3.6 Defining the Problem (Step 1)

To begin diagnosing a problem on your network, click the Define tab to enter the Define view. Diagnoses take place between Target Devices: two sites on the network (phones, endpoints, or non-phone devices) where Vivinet Diagnostics will try to pinpoint the problem.

For more information, see the following topics:

3.6.1 Defining a Phone-to-Phone Diagnosis

To diagnose a VoIP problem between two phones, select Phones as your Device Type. Vivinet Diagnostics will trace the path taken by VoIP traffic between the two phones you select. These phones can be either IP telephones currently active on your VoIP network or regular POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) telephones that might make calls to the IP phones on your network.

NOTE:

  • If you choose Cisco phones as the device type, configure information about their CallManagers to help Vivinet Diagnostics diagnose the problem. For more information, see Section 3.5.3, Adding or Deleting a CallManager.

  • If you choose Nortel phones as the device type, configure information about their Call Servers and Signaling Servers to help Vivinet Diagnostics diagnose the problem. For more information, see Section 3.5.6, Configuring Nortel CS1000 Call and Signaling Servers.

  • When you choose phones as Target Devices, you cannot select a call script. As part of the Diagnosis, Vivinet Diagnostics attempts to run VoIP performance tests between Performance Endpoints installed in the same subnet. These tests emulate the G.711 codec, with “Best Effort” QoS. If no endpoints are installed in the subnet, Vivinet Diagnostics uses other methods to help diagnose the problem. For more information, see Section 1.1, How Vivinet Diagnostics Works.

Complete the remaining fields as shown below. Then, run the Diagnosis by clicking the Diagnose tab. For more information, see Section 3.7, Diagnosing the Problem (Step 2).

Field

Description

Phone 1

An IP telephone or a POTS phone on the PSTN that is considered the source of the call traffic that experienced a problem.

In a Cisco environment, either Phone 1 or Phone 2 must be an IP telephone. In a Nortel or Avaya environment, both phones must be IP phones.

In a Cisco or Nortel environment, type one of the following:

  • The phone’s full phone number, such as 222-555-1212

  • The phone’s extension, such as 6003

  • The IP address of the IP phone in dotted notation, such as 135.25.25.5

  • The DNS hostname, such as devel_lab_netiq

In an Avaya environment, type the IP address of the phone.

NOTE:To diagnose a Nortel phone when the Directory Number is not unique across the Call Servers, ensure you type the Terminal Number (TN) instead of the phone number. Type the TN using the following format: xxx-yy. If you omit the dash, Vivinet Diagnostics will be unable to find the TN on the Call or Signaling Server.

Phone 2

An IP telephone or a POTS phone on the PSTN that is considered the target or destination of the call traffic that experienced a problem.

In a Cisco environment, either Phone 1 or Phone 2 must be an IP telephone. In a Nortel environment, both phones must be IP phones.

NOTE:To run a Diagnosis between an IP phone and a PSTN phone in a Nortel environment, use the IP Phone-to-Other option and provide the IP address of the voice gateway in the Other field.

Time problem occurred

The approximate time of the call that experienced the problem. If you do not know the time, select Unknown from the list. This information helps Vivinet Diagnostics find the relevant call details.

Validate button

Click to save all parameters of your problem definition and ensure the Diagnosis is ready to run.

3.6.2 Defining an Endpoint-to-Endpoint Diagnosis

To diagnose a VoIP problem between two endpoints, select Endpoints as your Device Type. Vivinet Diagnostics will trace the path taken by VoIP traffic between the two endpoints you select. Endpoints are computers on which you installed Performance Endpoints. For more information, see Section 1.7, NetIQ Performance Endpoints.

If you select endpoints connected only by switches, in other words, if there are no routers in the path, your Diagnosis produces a Path Trace showing the source and destination endpoints with no devices between them. Vivinet Diagnostics still collects data, but does not generate a warning or error about an empty path.

Complete the remaining fields as shown below. Then, run the Diagnosis by clicking the Diagnose tab. For more information, see Section 3.7, Diagnosing the Problem (Step 2).

Field

Description

Endpoint 1

Acts as the source Target Device. The simulated (bidirectional) VoIP traffic will originate with this endpoint, as if it had placed the VoIP call.

Type the endpoint computer’s IP network address (in dotted notation such as 135.25.25.5) or a DNS hostname, such as devel_lab_netiq.

Endpoint 2

An endpoint computer’s IP network address. Type a DNS hostname or the IP address of the endpoint computer in dotted notation.

Call Script

The type of simulated VoIP test traffic to send between the endpoints. Call scripts are given names that identify the codec they emulate. Select the codec in use on your network. If you are using another NetIQ product, use the same call script you used when you first discovered the problem.

View button

Click to see the parameters configured in the call script. To change any parameter, you must add a new call script. For more information, see Section 4.2, Working with Call Scripts.

Validate button

Click to save all parameters of your problem definition and ensure the Diagnosis is ready to run.

3.6.3 Defining an IP Phone-to-Other Diagnosis

To diagnose a VoIP problem between an IP phone and a non-phone Target Device such as a router or a Cisco IP telephony H.323 voice gateway, select IP Phone-to-Other as your Device Type. Vivinet Diagnostics will trace the path taken by VoIP traffic between the two devices you select.

Use this Device Type when performing a Diagnosis between an IP phone and a Cisco CallManager Express device. For more information, see Section 5.1.3, Other Properties.

Complete the remaining fields as shown below. Then, run the Diagnosis by clicking the Diagnose tab. For more information, see Section 3.7, Diagnosing the Problem (Step 2).

Field

Description

Phone 1

An IP telephone. Considered the source of the call traffic that experienced a problem.

Type the IP phone’s full phone number, such as 222-555-1212, or the phone’s extension, such as 6003.

NOTE:If you want to diagnose a Nortel phone and the Directory Number is not unique across the Call Servers, ensure you type the Terminal Number (TN) instead of the phone number. Type the TN using the following format: xxx-yy. If you omit the embedded dash, Vivinet Diagnostics will be unable to find the TN on the Call or Signaling Server.

Other

The IP address of the non-phone Target Device, such as a router or a gateway. Type the DNS hostname or the IP address of the Target Device in dotted notation, such as 10.46.4.15.

Validate button

Click to save all parameters of your problem definition and ensure the Diagnosis is ready to run.