Visibility
This section focuses on the Ipanema Solution’s Visibility features which enable full control over the network and application behavior.
Visibility features allow to:
Automatically discover applications over the entire network using Layer 3 to 7 Classification
Ipanema allows users to discover how the network is used by applications. Classification of the flows is done automatically through layer 7 packet inspection technology. Business or rogue applications are fully recognized even if they use dynamic port numbers (such as VoIP/RTP) or “polymorphism” (multiple protocol encapsulations) such as Skype.
This information can be displayed at multiple levels of granularity, from globally across the entire network down to local subnets and individual computers.
Accurately measure the performance of all application flows in real-time
The Ipanema System measures application flow quality metrics such as TCP RTT (Round Trip Time), TCP SRT (Server Response Time) and TCP Retransmits.
The System also computes unique “one-way” metrics that provide the highest precision information available about the performance of any protocol, including UDP flows used in VoIP and video. These one-way metrics include one-way transit delay, loss and jitter.
One-way metrics are unique in their ability to represent what network performance is truly delivered to end-users and to precisely show the network contribution to application performance from LAN to LAN.
Ipanema also provides two application quality indicators: MOS and AQS. The MOS or Mean Opinion Score is computed using ITU’s E-Model and the AQS is computed using an Ipanema proprietary model based on the comparison of multiple metrics with per application thresholds. These indicators take the drudgery out of assessing application performance by having the system itself do the hard work of compiling network metrics into the crucial judgments of how each application is doing. This makes it possible to provide “at a glance” reports of application quality for the whole network in real-time.
Report on usage and performance throughout the organization
Ipanema reporting tools include numerous report templates that can be instantiated at any time, application and topology criteria. Templates include detailed technical reports for network or site managers as well as summary reports to communicate the network and application usage and performance across the organization.
Reports are updated in real-time (hourly reports are updated every minute) and are interactive: they are clickable with hyperlinks between them to support drill down and include the flexibility to go back in time using intuitive slider controls.
Combine proactive and reactive helpdesk functions via bird’s-eye views of performance (Maps), alarming and drill down
The Ipanema System includes sophisticated tools to leverage its unique ability to capture a global real-time view of networked application performance. Flexible alarms can be set on any local or global performance event. For example, a dedicated alarm can be triggered when the MOS of a VoIP call is going below a threshold at the company headquarters.
The System also features unique “bird’s-eye views” of application performance using a compact, hierarchical, graphical real-time representation called “Ipanema Maps”. In those “Maps” each rectangle represents a collection of application flows, with the size of the rectangle proportional to the volume of data flowing and the color (green through amber to red) representing the quality of the flows (according to the AQS or MOS of the flows).
Once a problem has been identified through an alarm or an amber/red indication, the tool offers the ability to drill down progressively to an “oscilloscope view” of a given flow which graphs all the basic metrics of the flow and is updated every 10 seconds.
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