Network workflow tracing provides access to internal NSX workflow. Tracing helps users to analyze the logs, monitor whether the NSX Policy Manager, CCP, and host daemons are running properly, and optimize the network traffic where needed.

The workflow tracing includes management and configuration APIs that collect execution time, API input or output parameters, and judgment conditions. Workflow tracing at a granular level is available in applications such as NAT and Edge. The API enables tracing, which can be stored locally or forwarded to a third-party distributed tracing like Jaeger.

ESXi host VM shares network information with Jaeger when an NSX segment is created. The tracing dashboard contains the following information:

  • Trace the internal traffic within the segment.

  • Identify any specific operations that could affect system performance.

  • Troubleshoot and analyze reported errors.

Select a destination for tracing output and add network tracing settings to the application or machine configuration file to enable network tracing. When network tracing is enabled, you can capture calls from NSX Policy Manager, CCP, and host daemons. Use end-to-end workflow tracing to connect and disconnect to VIF and install or uninstall the transport node.

Prerequisites

Verify that your NSX host clusters are connected to the ESXi host.

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Client UI, navigate to the host clusters.
  2. Select the VM in the datacenter.
  3. Right-click and select Edit Settings from the drop-down menu.
  4. For Network adapter 2, select the Connected option.

    The VM is connected to the NSX segment.

  5. Open your tracing tool and view the end-to-end trace workflow.

    The trace workflow starts from the configuration agent to NSX NestDb, ending at CCP.