Enable netflow statistics on a Cisco router
Introduction
OptiView XG is NOT a NetFlow collector, but it is possible to have OptiView poll a Cisco router for IP flow based network statistics. The results (top-n) are available on the OptiView under Device Details or in Application Infrastrcture Tests. In order to do this, routers in your network must be configured correctly.
This TruView feature is only supported on Cisco routers.
Solution
This configuration example has been tested with a CISCO router model 1911 running IOS version 15. For more information about the commands used in this script, read the router's IOS specific manual. We consider SNMP read-only access to the router already being properly configured and the community has sufficient view rights on the relevant MIBs.
Global Configuration Mode
Enter Global Configuration Mode on the router and add the following commands to the configuration. Substitute <SourceInterface> and <DestinationAddress> with the appropriate values.
You must enable flow exports in order to get the top counter tables populated.
conf t ip flow-cache timeout active 1 ip flow-cache timeout inactive 14 ip flow-export source <SourceInterface> ip flow-export version 9 ip flow-export destination <DestinationAddress> 2055 ip flow-top-talkers top 100 sort-by bytes cache-timeout 300000 exit ip flow-top-applications top 100
sort-by bytes cache-timeout 300000 exit wr mem
Interface Configuration Mode
This is a common yet not unique way to enable NetFlow exports for interfaces. Please read your router's IOS specific manual for more information on how to configure NetFlow on a per interface basis.
Add the following command to the interface configuration section of all interfaces carrying traffic. There are at least two interfaces that carry traffic, one facing the network and one facing the site. These can be physical or virtual interfaces like sub -, dialer - and tunnel interfaces.
conf t interface <InterfaceName> ip flow egress exit wr mem
Debug
Still in priviledges mode, use the following commands to verify flow exports and population of the top counters
sh ip flow export sh ip flow top-talkers sh ip flow top-applications