Integrating SevOne With DD-WRT / Tomato Routers to Export Netflow Data

[skulkingghost]

Spoiler alert, I work for SevOne.

However, I know a bunch of you love getting the most performance and data out of your DD-WRT router. Well the company I work for, SevOne, recently released a free VMware solution to monitor network traffic and source out bandwidth issues. Normally this software is targeted towards businesses monitoring hundreds of thousands of elements, but it works just as well on a home network.

Anyway, I wrote up a quick tutorial on how to integrate it below for those of you that are interested:
Download SevOne's Network Performance Management Software

1. Boot and do the initial setup on the SevOne VPas

2. Log Into Your DD-WRT router. I am using a Buffalo N600 WZR-HP-AG300H running DD-WRT v24SP2-MULTI (11/20/11) std, but any version of DD-WRT should work, and the instructions should be pretty similar.

3. Click the "Services" Tab and find the bit about RFLOW / MACupd:

4. Set the following options:
RFlow: Enable
Server IP = The IP Address of the SevOne VPas
Port: 9996
MACupd: Disable
Interface: Lan & WLAN
Interval: Whatever you want, I recommend 10 seconds

5. In your SevOne VPas go to the home screen, and in the bottom left click "Add A Device"

6. Fill in the following fields:
Name: Name of the device
Alt Name: Whatever you wish
Description: Whatever you wish

Polling:
Polled By: SevOne Appliance
Frequency: I recommend 5 minutes
Polling: Enabled
TimeZone: Whatever you wish
Automatic Discovery: On
Manual Discovery: On
Discovery Label: Auto
Work Hours: System Default

SNMP:
SNMP Capable: Checked
Version: Should be 2
Lock Version: Checked
SNMP Port: 161
Read String: Public

7. Save the device.

That is it! After waiting a few hours you should have some great information on your network and be able to troubleshoot bandwidth issues and see where your bandwidth issues are. You can also add more network elements if you feel brave!

Let me know if you have any issues!

 

[gsaldivar]

It would be nice if this worked with pfSense. Thanks!

 

[JackMDS]

I have some concerns.

1. The download is used as a mean to harvest info.

If you want to give something free than give it free. I.e, point to the download directly.

2. It is Not clear how that data is read. Where do you find the outcome analysis screen.

3. The product page is geared toward using it in VM what are the security issues if it is in the Router.

The app. sit at the front of Network in the Router's firmware beyond user control, does anything goes out to SevOne server unbeknown to the users?

I know what the legal responsibly of my ISPs is, I do not what SevOne is.

Please clarify all of this or I'll have to delete the thread

 

[skulkingghost]

I have some concerns.

1. The download is used as a mean to harvest info.

If you want to give something free than give it free. I.e, point to the download directly.

2. It is Not clear how that data is read. Where do you find the outcome analysis screen.

3. The product page is geared toward using it in VM what are the security issues if it is in the Router.

The app. sit at the front of Network in the Router's firmware beyond user control, does anything goes out to SevOne server unbeknown to the users?

I know what the legal responsibly of my ISPs is, I do not what SevOne is.

Please clarify all of this or I'll have to delete the thread

@jack
1. I can't point to the download directly as it works on a license file. If you would like, I can link to a file and generate a non-user data based license directly if that would help so no one needs to fill out the form. Right now, you can fill in as little info as you want, email is the only required at the moment on that form.

2. You are sent the download link and license via email.

3. The download is a VM file, you run the virtual machine which plugs in to the data your router exports and analyzes it for you.

~The app is not in the firmware, the router sends the data to the VM. SevOne does not collect any user data from the app.

 

[JackMDS]

@jack
1. I can't point to the download directly as it works on a license file. If you would like, I can link to a file and generate a non-user data based license directly if that would help so no one needs to fill out the form. Right now, you can fill in as little info as you want, email is the only required at the moment on that form.

2. You are sent the download link and license via email.

3. The download is a VM file, you run the virtual machine which plugs in to the data your router exports and analyzes it for you.

~The app is not in the firmware, the router sends the data to the VM. SevOne does not collect any user data from the app.

@skulkingghost

I tried the link to provide the download the page insists on all the fields (including Tel. number to be filled). Offering it here means for personal use and the field of Company name is compulsory too.

Please clarify the whole structure of the System.

I.e., where the VM is and what data is sent in or out the Product page on the SevOne site is very "murky" to be understood by readers that are unfamiliar with the specific concept.

 

[skulkingghost]

@Jack,
No worries, when I get in tomorrow I will setup a new link just for anandtech with a license file. I apologize if it broke any rules.

Here is some more info about the structure of the system.

SevOne doesn't add additional software into your router - it just uses the SNMP agent which is part of the DD-WRT build. SNMP is very widely used network management standard, which allows routers to expose statistics about their operation to management software (among other things). The SevOne FreePAS virtual machine is a VMware image which can be run up on any VMware (ESX or ESXi machine, VMware workstation etc) - ESXi is freely downloadable from VMware. The SevOne software never sees any of your user traffic or personal information, it's just collecting and reporting on statistics (In Bits, Out Bits, Errors, CPU Utilisation etc).

A Little handy diagram:
internet <-> DD-WRT router <---------> Laptop/Desktops
^
|
SNMP
|
ESXi Server
SevOne FreePAS VM