User Guide for Campus Manager 3.3 - Diagnosing Network Connectivity Problems [CiscoWorks Campus Manager]

Table Of Contents

Diagnosing Network Connectivity Problems

What You Need—Prerequisites

How To Do It—Procedure

Make Sure the ANI Server Has Current Network and End-User Host Information

Locate the End-User Host and HR Server in the Network

Check for Duplicate MAC and IP Addresses in User Tracking

Run a Path Data Trace

Highlight Path Trace on Topology View

Investigate Link Attributes

Where You Should End Up—Verification

Diagnosing Network Connectivity Problems

A common network problem is loss of IP connectivity. This scenario takes you through one example, guiding you through each action and interpreting specific results. For a more general troubleshooting procedure, see "Troubleshooting Browser and Connectivity Problems Using Campus Manager Applications."

In this scenario an end-user named Susan calls your network help desk reporting that she is unable to access the Human Resources server, but she is not sure when the problem first began. She is confident that she was able to do so last week, but she is not sure whether she had tried yet this week. She is still able to use her web browser and read e-mail.

As the network administrator, you need to determine the reason that this end-user is unable to access the HR server.

To diagnose this problem, see the following sections:

•What You Need—Prerequisites

•How To Do It—Procedure

•Where You Should End Up—Verification

What You Need—Prerequisites

In this scenario, you will use these applications:

•User Tracking

•Path Analysis

•Topology Services

Your help desk personnel immediately begins using Campus to start troubleshooting the problem.

How To Do It—Procedure

Use the following procedure:

1. Make Sure the ANI Server Has Current Network and End-User Host Information

2. Locate the End-User Host and HR Server in the Network

3. Check for Duplicate MAC and IP Addresses in User Tracking

4. Run a Path Data Trace

5. Highlight Path Trace on Topology View

6. Investigate Link Attributes

Note This scenario is only one way to troubleshoot this problem. It demonstrates how you can use the Campus applications to troubleshoot similar problems in your network.

Make Sure the ANI Server Has Current Network and End-User Host Information

To verify whether the ANI Server has current network and end-user host information:

Step 1 From any open Campus application, click the box on the right of the status bar to see the Discovery Information window.

Step 2 Observe that the last ANI Server discovery was at 12:00 a.m. and the last User Tracking discovery was at 1:00 a.m. No changes were made to the network after those times.

Locate the End-User Host and HR Server in the Network

In User Tracking, you can display the end-user and HR server information stored in the User Tracking database by performing a query based on specific search criteria or by sorting on one of the table columns, such as the device column, and then scanning the column for specific information. To locate the end-user host and HR server in the network using a simple query:

Step 1 Obtain information from the user, such as the IP address, that will help you locate the user in User Tracking.

In this case, you can ask Susan what cubicle number and wall jack she is attached to. The cubicle number and wall jack are useful because your company entered this information into the Catalyst switches configuration (in the port name field) using Cisco View or the command line interface during the initial setup and installation. You can use this information to help locate the user's physical network location, which helps you begin resolving the problem.

Step 2 The user reports that she is in cube G6-74 on the second floor, and the computer is connected to port 4.

Step 3 Start the User Tracking application. From the CiscoWorks desktop, select Campus Manager > User Tracking.

Step 4 From the User Tracking window, select Query > Simple Query... (see Figure 8-1).

Figure 8-1 User Tracking Simple Query

Step 5 Select the Main Table tab.

Step 6 Click the Match all of the following radio button.

Step 7 Click the first check box to activate the row.

Step 8 Select Port Name from the Column pull-down menu.

Step 9 Enter the user's cubicle number and wall jack number (G6-74) in the Pattern field.

Step 10 Click Apply.

The User Tracking application locates the user with the reported cubicle and wall jack numbers.

The User Tracking application displays information about this user, including the user's IP and MAC address, Catalyst 5000 series switch, and specific port that she is connected to based on the cubicle number you entered.

Ask Susan the name of the server she is attempting to use so that you can obtain the DNS name or IP address of the server.

From this information, you determine the network topology of the affected segments (see Figure 8-2).

Figure 8-2 Network Topology of Affected Segments

Check for Duplicate MAC and IP Addresses in User Tracking

You can easily check for common causes, such as duplicate MAC and IP addresses, using User Tracking. To check for duplicate MAC and IP addresses:

Step 1 From the User Tracking window, select Reports > Duplicate MAC. User Tracking reports any offending end-user hosts with duplicate MAC addresses. In this case, User Tracking does not find any duplicate MAC addresses.

Step 2 From the User Tracking window, select Reports > Duplicate IP. User Tracking reports any offending end-user hosts with duplicate IP addresses. In this case, User Tracking does not find any duplicate IP addresses.

Run a Path Data Trace

Because you have ruled out duplicate MAC and IP addresses, you should now check the connectivity of the path between the two points in question. To get an indication whether IP connectivity at the PC end is the cause for the failure, run a path data trace:

Step 1 Run a path data trace from the Susan's PC to the HR server.

a. From the CiscoWorks desktop, select Campus Manager > Path Analysis.

b. Select Data Trace.

c. In the From field, enter the DNS name or IP address of Susan's PC.

d. In the To field, enter the DNS name or IP address of the HR server.

e. Select Action > Start Trace.

Note If the trace encounters an error, you can click on the Error tab to display view of the error.

In this scenario, suppose the result of the path trace is unsuccessful, go to Step 2.

Step 2 Because the trace was not successful, run a reverse path trace from the HR server to Susan's PC.

a. Select Reverse Trace Direction. Susan's IP address is now displayed in the To field and the HR server's IP address is displayed in the From field.

b. Click the Start Trace button.

You get a partial path trace from the HR server to Susan's PC; the last Layer 3 hop is not shown. You have now localized the problem to the subnet to which user's PC belongs.

Highlight Path Trace on Topology View

Using Path Analysis, you have localized the problem; now you can highlight the path trace on the topology view to identify any points of failure:

Step 1 From the CiscoWorks desktop, select Campus Manager > Topology Services.

Step 2 Return to the Path Analysis window where the result of the path trace you just performed is displayed.

Step 3 Select Action > Highlight Path in Network View.

Path Analysis displays a message that indicates it is highlighting the trace in the network view. Then, the Layer 2 View is displayed with the path trace highlighted.

Step 4 Check for possible signs of failure. In this case, you notice a red link on the Layer 2 View.

Investigate Link Attributes

To check the link attributes:

Step 1 Select the affected link.

Step 2 Select Reports > Link Attributes.

You notice that the port speed on one side of the link is set to 100M; however, the port speed on the other side of the link is set to 10M. You suspect that this might be the cause of the failure. You use CiscoView (or telnet) to reach the suspected device and change the port speed to match the speed of the other side of the link.

Where You Should End Up—Verification

You want to make sure that you have correctly identified and resolved the user's problem. To do this, you run another path trace between Susan's PC and the HR server.

Step 1 From the CiscoWorks desktop, select Campus Manager > Path Analysis.

Step 2 Select Data Trace.

Step 3 In the From field, enter the IP address or DNS name of the Susan's PC.

Step 4 In the To field, enter the IP address or DNS name of the HR server.

Step 5 Select Action > Start Trace.

The result of the path trace is successful.

	User Guide for Campus Manager 3.3
	Diagnosing Network Connectivity Problems
User Guide for Campus Manager 3.3 Preface Overview Managing Physical and Logical Network Services with Topology Services Locating Users in the Network with User Tracking Managing VLAN Ports with VLAN Port Assignment Tracking Packet Flow Using Path Analysis Setting up support for CiscoWorks ANI Server Administering Campus Manager Diagnosing Network Connectivity Problems Diagnosing Voice Problems Implementing VLANs in Your Ethernet Network Synchronizing Device Information Between the ANI Server and Resource Manager Essentials Printing Network Topology Information Configuring and Monitoring LANE Services Troubleshooting Connectivity Problems Using Campus Manager Applications Discovering Preferred Management Addresses for Routers Index	Download this chapter Diagnosing Network Connectivity Problems Download the complete book User Guide for Campus Manager (PDF - 3 MB) Table Of Contents Diagnosing Network Connectivity Problems What You Need—Prerequisites How To Do It—Procedure Make Sure the ANI Server Has Current Network and End-User Host Information Locate the End-User Host and HR Server in the Network Check for Duplicate MAC and IP Addresses in User Tracking Run a Path Data Trace Highlight Path Trace on Topology View Investigate Link Attributes Where You Should End Up—Verification Diagnosing Network Connectivity Problems A common network problem is loss of IP connectivity. This scenario takes you through one example, guiding you through each action and interpreting specific results. For a more general troubleshooting procedure, see "Troubleshooting Browser and Connectivity Problems Using Campus Manager Applications." In this scenario an end-user named Susan calls your network help desk reporting that she is unable to access the Human Resources server, but she is not sure when the problem first began. She is confident that she was able to do so last week, but she is not sure whether she had tried yet this week. She is still able to use her web browser and read e-mail. As the network administrator, you need to determine the reason that this end-user is unable to access the HR server. To diagnose this problem, see the following sections: •What You Need—Prerequisites •How To Do It—Procedure •Where You Should End Up—Verification What You Need—Prerequisites In this scenario, you will use these applications: •User Tracking •Path Analysis •Topology Services Your help desk personnel immediately begins using Campus to start troubleshooting the problem. How To Do It—Procedure Use the following procedure: 1. Make Sure the ANI Server Has Current Network and End-User Host Information 2. Locate the End-User Host and HR Server in the Network 3. Check for Duplicate MAC and IP Addresses in User Tracking 4. Run a Path Data Trace 5. Highlight Path Trace on Topology View 6. Investigate Link Attributes Note This scenario is only one way to troubleshoot this problem. It demonstrates how you can use the Campus applications to troubleshoot similar problems in your network. Make Sure the ANI Server Has Current Network and End-User Host Information To verify whether the ANI Server has current network and end-user host information: Step 1 From any open Campus application, click the box on the right of the status bar to see the Discovery Information window. Step 2 Observe that the last ANI Server discovery was at 12:00 a.m. and the last User Tracking discovery was at 1:00 a.m. No changes were made to the network after those times. Locate the End-User Host and HR Server in the Network In User Tracking, you can display the end-user and HR server information stored in the User Tracking database by performing a query based on specific search criteria or by sorting on one of the table columns, such as the device column, and then scanning the column for specific information. To locate the end-user host and HR server in the network using a simple query: Step 1 Obtain information from the user, such as the IP address, that will help you locate the user in User Tracking. In this case, you can ask Susan what cubicle number and wall jack she is attached to. The cubicle number and wall jack are useful because your company entered this information into the Catalyst switches configuration (in the port name field) using Cisco View or the command line interface during the initial setup and installation. You can use this information to help locate the user's physical network location, which helps you begin resolving the problem. Step 2 The user reports that she is in cube G6-74 on the second floor, and the computer is connected to port 4. Step 3 Start the User Tracking application. From the CiscoWorks desktop, select Campus Manager > User Tracking. Step 4 From the User Tracking window, select Query > Simple Query... (see Figure 8-1). Figure 8-1 User Tracking Simple Query Step 5 Select the Main Table tab. Step 6 Click the Match all of the following radio button. Step 7 Click the first check box to activate the row. Step 8 Select Port Name from the Column pull-down menu. Step 9 Enter the user's cubicle number and wall jack number (G6-74) in the Pattern field. Step 10 Click Apply. The User Tracking application locates the user with the reported cubicle and wall jack numbers. The User Tracking application displays information about this user, including the user's IP and MAC address, Catalyst 5000 series switch, and specific port that she is connected to based on the cubicle number you entered. Ask Susan the name of the server she is attempting to use so that you can obtain the DNS name or IP address of the server. From this information, you determine the network topology of the affected segments (see Figure 8-2). Figure 8-2 Network Topology of Affected Segments Check for Duplicate MAC and IP Addresses in User Tracking You can easily check for common causes, such as duplicate MAC and IP addresses, using User Tracking. To check for duplicate MAC and IP addresses: Step 1 From the User Tracking window, select Reports > Duplicate MAC. User Tracking reports any offending end-user hosts with duplicate MAC addresses. In this case, User Tracking does not find any duplicate MAC addresses. Step 2 From the User Tracking window, select Reports > Duplicate IP. User Tracking reports any offending end-user hosts with duplicate IP addresses. In this case, User Tracking does not find any duplicate IP addresses. Run a Path Data Trace Because you have ruled out duplicate MAC and IP addresses, you should now check the connectivity of the path between the two points in question. To get an indication whether IP connectivity at the PC end is the cause for the failure, run a path data trace: Step 1 Run a path data trace from the Susan's PC to the HR server. a. From the CiscoWorks desktop, select Campus Manager > Path Analysis. b. Select Data Trace. c. In the From field, enter the DNS name or IP address of Susan's PC. d. In the To field, enter the DNS name or IP address of the HR server. e. Select Action > Start Trace. Note If the trace encounters an error, you can click on the Error tab to display view of the error. In this scenario, suppose the result of the path trace is unsuccessful, go to Step 2. Step 2 Because the trace was not successful, run a reverse path trace from the HR server to Susan's PC. a. Select Reverse Trace Direction. Susan's IP address is now displayed in the To field and the HR server's IP address is displayed in the From field. b. Click the Start Trace button. You get a partial path trace from the HR server to Susan's PC; the last Layer 3 hop is not shown. You have now localized the problem to the subnet to which user's PC belongs. Highlight Path Trace on Topology View Using Path Analysis, you have localized the problem; now you can highlight the path trace on the topology view to identify any points of failure: Step 1 From the CiscoWorks desktop, select Campus Manager > Topology Services. Step 2 Return to the Path Analysis window where the result of the path trace you just performed is displayed. Step 3 Select Action > Highlight Path in Network View. Path Analysis displays a message that indicates it is highlighting the trace in the network view. Then, the Layer 2 View is displayed with the path trace highlighted. Step 4 Check for possible signs of failure. In this case, you notice a red link on the Layer 2 View. Investigate Link Attributes To check the link attributes: Step 1 Select the affected link. Step 2 Select Reports > Link Attributes. You notice that the port speed on one side of the link is set to 100M; however, the port speed on the other side of the link is set to 10M. You suspect that this might be the cause of the failure. You use CiscoView (or telnet) to reach the suspected device and change the port speed to match the speed of the other side of the link. Where You Should End Up—Verification You want to make sure that you have correctly identified and resolved the user's problem. To do this, you run another path trace between Susan's PC and the HR server. Step 1 From the CiscoWorks desktop, select Campus Manager > Path Analysis. Step 2 Select Data Trace. Step 3 In the From field, enter the IP address or DNS name of the Susan's PC. Step 4 In the To field, enter the IP address or DNS name of the HR server. Step 5 Select Action > Start Trace. The result of the path trace is successful.
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