Network Monitoring
- Network Monitoring
This article details network monitoring configurations for our MediaWiki 1.40 servers. Effective network monitoring is crucial for maintaining server uptime, diagnosing performance issues, and ensuring a positive user experience. This guide will cover essential tools and configurations for newcomers to our server environment.
Why Monitor the Network?
Monitoring our network allows us to:
- Proactively identify and resolve issues before they impact users.
- Optimize network performance for faster page loads and smoother editing.
- Detect security threats and unauthorized access attempts.
- Gather data for capacity planning and future infrastructure upgrades.
- Troubleshoot problems efficiently when they do occur. See also Troubleshooting Guide.
Essential Monitoring Tools
We utilize a combination of tools for comprehensive network monitoring. These include:
- Nagios – Our primary monitoring system, providing alerts and historical data. See Nagios Configuration.
- tcpdump – A command-line packet analyzer for in-depth network traffic analysis. Refer to tcpdump Usage.
- iftop – Displays bandwidth usage by connection. Details are found at iftop Installation.
- netstat – Provides network statistics, listening ports, and routing tables. See netstat Commands.
- ping – A basic but useful tool for checking network connectivity. Review Ping Diagnostics.
Configuring Nagios for MediaWiki Servers
Nagios is configured to monitor key network metrics for each MediaWiki server. The following table outlines the primary checks performed:
| Metric | Description | Threshold (Warning/Critical) | Check Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ping | Checks if the server is reachable. | 100ms / 500ms | 1 minute |
| CPU Load | Monitors the system's CPU usage. | 80% / 95% | 5 minutes |
| Memory Usage | Tracks the amount of used memory. | 90% / 95% | 5 minutes |
| Disk Space | Monitors available disk space on critical partitions. | 10% / 5% | 15 minutes |
| HTTP Response Time | Checks the response time of the MediaWiki front-end. | 2 seconds / 5 seconds | 1 minute |
Nagios alerts are sent to the operations team via email and PagerDuty. Configuration files are located in `/etc/nagios/`. See Nagios Alerting. Custom checks can be added by editing the `commands.cfg` and `services.cfg` files. Always back up these files before making changes. Review Nagios Best Practices.
Analyzing Network Traffic with tcpdump
`tcpdump` allows us to capture and analyze network packets. This is invaluable for troubleshooting complex network issues.
Here’s a simplified example of capturing traffic on the eth0 interface:
```bash tcpdump -i eth0 -n -s 0 ```
- `-i eth0`: Specifies the interface to listen on.
- `-n`: Suppresses hostname and port resolution.
- `-s 0`: Captures the entire packet.
Captured packets can be saved to a file for later analysis:
```bash tcpdump -i eth0 -w capture.pcap ```
Analysis can be done with tools like Wireshark. See tcpdump Filters for advanced filtering options.
Bandwidth Monitoring with iftop
`iftop` provides a real-time view of network bandwidth usage by connection. It's useful for identifying bandwidth-intensive processes or connections.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| `iftop -i eth0` | Displays bandwidth usage on the eth0 interface. |
| `iftop -n` | Shows numerical IP addresses instead of hostnames. |
| `iftop -B` | Displays bandwidth in bytes instead of bits. |
`iftop` requires root privileges to run. It's a lightweight tool that provides a quick overview of network activity. Review iftop Keybindings.
Server Network Specifications
The following table details the network specifications for our core MediaWiki servers:
| Server Name | IP Address | Interface | Network Mask | Gateway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wiki-db-01 | 192.168.1.10 | eth0 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.1.1 |
| wiki-web-01 | 192.168.1.20 | eth0 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.1.1 |
| wiki-cache-01 | 192.168.1.30 | eth0 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.1.1 |
These specifications are subject to change. Always consult the Server Inventory for the most up-to-date information.
Further Resources
- Network Security
- Firewall Configuration
- DNS Management
- Load Balancing
- Server Documentation
- Incident Response Plan
Intel-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Core i7-6700K/7700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB | CPU Benchmark: 8046 |
| Core i7-8700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 13124 |
| Core i9-9900K Server | 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 49969 |
| Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Workstation | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000 |
AMD-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 Server | 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 17849 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 Server | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 35224 |
| Ryzen 9 5950X Server | 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 46045 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X Server | 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 63561 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) | 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) | 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 9454P Server | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe |
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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️