Assessing Network Performance: sh int vs Ping

Interpreting network link health can take several approaches. A common method involves analyzing error counters on a link. For example, you might check for suboptimal stats such as links operating in half-duplex mode or limited to 10 Mbps speeds. These indicators can hint at underlying issues affecting network performance.

Once an error is identified, network engineers often turn to a ping test to gauge link performance. But what if we flipped the process? Instead of starting with error counters, we could proactively perform ping tests on a subset of network devices to uncover performance-related issues.

Using an extended ping test, we can send a controlled number of packets to targeted network devices. This approach provides enough data to assess link performance without overwhelming the network. By focusing on a subset of devices, we can identify issues efficiently and with minimal impact on the network.

Example Use Case

To check the link health of all WAN routers, an extended ping test can:

• Verify end-to-end connectivity.
• Measure packet loss and latency.
• Highlight inconsistencies that might not appear in error counters alone.

This proactive method complements traditional error-counter analysis, offering a holistic view of network performance.