the basics of performance tuning cisco routers/switches

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/iosswrel/ps1831/products_tech_note09186a00800a7306.shtml#switchports
assuming the above link keeps working - handy reference for switching performance commands

randomly "ip cef" was turned off by a customer causing high cpu utilisation of the ip input process "show proc cpu sorted" and "show proc cpu history" are handy here as well.

also see below for link to ip input process troubleshooting

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/ps359/products_tech_note09186a00801c2af3.shtml

openvz vzpkg2

One of the best things to happen to openvz is the development of vzpkg2 this replaces the old one linked in all the documentation. One of the only problems with setting up and managing openvz is the installation of current versions of e.g. centos. a workaround has been to use pre-created template caches, but this makes it difficult to upgrade and install packages from repositories. This has been in part because of problems with 64-bit systems and automated DEV.

vzpkg2 is in active development, and was a breeze to install and get running using the supplied docs. worth knowing as the latest install docs hadn't been updated when i last looked, and i had to look a long time to find this link after realising that the old beta templates were no-longer available.

who am i?

ok time for a basic explanation for what will be here and why. This isn't going to be a list of random stuff - the whole point of this site is to create a useful resource in tandem with another site. The plan is that this site will contain links to where i store example config files, examples, instructions etc on how to get up and running with various projects - focussed around what i learn at work.

As a background to me:
i have been working with computers since the Apple IIe, followed by Spectrum, Atari ST then PC (and the odd console chucked in for good measure). Key to this development was

1. getting access to the internet with compuserve (i think it was about 1989 - but i'm old now and memory is not good - i can remember gopher, a very old modem and everything being verrrrry slow...
   
2. working for one of the first uk internet companies (ok it started as a business directory then became a site design/programming company then an internet marketing company - netvillage ltd, working for Paddy Bolger).
3. Whilst there i started from nothing but ended up getting my first Microsoft MCSE and Cisco CCNA qualification. At this time i also started working with Unix (DEC Alpha) and rapidly moved onto Linux (Red Hat 5.2 from memory).
4. Then i moved to Bristol for another design house (Owta.net), met Theo and Paddy and Judge at s-cool.co.uk - and via them got work at netgates.co.uk (kaliba/sovision.com) where i picked up lots more cisco knowledge and high availability networking knowhow
5. Then i moved back where i was raised. - Cornwall - first of all working at AC Systems then moving on to start up (with Mark Wright) a new company focussing on Microsoft, Cisco, Support and Networks.
   

first post - my week with cisco unified comms and microsoft

Hi there - this is my first post. Content of this blog will be cisco/microsoft stuff from work and general bits about Cornwall.

As i mostly work with Voip systems, CRM and helpdesks therell be bits n' bobs related to that.

Not much to start with except that:

1. i spend half the week with Microsoft CRM support trying to get them to look some of the problems we've found with the core deployment of cases and resolutions. Managed to get some feature requests raised, some workarounds and i have to do some work with Visual Studio 2008! Roll on CRM 5.0... (luckily we're on the beta program so should see somthing in the next few months).
2. Second half of the week was using/deploying/testing the new GUI systems for managing cisco UC500 and Callmanager Express (CME) systems. These include the Cisco Network Assistant (for managing UC500) and Cisco Configuration Professional (for Cisco ISR routers - replaces Security Device Manager (SDM)).
3. Web GUI for the above cisco devices
   

Cisco has in the past been a source of absolutely abysmal software, but are now coming into their own. The new tools are starting to fill out with features and no longer crash constantly with java errors. I started with upgrading a UC520 from a very old version of the software to the latest. Although it took a long time it was pretty successful apart from a minor issue (it didnt recognise the 7931 or 7911 phones). Theres the facility to email support directly from the program and i got a response in a couple of hours with a workaround and info on when a fixed release is going to be out.

The upgrade was pretty smooth, but if not based in the US download the regional language file and upgrade the router separately to the CUE - this gives you the option to specify the region (which has to be done during the upgrade).

Feature-wise there's plenty for basic users including parallel (blast) huntgroup. The only really useful feature missing was extension mobility (hotdesking). Thats not available on CME yet - hopefully around 3rd quarter this year.

Cisco Configuration Professional has also really come on since v.1.1 - lots of functionality, even for more exotic options such as voice configuration, DMVPN, Intrusion detection, Websense support etc... For a seasoned Cisco engineer the software is suprisingly good - erring on caution and not filling the config with loads of rubbish. Even for basic functionality it has a configuration editor an ok gui for firewall management and simple ways of backing up config etc etc.. coming soon is granular security control so you can set up a basic user and assign permission to do basic maintenance and monitoring tasks.... Now all thats needed is perhaps to start joining up all these tools - it would be nice to control asa, isr, and switches from the same place...