How can you monitor fibre channel performance to prevent issues?

Fibre channel is a high-speed network technology that connects servers and storage devices in data centers. It offers low latency, high bandwidth, and reliable data transfer. However, to ensure optimal performance and avoid issues, you need to monitor your fibre channel network regularly. In this article, you will learn how to monitor fibre channel performance using different tools and methods.

1 What to monitor

To monitor fibre channel performance, the first step is to identify the key metrics and parameters that affect your network. Throughput, latency, errors, and utilization are some of the most important ones to consider. Throughput is the amount of data transferred per unit of time, typically measured in megabytes per second (MB/s) or gigabytes per second (GB/s). Latency is the delay between sending and receiving data, usually measured in microseconds (us) or milliseconds (ms). Errors refer to the number of frames or packets that are corrupted, lost, or discarded due to various reasons. Lastly, utilization is the percentage of available bandwidth used by network traffic, usually measured in bits per second (bps) or gigabits per second (Gbps).

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Dr SANKAR P

PROFESSOR at Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science
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By using various performance monitoring strategies and tools ,continuous monitoring, implementing Fibre monitoring systems, and addressing congestion challenges, one can easily take care ofpf the issues occurring in such a network

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Sajid Perwaiz

System Administrator | Experience in DevOps | Redhat (RHCSA & RHCE Certified) | Ansible | Docker | Kubernetes | Jenkins | Github | AWS | Trained Desktop Support Engineers
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Monitoring is the regular observation and recording of activities taking place in a project or programme. It is a process of routinely gathering information on all aspects of the project. To monitor is to check on how project activities are progressing. It is observation; ─ systematic and purposeful observation.

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Ikoh Sylva

IT Support Specialist @ SHIVTECH LTD | Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Security
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Although I have no real world experience on this topic, based on research, here are my thoughts; To monitor fibre channel performance, you can check the statistics and status of the ports, switches, and fabrics, use network management software or platforms, create performance policies and alerts, and analyze the data and reports.

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2 How to monitor

The second step to monitor fibre channel performance is to choose the right tools and methods for your network. Depending on your network size, complexity, and requirements, you can use different types of tools, such as command-line software programs that run on your server or storage device, graphical applications that provide a graphical user interface (GUI) for managing and monitoring your fibre channel network, or hardware devices that capture, analyze, and report the network traffic and performance. Examples of command-line tools include fcinfo, fcping, fcstat, and fctrace; graphical tools include SAN Health, SANnav, and Brocade Network Advisor; and hardware tools are protocol analyzers, network taps, and performance probes. These tools can provide more detailed and accurate information than software tools, but they may also require more resources and expertise.

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Sajid Perwaiz

System Administrator | Experience in DevOps | Redhat (RHCSA & RHCE Certified) | Ansible | Docker | Kubernetes | Jenkins | Github | AWS | Trained Desktop Support Engineers
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Monitoring provides information that will be useful in: Analysing the situation in the community and its project; Determining whether the inputs in the project are well utilized; Identifying problems facing the community or project and finding solutions; Ensuring all activities are carried out properly by the right people and in time; Using lessons from one project experience on to another; and Determining whether the way the project was planned is the most appropriate way of solving the problem at hand.

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3 When to monitor

The third step to monitor fibre channel performance is to determine the frequency and duration of your monitoring activities. This depends on your network activity, performance goals, and troubleshooting needs. Generally, you should monitor your fibre channel network continuously to track trends, patterns, and changes in performance over time. Periodically monitoring your network at specific intervals or events can help you compare the baseline and current performance of your network. Additionally, you should monitor your network on-demand when you suspect a performance degradation, so you can quickly diagnose and resolve any issues.

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Sajid Perwaiz

System Administrator | Experience in DevOps | Redhat (RHCSA & RHCE Certified) | Ansible | Docker | Kubernetes | Jenkins | Github | AWS | Trained Desktop Support Engineers
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Broadly, the purposes behind M&E are usually viewed in terms of learning (to improve what we are doing) and accountability (to prove to different stakeholders that what we are doing is valuable). But we need to be more specific. Below is a list of nine purposes that summarises different motivations and uses of M&E. Each will involve different elements of learning and accountability in a way that recognises the importance and interconnectedness of both rather than setting them in competition with each other.

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4 What to do with the data

To monitor fibre channel performance, the fourth step is to analyze and interpret the data collected from monitoring tools and methods. This requires an understanding of the metrics and parameters that are measured, how they relate to network performance and goals, and the normal and expected ranges and values. Additionally, you must be able to detect abnormal or unexpected deviations in metrics and parameters that might indicate a problem or issue in the network. Finally, correlating data from different sources and layers of the network is necessary to understand how they affect each other and the overall performance.

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Sajid Perwaiz

System Administrator | Experience in DevOps | Redhat (RHCSA & RHCE Certified) | Ansible | Docker | Kubernetes | Jenkins | Github | AWS | Trained Desktop Support Engineers
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Data allows organizations to measure the effectiveness of a given strategy: When strategies are put into place to overcome a challenge, collecting data will allow you to determine how well your solution is performing, and whether or not your approach needs to be tweaked or changed over the long-term.

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5 How to improve performance

The fifth step to monitor fibre channel performance is to use the data that you analyze and interpret to optimize and enhance your network performance. This involves adjusting the settings and parameters of your network components to improve throughput, latency, errors, and utilization. It also requires upgrading or replacing hardware and software of your network components to increase capacity, speed, reliability, and compatibility. Additionally, you should balance or redistribute the load and traffic of your network components to reduce congestion, contention, and bottlenecks. Finally, you should monitor and test the results of your performance improvement actions to verify that they meet your performance goals and expectations.

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Sajid Perwaiz

System Administrator | Experience in DevOps | Redhat (RHCSA & RHCE Certified) | Ansible | Docker | Kubernetes | Jenkins | Github | AWS | Trained Desktop Support Engineers
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Data allows you to track process metrics, discover trends, identify gaps rapidly, and take corrective action. Furthermore, historical data analysis might uncover patterns or trends that may anticipate future issues and successful remediation strategies.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you monitor fibre channel performance to prevent issues?

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2

3

4

5

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1 What to monitor

2 How to monitor

3 When to monitor

4 What to do with the data

5 How to improve performance

6 Here’s what else to consider

Computer Networking

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How can you monitor fibre channel performance to prevent issues?

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3

4

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6

1 What to monitor

2 How to monitor

3 When to monitor

4 What to do with the data

5 How to improve performance

6 Here’s what else to consider

Computer Networking

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