About the Diagnostics Page

The self-test tool validates the core functionality of Paragon Insights. To perform the self test, the tool performs a typical set of tasks:

• Adds a simulated device to Paragon Insights

• Creates a device group, and adds the device

• Creates a rule

• Creates and deploys a playbook

• Streams data from the simulated device

• Displays ongoing status in the dashboard

The self-test instance essentially acts as a fully working setup, running entirely within the Paragon Insights system. When testing is complete, the tool provides a report. In addition to validating the Paragon Insights installation, the self-test feature also provides:

• An easy way to do a quick demo - the self test instance provides a simulated device connected to Paragon Insights, so you can demo Paragon Insights with no need to add a real device or apply playbooks.

• A good way for new users to get started - the self test auto-configures a simulated device connected to Paragon Insights, thereby eliminating the complexity of adding devices, applying playbooks, and so on.

• A ‘running reference’ - if there is an issue with real devices, you can use a self-test instance to help determine where the issue is; if the self-test instance is OK then the problem is not with the Paragon Insights system.

Earlier, you would need to get through the entire setup procedure - add the device, setup a device group, apply playbooks, monitor devices - at which point the health pages would indicate “no data” indicating that the setup did not work correctly. But, “no data” does not indicate whether the problem is a reachability issue or data streaming issue.

In Paragon Insights, the device reachability tool can verify connectivity to a device. The tool performs tests using ping and SSH. Paragon Insights uses the device’s IP address or host name, based on what was configured when adding the device.

The ingest connectivity tool can verify ingest methods where Paragon Insights initiates the connection, such as OpenConfig, iAgent, and SNMP. Paragon Insights does not test UDP-based ingest methods, such as syslog and Native GPB, as the UDP parameters are common to a device group and not specific to a device. This tool provides multiple benefits such as:

• Helps to identify when there might be missing configuration on the network device side.

• Helps you choose appropriate playbooks and rules that use sensors compatible with the supported ingest methods.

• Helps to identify ingest connectivity issues early on, rather than troubleshoot the “no-data” issue described in the previous section.

Paragon Insights validates each supported ingest method in its own way:

• OpenConfig: Establishes a gRPC connection with the device using its IP/host name, gRPC port, and credentials

• iAgent: Establishes a NETCONF session with the device using its IP/host name, NETCONF port, and credentials

• SNMP: Executes a simple SNMP GET command; expects to get a reply from the device

The debug no-data tool helps to determine why a device or rule is showing a status of “no-data”. The tool takes a sequential, step-by-step approach to determine at which stage incoming data is getting dropped or blocked, as follows:

• Paragon Insights Services — Verify that all common and device group-related services are up and running

• Device Reachability — Test connectivity to device using ping and SSH

• Ingest Connectivity — Verify that the configured ingest session is established

• Raw Data Streaming — Verify whether the ingest is receiving any raw data from the devices

• Field Processing — Within rules, verify that the fields working properly, and that the field information is populated in the database

• Trigger Processing — Within rules, verify that the trigger settings working as intended, and status information is populated in the database

• API Verification — Check for API timeouts that might be affecting the GUI