Basic network performance
In this section, you will get acquainted with the use of the tools that will help in assessing basic network performance.
The ping command
In the Verifying and monitoring solutionssection of this chapter, the definition for the ping command is given. Therefore, besides that, it is useful to know that the pingcommand relies on Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo messages to determine the following:
- Is the remote host active or inactive?
- Are there time delays in communicating with the host?
- Is there packet loss in communicating with the host?
As an analogy, the ping command works a man is in a valley and is calling his friend. The voice reflected by the valley's mountains enables his friend to hear the echo of the man's voice. This is the case with the ping command, by sending an echo request packet to an address and then waiting for a reply. So, that being said, it is concluded that the ping is successful when the echo request packet reaches the destination...
