You can export network latency statistics to external collectors and run analytics on the data. The netopa agent that is running in the ESXi hosts can export the network latency statistics only to vRealize Network Insight (vRNI). Other collector tools are not supported currently.

In vRNI, you can collect network latency statistics from only the vCenter-managed ESXi hosts. vRNI does not support collecting latency statistics from standalone ESXi hosts that are not managed by a VMware vCenter.

You can export network latency statistics by using any one of the following methods:
  • Method 1: Use the management plane APIs in NSX.
  • Method 2: Enable an optional setting in the vRNI UI to collect latency statistics.

Prerequisites

  • In the vRNI UI, complete the following tasks in the given order:
    1. Add VMware vCenter as the data source. If you have multiple vCenter Servers added as Compute Managers in your NSX environment, you can add all vCenter Servers as the data source.
    2. Add NSX Manager as the data source.

    For a detailed explanation about adding data sources in vRNI, see the Using vRealize Network Insight documentation at https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vRealize-Network-Insight/index.html.

  • Ensure that port 1991 is open on the collector to receive network latency data from the ESXi hosts.

Procedure

  1. Method 1: Use the NSX REST APIs.
    1. Ensure that you have configured the ESXi hosts to measure network latency statistics.
      For detailed steps, see Measure Network Latency Statistics.
    2. Export the network latency statistics to the collector with the following PUT API:
      PUT https://<manager-ip>/api/v1/global-configs/OperationCollectorGlobalConfig -d '<content>'
      In the request body of this API, configure the following information:
      • Details of external collectors, such as collector IP address, collector port.
      • Report interval that controls the frequency at which the netopa agent sends statistics to the collector.
  2. Method 2: Enable an optional setting in the vRNI UI to collect latency statistics.

    When you add NSX Manager as the data source in vRNI, select the Enable latency metric collection check box. This option enables vRNI to collect latency statistics from the ESXi hosts.

    For a detailed information about adding NSX Manager as the data source in vRNI, see the Using vRealize Network Insight documentation.

Results

vNIC to vNIC latency statistics are exported to the external collector in the following format:

VIF1, VIF2, Max, Min, Avg
Where:
  • VIF1, VIF2 represent the virtual interfaces or the vNICs.
  • Max, Min, and Avg represent the maximum, minimum, and average time between the two vNICs in microseconds.

pNIC to vNIC and vNIC to pNIC latency statistics are exported to the external collector in the following format:

Endpoint1, Endpoint2, Max, Min, Avg
Where:
  • Endpoint1, Endpoint2 can either be the virtual interface ID (VIF ID) or the name of the physical adapter on an ESXi host (vmnic).
  • Max, Min, and Avg represent the maximum, minimum, and average time between the two endpoints in microseconds.