Figuring bandwidth utilization

[Mike McWethy]

I am trying to figure out bandwidth utilization on one of our WAN OC3 connections. Am I correct in the following line of logic? If I do a show interface on my ATM1/0 interface that feeds this OC3 connection and see that my rxload is 105/255 which equates to roughly 41%. Then since an OC3 is 155Mbps, I take 41% of 155 to get my total utilization AT THAT TIME?

We are in the process of possibly resizing this pipe, and I want to ensure I am figuring the utilization correctly. This is a link to our DR site and this connection stat was pulled from the ATM interface at the DR facility which is why the rxload is being used. Obviously, the txload was very minimal on this interface since we are merely replicating data TO DR and not bi-directionally.

Mike

[vmiller]

Keep in mind the following:

a. your link is full duplex. what is your receive side showing?

b. I'd hesitate to use one data point.

c. the tx and rx load is a slightly different measure than you may thin.

     the best definition i found (in a hurry)

          Load on the interface as a fraction of 255 (255/255 is completely saturated),  calculated
     as an exponential average over 5 minutes.

[cadet alain]

Hi,

To see bandwidth utilization I would use Netflow.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/iosswrel/ps6537/ps6555/ps6601/prod_white_paper0900aecd80406232.html

Regards.

Alain.