Chapter 13. Network Monitoring | Solaris System Management (New Riders Professional Library)

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T HE SYSTEM MANAGER, ALTHOUGH NOT RESPONSIBLE for the network infrastructure and performance, must ensure that the systems he is responsible for can communicate at an acceptable speed with an acceptable response time. This might involve monitoring the throughput of data on a network interface, for example, or ensuring that other hosts are reachable ”that is, they must respond to "Are you there?" messages, and also check the route taken to reach a remote host.

The term "network monitoring" for the Solaris system manager means checking the health of all the systems, to ensure that they can be "seen" on the network and that they are functioning correctly. Products such as Solstice Domain Manager, which is discussed in Chapter 14, "Network Management Tools," can be used as a monitoring tool, but it is primarily a network management product with the capability to take remedial action when a certain event occurs.

This chapter addresses the topic of network monitoring in a Solaris network environment. It takes a brief look at some factors that could affect network performance and security, such as subnetting and when it might be necessary. It also examines the difference between static and dynamic routing options. A section at the end of the chapter looks at troubleshooting some network problems, identifying some useful tools that can greatly assist with fault diagnosis and analysis. The first section discusses a network monitoring software package, Big Brother, outlining the type of functionality and reporting that can be utilized to determine how the systems on the network are performing.

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