network-analysis

Network Analysis Skill

This skill provides detailed guidance for analyzing network configuration and connectivity from sosreport archives, including interfaces, routing, firewall rules, and DNS configuration.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Analyzing the /sosreport:analyze command's network analysis phase
• Investigating network connectivity issues
• Diagnosing firewall or routing problems
• Verifying network configuration

Prerequisites

• Sosreport archive must be extracted to a working directory
• Path to the sosreport root directory must be known
• Understanding of Linux networking concepts

Key Network Data Locations in Sosreport

1. Network Interfaces:

   • sos_commands/networking/ip_-o_addr - IP addresses
   • sos_commands/networking/ip_link - Link status
   • sos_commands/networking/ip_-s_link - Link statistics with errors
   • etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ - Network configuration files (RHEL)

2. Routing:

   • sos_commands/networking/ip_route - Routing table
   • sos_commands/networking/ip_-6_route - IPv6 routing table
   • proc/net/route - Kernel routing table

3. Network Connections:

   • sos_commands/networking/netstat_-neopa - Active connections
   • sos_commands/networking/ss_-tupna - Socket statistics
   • proc/net/tcp - TCP connections
   • proc/net/udp - UDP connections

4. Firewall:

   • sos_commands/firewalld/ - Firewalld configuration
   • sos_commands/iptables/iptables_-vnxL - iptables rules
   • sos_commands/nftables/ - nftables configuration

5. DNS and Resolution:

   • etc/resolv.conf - DNS servers
   • etc/hosts - Static hostname mappings
   • etc/nsswitch.conf - Name resolution order

6. Network Services:

   • sos_commands/networking/networkmanager_info - NetworkManager status
   • systemctl status NetworkManager output

Implementation Steps

Step 1: Analyze Network Interfaces

1. List all network interfaces:

   if [ -f sos_commands/networking/ip_-o_addr ]; then
     cat sos_commands/networking/ip_-o_addr
   fi
   

2. Check interface states:

   if [ -f sos_commands/networking/ip_link ]; then
     # Look for interface states (UP/DOWN)
     grep -E "^[0-9]+:" sos_commands/networking/ip_link
   fi
   

3. Parse interface information:

   • Interface name (eth0, ens192, etc.)
   • State (UP/DOWN)
   • IP addresses (IPv4 and IPv6)
   • MAC address
   • MTU size

4. Check for interface errors:

   if [ -f sos_commands/networking/ip_-s_link ]; then
     # Look for RX/TX errors, drops, overruns
     cat sos_commands/networking/ip_-s_link
   fi
   

5. Identify interface issues:

   • Interfaces with no IP address (when expected)
   • Interfaces in DOWN state (when should be UP)
   • High error counts (RX/TX errors, drops)
   • Duplicate IP addresses
   • MTU mismatches

Step 2: Analyze Routing Configuration

1. Check default route:

   if [ -f sos_commands/networking/ip_route ]; then
     grep "^default" sos_commands/networking/ip_route || echo "No default route found"
   fi
   

2. Review routing table:

   if [ -f sos_commands/networking/ip_route ]; then
     cat sos_commands/networking/ip_route
   fi
   

3. Check IPv6 routing:

   if [ -f sos_commands/networking/ip_-6_route ]; then
     cat sos_commands/networking/ip_-6_route
   fi
   

4. Identify routing issues:

   • Missing default route
   • Multiple default routes (conflicting)
   • Incorrect gateway addresses
   • Route to nowhere (unreachable gateway)

Step 3: Analyze Network Connectivity

1. Check active connections:

   if [ -f sos_commands/networking/netstat_-neopa ]; then
     cat sos_commands/networking/netstat_-neopa
   elif [ -f sos_commands/networking/ss_-tupna ]; then
     cat sos_commands/networking/ss_-tupna
   fi
   

2. Count connections by state:

   # Count TCP connection states
   if [ -f sos_commands/networking/netstat_-neopa ]; then
     grep "^tcp" sos_commands/networking/netstat_-neopa | awk '{print $6}' | sort | uniq -c
   fi
   

3. Find listening services:

   # Show what's listening on which ports
   if [ -f sos_commands/networking/netstat_-neopa ]; then
     grep "LISTEN" sos_commands/networking/netstat_-neopa
   fi
   

4. Check for connection issues:

   • Excessive TIME_WAIT connections
   • Many connections in SYN_SENT (connection attempts failing)
   • High number of CLOSE_WAIT (application not closing)
   • Port conflicts (multiple services on same port)

Step 4: Analyze Firewall Configuration

1. Check if firewalld is active:

   if [ -d sos_commands/firewalld ]; then
     # Firewalld is present
     if [ -f sos_commands/firewalld/firewall-cmd_--list-all-zones ]; then
       cat sos_commands/firewalld/firewall-cmd_--list-all-zones
     fi
   fi
   

2. Review iptables rules:

   if [ -f sos_commands/iptables/iptables_-vnxL ]; then
     cat sos_commands/iptables/iptables_-vnxL
   fi
   

3. Check firewall zones and rules:

   • Active zones
   • Allowed services
   • Allowed ports
   • Rich rules
   • Drop/reject policies

4. Identify firewall issues:

   • Required ports blocked
   • Overly permissive rules (any any accept)
   • Conflicting rules
   • Missing rules for services

Step 5: Analyze DNS Configuration

1. Check DNS servers:

   if [ -f etc/resolv.conf ]; then
     cat etc/resolv.conf
   fi
   

2. Review /etc/hosts:

   if [ -f etc/hosts ]; then
     # Show non-comment, non-empty lines
     grep -v "^#\|^$" etc/hosts
   fi
   

3. Check hostname resolution:

   # Check hostname
   if [ -f hostname ]; then
     cat hostname
   fi
   
   # Check FQDN
   if [ -f etc/hostname ]; then
     cat etc/hostname
   fi
   

4. Verify nsswitch configuration:

   if [ -f etc/nsswitch.conf ]; then
     grep "^hosts:" etc/nsswitch.conf
   fi
   

5. Identify DNS issues:

   • No DNS servers configured
   • Unreachable DNS servers (check connectivity in logs)
   • Incorrect search domains
   • Hostname resolution failures in logs

Step 6: Check for Network Errors in Logs

1. Look for network-related errors:

   # Connection refused errors
   grep -i "connection refused" sos_commands/logs/journalctl_--no-pager 2>/dev/null | head -20
   
   # Timeout errors
   grep -i "timeout\|timed out" sos_commands/logs/journalctl_--no-pager 2>/dev/null | head -20
   
   # Network unreachable
   grep -i "network.*unreachable\|no route to host" sos_commands/logs/journalctl_--no-pager 2>/dev/null | head -20
   
   # DNS resolution failures
   grep -i "could not resolve\|dns.*fail\|name resolution" sos_commands/logs/journalctl_--no-pager 2>/dev/null | head -20
   

2. Check for link state changes:

   grep -i "link.*up\|link.*down\|carrier.*lost" sos_commands/logs/journalctl_--no-pager 2>/dev/null | head -20
   

3. Look for network device errors:

   grep -i "network.*error\|eth[0-9].*error\|transmit.*error" var/log/dmesg 2>/dev/null
   

Step 7: Generate Network Analysis Summary

Create a structured summary with the following sections:

1. Interface Summary:

   • List of all interfaces with status
   • IP addresses assigned
   • Interface errors/drops
   • Link speeds and duplex settings

2. Routing Summary:

   • Default gateway
   • Number of routes
   • Any routing anomalies

3. Connectivity Summary:

   • Active connection count by state
   • Listening services and ports
   • Connection issues detected

4. Firewall Summary:

   • Firewall type (firewalld/iptables/nftables)
   • Active zones (if firewalld)
   • Key allowed services/ports
   • Potential blocking rules

5. DNS Summary:

   • DNS servers configured
   • Search domains
   • Hostname configuration
   • DNS resolution issues

6. Network Issues:

   • Critical network problems
   • Warnings and recommendations
   • Evidence from logs

Error Handling

1. Missing network files:

   • Different sosreport versions may have different file names
   • Fall back to alternative files (netstat vs ss)
   • Document missing data in summary

2. Multiple network configurations:

   • System may use NetworkManager, systemd-networkd, or traditional ifcfg
   • Identify which is in use and analyze accordingly

3. IPv6 presence:

   • Check if IPv6 is enabled
   • Analyze IPv6 configuration if present
   • Note if IPv6 is disabled when expected

Output Format

The network analysis should produce:

NETWORK CONFIGURATION SUMMARY
==============================

NETWORK INTERFACES
------------------
Interface: {name}
  State: {UP|DOWN}
  IP Addresses: {ipv4}, {ipv6}
  MAC: {mac_address}
  MTU: {mtu}
  RX Errors: {rx_errors} packets, {rx_dropped} dropped
  TX Errors: {tx_errors} packets, {tx_dropped} dropped
  Status: {OK|WARNING|CRITICAL}

ROUTING
-------
Default Gateway: {gateway_ip} via {interface}
Total Routes: {count}

Key Routes:
  {destination} via {gateway} dev {interface}

Status: {OK|WARNING|CRITICAL}
Issues:
  - {routing_issue_description}

CONNECTIVITY
------------
Total Active Connections: {count}

Connections by State:
  ESTABLISHED: {count}
  TIME_WAIT: {count}
  CLOSE_WAIT: {count}
  SYN_SENT: {count}

Listening Services:
  {port}/{protocol} - {service_name} (PID {pid})

Status: {OK|WARNING|CRITICAL}
Issues:
  - {connectivity_issue_description}

FIREWALL
--------
Type: {firewalld|iptables|nftables|none}
Default Zone: {zone_name} (if firewalld)

Allowed Services: {service1}, {service2}, ...
Allowed Ports: {port1/protocol}, {port2/protocol}, ...

Active Rules Count: {count}

Status: {OK|WARNING|CRITICAL}
Potential Issues:
  - {firewall_issue_description}

DNS CONFIGURATION
-----------------
DNS Servers: {dns1}, {dns2}, {dns3}
Search Domains: {domain1}, {domain2}
Hostname: {hostname}
FQDN: {fqdn}

Status: {OK|WARNING|CRITICAL}
Issues:
  - {dns_issue_description}

NETWORK ERRORS FROM LOGS
------------------------
Connection Refused: {count} occurrences
Timeouts: {count} occurrences
DNS Failures: {count} occurrences
Link State Changes: {count} occurrences

Recent Network Errors:
  {timestamp}: {error_message}

CRITICAL NETWORK ISSUES
-----------------------
{severity}: {issue_description}
  Evidence: {file_path_or_log_excerpt}
  Impact: {impact_description}
  Recommendation: {remediation_action}

RECOMMENDATIONS
---------------
1. {actionable_recommendation}
2. {actionable_recommendation}

DATA SOURCES
------------
- Interfaces: {sosreport_path}/sos_commands/networking/ip_-o_addr
- Routes: {sosreport_path}/sos_commands/networking/ip_route
- Connections: {sosreport_path}/sos_commands/networking/netstat_-neopa
- Firewall: {sosreport_path}/sos_commands/firewalld/
- DNS: {sosreport_path}/etc/resolv.conf

Examples

Example 1: Interface Analysis

# Check interface IP addresses
$ cat sos_commands/networking/ip_-o_addr
1: lo    inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo
2: eth0  inet 192.168.1.100/24 brd 192.168.1.255 scope global eth0
2: eth0  inet6 fe80::a00:27ff:fe4e:66a1/64 scope link

# Check for errors
$ cat sos_commands/networking/ip_-s_link | grep -A 4 "eth0"
2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500
    RX: bytes  packets  errors  dropped overrun mcast
    15234567   98234    0       0       0       123
    TX: bytes  packets  errors  dropped carrier collsns
    8765432    54321    15      0       0       0

# Interpretation: eth0 has 15 TX errors - investigate cable/switch

Example 2: Firewall Rule Analysis

# Check firewalld active zone
$ grep -A 20 "public" sos_commands/firewalld/firewall-cmd_--list-all-zones
public (active)
  target: default
  services: ssh dhcpv6-client http https
  ports: 8080/tcp 9090/tcp
  ...

# Interpretation: HTTP/HTTPS allowed, custom ports 8080 and 9090 open

Example 3: Connection State Issues

# Count connection states
$ grep "^tcp" sos_commands/networking/netstat_-neopa | awk '{print $6}' | sort | uniq -c
    234 ESTABLISHED
   1523 TIME_WAIT
     12 CLOSE_WAIT
      5 SYN_SENT

# Interpretation:
# - Excessive TIME_WAIT (normal after closing connections)
# - CLOSE_WAIT suggests application not properly closing sockets
# - SYN_SENT indicates outbound connection attempts failing

Tips for Effective Analysis

1. Check interface consistency: Ensure IP addresses match expected configuration
2. Verify gateway reachability: Default gateway should be on the same subnet
3. Look for asymmetric routing: Packets in/out may take different paths
4. Check MTU settings: MTU mismatches can cause packet fragmentation issues
5. Correlate with logs: Network errors in logs often explain configuration issues
6. Consider network topology: Understand expected network layout
7. Check both IPv4 and IPv6: Be sure to check IPv6 if it's in use

Common Network Patterns and Issues

1. No default route: "Network unreachable" errors, can't reach internet
2. Interface down: "Network is down" errors, no connectivity
3. Duplicate IP: ARP conflicts, intermittent connectivity
4. Firewall blocking: "Connection refused/timeout" for specific ports
5. DNS failure: Can't resolve hostnames, but IP connectivity works
6. Port exhaustion: Too many TIME_WAIT connections, can't create new connections
7. MTU issues: Large packets fail, small packets work (PMTUD failure)

Network Issue Severity Classification

Issue Type	Severity	Impact
No network interface	Critical	Complete loss of connectivity
No default route	Critical	No external connectivity
Interface errors >1%	Warning	Potential packet loss
Excessive TIME_WAIT	Warning	May indicate performance issue
Missing DNS server	Critical	Name resolution failure
Firewall blocking required port	High	Service unavailable
IPv6 autoconfiguration failure	Low	IPv6 connectivity issue

See Also

• Logs Analysis Skill: For detailed network error log analysis
• System Configuration Analysis Skill: For network service status
• Resource Analysis Skill: For network I/O statistics