Knowledgebase

During internetworking related debugging it may be required to use more detailed siangling data then those offered by WebPortal 'Menu -> Maintenance -> Call Trace' application. This task can be easily resolved by the sigtrace application launched form SN10k CLI.

Start data collection

1. Log into the SN10k CLI via SSH protocol using 'admin' username and password

mpodoski@sandbox:~$ ssh [email protected]
The authenticity of host '10.9.31.100 (10.9.31.100)' can't be established.
RSA key fingerprint is 11:22:33.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? yes
Warning: Permanently added '10.9.31.100' (RSA) to the list of known hosts.
[email protected]'s password:

2. In the 'Control Menu' select option '8) Debugging Tools'

Welcome to your SmartNode powered by SmartMedia

Control Menu
------------
 1) Change password
 2) Network configuration
 3) Time Zone configuration
 4) NTP management
 5) System management
 6) Web Portal management
 7) Publish CDR
 8) Debugging tools
 9) About
99) Exit

Enter your selection: 8

3. The 'Debugging Tools' menu will appear where you should select option '2) Capture signaling traces'

Welcome to your SmartNode powered by SmartMedia

Debugging tools
---------------
 1) System View
 2) Capture signaling traces
 3) Get debug dump
 4) Get system logs
99) Back

Enter your selection: 2

4. 'Capture signaling traces' menu offers several options

Capture signaling traces
------------------------
1) Set protocol [ALL=Y]
2) Set capture format [CAP=Y][OLD=N][EXT=N]
3) Regroup entity of same type [REGROUP=Y]
4) Start capture
99) Exit
Enter your selection:

1) Set protocol

Allows you to toggle between connected protocol monitors. By default all available signaling stacks [ALL=Y] will be monitored. In order to change this behavior disable the ALL option by pressing 8 and confirming with Enter. You will notice the protocol selection list next to '1) Set Protocol' option:

1) Set protocol [ALL=N][SS7=N][ISDN=N][LAPD=N][CASR2=N][SIP=N][IP=N][H248=N]

From this point on you can select the signaling stacks you whish to monitor or re-enable [ALL=Y] option, which will take precedence over other configuration

 2) Set capture format

Is used to configure the output file format of sigtrace appliaction. Similar to "Set protocol" this is a toggle like menu.

1) CAP

Controlls the output file format. In case it's enabled data will be written to a CAP file designed to be opened in libpcap running applications (fe. Wireshark). When set to NO sigtrace data is written to a text file (not recommended when contacting Patton Support).

2) Old ISDN CAP

 By default this option is disabled, causing ISDN data to be collected on LAPD layer (ISDN L2 for D channel), which in SN10k is transported over IP. Some cases of low layer debugging require to collect data with some HDLC information (fe. direction of the Msg). Enabling the "Old ISDN CAP" option will deliver such data.

3) Extended CASR2 (with call state)

 Controls insertion of cirtuit states into PCAP file for CAS R2 signaling.

3) Regroup entity of same type

Puts all similar signaling monitor outputs in one file. Be advised that unfortunately ISDN Trunks as treated as separate signaling entities.

4) Start capture

 This is I believe self explanatory.

5. After issuing '4) Start capture' option in 'Capture signaling traces' menu you will be redirected to sigtrace application status window

Please be sure that after launching, the sigtrace application contains required protocol monitors in the connected section. Otherwise please restart the application!

6. After reproducing the required scenario sitgrace application needs to be terminated.

Please press "q" button when the sigtrace status window is active. Following line shoud appear in the command line.

Are you sure you want to quit application? NO

Type "YES" and press Enter

Are you sure you want to quit application? YES

This will cause sigtrace application to terminate and signaling traces to be copied into 'download' user home directory

Wait signaling traces capture to complete...
Signaling traces are now available in download account.
Press [Enter] key to continue...

Feel free to terminate the 'admin' SSH session, by choosing option '99) Exit' in 'Debugging tools' and 'Control Menu'.

7. In order to obtain collected logs, please login to 'download' user account using SFTP protocol connection.

mpodoski@sandbox:~$ sftp [email protected]
[email protected]'s password:
Connected to 10.9.31.100.
sftp>

After listing the contents of the directory you will be able to find 'sigtraces.tar.gz' among other files

sftp> ls -laht
drwxrw-rw- 0 500 500 4.0K  Jun 17 10:32 .
drwxrw-rw- 0 500 500 4.0K  Jun 17 10:32 ..
-rw-r--r-- 0 500 500 14.8K Jun 17 10:05 sigtraces.tar.gz
drwxrw-rw- 0 500 500 424K  Jun 17 10:00 cdr_logs
-rw-r--r-- 0 500 500 2.3M  Jun 16 15:09 syslogs.dbg
-rw-r--r-- 0 500 500 30.1K Jun 16 15:05 debugdump.dbg
drwxrw-rw- 0 500 500 4.0K  May  7 14:02 cdr_logs_legacy
sftp>

Archive will contain all of the previously captured traces.