Configuring IP SLAs TCP Connect Operations

Last Updated: July 18, 2011

This module describes how to configure an IP Service Level Agreements (SLAs) TCP Connect operation to measure the response time taken to perform a TCP Connect operation between a Cisco router and devices using IPv4 or IPv6. TCP Connect accuracy is enhanced by using the IP SLAs Responder at the destination Cisco router. This module also demonstrates how the results of the TCP Connect operation can be displayed and analyzed to determine how the connection times to servers and hosts within your network can affect IP service levels. The TCP Connect operation is useful for measuring response times for a server used for a particular application or connectivity testing for server availability.

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest feature information and caveats, see the release notes for your platform and software release. To find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each feature is supported, see the Feature Information Table at the end of this document.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Information About the IP SLAs TCP Connect Operation

TCP Connect Operation

The IP SLAs TCP Connect operation measures the response time taken to perform a TCP Connect operation between a Cisco router and devices using IP. TCP is a transport layer (Layer 4) Internet protocol that provides reliable full-duplex data transmission. The destination device can be any device using IP or an IP SLAs Responder.

In the figure below Router B is configured as the source IP SLAs device and a TCP Connect operation is configured with the destination device as IP Host 1.

Figure 1 TCP Connect Operation


Connection response time is computed by measuring the time taken between sending a TCP request message from Router B to IP Host 1 and receiving a reply from IP Host 1.

TCP Connect accuracy is enhanced by using the IP SLAs Responder at the destination Cisco device. If the destination router is a Cisco router, then IP SLAs makes a TCP connection to any port number that you specified. If the destination is not a Cisco IP host, then you must specify a known destination port number such as 21 for FTP, 23 for Telnet, or 80 for an HTTP server.

Using the IP SLAs Responder is optional for a TCP Connect operation when using Cisco devices. The IP SLAs Responder cannot be configured on non-Cisco devices.

TCP Connect is used to test virtual circuit availability or application availability. Server and application connection performance can be tested by simulating Telnet, SQL, and other types of connection to help you verify your IP service levels.

How to Configure the IP SLAs TCP Connect Operation

Configuring the IP SLAs Responder on the Destination Device

Before You Begin

If you are using the IP SLAs Responder, ensure that the networking device to be used as the Responder is a Cisco device and that you have connectivity to that device through the network.


SUMMARY STEPS

1.    enable

2.    configure terminal

3.   Do one of the following:

  • ip sla responder
  • ip sla responder tcp-connect ipaddress ip-address port port

4.    exit


DETAILED STEPS
  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1
enable


Example:

Router> enable

 

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.
 
Step 2
configure terminal


Example:

Router# configure terminal

 

Enters global configuration mode.

 
Step 3
Do one of the following:
  • ip sla responder
  • ip sla responder tcp-connect ipaddress ip-address port port


Example:

Router(config)# ip sla responder



Example:

Router(config)# ip sla responder tcp-connect ipaddress 172.29.139.132 port 5000

 

(Optional) Temporarily enables IP SLAs Responder functionality on a Cisco device in response to control messages from source.

or

(Optional) Required only if protocol control is disabled on source. Permanently enables IP SLAs Responder functionality on specified IP address and port.

  • Control is enabled by default.
 
Step 4
exit


Example:

Router(config)# exit

 

(Optional) Exits global configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

 

Configuring and Scheduling a TCP Connect Operation on the Source Device

Perform only one of the following tasks:

Prerequisites

If you are using the IP SLAs Responder, complete the "Configuring the IP SLAs Responder on the Destination Device" section before you start this task.

Configuring and Scheduling a Basic TCP Connect Operation on the Source Device

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    enable

2.    configure terminal

3.    ip sla operation-number

4.    tcp-connect {destination-ip-address | destination-hostname} destination-port [source-ip {ip-address | hostname} source-port port-number] [control {enable | disable}]

5.    frequency seconds

6.    exit

7.    ip sla schedule operation-number [life {forever| seconds}] [start-time {hh:mm[:ss] [month day | day month] | pending | now | after hh:mm:ss] [ageout seconds] [recurring]

8.    exit


DETAILED STEPS
  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1
enable


Example:

Router> enable

 

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.
 
Step 2
configure terminal


Example:

Router# configure terminal

 

Enters global configuration mode.

 
Step 3
ip sla operation-number


Example:

Router(config)# ip sla 10

 

Begins configuration for an IP SLAs operation and enters IP SLA configuration mode.

 
Step 4
tcp-connect {destination-ip-address | destination-hostname} destination-port [source-ip {ip-address | hostname} source-port port-number] [control {enable | disable}]


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla)# tcp-connect 172.29.139.132 5000

 

Defines a TCP Connect operation and enters IP SLA TCP configuration mode.

  • Use the control disable keyword combination only if you disable the IP SLAs control protocol on both the source and target routers.
 
Step 5
frequency seconds


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# frequency 30

 

(Optional) Sets the rate at which a specified IP SLAs operation repeats.

 
Step 6
exit


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# exit

 

Exits IP SLA TCP configuration mode and returns to global configuration mode.

 
Step 7
ip sla schedule operation-number [life {forever| seconds}] [start-time {hh:mm[:ss] [month day | day month] | pending | now | after hh:mm:ss] [ageout seconds] [recurring]


Example:

Router(config)# ip sla schedule 10 start-time now life forever

 

Configures the scheduling parameters for an individual IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 8
exit


Example:

Router(config)# exit

 

(Optional) Exits the global configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

 
Example

The following example shows the configuration of an IP SLAs operation type of TCP Connect that will start immediately and run indefinitely. 

ip sla 9
 tcp-connect 172.29.139.132 5000
 frequency 10
!
ip sla schedule 9 life forever start-time now
Troubleshooting Tips
  • If the IP SLAs operation is not running and generating statistics, add the verify-data command to the configuration of the operation (while configuring in IP SLA configuration mode) to enable data verification. When enabled, each operation response is checked for corruption. Use the verify-data command with caution during normal operations because it generates unnecessary overhead.
  • Use the debugipsla trace and debug ip sla error commands to help troubleshoot issues with an IP SLAs operation.
What to Do Next

To add proactive threshold conditions and reactive triggering for generating traps, or for starting another operation, to an IP SLAs operation, see the "Configuring Proactive Threshold Monitoring" section.

To view and interpret the results of an IP SLAs operation use the show ip sla statistics command. Checking the output for fields that correspond to criteria in your service level agreement will help you determine whether the service metrics are acceptable.

Configuring and Scheduling a TCP Connect Operation with Optional Parameters on the Source Device

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    enable

2.    configure terminal

3.    ip sla operation-number

4.    tcp-connect {destination-ip-address | destination-hostname} destination-port [source-ip {ip-address | hostname} source-port port-number] [control {enable | disable}]

5.    history buckets-kept size

6.    history distributions-of-statistics-kept size

7.    history enhanced [interval seconds] [buckets number-of-buckets]

8.    history filter {none | all | overThreshold | failures}

9.    frequency seconds

10.    history hours-of-statistics-kept hours

11.    history lives-kept lives

12.    owner owner-id

13.    history statistics-distribution-interval milliseconds

14.    tag text

15.    threshold milliseconds

16.    timeout milliseconds

17.   Do one of the following:

  • tos number
  • traffic-class number

18.    flow-label number

19.    exit

20.    ip sla schedule operation-number [life {forever| seconds}] [start-time {hh:mm[:ss] [month day | day month] | pending | now | after hh:mm:ss] [ageout seconds] [recurring]

21.    exit

22.    show ip sla configuration [operation-number]


DETAILED STEPS
  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1
enable


Example:

Router> enable

 

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.
 
Step 2
configure terminal


Example:

Router# configure terminal

 

Enters global configuration mode.

 
Step 3
ip sla operation-number


Example:

Router(config)# ip sla 10

 

Begins configuration for an IP SLAs operation and enters IP SLA configuration mode.

 
Step 4
tcp-connect {destination-ip-address | destination-hostname} destination-port [source-ip {ip-address | hostname} source-port port-number] [control {enable | disable}]


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla)# tcp-connect 172.29.139.132 5000

 

Defines a TCP Connect operation and enters IP SLA TCP configuration mode.

  • Use the control disable keyword combination only if you disable the IP SLAs control protocol on both the source and target routers.
 
Step 5
history buckets-kept size


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# history buckets-kept 25

 

(Optional) Sets the number of history buckets that are kept during the lifetime of an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 6
history distributions-of-statistics-kept size


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# history distributions-of-statistics-kept 5

 

(Optional) Sets the number of statistics distributions kept per hop during an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 7
history enhanced [interval seconds] [buckets number-of-buckets]


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# history enhanced interval 900 buckets 100

 

(Optional) Enables enhanced history gathering for an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 8
history filter {none | all | overThreshold | failures}


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# history filter failures

 

(Optional) Defines the type of information kept in the history table for an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 9
frequency seconds


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# frequency 30

 

(Optional) Sets the rate at which a specified IP SLAs operation repeats.

 
Step 10
history hours-of-statistics-kept hours


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# history hours-of-statistics-kept 4

 

(Optional) Sets the number of hours for which statistics are maintained for an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 11
history lives-kept lives


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# history lives-kept 5

 

(Optional) Sets the number of lives maintained in the history table for an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 12
owner owner-id


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# owner admin

 

(Optional) Configures the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) owner of an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 13
history statistics-distribution-interval milliseconds


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# history statistics-distribution-interval 10

 

(Optional) Sets the time interval for each statistics distribution kept for an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 14
tag text


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# tag TelnetPollServer1

 

(Optional) Creates a user-specified identifier for an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 15
threshold milliseconds


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# threshold 10000

 

(Optional) Sets the upper threshold value for calculating network monitoring statistics created by an IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 16
timeout milliseconds


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# timeout 10000

 

(Optional) Sets the amount of time an IP SLAs operation waits for a response from its request packet.

 
Step 17
Do one of the following:
  • tos number
  • traffic-class number


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-jitter)# tos 160



Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-jitter)# traffic-class 160

 

(Optional) In an IPv4 network only, defines the ToS byte in the IPv4 header of an IP SLAs operation.

or

(Optional) In an IPv6 network only, defines the traffic class byte in the IPv6 header for a supported IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 18
flow-label number


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# flow-label 112233

 

(Optional) In an IPv6 network only, defines the flow label field in the IPv6 header for a supported IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 19
exit


Example:

Router(config-ip-sla-tcp)# exit

 

Exits TCP configuration submode and returns to global configuration mode.

 
Step 20
ip sla schedule operation-number [life {forever| seconds}] [start-time {hh:mm[:ss] [month day | day month] | pending | now | after hh:mm:ss] [ageout seconds] [recurring]


Example:

Router(config)# ip sla schedule 10 start-time now life forever

 

Configures the scheduling parameters for an individual IP SLAs operation.

 
Step 21
exit


Example:

Router(config)# exit

 

(Optional) Exits global configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

 
Step 22
show ip sla configuration [operation-number]


Example:

Router# show ip sla configuration 10

 

(Optional) Displays configuration values including all defaults for all IP SLAs operations or a specified operation.

 
Example

The following sample output shows the configuration of all the IP SLAs parameters (including defaults) for the TCP Connect operation number 9. 

Router# show ip sla configuration 9
Complete Configuration Table (includes defaults)
Entry Number: 9
Owner: 
Tag: SL-SGU 
Type of Operation to Perform: tcpConnect
Reaction and History Threshold (milliseconds): 5000
Operation Frequency (seconds): 20
Operation Timeout (milliseconds): 60000
Verify Data: FALSE
Status of Entry (SNMP RowStatus): active
Protocol Type: ipTcpConn
Target Address: 172.29.139.132
Source Address: 0.0.0.0
Target Port: 5000
Source Port: 0
Request Size (ARR data portion): 1
Response Size (ARR data portion): 1
Control Packets: enabled
Loose Source Routing: disabled
LSR Path: 
Type of Service Parameters: 128
Life (seconds): infinite - runs forever
Next Scheduled Start Time: Start Time already passed
Entry Ageout (seconds): never
Connection Loss Reaction Enabled: FALSE
Timeout Reaction Enabled: FALSE
Threshold Reaction Type: never
Threshold Falling (milliseconds): 3000
Threshold Count: 5
Threshold Count2: 5
Reaction Type: none
Verify Error Reaction Enabled: FALSE
Number of Statistic Hours kept: 2
Number of Statistic Paths kept: 1
Number of Statistic Hops kept: 1
Number of Statistic Distribution Buckets kept: 1
Statistic Distribution Interval (milliseconds): 20
Number of History Lives kept: 0
Number of History Buckets kept: 15
Number of History Samples kept: 1
History Filter Type: none
Troubleshooting Tips
  • If the IP SLAs operation is not running and generating statistics, add the verify-data command to the configuration of the operation (while configuring in IP SLA configuration mode) to enable data verification. When enabled, each operation response is checked for corruption. Use the verify-data command with caution during normal operations because it generates unnecessary overhead.
  • Use the debugipsla trace and debug ip sla error commands to help troubleshoot issues with an IP SLAs operation.
What to Do Next

To add proactive threshold conditions and reactive triggering for generating traps, or for starting another operation, to an IP SLAs operation, see the "Configuring Proactive Threshold Monitoring" section.

To view and interpret the results of an IP SLAs operation use the show ip sla statistics command. Checking the output for fields that correspond to criteria in your service level agreement will help you determine whether the service metrics are acceptable.

Configuration Examples for IP SLAs TCP Connect Operations

Example Configuring a TCP Connect Operation

The following example shows how to configure a TCP Connect operation from Router B to the Telnet port (TCP port 23) of IP Host 1 (IP address 10.0.0.1), as shown in the "TCP Connect Operation" figure in the "Information About the IP SLAs TCP Connect Operation" section. The operation is scheduled to start immediately. In this example, the control protocol is disabled on source (Router B). IP SLAs uses the control protocol to notify the IP SLAs Responder to enable the target port temporarily. This action allows the Responder to reply to the TCP Connect operation. In this example, because the target is not a router and a well-known TCP port is used, there is no need to send the control message.

Router A Configuration

configure terminal
 ip sla responder tcp-connect ipaddress 10.0.0.1 port 23

Router B Configuration

ip sla 9
 tcp-connect 10.0.0.1 23 control disable
 frequency 30
 tos 128
 timeout 1000
 tag FLL-RO
ip sla schedule 9 start-time now

The following example shows how to configure a TCP Connect operation with a specific port, port 23, and without an IP SLAs Responder. The operation is scheduled to start immediately and run indefinitely. 

ip sla 9
 tcp-connect 173.29.139.132 21 control disable
 frequency 30
ip sla schedule 9 life forever start-time now

Additional References

Related Documents

Related Topic

Document Title

Cisco IOS commands

Cisco IOS Master Commands List, All Releases

Cisco IOS IP SLAs commands

Cisco IOS IP SLAs Command Reference

Standards

Standards

Title

No new or modified standards are supported by this feature, and support for existing standards has not been modified by this feature.

--

MIBs

MIBs

MIBs Link

CISCO-RTTMON-MIB

To locate and download MIBs for selected platforms, Cisco IOS releases, and feature sets, use Cisco MIB Locator found at the following URL:

http://www.cisco.com/go/mibs

RFCs

RFCs

Title

No new or modified RFCs are supported by this feature, and support for existing RFCs has not been modified by this feature.

--

Technical Assistance

Description

Link

The Cisco Support and Documentation website provides online resources to download documentation, software, and tools. Use these resources to install and configure the software and to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support and Documentation website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html

Feature Information for the IP SLAs TCP Connect Operation

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Table 1 Feature Information for the IP SLAs TCP Connect Operation

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

IP SLAs TCP Connect Operation

12.2(31)SB2

12.2(33)SRB1

12.2(33)SXH

12.3(14)T

15.0(1)S

Cisco IOS XE 3.1.0SG

The Cisco IOS IP SLAs Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connect operation allows you to measure the network response time taken to perform a TCP Connect operation between a Cisco device and other devices using IP.

IPv6 - IP SLAs (UDP Jitter, UDP Echo, ICMP Echo, TCP Connect)

12.2(33)SRC

12.2(33)SB

12.4(20)T

Cisco IOS XE 3.1.0SG

12.2(50)SY

Support was added for operability in IPv6 networks.

Cisco and the Cisco Logo are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1005R)

Any Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and phone numbers used in this document are not intended to be actual addresses and phone numbers. Any examples, command display output, network topology diagrams, and other figures included in the document are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any use of actual IP addresses or phone numbers in illustrative content is unintentional and coincidental.