Well this is an interesting question and not always easy to resolve, but some basic tests and a good understanding of how the customers net is configured helps.
I would assume that the T1 terminates in some switch, router or firewall, so.... First is it just mail? 1 Does the load on the T1 reflect the load on the host port? 2 Does pinging the host have any long RTT and or loss? 3 Does pinging the mail server have any long RTT or loss? 4 Could the issue be its DNS being overloaded or not local to their net? Does the name takes too long to resolve. 5 There could be a local switch issue that you can't see. 6 Is this the only host on the T1? If not a T1 is kind of slow for multiple users. 7 Is the host connected via wifi and if so are other users on that net? 8 It could be as simple as a mismatch in duplex on his local connection if hardwired. 9 Lasts but not least, don't worry we will have a new President soon. Good luck Jeff Fitzwater OIT Network Systems Princeton University On May 13, 2008, at 11:15 AM, Rick Martin wrote: > > I know this is not really a Cisco specific question but it is > definitely in support of Cisco hardware. > > How do most of you folks prove that "the problem" is not the network? > We utilize CA Spectrum and eHealth for availability and statistical > analysis but in some instances that does not cut it. We don't > typically > have much trouble proving that a T1 is serving up 1.5 meg of > bandwidth. > Customers complain that their access is slow, we show that they are > using all available bandwidth and eventually sell them more bandwidth > and the problem is resolved. > > The more difficult effort is when there is plenty of available > bandwidth and a particular application is slow (Outlook in the case > I am > involved in now). This is a very high level political official and we > must come to a resolution. All tools we have available to us today > indicate that there is not a problem with the network. Typical > utilization on the T1 is about 500 to 600K peak during the day. > Certain > management continues to point the finger at the network. We have used > Internet based speed tests that at times show less than 1.5Meg > download > speeds, I explain the variables in the Internet and the particular > tool > in use as well as local contention for the bandwidth etc to no avail, > once they see less than 1.5 meg speed the finger points to the > network. > I still must somehow "prove" that the network is not the issue. > > I am interested in an Internet speed test like tool to install at the > core of our network that would provide a sustained upload or download > test that would run for longer periods of time than a regular speed > test. I would like to fill the pipe while graphing in Ehealth or as > part > of the selected tool to prove that the contracted bandwidth is > available > in both directions. > > Any recommendations for products would be appreciated. We are > currently > looking at SolarWinds WAN Killer and a traffic generator from Omnicore > LanTraffic V2. I am also open to different "types" of solutions to > point > to where the problem is actually located. > > Thanks in advance for any suggestions > > Rick Martin > Network Engineer > State of Arkansas, Department of Information Systems > _______________________________________________ > cisco-nsp mailing list [email protected] > https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/cisco-nsp > archive at http://puck.nether.net/pipermail/cisco-nsp/ _______________________________________________ cisco-nsp mailing list [email protected] https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/cisco-nsp archive at http://puck.nether.net/pipermail/cisco-nsp/
