Monitoring the Cisco SAN Switch

eG Enterprise provides a specialized, 100% web-based Cisco SAN Switch model, which periodically verifies the operational status of the switch, captures link failures, and runs health checks on the critical software and hardware components of the switch such as the VSAN, the fan tray, the power supply unit, etc.

layermodel-final

Figure 1 : The layer model of the Cisco SAN switch

Every layer of Figure 1 is mapped to a set of tests that report critical performance statistics pertaining to the switch by connecting to its SNMP MIB. Using these metrics, the following performance queries can be clarified:

  • Is the fan tray functioning normally or has experienced a failure? Does the tray have to be replaced?
  • Has any power supply unit failed?
  • What is the current operational status of the switch port?
  • Is any WWN of the port experiencing link failures? If so, which one?

The sections to come discuss the Hardware and Fibre Channel Service layers only as the Network layer is already dealt in the Monitoring Cisco Routers document.