[mrtg] Re: Bytes -v- Bits and graphing (!bandwidth)

[Jerry Heidtke]

MRTG was originally designed to graph network interface traffic. This
traffic is reported by snmp in bytes (actually, octets), and by default MRTG
graphs the numbers exactly as reported by the snmp agent.

Many humans relate to bits better than octets, as far as network traffic
goes. Therefore, MRTG provides an option to graph the data in bits. This
takes the value retrieved from the snmp agent and multiplies it by 8 before
storing it in the database. 

What this means is that for any values you are graphing that are not BYTES,
don't use the bits option. Then MRTG will store and graph the numbers
exactly as retrieved from the snmp agent.

Hope this makes sense....

Jerry


-----Original Message-----
From: Thoenen, Peter Mr. EPS
[mailto:Peter.Thoenen at bondsteel2.areur.army.mil]
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 1:57 PM
To: mrtg at list.ee.ethz.ch
Subject: [mrtg] Bytes -v- Bits and graphing (!bandwidth)



Hello everybody,

Currently using 14all.cgi with MRTG and rrdtool to create SNMP graphs for
other things besides just bandwidth.  Curious what the proper increment to
be using graphs not related to bits/bytes.  

For example, when I graph m$ Exchange 5.5 total messages count in bytes I
get the correct amount of messages but when I do it in bits I get an
extremely small number (400 *bytes* -v- 5.0 *bits*).  Since messages counts
are single messages sent, shouldn't bits be working as opposed to bytes
(where 8 messages==1 message).  Get the same odd readings with CPU processor
usage, though neither bits or bytes graphs seem to make sense to be honest. 

Clarification on this would be greatly apprceciated. 

Cheers,

-Peter

##################################
Peter Thoenen - Systems Programmer
Commercial Communications
Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo
##################################

"Stumbled Upon"...heh (Score:5, Funny) /.
by $carab on 23:00 23 August 2002 (#4131637)

"ForensicTec officials said they stumbled upon the military networks about
two months ago, while checking on network security for a private-sector
client."

Someone new to a Dvorak probably tried to type in "lynx
http://www.google.com" but instead got "nmap -v -p 1-1024 -sS -P0 army.mil
-T paranoid".

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