Using Network Discovery for Network Trace

Network Trace is a graphical SMS feature that maps routes between SMS site servers and site systems that you select based on DDR information in the SMS site database. Network Discovery collects a unique DDR for system resources that are not computers and uses these DDRs for Network Trace. You can use Network Trace to verify that site systems can communicate with the site server and to identify any network problems within a site. Note that Network Trace maps only IP subnets, not IPX or AppleTalk subnets.

You can use Network Trace to identify:
The network connections between all servers in an SMS site.
Which computers in your site carry out site system roles.
Which site systems have good connectivity at any point in time.

After you have completed Network Discovery, Network Trace displays a map showing routers and links between site systems. The map will include all of the subnets found through Network Discovery.

You can use this information to quickly identify the possible routes that data must take to flow between two servers. You can then ping each of the devices in those paths to determine if there is a network problem that might be causing a break in the data flow.

Note A site system is considered unreachable when it does not respond to ICMP echo requests.

If Network Discovery has not collected a DDR from a router or another network connection device, but it has information about devices on both sides of the router, it will display a cloud for the unknown router or connection devices.

If you have not run Network Discovery and you are using Trace View, Network Trace will trace the route between the SMS site server where Network Trace is running and the selected SMS server to establish how they are connected. Although doing so enables Network Trace to display a link between the two servers, it will not display all of the possible links. The extended information gathered during Network Discovery significantly enhances the data displayed in Network Trace.

To run Network Trace, navigate to Site Systems in the SMS Administrator console.

Systems Management Server   Site Database (site code - site name)      Site Hierarchy         site code - site name            Site Settings               Site Systems

When you double-click Site Systems, a list of site systems appears in the details pane. Right-click a site server, point to All Tasks, and then click Start Network Trace. You can display the data in either site view or trace view.

Site View: Displays the servers in your site that are acting as site systems and identifies which site system roles belong to each server.
Trace View: Displays the connectivity between your current SMS primary site server and another site system. Other site systems in your site will not be displayed unless they are on the same subnet as the current site server or site system. If a cloud appears in the display, Network Trace is indicating that it is aware of a connectivity device between two servers, but it does not have a DDR for that device.