Aviz Service Node Enhances IP Traffic Analysis and Observability
Aviz Service Node (Autonomous System Number (ASN)) offers high-performance observability for IP networks, including data centers and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH), by improving application performance and capacity planning through session metadata extraction.
Challenges in Network Infrastructure
Network infrastructures face several challenges: increasing traffic leads to congestion and scaling issues, impacting user experience; application performance can suffer due to latency and outages, threatening Service Level Agreements (SLAs); and limited visibility can obscure bottlenecks and anomalies without real-time telemetry.
ASN for IP Traffic Analysis
IP Session Management
Autonomous System Number (ASN) processes high-volume packet streams and maintains records of millions of IP sessions in memory. This is achieved through indexed metadata creation from IP tuples that facilitates traffic monitoring and capacity planning.
- Key fields include connection duration, data transfer amounts, transmission directions, and application protocol metrics.
- This output supports performance monitoring and security analytics.
Protocol Decapsulation & Header Stripping
ASN enables in-depth packet inspection by executing protocol decapsulation and selective header stripping, which is essential for Root Cause Analysis (RCA).
Supported Tunnels / Encapsulations
- Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)
- Encapsulated Remote Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN) (ERSPAN)
- Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN)
- Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE)
- Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP)
- IP over Ethernet (IPoE)
This process decreases overhead and enhances troubleshooting capabilities.
Application Identification (DPI)
The ASN Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) engine is capable of identifying over 500 applications, with plans for exceeding 1000, utilizing various techniques for classification.
- Pattern matching and heuristics
- Server Name Indication (SNI) matching
- Global IP to ASN mappings
- Context-aware port-based classification
KPI Calculation & Streaming
Exporting Session Metadata
ASN exports enriched application and performance data to external analytics platforms via Kafka, enabling enhanced data management.
High-Frequency KPI Export
Key Performance indicator (KPI) data is aggregated and streamed every five seconds, enhancing real-time observability through efficient processing techniques.
Real-Time Alerts
Critical events within the network are flagged for immediate notification, allowing for prompt responses to issues.
Timestamping for Time-Series Analysis
Timestamps enable detailed analytics over defined time windows, aiding in trend detection.
KPIs Supported Matrix
| KPIs | Power Efficiency Ratio (PER) Session | PER Application | PER Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Throughput / Bandwidth | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Uplink Latency | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Downlink Latency | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Retransmit Count | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Total Packets & Bytes | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Packet Deduplication
Configurable packet deduplication by ASN tackles duplicate packets that can skew metrics, ensuring cleaner telemetry.
- Packet Source
- Choose sources for deduplication.
- Anchor & Offset
- Set byte windows for duplicate comparison.
- Window Size
- Time or byte-bound states enhance efficiency.
The result is improved accuracy in metrics and reduced storage needs.
Packet Capture (Live)
Live packet capture in ASN facilitates troubleshooting without disrupting network operations, accommodating real-time validation and analysis.
Benefits of ASN for IP Traffic Analysis
- Improved observability ensures detailed traffic and application visibility.
- Per-user insights help in identifying issues with comprehensive context.
- Ongoing optimization aids in network health management.
- Scalable architecture supports extensive throughput and session needs.
FAQs
1) What is ASN and how does it enhance IP traffic analysis? Aviz Service Node is a high-performance Observability Platform (OP) for various network environments that tracks sessions and generates valuable metadata for analysis.
2) How does ASN identify network applications in real time? ASN deploys a Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) engine that uses various techniques for precise application identification.
3) Can ASN support advanced packet decapsulation? Yes, ASN supports multiple protocols for decapsulation, enhancing network analysis capabilities.
4) How does ASN handle metadata export and real-time alerts? ASN utilizes Kafka for quick metadata export and alerts related to major network events.
5) Why is packet deduplication critical, and how does ASN manage it? It helps maintain clean metrics and is configurable within ASN to prevent bandwidth inflation.