Route analytics
Encyclopedia
Route analytics is an emerging network monitoring technology specifically developed to analyze the routing protocols and structures in meshed IP Networks. Their main mode of operation is to passively listen to the Layer 3
routing protocol exchanges between routers for the purposes of network discovery, mapping, real-time
monitoring and routing diagnostics.
Information is exchanged between network routers using different routing protocols to dynamically determine the best route for packets to take - the most widely deployed protocols include OSPF, IS-IS
, EIGRP and BGP.
Route analytics systems function by establishing a relationship (adjacency) with a single router in a Layer 3 network followed by passive listening of the control plane messages being exchanged by the routers. By becoming part of the control plane, route analytics systems effectively act as a passive router, having the same routing knowledge of other network routers but without the ability to forward actual data packets. Though the systems are actively participating in the control plane, they cannot affect how data is routed around the network. The systems must also support the various routing protocols to effectively analyze the updates announced by the network routers.
The main features of a route analytics system are:
, Solana Networks and Iptivia. Hewlett Packard also offers a licensed version from Packet Design as an integrated option to its HP Network Node Manager.
Network layer
The network layer is layer 3 of the seven-layer OSI model of computer networking.The network layer is responsible for packet forwarding including routing through intermediate routers, whereas the data link layer is responsible for media access control, flow control and error checking.The network...
routing protocol exchanges between routers for the purposes of network discovery, mapping, real-time
Real-time data
Real-time data denotes information that is delivered immediately after collection. There is no delay in the timeliness of the information provided. Real-time data is often used for navigation or tracking....
monitoring and routing diagnostics.
General information
Route analytics technology was motivated by the "best effort" nature of IP networks and the lack of visibility into the dynamic nature of packet routing across IP networks – often referred to as the IP cloud. Typical IP networks are based on a number of interconnected routers.Information is exchanged between network routers using different routing protocols to dynamically determine the best route for packets to take - the most widely deployed protocols include OSPF, IS-IS
IS-IS
Intermediate System To Intermediate System , is a routing protocol designed to move information efficiently within a computer network, a group of physically connected computers or similar devices....
, EIGRP and BGP.
Route analytics systems function by establishing a relationship (adjacency) with a single router in a Layer 3 network followed by passive listening of the control plane messages being exchanged by the routers. By becoming part of the control plane, route analytics systems effectively act as a passive router, having the same routing knowledge of other network routers but without the ability to forward actual data packets. Though the systems are actively participating in the control plane, they cannot affect how data is routed around the network. The systems must also support the various routing protocols to effectively analyze the updates announced by the network routers.
The main features of a route analytics system are:
- Real-time and accurate discovery of routed networks
- Computation of Layer 3 network routing topology and visualization of primary and redundant paths
- Visibility into current and historical routing information (e.g. LSAsLink-state advertisementThe link-state advertisement is a basic communication means of the OSPF routing protocol for the Internet Protocol . It communicates the router's local routing topology to all other local routers in the same OSPF area. OSPF is designed for scalability, so some LSAs are not flooded out on all...
, AS Externals) - Detection of routing events, failures or protocol anomalies (for example route flapping) impacting paths or reachability
- Ability to handle multiple protocols' routing such as OSPF, ISISISISISIS is an industry standard interface for image scanning technologies, developed by Pixel Translations in 1990 ....
, or BGP
Vendors
The Route analytics technology is being offered by less than a handful of vendors today who are addressing a growing market niche consisting of larger enterprises and carriers. These vendors include Packet Design, Alcatel-Lucent, NetcordiaNetcordia
Netcordia, Inc. is a privately held developer and marketer of network configuration and change management software. Founded in 2000 by Terry Slattery, the first non-Cisco employee to be awarded the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert certification, Netcordia was created to develop network software...
, Solana Networks and Iptivia. Hewlett Packard also offers a licensed version from Packet Design as an integrated option to its HP Network Node Manager.