Configure Baseline Settings for Interfaces

Use the Baseline Settings form to configure both of the following:

• NNMi

  • If you set baseline ranges, you can configure NNMi to generate an Incident when any value is outside of the baseline range.

• NNM iSPI Performance for Metrics

  Requires Network Node Manager iSPI Performance for Metrics Software (NNM iSPI Performance for Metrics). To populate performance data in the dashboard views or enhance NNM iSPI Performance for Metrics reports by sharing NNMi configuration settings, install the optional Network Performance Server (NPS).

  The following are affected by the Baseline Settings:

  • Triple Exponential Smoothing technique to predict the baseline values of a monitored attribute. See "Integrating with Other iSPIs" in the NNM iSPI Performance for Metrics Online Help for more information about how baseline data is collected.
  • Exception reports that track the frequency of threshold breaches. You can open these reports with Actions →  NNM iSPI Performance → Reporting - Report Menu in the incident, node, or interface views and forms.

To establish baseline settings for an Interface Group:

1. Navigate to the Interface Settings form.

   1. From the workspace navigation panel, select the Configuration workspace.
   2. Expand the Monitoring folder.
   3. Select Monitoring Configuration.
   4. Locate the Interface Settings tab.

   5. Do one of the following:

      • To create an Interface Settings definition, click the New icon.
      • To edit an Interface Settings definition, select a row and click the Open icon.
      • To delete an Interface Settings definition, select a row and click the Delete button.
2. Navigate to the Baseline Settings tab.

3. Do one of the following:

   • To create an Baseline Settings definition, click the New icon.
   • To edit an Baseline Settings definition, select a row and click the Open icon.
4. Establish the baseline settings (see the Baseline Settings table).
5. Navigate to the Baseline Deviations Settings tab.
6. Establish the baseline range for monitoring this Interface Group (see the Baseline Deviations Settings table).

7. By default, NNMi monitors only interfaces that are connected to other interfaces. When SNMP polling is enabled, NNMi automatically detects most connections. See "Add or Delete a Layer 2 Connection" for information about manual overrides.

   Optional. If you want to expand monitoring behavior for this group to include unconnected Interfaces, indicate your choices in the Extend the Scope of Polling Beyond Connected Interfaces group box.

8. Click  Save and Close to return to the Interface Settings form.
9. Click  Save and Close to return to the Monitoring Configuration form.

10. Click  Save and Close. NNMi applies your changes. The next regularly scheduled monitoring cycle uses the new settings.

    Caution When you establish monitoring configuration settings, NNMi must recalculate the settings for all affected objects. This can take some time and slow down your system. Consider making this change during a slow time in your network environment

11. Optional. Customize the node monitoring behavior. See Node Settings for Monitoring. Also see Detect Interface Changes.
12. See also Find Threshold Results.

Baseline Settings for this Interface Group Setting

Attribute	Description
Monitored Attribute	NNMi gathers data to calculate thresholds. See About Threshold Settings Provided by NNMi for information about which attributes apply here. Tip You may see attributes in the selection list that do not apply here.
Threshold Enabled	Use this attribute to temporarily disable the threshold: Disable  = Temporarily disable the selected configuration. Enable  = Enable the selected configuration.
Duration	Designate the minimum time within which the value must remain out of the configured Baseline Range before the state changes to Abnormal Range and (optionally) an incident is generated. Use the Baseline Deviation Settings tab to set the upper and lower limits of the baseline range. Note the following: If you do not configure a Baseline Range, NNMi uses the default value of 3 standard deviations. The Polling Interval should be less than or equal to the Duration.
Duration Window	Designate the window of time in which the Upper Baseline Limt or Lower Baseline Limit criteria must be met. Note The value must be greater than 0 (zero) and can be the same as the Duration value. NNMi uses a sliding window, meaning that each time the Duration is reached, NNMi drops the oldest polling interval and adds the most recent. See Examples of Time-Based Threshold Monitoring for more information.

Baseline Deviations Settings for this Interface Group Setting

Attribute	Description
Upper Baseline Limit Enabled	If  enabled, NNMi uses the Upper Baseline Limit attribute value to determine the number of standard deviations above the average that defines the upper baseline limit. If  disabled: NNMi does not define the upper baseline limit.
Upper Baseline Limit - Deviations above average	Enter the number of standard deviations above the average values that NNMi should use to determine the upper baseline limit.
Lower Baseline Limit Enabled	If  enabled, NNMi uses the Lower Baseline Limit attribute value to determine the number of standard deviations below the average that defines the lower baseline limit. If  disabled: NNMi does not define the lower baseline limit.
Lower Baseline Limit - Deviations below average	Enter the number of standard deviations below the average values that NNMi should use to determine the lower baseline limit.