Creating Performance Graphs and Link Reports

You can use the Cluster Management Suite to display real-time graphs that help you analyze traffic patterns and identify problems with individual links. You can also create a link report for each link in the cluster. The link report contains information about the two ports in the link, their configuration, and the devices that are connected to them. This chapter describes how to generate these graphs and reports and how to understand the information they contain.

Displaying Link Graphs

To display a link graph, one end of the link must be connected to a port on a cluster member that is a 2900 or 3500 XL switch. Links between
Catalyst 1900 and 2820 switches, Catalyst 2820 and 2820 switches, or
Catalyst 1900 and 1900 switches cannot be graphed. The Simple Network Management Program (SNMP) must be enabled to generate graphs.

To display a link graph in Cluster Builder or Cluster View, right-click a link, and select Link Graph from the pop-up menu. To display a link graph in Cluster Manager, right-click a port that has a green status LED, and select Link Graph from the pop-up menu.

The graph runs as a separate browser session and can run in the background without interrupting the original session. The host name of the switch is displayed in the browser window title bar, and the link port number is displayed above the graph.

When the graph window is displayed (Figure 6-1), use the drop-down list in the upper-right corner to select the data you want to present.

Select one of the following graphs from the drop-down list:

Percent utilization (Figure 6-1)
Total number of bytes sent and received
Packets sent and received, including broadcast and multicast packets
Total errors, including error packets and dropped packets

Displaying the Percent Utilization

This graph (Figure 6-1) displays the percentage of the maximum bandwidth in use by the port number displayed on the graph.

Displaying the Bandwidth Utilization Graph

On 2900 and 3500 XL switches, you can generate a graph of the switch bandwidth by selecting Bandwidth Graph from the device pop-up menu in Cluster Manager. The graph is an estimate of the traffic flowing through the switch.

Figure 6-1: Link Graph (Percent Utilization)

Displaying the Link Report

Figure 6-2 shows the link report you can display by right-clicking on a link in Cluster Builder or Cluster View and selecting Link Report from the pop-up menu. The information on this report can be generated for any 2900 or 3500 XL switch. The link report for links connecting 2900 or 3500 XL switches and Catalyst 1900 or 2820 switches only display information for the 2900 or 3500 XL ports. Links Reports are not supported on links that connect only 1900
and 2820 switches.

Figure 6-2: Link Report

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