The Cisco® MPLS Diagnostics Expert is a new, automated, workflow-based network management application that troubleshoots and diagnoses problems in Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) VPNs. The Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert offers users the capability to reduce, by an order of magnitude, the amount of time required to diagnose MPLS-related network outages - in many cases from hours to minutes. It performs diagnostics based on analysis of network failure scenarios, across MPLS access, edge, and core networks. It is equally applicable to both service provider and enterprise "self-deployed" MPLS VPN networks. Network operations center (NOC) support technicians as well as second- and third-line support can benefit from this product. The Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert optionally integrates with the Layer 3 MPLS VPN provisioning features of the Cisco IP Solution Center MPLS VPN Management product. To diagnose MPLS VPN core problems, Cisco IOS® Software releases supporting MPLS operations and maintenance (OAM) features including label-switched path (LSP) ping and LSP traceroute are required.
Table 1 lists the devices supported by the Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert. Table 2 lists features and benefits.
Table 1. Supported Devices
Supported Devices
Cisco 12000, 7500, and 7200 series routers with Cisco IOS Software Release 12.0(27)S or later
Cisco 10000, 7500, 7300, and 7200 series routers with Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(27)SB or later
Cisco 7600 Series routers with Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(18)SXE or later
Table 2. Features and Benefits
Feature
Description
Automated localization of MPLS VPN outages
Automated localization of MPLS outage to MPLS edge, core, access circuit, or even end-customer network. Localizations and diagnostics are reactively (user) initiated.
Automated diagnosis of MPLS VPN outages
Automated reactive diagnosis of problems, after localization - based on Cisco MPLS VPN failure-scenario knowledge base (more details following).
Web-based, easy-to-use GUI
Simple GUI that can be used by the provider's level 1, 2, or 3 NOC support staff. The product is ideally suited for NOC help-desk deployment to accelerate customer problem diagnostics.
MPLS VPN core outage diagnostics
More than 30 failure scenarios automatically diagnosed. For example: diagnosis of Cisco Express Forwarding, disabled MPLS, Label Distribution Protocol/Tag Distribution Protocol (LDP/TDP) mismatches, inconsistent route-processor and line-card forwarding tables, and MPLS label-allocation issues.
MPLS VPN access-circuit outage diagnostics
More than 40 failure scenarios automatically diagnosed relating to provider-edge and customer-edge attachment circuits. For example: Frame Relay interface configuration parameter mismatch and packets being dropped in ATM/Frame Relay access circuit.
MPLS VPN provider-edge outage diagnostics
More than 40 failure scenarios automatically diagnosed relating to the provider edge router. For example: route target mismatch, route limit exceeded, BGP session not established between edge devices, and VPNv4 address family deletion.
Observations
When the Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert is unable to conclude a diagnosis, it often provides an observation or "hint" of a potential outage-related problem. The system distinguishes between clearly diagnosable failures and issues that may cause a failure but cannot be deterministically diagnosed. The latter are reported as observations. These may include issues such as access control lists blocking propagation of LDP messages.
Full test log documentation and export capability
All diagnostics are documented in detail through the test log, showing all decisions and Cisco IOS CLI commands executed to arrive at the end conclusion. This test log can be exported to a text file for subsequent entry into a trouble-ticket system or e-mail to Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC), for example.
LSP visualization
Real-time graphical, on-demand visualization of the LSP between the provider-edge routers in the customer data path.
Maximum transfer unit (MTU) analysis
Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert can diagnose problems related to MTU size. For a selected pair of endpoints, the system will find and report any discrepancies along the path between the endpoints.
Availability
The Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert will be available and orderable on December 2, 2005.
To place an order, visit the Cisco Ordering Home Page. Table 3 lists ordering information for the Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert.
