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What are some common Windows Server 2019 SDN errors?

The complexity of setting up and managing Microsoft SDN can increase the risk of administrators facing common networking errors that are difficult to troubleshoot.

Even though Microsoft added software-defined networking features to ease the maintenance of complex data centers, administrators can still encounter problems in their deployments.

Software-defined networking (SDN) increases versatility and network performance in the enterprise, but administrators who use Windows Server 2019 SDN risk introducing networking errors. Until Microsoft advances Windows Server 2019 SDN further to ease its deployment burden, administrators must learn how to troubleshoot different errors, and knowing the most common ones can help resolve problems more quickly.

Common errors that can affect SDN deployments

Most problems that crop up in an SDN deployment usually fall into four categories.

  1. API errors. SDN combines multiple software layers for virtualization and communication. Southbound APIs typically support lower-level interfaces, such as OpenFlow or protocols that foster communication between the SDN controller and the network nodes. Northbound APIs usually handle communication between the controller and higher-level layers, such as management tools and applications. If the controller invokes the APIs improperly or calls faulty policies, such as with task automation, the API call will fail and produce errors. Administrators will need a detailed log, including the source and destination of the faulty call, to uncover the cause of the API errors.
  2. Policy errors. Automation is a central element of SDN, enabling complex tasks to be invoked quickly and consistently. Automation requires clearly delineated policies that guide -- or prevent -- certain actions. Administrators often create these policies centrally, and they then get distributed or shared between devices across the network. The SDN controller usually delivers policies to Hyper-V hosts. Issues with delivery or delay or update failures can produce policy errors .
Administrators must ensure the configuration of each network device is optimal to avoid data flow problems.
  1. Configuration errors. Complex LAN arrangements can involve numerous physical and virtual network devices. Administrators must ensure the configuration of each network device is optimal to avoid data flow problems. Any misconfiguration can cause delays or dropped packets that generate errors. Administrators who troubleshoot SDN issues can check logs for any recent device settings changes to uncover configuration drift or incorrect settings on a device replacement. Repeated configuration issues may also indicate the need for improved configuration change management or workflow management to avoid disruptions.
  2. Hardware errors. Administrators can trace SDN errors to faults in low-level network hardware, such as a faulty network interface controller, or to problems with network cabling. In some cases, issues with functionality, such as with virtual machine queues, might require a settings adjustment, while problems with faulty hardware might require a replacement.

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