Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

The Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields feature supports the Cisco TrustSec fields in the Flexible NetFlow (FNF) flow record and helps to monitor, troubleshoot, and identify non-standard behavior for Cisco TrustSec deployments.

This module describes the interaction between Cisco TrustSec and FNF and how to configure and export Cisco TrustSec fields in the NetFlow Version 9 flow records.

Restrictions for Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

  • The security group tag (SGT) value exported in Flexible NetFlow (FNF) records is zero in the following scenarios:

    • The packet is received with an SGT value of zero from a trusted interface.

    • The packet is received without an SGT.

    • The SGT is not found during the IP-SGT lookup.

Information About Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

Cisco TrustSec Fields in Flexible NetFlow

The Cisco TrustSec fields, source security group tag (SGT) and destination security group tag (DGT) in the Flexible NetFlow (FNF) flow records help administrators correlate the flow with identity information. It enables network engineers to gain a detailed understanding of the customer use of the network and application resources. This information can then be used to efficiently plan and allocate access and application resources and to detect and resolve potential security and policy violations.

The Cisco TrustSec fields are supported for ingress and egress FNF and for unicast and multicast traffic.

The following table presents Netflow v9 enterprise specific field types for Cisco TrustSec that are used in the FNF templates for the Cisco TrustSec source and destination source group tags.

ID

Description

CTS_SRC_GROUP_TAG

Cisco Trusted Security Source Group Tag

CTS_DST_GROUP_TAG

Cisco Trusted Security Destination Group Tag

The Cisco TrustSec fields are configured in addition to the existing match fields under the FNF flow record. The following configurations are used to add the Cisco TrustSec flow objects to the FNF flow record as key or non-key fields and to configure the source and destination security group tags for the packet.

  • The match flow cts {source | destination} group-tag command is configured under the flow record to specify the Cisco TrustSec fields as key fields. The key fields differentiate flows, with each flow having a unique set of values for the key fields. A flow record requires at least one key field before it can be used in a flow monitor.

  • The collect flow cts {source | destination} group-tag command is configured under flow record to specify the Cisco TrustSec fields as non-key fields. The values in non-key fields are added to flows to provide additional information about the traffic in the flows.

The flow record is then configured under flow monitor and the flow monitor is applied to the interface. To export the FNF data, a flow exporter needs to be configured and then added under the flow monitor.

How to Configure Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

Configuring Cisco TrustSec Fields as Key Fields in the Flow Record

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. enable
  2. configure terminal
  3. flow record record-name
  4. match {ipv4 | ipv6} protocol
  5. match {ipv4 | ipv6} source address
  6. match {ipv4 | ipv6} destination address
  7. match transport source-port
  8. match transport destination-port
  9. match flow direction
  10. match flow cts source group-tag
  11. match flow cts destination group-tag
  12. end

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

enable

Example:


Device> enable

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.

Step 2

configure terminal

Example:


Device# configure terminal

Enters global configuration mode.

Step 3

flow record record-name

Example:


Device(config)# flow record cts-record-ipv4

Creates a new Flexible NetFlow (FNF) flow record, or modifies an existing FNF flow record, and enters Flexible NetFlow flow record configuration mode.

Step 4

match {ipv4 | ipv6} protocol

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 protocol

(Optional) Configures the IPv4 protocol or IPv6 protocol as a key field for a flow record.

Step 5

match {ipv4 | ipv6} source address

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 source address

(Optional) Configures the IPv4 or IPv6 source address as a key field for a flow record.

Step 6

match {ipv4 | ipv6} destination address

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 destination address

(Optional) Configures the IPv4 or IPv6 destination address as a key field for a flow record.

Step 7

match transport source-port

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match transport source-port

(Optional) Configures the transport source port as a key field for a flow record.

Step 8

match transport destination-port

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match transport destination-port

(Optional) Configures the transport destination port as a key field for a flow record.

Step 9

match flow direction

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match flow direction

(Optional) Configures the direction in which the flow is monitored as a key field.

Step 10

match flow cts source group-tag

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match flow cts source group-tag

Configures the Cisco TrustSec source security group tag (SGT) in the FNF flow record as key fields.

Step 11

match flow cts destination group-tag

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match flow cts destination group-tag

Configures the Cisco TrustSec destination security group tag (DGT) in the FNF flow record as key fields.

Step 12

end

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# end

Exits Flexible NetFlow flow record configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

Configuring Cisco TrustSec Fields as Non-Key Fields in the Flow Record

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. enable
  2. configure terminal
  3. flow record record-name
  4. match {ipv4 | ipv6} protocol
  5. match {ipv4 | ipv6} source address
  6. match {ipv4 | ipv6} destination address
  7. match transport source-port
  8. match transport destination-port
  9. collect flow direction
  10. collect flow cts source group-tag
  11. collect flow cts destination group-tag
  12. collect counter packets
  13. end

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

enable

Example:


Device> enable

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.

Step 2

configure terminal

Example:


Device# configure terminal

Enters global configuration mode.

Step 3

flow record record-name

Example:


Device(config)# flow record cts-record-ipv4

Creates a new Flexible NetFlow (FNF) flow record, or modifies an existing FNF flow record, and enters Flexible NetFlow flow record configuration mode.

Step 4

match {ipv4 | ipv6} protocol

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 protocol

(Optional) Configures the IPv4 protocol or IPv6 protocol as a key field for a flow record.

Note

 
For Cisco CSR100V, ISR 4400, and ASR 1000 platforms, Cisco TrustSec fields are supported only in IPv4 FNF records.

Step 5

match {ipv4 | ipv6} source address

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 source address

(Optional) Configures the IPv4 or IPv6 source address as a key field for a flow record.

Note

 
For Cisco CSR100V, ISR 4400, and ASR 1000 platforms, Cisco TrustSec fields are supported only in IPv4 FNF records.

Step 6

match {ipv4 | ipv6} destination address

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 destination address

(Optional) Configures the IPv4 or IPv6 destination address as a key field for a flow record.

Note

 
For Cisco CSR100V, ISR 4400, and ASR 1000 platforms, Cisco TrustSec fields are supported only in IPv4 FNF records.

Step 7

match transport source-port

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match transport source-port

(Optional) Configures the transport source port as a key field for a flow record.

Step 8

match transport destination-port

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# match transport destination-port

(Optional) Configures the transport destination port as a key field for a flow record.

Step 9

collect flow direction

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# collect flow direction

(Optional) Configures the flow direction as a non-key field and enables the collection of the direction in which the flow was monitored.

Step 10

collect flow cts source group-tag

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# collect flow cts source group-tag

Configures the Cisco TrustSec source security group tag (SGT) in the FNF flow record as non-key fields.

Step 11

collect flow cts destination group-tag

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# collect flow cts destination group-tag

Configures the Cisco TrustSec destination security group tag (DGT) in the FNF flow record as non-key fields.

Step 12

collect counter packets

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# collect counter packets

(Optional) Configures the number of packets seen in a flow as a non-key field and enables collecting the total number of packets from the flow.

Step 13

end

Example:


Device(config-flow-record)# end

Exits Flexible NetFlow flow record configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

Configuring a Flow Exporter

Each flow exporter supports only one destination. If you want to export the data to multiple destinations, you must configure multiple flow exporters and assign them to the flow monitor.

Before you begin

Ensure that you create a flow record. For more information see the “Configuring Cisco TrustSec Fields as Non-Key Fields in the Flow Record” section and the “Configuring Cisco TrustSec Fields as Non-Key Fields in the Flow Record” section.

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. enable
  2. configure terminal
  3. flow exporter exporter-name
  4. destination {ip-address | hostname} [vrf vrf-name]
  5. end

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

enable

Example:


Device> enable

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.

Step 2

configure terminal

Example:


Device# configure terminal

Enters global configuration mode.

Step 3

flow exporter exporter-name

Example:


Device(config)# flow exporter EXPORTER-1

Creates a flow exporter or modifies an existing flow exporter, and enters Flexible NetFlow flow exporter configuration mode.

Step 4

destination {ip-address | hostname} [vrf vrf-name]

Example:


Device(config-flow-exporter)# destination 172.16.10.2

Specifies the IP address or hostname of the destination system for the exporter.

Step 5

end

Example:


Device(config-flow-exporter)# end

Exits Flexible NetFlow flow exporter configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

Configuring a Flow Monitor

Before you begin

To add a flow exporter to the flow monitor for data export, ensure that you create the flow exporter. For more information see the “Configuring a Flow Exporter” section.

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. enable
  2. configure terminal
  3. flow monitor monitor-name
  4. record record-name
  5. exporter exporter-name
  6. end

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

enable

Example:


Device> enable

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.

Step 2

configure terminal

Example:


Device# configure terminal

Enters global configuration mode.

Step 3

flow monitor monitor-name

Example:


Device(config)# flow monitor FLOW-MONITOR-1

Creates a flow monitor or modifies an existing flow monitor, and enters Flexible NetFlow flow monitor configuration mode.

Step 4

record record-name

Example:


Device(config-flow-monitor)# record FLOW-RECORD-1

Specifies the record for the flow monitor.

Step 5

exporter exporter-name

Example:


Device(config-flow-monitor)# exporter EXPORTER-1

Specifies the exporter for the flow monitor.

Step 6

end

Example:


Device(config-flow-monitor)# end

Exits Flexible NetFlow flow monitor configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

Applying a Flow Monitor on an Interface

To activate a flow monitor, the flow monitor must be applied to at least one interface.

Before you begin

Ensure that you create a flow monitor. For more information see the “Configuring a Flow Monitor” section.

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. enable
  2. configure terminal
  3. interface type number
  4. {ip | ipv6} flow monitor monitor-name {input | output}
  5. end

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

enable

Example:


Device> enable

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.

Step 2

configure terminal

Example:


Device# configure terminal

Enters global configuration mode.

Step 3

interface type number

Example:


Device(config)# interface ethernet 0/0

Specifies an interface and enters interface configuration mode.

Step 4

{ip | ipv6} flow monitor monitor-name {input | output}

Example:


Device (config-if)# ip flow monitor FLOW-MONITOR-1 input

Activates a flow monitor that was created previously by assigning it to the interface to analyze traffic.

Step 5

end

Example:


Device(config-if)# end

Exits interface configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

Verifying Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. enable
  2. show flow record record-name
  3. show flow exporter exporter-name
  4. show flow monitor monitor-name
  5. show flow monitor monitor-name cache
  6. show flow interface type number

DETAILED STEPS

Step 1

enable

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.


Example:


Device> enable

Step 2

show flow record record-name

Displays the details of the specified Flexible NetFlow (FNF) flow record.


Example:


Device> show flow record cts-recordipv4

flow record cts-recordipv4:
  Description:        User defined
  No. of users:       1
  Total field space:  30 bytes
  Fields:
    match ipv4 protocol
    match ipv4 source address
    match ipv4 destination address
    match transport source-port
    match transport destination-port
    match interface input
    match interface output
    match flow direction
    match flow cts source group-tag
    match flow cts destination group-tag
    collect counter packets

Step 3

show flow exporter exporter-name

Displays the current status of the specified FNF flow exporter.


Example:


Device> show flow exporter EXPORTER-1

Flow Exporter EXPORTER-1:
  Description:              User defined
  Export protocol:          NetFlow Version 9
  Transport Configuration:
    Destination IP address: 100.100.100.1
    Source IP address:      3.3.3.2
    Transport Protocol:     UDP
    Destination Port:       2055
    Source Port:            65252
    DSCP:                   0x0
    TTL:                    255
    Output Features:        Used

Step 4

show flow monitor monitor-name

Displays the status and statistics of the specified FNF flow monitor.


Example:


Device> show flow monitor FLOW-MONITOR-1

Flow Monitor FLOW-MONITOR-1:
  Description:       User defined
  Flow Record:       cts-recordipv4
  Flow Exporter:     EXPORTER-1
  Cache:
    Type:                 normal (Platform cache)
    Status:               allocated
    Size:                 200000 entries
    Inactive Timeout:     60 secs
    Active Timeout:       1800 secs
    Update Timeout:       1800 secs
    Synchronized Timeout: 600 secs
    Trans end aging:      off

Step 5

show flow monitor monitor-name cache

Displays the contents of the specified FNF flow monitor cache.


Example:


Device> show flow monitor FLOW-MONITOR-1 cache

  Cache type:                              		 Normal
  Cache size:                                 4096
  Current entries:                            2
  High Watermark:                            	2

  Flows added:                                6
  Flows aged:                                 4
    - Active timeout      (1800 secs)  	      0
    - Inactive timeout    (15 secs)    	      4
    - Event aged                              0
    - Watermark aged                          0
    - Emergency aged                          0

  IPV4 SOURCE ADDRESS:       		               10.1.0.1
  IPV4 DESTINATION ADDRESS:  	                172.16.2.0
  TRNS SOURCE PORT:          		               58817
  TRNS DESTINATION PORT:     	                23
  FLOW DIRECTION:            		               Input
  IP PROTOCOL:               		               6
  SOURCE GROUP TAG: 				                      100
  DESTINATION GROUP TAG: 		                   200
  counter packets:           		               10

  IPV4 SOURCE ADDRESS:       		               172.16.2.0
  IPV4 DESTINATION ADDRESS:  	                10.1.0.1
  TRNS SOURCE PORT:          		               23
  TRNS DESTINATION PORT:     	                58817
  FLOW DIRECTION:            		               Output
  IP PROTOCOL:               				             6
  SOURCE GROUP TAG: 				                      200
  DESTINATION GROUP TAG:		                    100
  counter packets:           				             8

Step 6

show flow interface type number

Displays the details of the FNF flow monitor applied on the specified interface. If a flow monitor is not applied on the interface, then the output is empty.


Example:


Device>  show flow interface GigabitEthernet0/0/3

Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/3
  FNF:  monitor:          FLOW-MONITOR-1
        direction:        Input
        traffic(ip):      on
  FNF:  monitor:          FLOW-MONITOR-1
        direction:        Output
        traffic(ip):      on

Configuration Examples for Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

Example: Configuring Cisco TrustSec Fields as Key Fields in the Flow Record

The following example shows how to configure the Cisco TrustSec flow objects as key fields in an IPv4 Flexible NetFlow flow record: 


Device> enable
Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# flow record cts-record-ipv4
Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 protocol
Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 source address
Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 destination address
Device(config-flow-record)# match transport source-port
Device(config-flow-record)# match transport destination-port
Device(config-flow-record)# match flow direction
Device(config-flow-record)# match flow cts source group-tag
Device(config-flow-record)# match flow cts destination group-tag
Device(config-flow-record)# end

Example: Configuring Cisco TrustSec Fields as Non-Key Fields in the Flow Record

The following example shows how to configure the Cisco TrustSec flow objects as non-key fields in an IPv4 Flexible NetFlow flow record: 


Device> enable
Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# flow record cts-record-ipv4
Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 protocol
Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 source address
Device(config-flow-record)# match ipv4 destination address
Device(config-flow-record)# match transport source-port
Device(config-flow-record)# match transport destination-port
Device(config-flow-record)# collect flow direction
Device(config-flow-record)# collect flow cts source group-tag
Device(config-flow-record)# collect flow cts destination group-tag
Device(config-flow-record)# collect counter packets
Device(config-flow-record)# end

Example: Configuring a Flow Exporter 


Device> enable
Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# flow exporter EXPORTER-1
Device(config-flow-exporter)# destination 172.16.10.2
Device(config-flow-exporter)# end

Example: Configuring a Flow Monitor 


Device> enable
Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# flow monitor FLOW-MONITOR-1
Device(config-flow-monitor)# record FLOW-RECORD-1
Device(config-flow-monitor)# exporter EXPORTER-1
Device(config-flow-monitor)# end

Example: Applying a Flow Monitor on an Interface

The following example shows how to activate an IPv4 flow monitor by applying it to an interface to analyze traffic. To activate an IPv6 flow monitor, replace the ip keyword with the ipv6 keyword. 


Device> enable
Device# configure terminal
Device(config)# interface ethernet 0/0
Device(config-if)# ip flow monitor FLOW-MONITOR-1 input
Device(config-if)# end

Additional References for Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

Related Documents

Related Topic

Document Title

Security commands

Data export in Flexible NetFlow

“Flexible NetFlow Output Features on Data Export” chapter in the Flexible Netflow Configuration Guide publication

Flexible NetFlow flow records and flow monitors

“Customizing Flexible NetFlow Flow Records and Flow Monitors” chapter in the Flexible Netflow Configuration Guide publication

Technical Assistance

Description

Link

The Cisco Support website provides extensive online resources, including documentation and tools for troubleshooting and resolving technical issues with Cisco products and technologies.

To receive security and technical information about your products, you can subscribe to various services, such as the Product Alert Tool (accessed from Field Notices), the Cisco Technical Services Newsletter, and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) Feeds.

Access to most tools on the Cisco Support website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html

Feature Information for Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Table 1. Feature Information for Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields

The Flexible NetFlow Export of Cisco TrustSec Fields feature supports the Cisco TrustSec fields in the Flexible NetFlow (FNF) flow record and helps to monitor, troubleshoot, and identify non-standard behavior for Cisco TrustSec deployments.

The following commands were introduced by this feature: match flow cts {source | destination} group-tag and collect flow cts {source | destination} group-tag .