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IPSLA operations for backup paths?

I'm just getting my feet wet with IPSLAM and have created several hub & spoke and port-point operations using ICMP Echo and ICMP Path Echo. I notice when configuring ICMP Echo and ICMP Path Echo operations that IPSLAM only prompts for the source and destination nodes. So it is my assumption the IPSLA operation will use the primary network path as determined by the network routing protocol (in our case OSPF). Am I correct? I also notice that IPSLAM does not provide the ability to create an operation using specific source and destination interface addresses. Is this a limitation of IPSLA or IPSLAM? What I would like to do is create an operation to run across an alternate connection that would only carry traffic should the primary path become unavailable. Is this feasible? If so, what do I need to do to accomplish it?

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Accepted answers

tom.rybka

Cisco IPSLA technology doesn't allow you to indicate a path the operation should follow during probes. The path is really given by the current routing situation. However, it allows you to specify source and destination addresses to use for probes, the IP addresses should map to interfaces you wish to use. IPSLA Manager reflects this advanced setting.

The options to customize source and target IP addresses are available in Advanced section when you edit operation properties. However, these fields are available only when you edit properties for specific operation instances - you cannot see it when you create operations in the Operation Wizard in the screen where you can configure initial parameters. However, in the Review screen (just before you actually submit their creation), you can still edit particular operations and you should be able to override the defaults.

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mcbridea

IP SLA does use your routing protocol and you can choose the port it uses to send the test traffic.

IP SLA Settings

This page presents general options regarding your configuration of IP SLA Manager. From the IP SLA Manager Settings page, you can configure: • The port through which IP SLA Manager sends simulated traffic

FormerMember

Thanks Andy.

I get that you can choose a global port number for IPSLA but that was not my question or desire to change the default port number. My question was/is in regard to device interface support. Given the example below, the primary routing path is via the fiber link (routerA s0/0 to routerB s0/0) and the alternate/backup path (and always up) is via the microwave link (routerA s0/1 to routerB s0/1). OSPF is the routing protocol so all traffic is configured to favor and route across the fiber link. No traffic passes over the microwave link during normal operations. I would like to be able to create an IPSLA ICMP Echo operation to test traffic bidirectional across the microwave link to ensure it is working and then hopefully trigger an alert if traffic fails. I gather from your response this is not possible with IPSLAM because there is no way to configure a bi-directional ICMP Echo operation specifically to use routerA s/01 and routerB s0/1 link while OSPF routes normal traffic via the fiber link. Correct? In order to do this you would need to also specify source and destination interface addresses. I re-ask the question, "Is this a limitation of IPSLA or IPSLA Manager?". If IPSLA Manager is the limitation, then I will submit a feature request to add support for source/dest interfaces when configuring an operation. If the limitation is IPSLA then I'm SOL.

tom.rybka

FormerMember

Awesome! That's what I was looking for! Thanks Tom. This has really made my day.

But, I would note, it would be good to have the source and target addresses made available in the Advanced section in the Define Properties step of the Wizard when creating a New operation to eliminate the additional steps to have to turn around and edit the operation in order to set the source and target addresses.

Also, I created a new ICMP Echo operation and edited the source and target addresses but they didn't take after creating the operation. When I went back and used Edit to view the properties the source and target addresses they were the default node addresses. Could this be a bug? I'll try again later and see if it happens again.

tom.rybka

It should work; the operations should be re-created with new settings. Please let us know how it goes.