Mastering NetScaler Console: Zero to hero in 31days - Day 9

Data storage management

Hello, my name is Andrew and I tend to get a lot of questions about NetScaler Console. The purpose of this series is to offer some pointers on what it is, what it can offer and why you should take some notice. This is the ninth and a bit post in a set which is designed to cover the top topics that will get you trained up.

Knowledge is power, right? 📖📖📖📖

31 days seems an arbitrary number. Naturally, I need to complete this before you all head off on holiday!

Today is all about NetScaler Console Data Storage management.

How does this normally come up?

I spoke with Customer X, we talked at length about the various NetScaler’s they will be deploying. During the discussion, I typically ask something like this:

As you have a few NetScaler’s and you are looking to gather some specific session and Web analytics from your appliances, where will that be displayed?

The answer is NetScaler Console. The next question is what kinds of retention do you need? This piece will show you how that can be achieved with NetScaler Console and the Service based Console( on-premises or service).

Who would be interested in this?

Any Network Admin with multiple NetScaler’s deployed, or any customer looking at the new Universal hybrid Multi-cloud (UHMC from now on) offering from Cloud Software Group.

UHMC needs NetScaler Console to provide the licensing function to the NetScaler appliances. It is not optional, it's a requirement. One of the big benefits of UHMC is that customers can take a look outside the Citrix bubble and maybe look at new use cases for NetScaler.

Mastering sounds 'heavy'?

Ultimately, this is Linkedin, who would be crazy enough to write technical content on this platform? 

What kind of data can the NetScaler Console gather?

It has a primary function as a Management platform, that said it can do a number of other roles for the admin. Each of those roles earn the Console the job of storing the output in one way or another. Typical data types that will be logged/recorded are:

• Web Analytics data
• HDX analytics data.
• Security Insight data.
• Detailed transactions data.
• Bot Insight date.
• Configuration data.
• Events date.
• Network reporting data.
• syslog data.
• Gateway Insight data.
• Application dashboard data.

Naturally, the weighting for each of these elements could be quite different customer to customer. As everyone has slightly different priorities. First things first, we need to have a think about the type of NetScaler Console we are looking at.

Why is that?

Well the simple fact is that there are some differences between the Console Service (read service = cloud service) and the on-prem edition. The cloud service will likely come with 5GB, 15G or something much bigger if you are on the Citrix Platform Licenses version. This cloud storage entitlement will set the ultimate storage capacity within the service. There are then pruning options to keep tabs on how much is retained.

The on-prem version can have significantly more storage, as it just needs the disks adding. In my case, the Console I have has 112GB available. By adding an extra virtual disk it would allow me up to 2TB to be added locally. The steps to add that disk are here

Here is a screen shot showing my data storage management for a instance that my Product team has provided to engineers who need to show the product. Web Insight looks to be big part of the demo!

There are a couple of significant elements to the view.

• Data Ingestion is ACTIVE, this can change status if the storage runs out(it stops).
• Storage Consumption is a simple view of how much of your allocation is in use.
• Data pruning, when you last trimmed out some of the data.

There is a floating panel on the right which gives a view of the storage break down. Scrolling down the page opens up the details of the storage break down, it also provides an option to prune a specific subset of data if the storage is getting a bit tight for space.

The other point is that the colour coding makes it quite easy to see from the main view where the bulk of your data is being held. As an example here is my on-prem Console storage view. This system is a bit ‘config’ heavy in the storage break down.

Data retention is a sub menu on the storage management module and allows for some adjustment on what is retained.

If it is not clear, here is a scenario.

Bob and Alice have been using NetScaler Console Service in the scenarios for the last few days. 

Alice and Bob have been using NetScaler Console for the Web analytics, gathering these statistics from a number of NetScalers that they manage. The Console acts as a flow receiver in this setup. They have NetScaler Console agents (separate vm’s) as the built in agents don’t support the analytics function. This will just give them a single management view of their web analytics from one console globally.

Happy days, as this allows Bob and Alice to focus time on other tasks that are important to Acme.

The Call to Action

Let me know if this piece raises any questions/comments, drop them into the space below. I will endeavour to answer directly or update the post to better address the question(s).

Summary

Buckle up. The NetScaler Console is the best tool for many different jobs when working in conjunction with the NetScaler Appliance. They are the perfect tag team. 🤼. The NetScaler Console can offer a one-stop shop to see all your appliances from one place, and deploy and update them and track those updates in a consistent way

Let me show you how to make the most of it!

Have a good one.