Jul
17
Packet Tracer
I’ll never use this thing. I know what my access lists will do.” That is what I said when I first saw the Packet Tracer tool on an ASA. And I never did use it, until today.
I was troubleshooting an SQL connection between two servers on different VLANs, and I had already checked my ACLs, so I figured it was probably some software firewall on the servers. I was asked to check again, and I couldn’t find any reason why the traffic wasn’t going through. That’s when I decided to try out the Packet Tracer.
I watched with pleasure as the animation showed each check box filled in with one green check after another. Until the very last one. The last checkbox was for NAT exemption, and it was filled with a big old red X.
I was not happy that it actually was a network problem, but I was happy that I used a tool instead of using my brain because I probably wouldn’t have looked for the NAT exemption for a very long time since it was supposed to have been configured when that environment was turned up (you know who you are lol..).
So I guess nine times out of ten, you don’t really need to use the Packet Tracer, but keep it in the back of your mind for when your mind is playing tricks on you.