Cisco IP SLA Video Operations Profile Generator Tool Now Available

[clavoy]

The Cisco IP SLA Video Operations Profile Generator Tool, a custom profile generator tool for use with the IP SLA VO capabilities, is now available. The custom profile generated with this tool can be used with Catalyst 3k switches. This tool is supported on Windows XP/Vista/7 (32/64 bit) operating systems. The installation package and instructions can be downloaded from the Cisco Medianet Knowledge Base Portal at the following URL:

http://www.cisco.com/web/solutions/medianet/knowledgebase/index.html#~design

[prghedia]

Any plans of coming up with some similar tool for Cat 4k and ISR platforms in the near future ?

[Long Jin]

Dear Expert,

I'm trying to use this tool to generate ipslavo profile for testing, but when i run the program (installed successed), it require .pcap file, so how can i get .pcap file? Pls help.

Thanks.

[Michael O'Brien]

Greetings,

.pcap file can be acquired by using the free utility "Wireshark".  www.wireshark.org

On the Cat-3k's you can use "port monitor" which spans the switch-port of interest and

mirrors the port to another switch-port off the same switch, where you can have a PC/recording

device running Wireshark to collect the mirrored packet into a .pcap file.  Please collect at least

1-minute of traffic, for accurate statistics to be calculated.

Cheers

[Long Jin]

Thanks Michael for your reply.

So, on Cat3k (will be Sender in IPSLAVO), i need configure "port-monitor":

example: source port is G0/1 (which will send video traffic by IPSLAVO) and destination port is G0/2 (connected to PC, running wireshark).

and then on PC, need to run Wireshark to get a .pcap file for Generator Tool.

But i still have one more concern, DO i need configure anything else (as ipsla) on the Cat3k? or NOT.

Thanks.

[Michael O'Brien]

Hi Long,

Please take a quick glance at this whitepaper if you plan to use IPSLA-VO across different platforms.

There are some cavaets you should be awhere of.  If the plan is to go from one Cat3k to another

then there should not be any issues.

http://www.cisco.com/web/solutions/medianet/docs/IP_SLA_Video_Operation_Across_Platforms.pdf

You will need follow the process outlined in the Profiler Tool Guide.  So after you obtain the profile data file and dnload to the Cat3k sender, you need to read this file into the system and later when configuring the IPSLA test you need to reference the new profile_file as noted below; example

Cat3k(config)#ip sla read video-profile flash:

Cat3k(config)#ip sla 100

Cat3k(config-ip-sla)#video src-ip src-port profile

Cat3k(config)#ip sla schedule 100 start-time life forever

Be careful, forever means this will run until you remove the "ip sla schedule 100" config. ;-)

[Long Jin]

Hi Michael,

actually i used command for IPSLA in the pass, few days ago i found the generator tool, and i think that i'll want to use, but get some stuck. OK, thanks for your reply, i've gotten .pcap file for the tool.

I've one more question about IPSLA, Pls help me if you can:

IPLSA for telepresen, configuration as below, I've done with CiscoAS in the pass, but i don't understand some Number", example: packet size = 256bytes / 960 bytes ... /1400bytes (maximum). I think that mean Sender will send to responder some video traffic with different metric (like bandwidth or resolution,...) but don't know exactly what is it? Could you help me to explain?

many thanks and best rgds.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ip sla 1

udp-jitter x.x.x.x 16386 num-packets 1500 interval 30

request-data-size 256

tos 136

tag VIDEO_256bytes

ip sla 2

udp-jitter x.x.x.x 16388 num-packets 3000 interval 15

request-data-size 960

tos 136

tag VIDEO_960bytes

ip sla 3

udp-jitter x.x.x.x 16390 num-packets 5625 interval 8

request-data-size 1400

tos 136

tag VIDEO_1400bytes

ip sla 4

udp-jitter x.x.x.x 16392 num-packets 1000

request-data-size 200

tos 136

tag VOICE_200bytes

ip sla 5

udp-jitter x.x.x.x 17000 num-packets 1000

request-data-size 80

tos 184

tag VoIP_EMULATION

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Michael O'Brien]

This looks like a method to create a voice and video profile by using different udp-jitter tests.

TOS=136 is video played out at different intervals and packet sizes, so it represents multiple

video calls with different burst rates. 

TOS=184 is voice which is constant

Cisco AS uses a special analysis tool, so it can analyze all the data and make sense of it performance.

If the goal is to emulate a specfic traffic type you would be better off using the profile tool or one

of the pre-defined profiles.

[Long Jin]

ok, many thanks for your support.