Benchmark Task Settings

Frequency

Set the execution frequency for the task. By default, the frequency is only once.

Note: To make sure that the task can be executed on-time, both the time settings on your machine and NetBrain Application Server (Web API Server) must be consistent with the Local Standard Time.

Device Scope

Specify the device scope to execute the benchmark task.

▪Select Device — applicable for traditional networks.

oAll Devices — select all devices in the domain.

oDevice Group — select devices by Device Group.

oSite — select devices by Site.

▪Exclude Device Groups — exclude the device group from benchmark task.

▪Select external API servers to retrieve data of SDN nodes — applicable for SDN network.
Note: SDN is an add-on function that needs to purchase a license additionally.

oCisco ACI — a configured server for retrieving the data of a Cisco ACI network.

oVMware vCenter — a configured server for retrieving the data of a VMware vCenter network.

oVMware NSX-V — a configured server for retrieving the data of a VMware NSX-V network.

oCisco Meraki — a configured server for retrieving the data of a Cisco Meraki network.

Retrieve Live Data

Specify the data to be retrieved during the benchmark task, and you can set a threshold of the time limit for data retrieval.

▪Built-in Live Data — refers to the basic device data used to build your domain and topology, such as configuration files, route tables.

▪NCT Table — refers to the data tables parsed from live data.

oIPsec VPN Table & NAT Table — only used for the CheckPoint Firewall.

Note: Before retrieving them, go to Operations > Benchmark Tools > CheckPoint OPSEC Manager for configurations.

oIPsec VPN Table[Real-time] & NAT Table[Real-time] — used for device types except for the CheckPoint Firewall.

▪Cisco ACI — contains data types used to discover and visualize a Cisco ACI network.

▪VMware vCenter — contains data types used to discover and visualize a VMware vCenter network.

▪VMware NSX-V — contains data types used to discover and visualize a VMware NSX-V network.

▪Cisco Meraki — contains data types used to discover and visualize a Cisco Meraki network.

▪CheckPoint R80 API — select this check box to retrieve data for CheckPoint R80.

CLI Commands

Enter CLI commands directly or add via CLI Template to retrieve data by CLI commands. See Executing CLI Commands for more details.

Additional Operations after Benchmark

Update MPLS Cloud

▪Recalculate Cloud — recalculate the devices and interfaces for the clouds added by dynamic search.

▪Recalculate Cloud NCT — recalculate NCT used for path calculation across the clouds configured with dynamical calculation and static addition.

Build Topology — select to build topology after the benchmark task.

The required data for building each topology type is as follows. Make sure that the corresponding data is selected in the Retrieve Live Data tab.

▪IPv4 Layer 3 Topology — requires configuration files and NDP tables (if there are IP unnumbered interfaces).

▪IPv6 Layer 3 Topology — requires configuration files and the IPv6 data in the Inventory Information of Device/Interface/Module under the Built-in Live Data category.

▪Layer 2 Topology — requires configuration files, ARP tables, NCT table, MAC tables, and NDP tables, and the inventory information.
Note: The accuracy of L2 topology relies on IPv4 L3 topology, so it is recommended to build them together during a benchmark task.

▪L3 VPN Tunnel — requires configuration files, GRE/IPsec VPN data in the Inventory Information of Device/Interface/Module under the Built-in Live Data category.

▪Logical Topology — builds topology for SDN network.
Note: It requires the Basic Data and Topology Data in the Cisco ACI, VMware vCenter, VMware NSX-V, and Cisco Meraki categories.

▪L2 Overlay Topology — builds topology for devices in a L2 overlay network.
Note: The processes are order-sensitive. You can adjust the order by pointing to an entry and clicking the icon to select Move Row Up or Move Row Down.

System Operations

▪Recalculate Dynamic Device Groups — recalculate the system device groups and device groups created via dynamic search.

▪Recalculate Site — recalculate the sites added via dynamic search in the Site Manager. The site topology and overview map will also be updated.

▪Build Default Device Data View — update device data in the default data view. See Default Data View for more details.

▪Qualify Data View Templates — match the data view templates and devices in the domain based on the updated device data after benchmark.

▪Rebuild Visual Space — select target Visual Spaces to rebuild for SDN. See Auto Updating ACI Data in NetBrain for more details.

Note: Make sure that the IPv4 Layer3 topology option is selected in the Build Topology area.

Parse Configuration Files — select parsers to parse specific data from configuration files. The data will be stored in the system for the usage of other functions, such as Instant Qapp.

Note: Make sure that the Configuration File option is selected on the Retrieve Live Data tab.

Update Maps — select the Enable check box of the map type you want to update, then click the corresponding hyperlink to specify target map files or folders.

▪Export to Visio — click Yes to enable the export of updated maps in Visio format, and click Browse to select a folder to store the exported Visio files, which can be in a shared network drive on Windows or in the Files pane.

▪Back Up Maps — click Yes to back up the maps through a benchmark task in case a rollback is required.
Tip: To back up the historical versions of Visio maps, click the icon.

To browse the details of the scheduled map updates, go to the Update Map Manager. To view the exported Visio maps, refer to Downloading a Visio Map.

Auto Set Golden Path — enable this function to analyze the results of calculated paths after a benchmark task run several times and automatically set the path as Golden Path.

Application Verification — select application paths to be verified when the benchmark task is executed.

Note: To verify application paths in a customized benchmark task, make sure you select all the data types on the Retrieve Live Data tab of the benchmark task.

Run Scheduled Tasks after Benchmark — select the scheduled tasks to run after the benchmark task is finished.

Email Alerts — enable the email alert function when the task execution fails or succeeds with warning.

Plugins

Add the target plugin to customize the accuracy for the foundation data model and topology. See Built-in Plugin for more details.

Summary

Preview the settings you configured in the previous steps.
To make any changes before submitting the task, click the icon at the upper-right corner of each area.