Configuring for Network Management Applications
Using SNMP Tools To Manage the Switch
CLI-Configured sFlow with Multiple Instances
In earlier software releases, sFlow was configured on the switch via SNMP
using a single sFlow instance. Beginning with software release K.11.34, sFlow
can also be configured via the CLI for up to three distinct sFlow instances:
once enabled, an sFlow receiver/destination can be independently configured
for full flow-sampling and counter-polling. CLI-configured sFlow instances
may be saved to the startup configuration to persist across a switch reboot.
Terminology
sFlow — An industry standard sampling technology, defined by RFC 3176,
used to continuously monitor traffic flows on all ports providing network-
wide visibility into the use of the network.
sFlow agent — A software process that runs as part of the network manage-
ment software within a device. The agent packages data into datagrams
that are forwarded to a central data collector.
sFlow destination — The central data collector that gathers datagrams from
sFlow-enabled switch ports on the network. The data collector decodes
the packet headers and other information to present detailed Layer 2 to
Layer 7 usage statistics.
Configuring sFlow
The following sFlow commands allow you to configure sFlow instances via
the CLI.
Syntax: [no] sflow <receiver-instance> destination <ip-address> [udp-port-num]
Enables an sFlow receiver/destination. The receiver-instance
number must be a 1, 2, or 3. By default, the udp destination port
number is 6343.
To disable an sFlow receiver/destination, enter no sflow
<receiver-instance>.
Syntax: sflow <receiver-instance> sampling <port-list> <sampling rate>
Once an sFlow receiver/destination has been enabled, this
command enables flow sampling for that instance. The receiver-
instance number is 1, 2, or 3, and the sampling rate is the
allowable non-zero skipcount for the specified port or ports.
To disable flow-sampling for the specified port-list, repeat the
above command with a sampling rate of “0”.
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