VoIP QOS Network Monitoring and Pathview Cloud!

VoIP QOS Network Monitoring and Pathview Cloud!
Trouble Shooting VoIP issues in a multi-site deployment is a challenge to even the most talented network
engineer. It is often difficult to determine what is a voice equipment issue and what is an issue aggravated by
a network conditions. As network engineer trouble shooting an issue, having access to network monitoring
tools is essential. Sometimes we have to use the basic ICMP tool sets and ping our way through a trace
route, but network connectivity is only one element of QOS related areas in a VoIP deployment. (Actually, it
would be great if clients invested in putting network monitoring tools in place, but they only seem to
appreciate their networks when something goes wrong)!
What is that we need to monitor anyway? We split the monitoring world into two basic camps:Flow based
accounting and Health checking software. Flow based monitoring enables us to check the source/destination
IP address; source/destination port; IP protocol; TOS and Ingress interface. This is helpful when you are
trying to figure out what applications are running on your network and who is streaming real time
media. Clearly important stuff, but at the end of the day, when it comes to logging into someone’s network
remotely and trying to figure out why some remote user has garbled phone calls, there is nothing like an in
place Health check!
When we talk about the “health” of the network we are interested in knowing about Bandwidth capacity,
Loss, Jitter, Mean Opinion Score (MOS), latency and tagging. These are the words that make a VoIP engineer
smile! Would it not be wonderful to log into your clients network and have this kind of history available
between key end points of a multi-site deployment? Rarely, do I ever publically endorse a product but the
folks Apparent Networks have gone out of their way to make their product available, useable and free! You
need to stop what you are doing and download Path View Cloud, a host based network monitoring solution
from Apparent Networks.
Not only is this software as useful as a button hole, but you can download a fully functional 5 node solution
for absolutely no money! In previous posts I have discussed the fact that, despite best practice, clients
continue to attempt VoIP phone deployment over DSL through VPN tunnels! Path View Cloud enables you to
collect real time network health information about key end points in your network. Typically, it is the remote
user or the WAN points that you are going to want to study. Path View Cloud enables you to create
monitoring solutions that regularly report on health checks and trigger alerts when “violations” have been
detected. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and you can see packets!
Clearly Apparent Networks believes that offering 5 free nodes will get you to order more! The offer is,
however, compelling and I can tell all you cheap, penny pinching, tight wads that will not invest in network
monitoring software, that you will sleep better at night with this Path View Cloud solution in place. Network
and VoIP engineers and technicians, you need this arrow in your quiver to make trouble shooting more
visual!

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