Create a Location-Based Traffic Tree with Per-Location Applications

Instructions for organizing the traffic on your network, first by location and then by application or protocol

A location-based tree with per-location applications is appropriate for a main site's WAN or Internet link with traffic that goes to multiple branches or departments. This tree gives you the most insight and the most control over your applications. But it imposes scaling considerations and takes more time to configure. It categorizes first by travel direction, then by location, and finally by application. For example, if you want to know how much New York traffic you have, and you want to know how much SAP traffic you have, and you want to know how much SAP traffic you have in New York — then this traffic tree is your best bet. For more information on this type of tree's capabilities, limitations, scaling considerations, and configuration recommendations, see Traffic Tree Designs.

The following steps help you create a location-based traffic tree with per-location applications.

Steps:

1. Enable traffic discovery, telling PacketWise to automatically create classes for applications and protocols as traffic passes. Then let some time elapse to give it a chance to discover the various applications that travel your network over time.
   
   Although you want a location-based tree, this step reveals the applications you'll need to manage and saves time on later steps.
   
   
2. Disable traffic discovery, telling PacketWise to stop classifying traffic.
   
   
3. Remove the traffic classes for types of traffic you do not want to track or manage separately and for which it's okay to simply count the traffic in with a default class.
   
   
4. If you want to refine application traffic classes, consult Classification Hints and Examples for ideas.
   
   
5. Create a new class for each of your locations under both the Inbound and Outbound branches of your tree. When you create your matching rules, use criteria to identify your locations (usually subnets, host lists, addresses, or VLAN or PVC identifiers). (Example)
   
   You can create each class manually. Or, if there are many classes and it gets to be a tedious task, make it easier by creating a PacketWise command file and a data entry form.
   
   
6. Copy your group of application traffic classes under the each location. The bulk copy command reduces the number of steps to move each class.
   
   This step assumes you want to manage the same group of applications under each location. If not, feel free to create and/or prune traffic classes from any individual location to customize the group of applications.
   
   
7. Make sure your traffic tree has not exhausted PacketWise's supply of traffic classes or matching rules. If that is the case, PacketWise stops creating new classes.
   
   You can check estimates of system boundaries based on model. Keep in mind these are rough estimates of maximum limits that vary with real-time conditions.
   
   In addition, you can check your real-time system limits with the CLI command detailed below. Using the command-line interface, check your system limits. Examine the number of remaining traffic classes and matching rules to see if they are sufficient for the remaining classes you plan to incorporate. Again, these numbers are estimates based on current memory and other conditions.
   
   From the command line, enter: sys limits
   
   You'll see results similar to these:  show screen.
   
   
8. Remove the original group of application classes that are not under any location (the group you copied to each location).
   

Note: Alternatively, if you have very different applications at each location, you can create the location classes as described above, and then turn on traffic discovery for each location class. You'll get automatic traffic classes for each of your applications and protocols that PacketWise discovers automatically. And you won't get classes for applications that are not at a particular location.

However, you will also get a DiscoveredPorts folder for each location with embedded port classes underneath. These can quickly consume available numbers of traffic classes and matching rules, so it is helpful to make a change to reduce the number of port classes automatically created. Normally, if the number of new connections to a static port within one minute exceeds 11, a new port class is created. Adjust the Static Ports variable to a larger number (200, for example) to delay the creation of each class.

When you have all the application classes you want, you can, if you wish, turn traffic discovery off for each location and then remove the classes you don't want. Or, you can just leave traffic discovery on to make sure you see any new applications that appear. Your choice.

PacketGuide solutions that describe creation of a specific type of traffic tree:

• Create an application-based traffic tree
• Create a simple location-based traffic tee
• Create a location-based traffic tree with per-location applications
• Create a location-based tree with global applications