IP SLA Monitoring and Network Service Assurance Management

Support better network performance with network service assurance management

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Manage network assurance operations using VoIP & Network Quality Manager

SolarWinds^® VoIP & Network Quality Manager (VNQM) is your one-stop shop for comprehensive Internet Protocol Service-Level Agreement (IP SLA) monitoring. Configure devices to run customized diagnostic tests for a 360-degree picture of your network’s overall performance. Choose to run existing network service assurance operations or create new ones worth supervising. From HTTP to UDP jitter, VNQM makes it easy to monitor several IP SLA operations simultaneously so you can better manage WAN health.

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Easily locate, add, and configure Cisco devices for end-to-end monitoring

Using Cisco IP SLA and Juniper real-time performance monitoring (RPM), VNQM eliminates the hassle of writing command-line operations for each device. Automatically link network service assurance operations to your Cisco and Juniper RPM devices to start collecting vital performance metrics. Dig into problem nodes and compare historical data to easily spot problems and gain at-a-glance insight. Monitor the performance of your network while using an intuitive tool with easy configuration.

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Track real-time statistics and historical data to analyze quality of service measurements

Get detailed information about network and device latency, jitter, packet loss, and mean opinion scores (MOS) through automatic polling. VNQM measures synchronization issues, response times, data loss, call quality, failing nodes, and more through regular polling, so the data you see is always up-to-date. By using SolarWinds VNQM, you can acquire real-time and historical statistics providing quality of service (QoS) measurements regarding network paths between a source device and a target.

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View network metrics in a user-friendly dashboard for quick troubleshooting

VoIP Call Quality Test Monitor VoIP Metrics

VNQM collects useful information and displays it in tables, graphs, charts, and a variety of other easily digestible formats. With dashboard views, you can home in on problem areas and identify sources of latency and disruption within your network. For a quick overview of how your network is doing, VNQM generates a MOS to give you a snapshot of your network quality, speed, and connectivity times.

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Extract notable data and generate customized reports

IP SLA Monitoring and Management - Free Trial 4 Features Array Item - features item image

Obtain regular logs only including the information most valuable to you. SolarWinds VNQM lets you predefine how you want to generate data reports. Schedule automatic email reports to keep you in the loop, or print out your reports with the click of a button. VNQM transforms record keeping and data management from an overwhelming and complex task to a simple and convenient one—all while providing the most valuable information.

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Get More on IP SLA Monitoring

Do you find yourself asking…

What is IP SLA monitoring?
What’s the difference between IP SLA monitoring and network service assurance management?
What’s the impact of IP SLA operations on a network?
What kind of network service management operations does SolarWinds VNQM support?
How can I start using SolarWinds VNQM?

IP SLA is a diagnostic tool designed by Cisco IOS to help users analyze network performance. It works by actively and continuously collecting data from components within the network—data such as device connectivity rates, communication latency, packet loss, server or site downtime, and other information giving administrators insight into the health of their IT infrastructure.

Though this process varies depending on the types of operations being supervised, IP SLA monitoring generally works with the help of an IP SLA router and an IP SLA Responder. The router generates network traffic, and the Responder gathers information and facilitates the reporting process. The IP SLA router sends the originating timestamp (which states when the data packet was sent) to the Responder. Once this is received, the Responder inputs a receive timestamp (which states when the Responder received the packet) and a transmit timestamp (which tells users when the data packet was sent to its final destination).

From this process, an IP SLA monitor can gauge how well and how quickly devices can communicate with each other across the network. For example, if the data packet takes a long time to transfer between the router and Responder, it tells you there’s a latency or operational issue.

Though IP SLA operations are beneficial for data analytics and troubleshooting, they can cause more harm to your network if polling frequencies, testing schedules, and other monitoring features are deployed too often or consistently overlap.

Configuration issues have become more common as today’s standard offices and residences have embraced smart technology and interconnected mesh networks. The more devices and operations you integrate into your IP SLA monitoring software, the more data packets will be sent to and from your devices, meaning your network will have to work to ensure all components are running smoothly despite the increase in traffic.

This also means your monitoring system will become less effective. The more data and devices you try to keep track of, the harder it will be to stay on top of all recorded logs and historical results. To ensure you use IP SLA operations correctly, make sure to do the following:

Keep tests local: Larger networks may house multiple servers, so avoid using tools designed for LAN services on WAN environments. For example, focusing on IP addresses local to each server makes them easier to keep track of. Otherwise, filtering through thousands of devices could cause you to misunderstand which servers they’re associated with.
Test paths with supported traffic: Ensure each feature is in the appropriate context. For instance, UDP jitter is a test suited for sites designed to support video conferencing. Testing UDP jitter for non-video sites just makes your system work harder with no informational return.
Decrease testing frequency: There’s no need to schedule testing intervals under 300 seconds long. Regular polling is key, but excessive polling becomes a burden.
Watch for overlapping tests: If you conduct a ping test to an HTTP server and a TCP connection from a local switch to an HTTP server, you have a dilemma. Make sure your tests won’t collide and cause communication overload before you schedule them.

SolarWinds VNQM is the ultimate IP SLA monitor, providing granular and scalable insight into your network’s performance metrics. You can add IP SLA operations already existing on your devices to VNQM or create your own network service assurance operations to conduct.

The network service assurance operations VNQM supports include the following:

Domain Name Server (DNS) Operation: Calculates the time it takes to receive after a DNS request is sent to check if DNS servers are functioning properly.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Operation: Like DNS operations, FTP operations measure the time needed for a device and FTP server to obtain a file to ensure FTP servers work successfully.
HTTP Operation: Measures web service response times to help you gauge the health of HTTP servers.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Operation: Computes the time it takes to find a DHCP server and retrieve a leased IP address from it to monitor communication processes involving DHCP servers.
TCP Operation: Focuses on WAN quality by testing how long it takes for two devices to connect at a specific port.
UDP Jitter Operation: Similar to TCP testing, except it uses a specific port number as opposed to a general port and traces the route and timestamps of data packets sent and received between devices.
VoIP UDP Jitter Operation: Ensures call path data is healthy and latency-free across your VoIP network by simulating traffic and measuring data packet delays.
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Operation: Calculates the total time it takes for Cisco and IP-driven devices to communicate on your network using ICMP echo requests. This test helps narrow down the devices not working as they should.
UDP Echo Operation: Mimics the ICMP Echo test, except it uses UDP Echo requests instead of ICMP Echo requests to find a general problem area within your network.
ICMP Path Echo Operation: Uses sets of data chunks to measure round-trip time between nodes on a specific route. This is another way of checking device health.
ICMP Path Jitter Operation: Also measures node health with a hop-by-hop approach for VoIP networks.

IP SLA is a diagnostic tool designed by Cisco IOS to help users analyze network performance. It works by actively and continuously collecting data from components within the network—data such as device connectivity rates, communication latency, packet loss, server or site downtime, and other information giving administrators insight into the health of their IT infrastructure.
Though this process varies depending on the types of operations being supervised, IP SLA monitoring generally works with the help of an IP SLA router and an IP SLA Responder. The router generates network traffic, and the Responder gathers information and facilitates the reporting process. The IP SLA router sends the originating timestamp (which states when the data packet was sent) to the Responder. Once this is received, the Responder inputs a receive timestamp (which states when the Responder received the packet) and a transmit timestamp (which tells users when the data packet was sent to its final destination).
From this process, an IP SLA monitor can gauge how well and how quickly devices can communicate with each other across the network. For example, if the data packet takes a long time to transfer between the router and Responder, it tells you there’s a latency or operational issue.
Though IP SLA operations are beneficial for data analytics and troubleshooting, they can cause more harm to your network if polling frequencies, testing schedules, and other monitoring features are deployed too often or consistently overlap.
Configuration issues have become more common as today’s standard offices and residences have embraced smart technology and interconnected mesh networks. The more devices and operations you integrate into your IP SLA monitoring software, the more data packets will be sent to and from your devices, meaning your network will have to work to ensure all components are running smoothly despite the increase in traffic.
This also means your monitoring system will become less effective. The more data and devices you try to keep track of, the harder it will be to stay on top of all recorded logs and historical results. To ensure you use IP SLA operations correctly, make sure to do the following:
Keep tests local: Larger networks may house multiple servers, so avoid using tools designed for LAN services on WAN environments. For example, focusing on IP addresses local to each server makes them easier to keep track of. Otherwise, filtering through thousands of devices could cause you to misunderstand which servers they’re associated with.
Test paths with supported traffic: Ensure each feature is in the appropriate context. For instance, UDP jitter is a test suited for sites designed to support video conferencing. Testing UDP jitter for non-video sites just makes your system work harder with no informational return.
Decrease testing frequency: There’s no need to schedule testing intervals under 300 seconds long. Regular polling is key, but excessive polling becomes a burden.
Watch for overlapping tests: If you conduct a ping test to an HTTP server and a TCP connection from a local switch to an HTTP server, you have a dilemma. Make sure your tests won’t collide and cause communication overload before you schedule them.
SolarWinds VNQM is the ultimate IP SLA monitor, providing granular and scalable insight into your network’s performance metrics. You can add IP SLA operations already existing on your devices to VNQM or create your own network service assurance operations to conduct.
The network service assurance operations VNQM supports include the following:
Domain Name Server (DNS) Operation: Calculates the time it takes to receive after a DNS request is sent to check if DNS servers are functioning properly.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Operation: Like DNS operations, FTP operations measure the time needed for a device and FTP server to obtain a file to ensure FTP servers work successfully.
HTTP Operation: Measures web service response times to help you gauge the health of HTTP servers.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Operation: Computes the time it takes to find a DHCP server and retrieve a leased IP address from it to monitor communication processes involving DHCP servers.
TCP Operation: Focuses on WAN quality by testing how long it takes for two devices to connect at a specific port.
UDP Jitter Operation: Similar to TCP testing, except it uses a specific port number as opposed to a general port and traces the route and timestamps of data packets sent and received between devices.
VoIP UDP Jitter Operation: Ensures call path data is healthy and latency-free across your VoIP network by simulating traffic and measuring data packet delays.
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Operation: Calculates the total time it takes for Cisco and IP-driven devices to communicate on your network using ICMP echo requests. This test helps narrow down the devices not working as they should.
UDP Echo Operation: Mimics the ICMP Echo test, except it uses UDP Echo requests instead of ICMP Echo requests to find a general problem area within your network.
ICMP Path Echo Operation: Uses sets of data chunks to measure round-trip time between nodes on a specific route. This is another way of checking device health.
ICMP Path Jitter Operation: Also measures node health with a hop-by-hop approach for VoIP networks.

Proactive IP SLA and Network Service Assurance monitoring and troubleshooting

VoIP & Network Quality Manager

Leverage QoS metrics to analyze real-time and historical data
Discover, add, and configure devices to poll the data you want
Directly troubleshoot pain points on a user-friendly, visually engaging dashboard

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VNQM, an Orion module, is built on the SolarWinds Platform

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Fully functional for 30 days

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