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Getting Started with Cisco ThousandEyes: A Comprehensive Guide

Cisco ThousandEyes provides comprehensive visibility into the performance of your digital experiences, whether they're delivered over the internet, through the cloud, or across your internal network. This article will guide you through the basics of using ThousandEyes, from setting up your account to interpreting the data.

 

What is ThousandEyes?

ThousandEyes is a network intelligence platform that helps you understand and improve the performance of your applications and services. It provides end-to-end visibility, allowing you to pinpoint the root cause of performance issues, regardless of where they occur. This is achieved by deploying various types of "agents" that simulate user traffic and collect performance data.

Key Concepts:

  • Agents: These are the workhorses of ThousandEyes. They simulate user traffic and collect performance metrics. There are several types:
  • Cloud Agents: Deployed in various cloud locations globally, providing a view of internet and cloud performance.
  • Enterprise Agents: Deployed within your internal network, monitoring performance from within your organization.
  • Endpoint Agents: Installed on end-user devices, offering insights into the user experience.
  • Tests: These define what you want to monitor, such as a specific website, application, or network path. You configure the type of agent, the target, and the metrics you want to collect.
  • Alerts: You can set up alerts to be notified when performance thresholds are breached, enabling proactive issue resolution.
  • Dashboards and Reports: ThousandEyes provides a rich set of dashboards and reports to visualize performance data and identify trends.

Getting Started:

  1. Account Setup: Your organization will need a ThousandEyes account. Contact your IT administrator or Cisco representative for access.
  2. Agent Deployment: The first step is typically deploying agents. The type of agent you deploy depends on what you want to monitor.
  • Cloud Agents: These are managed by ThousandEyes and are readily available. No installation is required.
  • Enterprise Agents: These need to be installed on a server or virtual machine within your network. ThousandEyes provides installation packages and instructions.
  • Endpoint Agents: These are deployed on end-user devices (laptops, desktops) usually via an MDM or similar deployment tool.
  1. Creating Tests: Once agents are deployed, you can create tests. Here's a general process:
  • Select Test Type: Choose the type of test based on what you're monitoring (e.g., Web, HTTP, DNS, BGP, SaaS).
  • Specify Target: Enter the URL, hostname, IP address, or other target you want to monitor.
  • Choose Agents: Select the agents that will be used to run the test. Consider the location of your users and the network paths you want to analyze.
  • Configure Metrics: Specify the performance metrics you want to collect (e.g., latency, packet loss, jitter, throughput).
  • Set Alert Thresholds (Optional): Define thresholds for performance metrics that will trigger alerts.
  1. Viewing Data: ThousandEyes provides various ways to view the collected data:
  • Dashboards: Pre-built dashboards provide an overview of performance across your tests.
  • Reports: You can generate custom reports to analyze specific metrics and trends.
  • Alerts: Alerts are displayed in the ThousandEyes interface and can be sent via email or other notification channels.

Example: Monitoring a Web Application:

Let's say you want to monitor the performance of your company's website.

  1. Create a Web Test: Select the "Web" test type.
  2. Specify Target: Enter the URL of your website.
  3. Choose Agents: Select cloud agents from regions where your users are located and any enterprise agents in your offices.
  4. Configure Metrics: Choose metrics such as page load time, DNS resolution time, and HTTP server response time.
  5. Set Alert Thresholds: Define thresholds for page load time and other critical metrics.

ThousandEyes will then start running the test from the selected agents, and you can view the performance data in the dashboards and reports.

Interpreting the Data:

ThousandEyes provides detailed information about network performance, including:

  • Network Path Visualization: Shows the route traffic takes from the agent to the target.
  • Hop-by-Hop Metrics: Provides performance data for each hop along the network path.
  • Outages and Latency Spikes: Identifies periods of poor performance or complete outages.
  • Root Cause Analysis: Helps you pinpoint the source of performance issues, whether it's a problem with your application, network, or a third-party service.

Tips for Effective Use:

  • Start Small: Begin with a few key tests and gradually expand your monitoring coverage.
  • Use Labels: Use labels to organize your tests and agents, making it easier to manage and filter data.
  • Set Meaningful Alerts: Configure alerts for critical metrics and thresholds to be notified of performance issues.
  • Explore the Documentation: ThousandEyes has extensive documentation and tutorials available online.

Conclusion:

Cisco ThousandEyes is a powerful tool for gaining deep visibility into the performance of your digital experiences. By deploying agents, creating tests, and analyzing the data, you can proactively identify and resolve performance issues, ensuring a positive user experience. This article provides a starting point for using ThousandEyes. Exploring the platform's features and documentation will allow you to leverage its full potential.