Component Information Panel

WHAT TO EXPECT
The Component Information Panel serves two purposes: allowing users to see metrics for a specific component in the topology graph and configuration at that component.
In this article, users learn about the different metrics they can view in the Component Information Panel and how to use the configuration options.

The Component Information page is organized into the following functions:

Each section describes the function as well as adding, editing defaults, editing and deleting as appropriate.

General Metrics

The Component Information Panel will display metrics pertaining to a selected component in the Topology Graph. Depending on the Component type, the information displayed may vary. Across all types, the following four categories will be listed: Statistics, General, Environment, and Hardware.

At the top of the component sidebar, users will see a high-level view of Total Rx and Total Tx statistics from the perspective of the selected component. In the example above, the user has the cloudSwXtch in the center selected and can see the data being received and transmitted.

The General section details the type of component (cloudSwXtch, xNIC, cloudSwXtch Bridge, etc.), the data NIC, data port, and the version. The Environment provides information regarding the cloud provider, including the hostname, cloud, OS, Region, and Instance type. The Hardware section goes deeper into the information regarding the virtual machine NICs.

Component Radial Menu

In addition to displaying component information and performance metrics, selecting a node in the Topology Graph will reveal a radial menu. Here, users can find statistics specific to that component type and additional configuration options. In this section, we will look into the different metrics for each component type.

Streams

The Streams section provides users with a detailed list of all the streams going through the component and the stream data showing the flow of the stream through each component. Users can view streams for every component node (cloudSwXtch, swXtchBridge and xNIC).

In this view, the user can view the stream flow by selecting the View Graph icon. This same representation can be seen in the Topology Table.

Adaptors

The Adaptors section will populate with information about them if any are configured in the cloudSwXtch network. Users can view Adaptors and Stream data for adaptors as well as add new Adaptors. Adaptors can also be added in the Adaptors tab. Adaptors apply to cloudSwXtch and swXtchBridge components.

Lossless Stats

Lossless stats display SLP TX or SLP RX stats, depending on whether or not the component is transmitting lossless data or receiving, for example, an xNIC must be Type 3 to get lossless data. The statistics can also be viewed directly in the Topology Graph whether SLP Stats are enabled in the Layers selection. Lossless applies to cloudSwXtch, swXtchBridge and xNIC Type 3 components. But does not display on them unless lossless is enabled in the xNIC or swXtchBridge.

Subscriptions

Selecting the Subscriptions from the Component radial menu will open the Subscriptions tab. This tab displays the streams that have been subscribed to, with the components that have subscribed to the stream. Subscriptions apply to cloudSwXtch, swXtchBridge and xNIC components.

xNIC Config

When selecting the xNIC Config, the system allows the user to edit xNICs in mass when selected from a cloudSwXtch, or individually configure interfaces for Source Specific Multicast if selected from a xNIC. For example, from a cloudSwXtch perspetive it will allow a user to enable HA and change the Protocol (RTP or swXtch). As well as enable xNIC Deduplication and set the Buffer size and timeout for deduplication purposes. xNIC config applies to cloudSwXtch and xNIC components. xNIC config on the cloudSwXtch will only display on a cloudSwXtch that is primary and if High Availability is enabled.

From a xNIC:

Select Add to add Source Specific Multicast for Windows:

This interface assumes the streams already exist. Use the Select Stream drop-down and select Add Join button to add it to the lower part of the screen. One has been added above.

Use the Add Interface button if you have more than one interface for which the multicast can come from. An example is below:

Please refer to High Availability/Configuring HA for Multiple Multicast and Source Specific Multicast for field descriptions.

From a cloudSwXtch:

When from a cloudSwXtch to configure in mass, select the configure xNIC button and then select xNICs to be configured in mass.

Select Next, then change data as desired.

High Availability enable/disable button enables or disables HA for the selected xNICs.
- Protocol options are RTP and swXtch. If the stream is deduplicated from a xNIC, not the application, then select swXtch; if the application is doing the duplicating, select RTP.
xNIC deduplication enables the xNIC to do the deduplication; if disabled, then the application on the VM where the xNIC resides will need to do the deduplication.
Buffer Size in Packets default is set to 131072. Before changing this value, contact support at support@swxtch.io.
Timeout (ms) is the timeout in milliseconds to wait for a packet before dropping it. If there are many hops from the source to the destination, then this may need to be increased.

Select Confirm to apply the new configuration(s).

Connections

Selecting the Connections from the Component radial menu will open the Connections tab. This tab displays the cloudSwXtches that the component is connected to. Connections apply to swXtchBridge and xNIC components.

This is useful to be able to send or receive traffic from/to different cloudSwXtches. This could be for data separation where you get a range of multicast from/to one cloudSwXtch to one interface on the VM for the xNIC and another range of multicast from/to a different cloudSwXtch to a different interface on the same VM for the xNIC. Or in the case of a bridge you may have one on-premise bridge connected to multiple cloudSwXtches so the traffic can be sent from ground to cloud to different cloudSwXtches.

The screens/options in them change based on if it is a xNIC or a swXtchBridge, below sections will go through each.

From a xNIC:

Add a connection:

To add a connection select the add button in the user interface.

Select the cloudSwXtch to be added. The ones that exist via a cluster need not be added as they are already connected.

The data interface is automatically selected in the data interface, however if there is a different one that is required the IP and Port can be added in the Data Address field, else leave it blank. All of the other data fills in from defaults, defaults can be set as well, which is explained later in this article.

Fields:

SLP: SLP lossless is only shown if the xNIC is type 3, packets that are missing will be re-transmitted for packet lost protection.

SLP Enable TX - Enable SLP lossless if on Transmit lossless is required.

SLP Enable RX - Enable SLP lossless if on Receive lossless is required.

High Availability: This is for 2022-7 network link protection and will only display if HA is enabled in System Management.

Enable: Users can enable/disable HA at a xNIC level, this means that the xNIC will not duplicate or deduplicate a multicast.

Protocol: The options are swxtch and RTP. If the cloudSwXtch did the duplication then this should be set to swXtch, however if a application outside of cloudSwXtch did the deduplication this should be set to RTP.

Deduplication: Users can enable/disable deduplication of the multicast, this is done when an application is expected to deduplicate.

Buffer Size: This is the buffer size in packets used to buffer packets for the deduplication process.

Buffer timeout in milliseconds: This is the buffer time in milliseconds for the system to wait to process the packets. Note that the system will only wait this period of time if the packet is missing on all paths, else it will take the first packet to process and to have output quicker.

Inactive streams timeout (ms): This is how long the system will wait to know that a particular stream is inactivethe

Update any fields as appropriate and select confirm, the connection will be saved.

Update default:

The update defaults button allows the user to put in defaults that will be used when adding a new component, components that are already added will not change to the default. To change the defaults select the edit defaults button.

Edit any data as necessary and select the Update button. The defaults will be saved. See add section above for field explanations.

Edit a connection:

To edit a connection select the edit button.

Update any fields as appropriate and select confirm, the connection edits will be saved. See add section above for field explanations.

Remove a connection:

To delete a connection select the remove button.

To remove select confirm, the connection will be deleted.

From a swXtchBridge:

Add a connection:

To add a connection select the add button in the user interface.

Select the cloudSwXtch to be added. The ones that exist via a cluster need not be added as they are already connected.

The data interface is not required, but if desired enter the the IP and Port can be added in the Data Address field, else leave it blank. All of the other data fills in from defaults, defaults can be set as well, which is explained later in this article.

Fields:

SLP: SLP lossless is only shown if the xNIC is type 3, packets that are missing will be re-transmitted for packet lost protection.

SLP Enable TX - Enable SLP lossless if on Transmit lossless is required.

SLP Enable RX - Enable SLP lossless if on Receive lossless is required.

High Availability: This is for 2022-7 network link protection and will only display if HA is enabled in System Management.

Enable: Users can enable/disable HA at a xNIC level, this means that the xNIC will not duplicate or deduplicate a multicast.

Update any fields as appropriate and select confirm, the connection will be saved.

Update default:

Edit any data as necessary and select the Update button. The defaults will be saved. See add section above for field explanations.

Edit a connection:

To edit a connection select the edit button.

Update any fields as appropriate and select confirm, the connection edits will be saved. See add section above for field explanations.

Remove a connection:

To delete a connection select the remove button.

To remove select confirm, the connection will be deleted.

Forward Subscriptions

Selecting the Forward Subscriptions from the Component radial menu will open the Forward Subsciptions tab. This tab is only available for swXtchBridge. This selection allows a user to forward multicast groups to a particular cloudSwXtch that the bridge has connections to.

Add a Forward Subscription:

To add a Forward Subscription select the add button in the user interface.

Update any fields as appropriate and select confirm, the Forward Subscription will be added. The screen above shows data added with an existing Multicast group. The one below shows for a new multicast group.

Remove a Forward Subscription:

To delete a Forward Subscription select the remove button.

To remove select confirm, the Forward Subscription will be deleted.

Ground Subscriptions

Selecting the Ground Subscriptions from the Component radial menu will open the Connections tab. This tab is only available for swXtchBridge. This selection allows a user to join to multicast groups from the cloud to the on-premise ground network. This is necessary as the on-premise switches do not inherently know about this multicast and therefore need a join point.

Add a Ground Subscription:

To add a Ground Subscription select the add button in the user interface.

Enter in the address to be subscribed to.

Select add button to add more subscriptions:

Select Add when done and the ground subscriptions will be added.

Remove a Ground Subscription:

To delete a Ground Subscription select the remove button.

The ground subscription will be removed.