Setting up sFlow with Verity and Satori
In our latest release of the Verity network automation platform that came out in late December 2025 (version 6.5), BE Networks introduced the capability to configure sFlow for devices managed by Verity. This capability allows users to create templates and profiles to enable sFlow on SONiC switches, and have that sFlow data sent to the sFlow collector built into our observability platform – Satori, or any other third party sFlow collector.
This document will detail how to set up the sFlow collector template, how to add this collector to the diagnostic profile in Verity to configure the devices for sFlow, .and where to send the sFlow packet data.
With Verity 6.5, users should open the Satori Dashboards and scroll down to the bottom of the page to the new sFlow Top Talkers by source and destination dashboard.
Figura 1
For Satori to start accepting and processing sFlow data, users need to create a couple of templates and then apply these to the devices.
First, under the navigation, click on Templates and under Diagnostics, click on sFlow Collectors:
Figura 2
Click the Add button in the upper right corner to add a new sFlow collector. Give it a name and click Create sFlow Collector button:
Figura 3
The template will then open. First, enable the template by clicking the Enable switch. Next, enter the IP address of the sFlow collector.
NOTE: SONiC sFlow agent supports sending sFlow data to two collectors.
Enter Satori’s IP Address in the field and leave the default port of 6343. Lastly, click Save on the bottom of the page in the Edit Mode dialog box to save the settings.
Figura 4
Now, go back to the Template Root by clicking Templates on the breadcrumb navigation bar, and then click Diagnostic Profiles under Diagnostics:
Gráfico 5
Click Add in the upper right corner of the display to create a new Diagnostic Profile. Give it a name and click Create Diagnostic Profile:
Figura 6
Click the switch for Enable switch, then put a check in Enable sFlow check box to enable sFlow. From the dropdown menu, select the sFlow Collector that was just created in the previous step. Adjust the polling interval if required and select which VRF will be used to send the data from the switch to the sFlow collector. If using Satori, use the Management VRF. Then click Save to save the template.
Gráfico 7
Now we are ready to assign this sFlow profile and template to a switch.
Click on the Topology Dashboard from the Dashboard pane and double click on the switch you want to assign the template to. You will notice a new box in the Topology view of the switch for Diagnostic Profiles. This is where the profile will be assigned.
Figura 8
Double-click the Diagnostic Profile pane on the switch to zoom in and click the Edit icon:
Figura 9
From the dropdown menu, select the Diagnostic Profile you just created and click the save icon to save and push the configuration to the switch.
Figura 10
The Template will now show in the Diagnostic Profile pane on the switch, and if you go to the Running-configuration of the device, you will see the following entries:
Figure 11
This will verify that sFlow is configured on the switch and forwarding the sFlow packets to the assigned collector.
Also, if you go to the Satori Dashboard, and under Sites, scroll to the bottom and you will see the top talkers based on source and destination.
Figure 12
And that is all there is to it. In future releases of Satori, there will be more data monitored and displayed in Satori for sFlow.
This document detailed how to configure sFlow collectors in Verity, and how to create a Diagnostic Profile using the configured sFlow collector and how to use Satori as the sFlow collector.
Luke Williams
Jefe de producto
With over 30 years experience in the IT field, there is not a whole lot Lucas hasn’t seen. From running a local ISP in his home town in Iowa when he was 16 to managing networks and server administration at the second largest newspaper media company in the United States in 2012, to developing IoT solutions and networking NOS's while working at Canonical, he is constantly learning and trying new technologies to keep up with markets and company demands for new technologies to meet their needs. He currently is the Product Lead at BE Networks specializing in Open Networking and SONiC.
