Inalp Networks SmartWare Release 2.10, Software Configuration Manual

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VoIP Debugging 327
Software Configuration Guide Release 2.10, Revision 1.00
33 VOIP DEBUGGING
This chapter helps you to localize a system component that is responsible for faults during operation
of a SmartNode device. This chapter provides debugging strategies to help you locating the origin of
an error, and describes the necessary debug and show commands. The emphasis is on VoIP
debugging. IP debug commands are described in this chapter concerning the appropriate system
component.
This chapter includes the following sections:
• Introduction
• Debugging Strategy
•
Debugging Task List
•
Debugging Tasks
33.1 Introduction
Typically, SmartWare show and debug commands are used to provide information to verify correct
system operation and to troubleshoot problems. This chapter describes general system-wide
monitoring and testing tasks, such as displaying system memory and processes, displaying all
system hardware, testing IP and circuit switch connectivity, and enabling debugging messages for all
IP packets.
For information on
show and debug commands that are specific to a feature, interfaces, ports, or
circuits, see the appropriate chapter in this guide. For example, to find out how to display or debug
the Session Router, see Chapter
26 , “ Session Router Configuration ”.
SmartWare supports file logging. Event logs contain warnings and information from system
components of SmartWare. Entries in the logs always have the actual system time. Please make sure
that your SmartNode always has the actual time as its system time. Otherwise you are not be able to
get some cleverly information from the event logs because the time stamps are always unusable.
You can enter the system time manually or let it automatically set by SNTP or by ISDN. Refer to
Chapter 10, “
Basic System Management ”, Chapter 21, “ SNTP Client Configuration ”, or Chapter 24 ,
“ CS Context Overview ”.
33.2 Debugging Strategy
Multi-service IP networks build on highly sophisticated systems and protocols that offer a great
many possibilities. Unfortunately the possible sources of trouble are almost as many. Therefore it is
important to use a very methodical approach when tracking down a problem in order to fix it. This
helps to avoid gaps in the diagnosis which will often leave you running around in circles or getting
stuck in a corner when the source of the problem is in fact just around that corner.
There are two basic approaches that you can follow to pinpoint a problem:
1. Work from the bottom to the top of the protocol stack. Always make sure cables and
connectors are in good shape, verify the link layer, and check IP connectivity before working
on application problems.
2. Work from the core to the edge. Problems always show up end-to-end, the phone does not
ring, or the browser cannot find the web site. To track down network problems it is however
helpful to start with a minimal number of hops, make sure everything is ok and then
increase the end-to-end distance hop by hop.