The network topology feature helps you quickly learn about the architecture of networks on Alibaba Cloud, verify network configurations, and perform centralized O&M on cloud network resources. This topic describes what network topology is.
Background information
Alibaba Cloud provides different forms of network resources that support various features. A large number of network resources are distributed in different regions, which makes cloud network connections complex. You can use Network Intelligence Service (NIS) to perform centralized O&M and management of network resources, and monitor the network health status from an overall perspective.
NIS is a self-service platform that allows you to monitor and perform O&M on cloud networks in a centralized manner. With the network topology feature of NIS, you can perform the following operations:
Quickly learn about the architecture of networks on Alibaba Cloud, and view the relationship between cloud network resources and the structure of the network that you deploy on Alibaba Cloud.
Verify the network configurations, analyze the route topologies of entities, and check whether the networks of cloud resources are reachable as expected based on access scenarios.
Perform centralized O&M on cloud network resources. NIS provides O&M tools based on resource types so that you can view key information such as entity attributes, manage cloud resources, and troubleshoot issues.
Network topology
Components
A network topology consists of entities, entity collections, and connections.
Item | Description |
Entity | The entities in a network topology represent resource instances of different types. For more information about the resource types that are supported by the network topology feature, see the Resource types section of this topic. If you click an entity in a network topology, the following options are displayed in the entity toolbar:
In a network topology, you can move the pointer over an entity icon to view the ID and name of the resource instance. |
Entity collection | A network topology reflects resource relationships in a collection mode. Entities are aggregated according to the following rules:
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Connection | Entities are connected by dashed lines in a network topology. The connection relationships between entities are categorized into the following two types:
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Topology category
Network topologies are categorized into resource topologies and route topologies.
Type | Description | Supported service |
Resource topology | A resource topology displays the network connections between resources. |
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Route topology | A route topology displays the forwarding correlations between resource entities based on real-time routing configurations. | VPC |
Resource types
The following table describes the types of resources and entities supported by a network topology.
"N/A" in the following table indicates that the object is not involved.
Resource type | Entity type | Entity collection | Entity toolbar | References |
VPC resource | - | - | - | |
In a VPC topology, multiple vSwitches in the same zone and their subnet topologies can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. |
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In a VPC topology, multiple CLB instances that are attached to the same vSwitch can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. | Analyze the instance | |||
In a VPC topology, multiple VPC peering connections are aggregated and expanded together with the peer VPCs in the collection mode. | - | - | ||
In a VPC topology, multiple Internet NAT gateways that are attached to the same vSwitch can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. |
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In a VPC topology, multiple VPC NAT gateways that are attached to the same vSwitch can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. | - | - | ||
| Analyze the instance | |||
Public network resource | In a VPC topology, EIPs that are bound to network resources are displayed as affiliated entities together with the network resources. EIPs that are not bound to network resources are not displayed in the network topology. |
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Interconnection resource | In a VPC topology, multiple VBRs in a VPC can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. | - | - | |
In a VPC topology, multiple transit routers in a VPC can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode, in which the associated network instances are displayed together. | View the CEN Topology | |||
In a VPC topology, multiple VPN gateways that are attached to the same vSwitch can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. | - | - | ||
Express Connect circuit | An Express Connect circuit is used to connect your data center to an access point of Alibaba Cloud. Multiple Express Connect circuits that are used to access a VPC can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. | - | - | |
Cloud service | In a VPC topology, multiple ECS instances that are attached to the same vSwitch can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. | - | - | |
Device and site | In a VPC topology, data center access points are displayed together with Express Connect circuits. Access points indicate the geographical locations where Express Connect circuits are connected to Alibaba Cloud. Multiple access points in a VPC can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. | - | - | |
The customer gateways over the IPsec-VPN connections. Multiple customer gateways that are connected to the same VPN gateway can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. | _ | _ | ||
Clients over SSL-VPN connections. Multiple clients that are connected to the same VPN gateway can be aggregated and expanded in the collection mode. | _ | _ |
Limits
The network topology feature only allows you to view the topologies of the network resources within your Alibaba Cloud account.
The network topology feature only allows you to view the network structure with real-time network configurations.
The route topology feature only analyzes the routing methods of primary elastic network interfaces (ENIs).