Agents Administration - Tests
 

Configuration of CtxNsIfaceTest

Network interfaces in the NetScaler appliance are numbered in <slot>/<port> notation. For each such network interface, this test reports the following:

  • The current state of the interface;
  • The duration for which the link to the interface was up;
  • The bandwidth utilized by the interface and the nature of traffic handled by the interface - i.e., multicast packets, NetScaler packets, LACPDUs, etc.
  • Issues experienced by the network during transmission/reception of packets - eg., packet drops, discards, errors, stalls, hangs, and more!

The default parameters associated with this test are:

  • The TEST PERIOD list box helps the user to decide how often this test needs to be executed.

  • Specify the host for which the test is to be configured in the HOST text box.

  • To monitor a NetScaler device, the eG agent should be configured with the credentials of a user with read-only privileges to the target NetScaler device. Specify the credentials of such a user in the NETSCALER USERNAME and NETSCALER PASSWORD text boxes.

  • Confirm the password by retyping it in the CONFIRM PASSWORD text box.

  • The eG agent collects performance metrics by invoking NITRO (NetScaler Interface Through Restful interfaces and Objects) APIs on the target Netscaler device. Typically, the NITRO APIs can be invoked through the HTTP or the HTTPS mode. By default, the eG agent invokes the NITRO APIs using the HTTPS mode. This is why, the SSL flag is set to Yes by default. If the target Netscaler device is not SSL-enabled, then the NITRO APIs can be accessed through the HTTP mode only. In this case, set the SSL flag to No.

  • If the SHOW UP INTERFACE ONLY flag is set to Yes, then only the Netscaler interfaces that are operational - i.e. whose MIB-II operStatus variable has a value “up” - are monitored. If this flag is set to No, all Netscaler interfaces that have an adminStatus of “up” will be monitored. By default, this flag is set to No, indicating that by default the test will monitor the interfaces that are up/down.

  • By default, a certain number of network interfaces in the Netscaler infrastructure will be in down state and not operational. The eG agent will detect and provide alert about the interfaces, which are down by default at the time of starting the eG agent. To avoid such unwanted alerts, by default the SHOW DEFAULT DOWN INTERFACE flag is set to No, indicating that the test will not monitor those interfaces. If this flag is set to Yes, then the alert will be generated and the down network interfaces will be reported.

  • If multiple components of the same component type are awaiting configuration, then an APPLY TO OTHER COMPONENTS check box will appear in this page. Clicking on this check box will allow you to apply the configuration to all/selected components of that type.

  • Once the necessary values have been provided, clicking on the UPDATE button will register the changes made.

When changing the configuration for specific servers, a “*” beside the text box corresponding to the parameter signifies that these values have to be manually configured by the user. The parameter values that require to be configured will typically be prefixed with a “$” or contain a series of “*”. A value of "none" in the parameter value indicates that the corresponding parameter value can be changed if required.