Arvato Systems: Allegro Packets in Continuous Use

IT service provider Arvato Systems Optimizes Network Troubleshooting with the Allegro Network Multimeter. With more than 2,600 employees at over 25 locations worldwide, Arvato Systems, the IT specialist of the Bertelsmann Group is one of the major global IT service providers. The company specializes in IT solutions that help support smooth digital transformation for their customers. The Arvato Systems team develops tailor-made IT solutions and services, integrates suitable digital processes and takes care of the efficient IT operation of its customers.

Arvato Systems needed a comprehensive analysis tool to monitor network traffic around the time that the Allegro Network Multimeter was launched in the market. Arvato Systems' specialists chose the Allegro Network Multimeter which has been in continuous use since its first day of operation and has become an indispensable appliance for troubleshooting in the 10G environment. Depending on requirements, the appliance allows measurements on several 10G mirror ports on multiple switches with only one device. In addition, it has extensive filters to subsequently extract and examine the traffic from mirror ports. Thanks to remote access, the device can be managed securely and easily from any location.

Fast problem identification with the troubleshooting tool
The first challenge arose when Arvato Systems took over the data center infrastructure of an international transportation company. As an IT specialist, Arvato Systems was tasked with reviewing the existing services and migrating them to its own data center. Right from the beginning, the Allegro Network Multimeter was the tool of choice and significantly accelerated the migration process.

Thanks to the Allegro Network Multimeter, the Arvato Systems engineers were able to gain a precise understanding of what was required. Such a migration must be meticulously planned, especially in environments such as a traffic center. The Service Level Agreements (SLAs) must also not be violated. This requires a rapid analysis that does not directly intervene in the network. Since the Allegro Network Multimeter can be connected to the mirror port, this is a safe and easy process. Problems were detected for example, by Layer 2 bridging of a large central switch. In combination with the redundant connection, it sporadically created packet loops. Troubleshooting with the appliance was child's play: within seconds, the Allegro Network Multimeter identified these loops. The time required for debugging was massively reduced compared to the previous debugging method.

The second challenge arose due to the sudden and unexpected inaccessibility of the management port of a central switch, although no configuration changes had been made. This made it impossible to change the switch configuration. Since customer data could be transferred at any time, an unplanned, short-term restart of the switch was out of the question. Nevertheless, this was the case here: If such errors occur during operation, fast action is required. Thanks to the intuitive configuration of the Allegro Network Multimeter, it was easily handled. The troubleshooting tool was connected to the switch's mirror port and immediately began its analysis. The Allegro Network Multimeter extracted the last packet before the crash. A SNMP request sent by monitoring software had caused the management port to crash. Thus the issue was quickly identified. Thanks to the package extraction with the Allegro Network Multimeter, the management port error was quickly identified and corrected in a very short time.

Both challenges mentioned above are examples of how important an easy-to-use and efficient diagnostic appliance is for an IT service provider. For Arvato Systems, effective and swift troubleshooting quickly solved a difficult to find network problem, generating significant customer satisfaction. Thanks to their purchase of the Allegro Network Multimeter, Arvato Systems is equipped with a powerful, comprehensive appliance that can quickly and efficiently analyse all network problems.

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