Microsoft Azure Traffic Manager allows controlling and distribution of user traffic for service endpoints in different datacenters. 



This step-by-step guide explains how to setup and monitor Azure Traffic Manager using CloudMonix.



In this article


1. Monitoring setup

2. Collect, understand and use your data

    2.1 Metrics

    2.2 Alerts

    2.3 Actions

3. Setup verification and troubleshooting



Did you know?

CloudMonix extends native Azure Traffic Manager monitoring with advanced metrics and features. Noteworthy:

  • CloudMonix receives data from the Azure Management API and Azure Monitor API
  • pre-configured metrics: endpoints active / inactive / checking / degraded / stopped / disabled, endpoints status, endpoints usage, total requests, response code, resource status, recommended actions
  • alerts on resource outages and disabled endpoints 




Setup


a. Run the Setup Wizard in the portal (preferred way):


CloudMonix setup wizard

This article explains how to add resources to CloudMonix via the Setup Wizard.




b. Tweak settings in the Definition tab (optional):


Definition tab for an existing resource can be accessed by clicking the resource's monitoring settings in the performance dashboard:


Resource settings



Definition tab provides optional settings for the resource name, Azure resource group, management token, Azure resource name, configuration template and categories:



Definition settings



Best Practices

Configuration Template setting provides pre-defined configuration templates available in CloudMonix by default as well as previously stored custom templates. See predefined templates for Azure Traffic Manager for reference.




c. Manual setup (optional instead of the Setup Wizard route):



Click the Add New button in the top right corner of your dashboard:


Add new resource


Fill in required information in the Definition tab as described in the previous step.




d. Advanced configuration:


Advanced configuration


Advanced configuration tab provides additional monitoring settings, which are already set as default for most use-cases.




Collect, understand and use your data


Specific Metrics, Templates, Alerts and Automation Actions for Azure Traffic Manager:


Azure Traffic Manager Settings




a. Metrics:


Diagnostic data points retrieved from the monitored resource are referred to as metrics . CloudMonix provides default templates for the metrics recommended for common configurations. Metrics can be further added, removed or customized in the Metrics tab of the Azure Traffic Manager resource configuration dialog:


CloudMonix Azure Traffic Manager monitoring metrics




b. Alerts:


CloudMonix features a sophisticated alert engine that allows alerts to be published for very particular conditions pre-defined by a template configuration or custom based on any of the available metrics. Alerts can be further added, removed or customized in the Alerts tab of the Azure Traffic Manager resource configuration dialog:


CloudMonix alerts for Azure Traffic Manager




c. Actions:


Actions are automation features that can be configured to fire based on specific conditions or schedule. Actions can be added and configured in the Actions tab of the Azure Traffic Manager resource configuration dialog:


Automation allows executing actions on specified conditions. While Traffic Manager resource itself doesn't support any actions on its own, CloudMonix provides the possibility to execute calls to custom API endpoints as well as execute Azure Functions, Runbooks and WebJobs on other resources.



CloudMonix Azure Traffic Manager automation






Setup verification and troubleshooting


a. Setup verification:


Successful resource setup can be verified by clicking Test button in the resource configuration dialog and visiting the Test Results tab:


Monitoring setup test results




b. Troubleshooting monitoring issues:


CloudMonix provides deep insights into resource monitoring issues via the Status Dashboard screen. The screen allows to overview resources that have raised alerts and troubleshoot them by diving into the monitoring logs.


Status dashboard


Read the full article on how to use Status Dashboard to diagnose resource monitoring issues.