

    Wan Loss Rate Threshold(%)

    Set the maximum acceptable packet loss rate for the WAN connection.

  7. (Optional) From Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1, click the Expand icon to expand the Grouping Fields area and configure the following options.

    By default, the App Performance Insight tab on the Insight Summary groups information by application. Additional options area let you group information into smaller groups so that you can refine the display of information to meet your needs.

    Field

    Description

    Client Prefix

    Enable client prefix aggregation.

    Server Prefix

    Enable server prefix aggregation.

    Source SGT

    Enable source security group tag (SGT) aggregation.

    User Identity

    (Minimum supported release: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.13.1)

    Enable Cisco ISE user identities.

    Note

     
    This ISE User Identity option applies only if you integrate Cisco ISE with Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN.
  8. (Optional) From Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1, click the Expand icon and perform the following actions in the Synthetic Traffic area to enable synthetic traffic.

    Synthetic traffic helps verify network design. When you onboard a new site or change an existing site configuration, it’s important to validate whether applications work as designed and intended. Enable synthetic traffic to generate sample user traffic and check if applications are working as expected using network-wide path insight features.

    Synthetic traffic starts when the trace starts and stops when the trace stops. After the trace stops, you can view synthetic traffic flows in the Completed Flows tab and filter the information to see only synthetic traffic details.

    (Minimum supported release: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.16.1) You can use HTTP or HTTPS client and packet capture replay for synthetic traffic.

    Table 1. Http(s) Client

    URL

    Enter the URL to which a router should send synthetic traffic, for example, https://www.cisco.com.

    VPN

    Choose a service VPN on which to start synthetic traffic. The VPNs that are available are based on the VPNs that you chose in the Filters area.

    DNS Server

    Enter the IP address of the DNS server for translating the URL.

    Enter your organization’s DNS server IP address to ensure synthetic traffic flows to the same destination as actual user traffic.

    DSCP

    Choose the DSCP to use for the synthetic traffic.

    Interval

    Specify how often, in minutes, to send the synthetic traffic to the URL during the trace. For example, if you enter an interval of 2, synthetic traffic is sent every 2 minutes. The minimum value is 1.

    ISE User/User Group

    (Minimum supported release: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.13.1)

    choose one of the following options from the drop-down list:

    • Choose N/A to generate synthetic traffic that doesn’t relate to a user or Cisco ISE user group.

    • Choose User to generate synthetic traffic from a specific user, then choose the user from the drop-down list to the right.

    • Choose User Group to generate synthetic traffic from a test user in a specific Cisco ISE user group, then select the user group from the drop-down list.

      Note

       
      This ISE User/User Group option applies only if you integrate Cisco ISE with Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN.

    (Optional) Click the plus sign icon and repeat these steps to add another synthetic traffic instance.

    Click Save.

    Minimum supported release: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.16.1

    If you want to replay PCAP in the trace, perform the following actions:

    Table 2. PCAP Replay

    Field

    Description

    PCAP File Name

    Select the PCAP file from the drop-down menu. Cisco SD-WAN Manager provides many built-in PCAP files that you can use. You can view the description of each PCAP file and internal files on the PCAP Replay page, or download the PCAP file and view them.

    If you want to use your own PCAP files, you can upload them. To upload a PCAP file:

    1. Click Administration Setting.

    2. Click PCAP Replay.

    3. Click Upload PCAP File and upload the PCAP file. Only the Administrator can provide the PCAP file. The PCAP file size must not exceed 5 MB.

    Replay Mode

    Choose one of the following PCAP replay modes:

    • Stateless

    • Stateful

    VPN

    Select a service VPN for replaying the PCAP. The VPNs are based on the VPNs that you chose in the Filters area.

    Interval (minutes)

    Specify the time interval in minutes for replaying the PCAP. For example, if you input 3, the PCAP file is replayed every 3 minutes.

    Source IP

    Enter the source IP address. The IP address should be an IP address of the selected service VPN.

    Target IP

    Enter the destination IP address. The IP address could be a NAT DIA address from the service VPN for Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.16.1.

    Click Save.

  9. Click Start to initiate the trace.

    The Start Trace window shows the trace ID, start time, IP addresses, and status of the devices.

  10. Close the Start Trace window.

    The trace is displayed in the list of traces in the Tools > Network Wide Path Insight window.


    Note


    In Cisco vManage Release 20.6.x and earlier releases, the list of traces is available in the Monitor > Network Wide Path Insight page.


Create Auto-On Tasks


Note


The auto-on task feature is available from Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1.

An auto-on task monitors your network for events that you choose and automatically runs a trace if two consecutive events of the same type are detected.

QoS congestion event is generated after continuous congestion for 5 seconds, and only one event is generated in one minute. The auto-on task requires two occurrences in a row to trigger the monitoring.

SLA violation event is generated when one packet does not meet SLA requirements, and only one event is generated in one minute. The auto-on task requires two occurrences in a row to trigger the monitoring.

An auto-on task monitors the network for a period that you specify. Each trace that a task runs lasts for 5 minutes. To avoid congestion from multiple traces running simultaneously, for each site that is monitored, there is a ½ hour interval after a trace starts before the next one begins.

Options for traces that an auto-on task generates are preconfigured and cannot be changed.

An auto-on task is useful if you have identified or suspect a potential or intermittent issue in your network. For example, if you have identified intermittent SLA violations, instead of manually monitoring the network and manually starting a trace when you see an SLA violation, you can create a task that automatically starts traces when SLA violations are detected.

  1. From the Cisco SD-WAN Manager menu, choose Tools > Network Wide Path Insight.

  2. Click New Auto-on Task.

  3. In the Task Name field, enter a name for the task.

  4. From the Select Event drop-down list, choose either or both of the following events that, when detected, start a trace:

    • QoS Congestion: Congestion on the non default QoS queue of an interface.

    • SLA Violation: Traffic outside of the parameters that are defined by a service level agreement (SLA), for example, traffic latency exceeding predefined criteria.

  5. (Optional) From the Select Site drop-down list, choose the name of one or more Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN network sites in which to perform the trace.

    If you do not choose a network site, the task monitors all the sites.

  6. In the Select Duration field, enter the number of hours the task lasts for.

    The task monitors your network for the selected events during this duration.

    Enter a number from 1 through 168.

  7. Click Start.

    The task appears in the table of auto-on tasks. This table provides the following information and options for each task and each trace that the task starts:

    • Task name: Task trace name. This field also includes the Insight Summary link, which lets you see more information about the traces that the task started. See Insight Summary.

    • Task ID: System-generated identifier of the task or trace.

    • Event(s): The event or events that you configured to start a trace, or the events that triggered a trace.

    • Site(s): The name of each site that the task monitors, or the name of the site in which a trace ran.

    • State: Active means that the task is live or a trace is running. Finished means that the task or trace has completed.

    • Start Time: Date and time at which you started the task or that a trace started.

    • Duration: Number of hours that a task or trace is live or ran.

    • Stop Time: Date and time at which the task or trace ended.

    • Actions:

      • Click Delete to remove a task or trace from the table.

      • Click Stop to stop an active task. Note that a stopped task cannot be restarted.