Configuring NSX IPFIX Traffic Export to PRTG Network Monitor

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

This article provides configuration guidance for exporting IPFIX (NetFlow) data from VMware NSX to a PRTG Network Monitor collector. While Aria Operations for Networks (AON) is the primary analytics engine for NSX, customers may choose to use third-party collectors like PRTG for basic flow monitoring.

IMPORTANT NOTE: PRTG Network Monitor is a third-party product developed by Paessler and is not supported by Broadcom. Broadcom support is limited to the configuration and verification of IPFIX data transmission from the NSX and ESXi infrastructure. For any issues related to PRTG sensor configuration, software installation, licensing, or data interpretation within the PRTG console, please contact Paessler Support.

Prerequisites

• Connectivity must be allowed on UDP port 2055 between the ESXi Management VMkernel interfaces and the PRTG Collector IP.
• A "NetFlow IPFIX" sensor must be created and configured in the PRTG Network Monitor console.

Environment

VMware NSX 4.x
PRTG Network Monitor (Third-Party Collector)

Resolution

Step 1: Configure the IPFIX Collector in NSX

1. Log in to the NSX Manager UI.
2. Navigate to Plan & Troubleshoot > IPFIX > Collectors.
3. Click Add Collector.
4. Enter the following details:
   • Name: PRTG-Collector
   • IP Address: [IP of your PRTG Server]
   • Port: 2055
5. Click Save.

 

Step 2: Configure the IPFIX Profile

1. Navigate to Plan & Troubleshoot > IPFIX > Profiles.
2. Select the Switch IPFIX Profiles tab and click Add Profile.
3. Enter the following details:
   • Name: PRTG-Switch-IPFIX-Profile
   • Collector: Select the PRTG-Collector created in Step 1.
   • Active Flow Timeout: Set this to 60 seconds. (Note: PRTG sensors typically expect 60s intervals to maintain accurate graphing and avoid "missing data" gaps).
   • Sampling Rate: Set to 0.1 (or as required by your environment to capture the desired flow density).
4. Applied To: Click Select Segments and check the boxes for the specific Segments hosting the VMs you wish to monitor.
5. Click Save.

Step 3: Verify PRTG Sensor Configuration

1. In the PRTG console, ensure the NetFlow/IPFIX sensor is set to listen on UDP Port 2055.
2. Set the Active Flow Timeout in the PRTG sensor settings to match the 60 seconds (1 minute) configured in NSX.
3. Verify that the sensor status changes from "Unknown" to "Up."

Note: Configuration steps for PRTG Network Monitor are provided for convenience. For official support and advanced sensor configuration, please refer to Paessler. 

Step 4: Troubleshooting Connectivity If data is not appearing in PRTG, verify transmission from the ESXi hosts:

1. Run a packet capture on the ESXi host where the source VM resides - refer to KB Determining whether NSX Distributed Firewall (DFW) IPFIX Data is sent correctly to Aria Operations for Networks (AON/vRNI) .
2. Verify that Template ID 294 (IPv4) is being sent.
3. Ensure no physical or virtual firewalls are dropping traffic on port 2055.

 

Additional Information

Determining whether NSX Distributed Firewall (DFW) IPFIX Data is sent correctly to Aria Operations for Networks (AON/vRNI)