PfR Manager Features & Benefits
What is PfR?
Performance Routing (PfR) is the latest WAN route optimization from Cisco Systems that utilizes customer's existing Cisco equipment. This technology optimizes traffic across two or more WAN connections to both save bandwidth costs and improve network performance. PfR is an evolution of a prior Cisco technology call Optimized Edge Routing (OER), but with a much broader scope. Integrated within Cisco IOS, PfR gathers operating data from the network itself in order to intelligently route applications based on network performance. All of this dynamically and in real-time.
Why implement PfR?
Using PfR benefits network owners in two ways: by reducing bandwidth costs and improving network performance. Many enterprises purchase multiple WAN links multiple carriers, with some links allocated as backups for primary service interruptions. These redundant links cost money yet sit mostly idle. With multiple links, cost savings can be quickly realized by minimizing traffic across those with "tiered-pricing". Beyond cost, multiple links often have different performance characteristics. PfR enables networks to shift traffic as necessary to optimize a variety of chosen metrics, from application performance to bandwidth cost. Further, PfR will reroute traffic to properly operating links when parts of the network have degraded or completely failed.
Who should us PfR?
PfR is appropriate for any enterprise that has a critical private WAN or Internet presence. This technology will benefit any large, medium or small business that has multiple WAN connections. The minimum requirement is just two WAN connections and one LAN connection that can all be connected to only one router.
How does PfR work?
Class Routing
Classic routing protocols generally just chose the shortest path to the destination. Unfortunately, the shortest path is not always the best performing path. In addition, classic routing approaches do not incorporate traffic class needs.
Performance Routing (PfR)
PfR works by observing and then controlling network traffic. PfR measures performance of traffic classes through use of NetFlow and IPSLA, two Cisco technologies that are already embedded in the Cisco IOS. PfR itself activates and manages these NetFlow and IPSLA configurations. Through monitoring, PfR learns the network's performance across multiple measurements:
- Delay
- Packet loss
- Reachability
- Throughput
- Jitter
- MOS (Mean Opinion Score)
- Link Usage
If links' cost parameters are entered, PfR can also be set up to minimize bandwidth expense. By applying policies to traffic classes, operators can optimize network behavior.
PfR Components
PfR works through existing network components: the border router and the master controller. Border routers are any Cisco device that supports the PfR IOS, which is connected to a WAN link. The master controller is purely a software element within Cisco's PfR IOS. PfR IOS is supported on a broad range of Cisco equipment. Each location must have at least one border router and master controller, which can be co-located on the same device for smaller installations. Larger locations with heavy traffic may require a separate router to act only as a master controller, engaging up to ten different border routers.
What is PfR Manager?
Due to extensive collaboration with Cisco, Fluke Networks' PfR Manager is the only GUI available that works with PfR. PfR Manager takes this powerful PfR networking technology and simplifies it into an intuitive, browser-based format. Instead of reading and typing on the command line interface, PfR users can point and click their mouse making installation, configuration, monitoring and reporting easy. Further, the software provides executive, historical and filtered reports that are unavailable elsewhere.
Why use PfR Manager?
While PfR can have a remarkable impact on your network, engaging the technology can be very challenging. Without PfR Manager, the installation and configuration of traffic classes and policies must all be done through the command line interface. Events and alerts are only seen via Syslog. Not only can PfR become difficult to use, but also there is no historical data available for documenting baseline performance.
Knowing that such advanced technology would be challenging to use, Cisco chose to partner with Fluke Networks to develop the only software for use with PfR. PfR Manager provides an ease-of-use that lowers implementation costs, simplifies administration and enables a wider user group through minimized training. With PfR Manager, you can configure and implement PfR is less than 15 minutes! In addition, PfR Manager's reporting capabilities enable network managers to baseline performance both before and after implementing PfR. This type of valuable reporting proves the return on the investment (ROI) in PfR and PfR Manager.
PfR Manager's highlighted features:
- 100% web-based
- Executive level reports
- Network health reports
- Reports and alerts on network events
- Historical and trending graphical reports
- Troubleshooting analysis
- Easy traffic class and policy configuration
- 24 x 7 technical support
- Same look and feel as NetFlow & IPSLA products
- Ability to view multiple PfR domains simultaneously
Status of multiple PfR domains can be graphically viewed on a single screen.
PfR or WAAS?
WAN performance can be optimized in several ways. In addition to PfR route optimization, Cisco also offers session optimization via Wide Area Application Services (WAAS). This technology optimizes application layer performance through a single link. In contrast, PfR optimizes routing layer performance across multiple links thereby ensuring network uptime and resiliency when any single link experiences problems. Used together, these WAN optimization technologies significantly improve network performance.
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