Cato Networks Knowledge Base

Configuring the Connection SLA Settings

Note

Note: This feature is supported from Socket v12.0 and higher.

Overview of the Connection SLA Settings

The Cato Socket continuously monitors the connectivity SLA to the PoP in the Cato Cloud and always chooses the best link out of all the active links. It chooses the best link based on a variety of factors measured in real-time, including packet loss, latency, link congestion, and others.

What happens when all the active links experience connectivity issues (high packet loss or latency)?

The Socket has the following options to help fix the connectivity issues:

  1. Activate the passive link (precedence 2) or the last-resort link (precedence 3) if available. Once the passive link is activated, the Socket chooses the best link for each traffic flow based on the real-time connectivity metrics. The Socket deactivates the passive link when one of the active links meets the SLA for a continuous time period of 10 minutes.

  2. Connect to a different PoP in the Cato Cloud. If the Socket can't fix the connectivity issues with the existing links to the currently connected PoP, then it connects to the next best PoP.

How does Cato define a connectivity issue?

A connectivity issue is when there is a continuous condition of packet loss or latency over the defined time period for either the upstream or downstream traffic. For more information, see below Customizing the SLA Thresholds Settings.

Working with Connection SLA Thresholds

Using the Cato Smart SLA Threshold Settings

By default, Cato defines the optimal SLA thresholds for Sockets in the account to provide the best experience for your end users. We recommend that you use the Cato Smart option to define the Connection SLA for your account.

Customizing the SLA Thresholds Settings

The SLA Thresholds section lets you define the following custom SLA thresholds for the link between the Socket and the PoP:

  • Packet loss (%) - default value 10%

  • Latency (ms) - default value 300 ms

  • Time interval (seconds) - default value 130 sec

If either the packet loss or latency exceeds the threshold for the entire time interval, then the Socket activates the passive link and moves traffic to it. For example, for Latency set to 200 ms, if the latency to the PoP on the active link is 400 ms for more than 130 seconds, then the Socket activates the passive link.

However, if the latency is 400 ms for 100 seconds, and then drops to 150 ms because the threshold is no longer exceeded, the Socket doesn't activate the passive link.

You can define the Connection SLA setting as a Global Setting for the entire account, and different Link SLA settings for specific sites. The Link SLA for a specific site overrides the account settings.

Customizing the SLA Thresholds for the Account

Customize the SLA Thresholds settings for the active links for Socket sites in the entire account.

connectionsla.png

To customize the SLA Thresholds settings for the entire account:

  1. From the navigation menu, click Network > Connection SLA. The Connection SLA screen opens.

  2. Expand the SLA Thresholds section.

  3. Click Use custom SLA thresholds for Packet Loss and Latency.

  4. Enter the number of seconds that A link is considered as an unacceptable SLA if any of the following thresholds is exceeded for.

  5. Configure the SLA threshold settings for the Packet Loss and Latency.

  6. Click Save.

Customizing the Link SLA for a Site

You can customize a different Link SLA setting for the active links for specific Socket sites. The setting for a specific site overrides the account setting.

To customize the Link SLA settings for a specific site:

  1. From the navigation menu, click Network > Sites and select the site.

  2. From the navigation menu, click Site Settings > Connection SLA.

  3. Expand the SLA Thresholds section.

    siteSLAoverrise.png
  4. Select Override account settings.

  5. Enter the number of seconds that A link is considered as an unacceptable SLA if any of the following thresholds is exceeded for.

  6. Configure the SLA threshold settings for the Packet Loss and Latency.

  7. Click Save.

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