@NStipster Series: NetScaler Insight Center - Part 2 - Getting Data into Insight

@NStipster Series: NetScaler Insight Center - Part 2 - Getting Data into Insight -

In part 1, we have arranged the field to prepare to implement your implementation NetScaler Insight Center

In Part 2 of the series, we will take action by putting the components together.

First up, we need to download the virtual appliance, XenServer or VMware flavors. There is an XVA file for XenServer 5.6 or later can be added via XenCenter or a zip file for VMware ESX 4.1 or later, which once expanded includes an OVF and VMDK files that can be imported via vCenter Server. The requirements were covered in Part 1 of the hypervisor in terms of disk space, etc.

Now we can start the virtual machine (VM). In the Console tab of our hypervisor we must provide the IP address, subnet mask and default gateway of the VM Insight. Once they are fixed select "Save and Exit", then the virtual machine reboots:

 --------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------- ---- - NetScaler Insight initial network address configuration. This menu allows you to set and change the initial address of the IPv4 network. The current value is shown in brackets ([]). Selecting the indicated number allows the address to edit. -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------- 1. IPv4 address NetScaler Analytics [192.168.100.10]: 2. Netmask [255.255.255.0]: 3. IPv4 address of the gateway [192.168.100.1] 4. Cancel and exit. 5. Save and Exit. Select a menu item 1-5 [5] 1

Do not worry if you make a mistake here, you can return to the network configuration later by accessing the console and running # / mps / NetworkConfig

Open your browser and run the Insight user interface by connecting to the IP address that you configured. Access to default Insight Center UI HTTP. This can be changed from HTTPS Configuration> NetScaler Insight Center> SSL Certificate Files .

Enable AppFlow of data by accessing Configuration> Inventory . Click Add to add the NetScaler, IP, username and password are required. Inisght connects to NetScaler and recover the load balancing, content switching and VPN virtual servers and make those available Inventory in the user interface. To collect configuration data from a desired virtual servers, you need to right click and select Enable AppFlow invites to define the expression of AppFlow. There is a drop down list with the following suggestions for phrases to use with Web Insight , which I have listed and explained below.

HTTP.REQ.URL.CONTAINS ( "Images") - This will trigger if the URL request includes "images" such /citrix/images/index.html
HTTP.REQ.COOKIE.CONTAINS ( "JSESSIONID") -. This will trigger if a cookie called this "JSESSIONID" in client side applications
HTTP.REQ. HOSTNAME.CONTAINS ( "abc.com") - This is the trigger HTTP client request is a host name "abc.com"
HTTP.REQ.VERSION.MINOR.EQ (1) - You can report on Major or minor version of the HTTP version number in the minor occurrence does not match the version is .1 suggesting HTTP / 1.1
HTTP.REQ.LB_VSERVER.NAME.EQ ( "MyLB") - this will trigger if the name of the virtual server on the NetScaler is called "MyLB"
HTTP.REQ.LB_VSERVER.THROUGHPUT.GE (5) - This will trigger if the rate available on the virtual server that the expression is related to greater than 5 . mbps
HTTP.REQ.LB_VSERVER.HEALTH.BETWEEN (0.75) -. This will trigger if the virtual server has between 0 and 75% of services related to the vserver are in a state UP
HTTP.REQ .LB_VSERVER.CONNECTIONS.GE (15,000) - .. This will trigger if the virtual server has a greater or equal to 15000 connections
HTTP.REQ.URL.SUFFIX.EQ ( "json") NOT && HTTP.REQ.URL .SUFFIX.EQ ( "cSS") NOT -. This will trigger if the client HTTP requests are not for .json URL suffixes AND css

As noted in Part 1, TCP ports 22, 80, 443 and UDP port 4739 need open between the collectors and the Enter NetScaler (s). The selection of the expression is important especially if you have a busy production virtual server. You may not want to capture statistics on all traffic that the virtual server, perhaps only a subset of traffic or to focus on potential problems. Flexibility of NetScaler AppExpert engine allows you to do this.

The other option when adding the expression of AppFlow is the HTML Injection

This is a additional option that is only necessary if you need to be able to see the rendering time of Web pages to say the page takes time to load. This is a useful tool, which is supplied by injection HTML body of pre-and post-body JavaScript by NetScaler device. HTML Injection does not require brute for compatibility with Web applications so that a test phase Information is advisable before going into production.

If you intend to use HDX Insight then adding the expression is much simpler, just add the "true" value in the expression box and you are covered!

Returning to the NetScaler, you can check the following areas for the changes made by Insight to enable the flow of data analysis. Under Load Balancing> Virtual Servers you can open your virtual server configured on Insight. On the first part, we should notice that AppFlow Logging is checked, otherwise it should be! This also applies to all services relating to the virtual server

There should be a policy of AppFlow and created and linked manifold :.

also EdgeSight Pre-body monitoring and post-body policies should be created and linked:

Finally binding a policy Rewrite:

for all the above basic Rewrite feature, advanced features and monitoring AppFlow EdgeSight (HTML injection) should be activated automatically by Insight . As these are NetScaler features which explains the NetScaler license prerequisites for integration Insight.

Now that everything is in place, we need to generate some traffic for the Web Insight to display. Load your browser and point to your virtual server, even better get users to test this with the actual traffic generated world. When we return to Insight, we should see the new data in the context of 5 min dropdown option for Devices (NetScalers) Applications (LB, CS or VPN virtual server (s)), URLS Customers and servers .

To HDX Insight we need Citrix End User Experience Monitoring (SHEU) services must be enabled and started on each XenApp, XenDesktop for it must be started and enabled on each VDA. To generate data run some applications, preferably of different customers using different user names and launching different applications

We should see at least the number of licenses on the NetScaler Insight :.