Tools to analyze routing patterns and issues (for example, Reachability Analyzer, Transit Gateway Network Manager)

What is the purpose of the Reachability Analyzer in AWS?

The Reachability Analyzer is an AWS tool designed to help network engineers verify the configuration of their AWS virtual private clouds (VPCs). It simulates the path a packet would take from a source to a destination, and can help diagnose issues with network reachability within the AWS environment. This ensures efficient troubleshooting and validation of network connectivity.

How does Amazon’s Transit Gateway Network Manager aid in network monitoring?

Transit Gateway Network Manager provides a central dashboard to visualize and monitor the global network across AWS and on-premises environments. It allows for management of the Transit Gateway and provides insights into your network with various metrics and logs to identify routing issues, along with network topology visualization to simplify troubleshooting and operations.

When would you use Route Analyzer, and can it be used for analyzing peering connections?

Route Analyzer is used within the AWS Transit Gateway Network Manager and is essential for analyzing and validating the routing paths between different nodes, including VPCs, VPNs, AWS Transit Gateways, and on-premises networks. Yes, it can be used to analyze peering connections as well, helping to troubleshoot issues with peering routes and verify intended routing configurations.

What types of routing issues can the AWS Transit Gateway Network Manager help identify?

AWS Transit Gateway Network Manager can help identify a variety of routing issues, including suboptimal routing paths, misconfigured routes, unreachable destinations, and network path changes. It also provides alerts for network outages or other disruptions, facilitating faster incident response and resolution.

How does Reachability Analyzer determine if a destination is reachable?

Reachability Analyzer uses the existing route tables, network access control lists (NACLs), security groups, and other configurations within your VPC to trace the possible network path and determine whether a destination is reachable from a given source. If the destination is not reachable, it provides information that can help identify the cause of the routing issue.

Can AWS Reachability Analyzer test connectivity across AWS accounts?

Yes, AWS Reachability Analyzer can test connectivity across different AWS accounts as long as there is a resource sharing setup in place. This includes setups through VPC Peering, AWS Transit Gateway, or any other network linkage that spans multiple accounts.

How do you implement a routing analysis using AWS Reachability Analyzer?

To implement a routing analysis using AWS Reachability Analyzer, you create and configure a reachability analysis by specifying a source and a destination within your AWS environment. Once the analysis is initiated, it evaluates the network path based on the current configuration, and upon completion, it provides a detailed report indicating the reachability status and potential issues if the destination is not reachable.

What role do VPC route tables play in analyzing routing patterns on AWS?

VPC route tables are key components in defining how traffic is directed within and between VPCs on AWS. They contain a set of rules, called routes, that are used to determine where network traffic from your VPC is directed. Analyzing VPC route tables helps in understanding the routing patterns and configurations, and in identifying any misconfigurations or inconsistencies that could lead to network issues.

What can cause a reachability analysis to fail, and how should such findings be interpreted?

A reachability analysis can fail due to various reasons such as incorrect routing rules, security groups, or NACL settings that block traffic, absent or misconfigured VPC peering connections, or issues with Transit Gateway attachments and route table entries. Such findings highlight areas where configuration adjustments may be required to resolve network communication problems.

How does AWS Transit Gateway simplify inter-region routing analysis?

AWS Transit Gateway simplifies inter-region routing analysis by allowing different VPCs and on-premises networks to connect through a central hub. This reduces the complexity of managing individual peering connections between each network. It provides an at-a-glance view of routing information and enables the use of Network Manager to visually analyze and monitor inter-region routing paths.

In which scenarios would you prioritize using the AWS Transit Gateway Network Manager over other AWS network services?

AWS Transit Gateway Network Manager should be prioritized in scenarios where centralized network monitoring and management across multiple VPCs and hybrid environments are required. This includes setups involving complex networks with various connectivity methods like VPNs, Direct Connect, and Transit Gateways across different regions and accounts, or where real-time visual analysis and alerting are crucial for operational efficiency.

Explain the importance of using AWS CloudWatch alongside network analysis tools for in-depth network performance monitoring.

AWS CloudWatch provides detailed monitoring for AWS resources and applications by collecting metrics, logs, and events. Using AWS CloudWatch alongside network analysis tools such as Transit Gateway Network Manager enriches network performance monitoring with additional data points. It enables tracking and alerting based on specific metric thresholds, provides insights into network performance trends, and ensures proactive response to potential issues before they affect end-users.