NBAR Protocol Pack

NBAR Protocol Pack

Last Updated: November 20, 2011

The NBAR Protocol Pack feature provides an easy way to load a protocol pack, which is a single compressed file that contains multiple Protocol Description Language (PDL) files and a manifest file. Before this feature was introduced, PDLs had to be loaded separately. With NBAR Protocol pack, a set of required protocols can be loaded, which helps network-based application recognition (NBAR) to recognize additional protocols for classification on your network.

The protocol pack manifest file contains a description of the protocol pack. Packet Description Language Modules (PDLMs) are used to add support for a protocol that is currently not available as part of the Cisco IOS software.

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest feature information and caveats, see the release notes for your platform and software release. To find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each feature is supported, see the Feature Information Table at the end of this document.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Prerequisites for the NBAR Protocol Pack

  • The protocol pack must be copied to the local disk to avoid any errors after rebooting.

Restrictions for the NBAR Protocol Pack

  • Only one protocol pack is supported.

Information About the NBAR Protocol Pack

Protocol Pack Overview

Application recognition modules (also known as PDLMs) can be used to extend the functionality of NBAR by enabling NBAR to recognize additional protocols on your network. A PDLM is used to add support for a protocol that is currently not available as part of the Cisco IOS software. A PDLM extends the list of protocols that NBAR can recognize.

A protocol pack is a single compressed file that contains multiple PDL files and a manifest file. Your organization determines the contents of the protocol pack. Protocol packs allow you to load a set of protocols together rather than load them separately.

Protocol packs provide the following features:

  • They are easy to load.
  • They are easy to upgrade to a higher version protocol pack or revert to a lower version protocol pack.
  • They provide only the required set of protocols.

Cisco provides a specific identity number for the organization (also known as "publisher") that creates the protocol packs and uses Cisco tools and processes to create new protocol packs. The organization that creates the protocol pack owns the pack.

The Default Protocol Pack (DPP) is provided as the base protocol pack version with the Cisco IOS image in the router.

How to Load the NBAR Protocol Pack

Loading the NBAR Protocol Pack

Perform the following task to load a NBAR protocol pack.

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    enable

2.    configure terminal

3.    ip nbar protocol-pack protocol-pack [force]

4.    exit

5.    show ip nbar protocol-pack {protocol-pack | active} [detail]


DETAILED STEPS
 Command or ActionPurpose
Step 1
enable


Example:

Router> enable

 

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.
 
Step 2
configure terminal


Example:

Router# configure terminal

 

Enters global configuration mode.

 
Step 3
ip nbar protocol-pack protocol-pack [force]


Example:

Router(config)# ip nbar protocol-pack harddisk:defProtoPack

 

Loads the protocol pack.

  • Use the force keyword to specify and load a protocol pack of a lower version, which is different from the default protocol pack version.
 
Step 4
exit


Example:

Router(config)# exit

 

Returns to privileged EXEC mode.

 
Step 5
show ip nbar protocol-pack {protocol-pack | active} [detail]


Example:

Router(config)# show ip nbar protocol-pack active

 

Displays the protocol pack information.

  • Verify the loaded protocol pack version, publisher, and other details using this command.
  • Use the protocol-pack argument to display information about the specified protocol pack.
  • Use the active keyword to display active protocol pack information.
  • Use the detail keyword to display detailed protocol pack information.
 

Configuration Examples for the NBAR Protocol Pack

Example: Loading the NBAR Protocol Pack

The following example shows how to load an NBAR protocol pack named defProtoPack from the harddisk:

Router> enable
Router# configure terminal
Router(config)# ip nbar protocol-pack harddisk:defProtoPack
Router(config)# exit

The following example shows how to load a default NBAR protocol pack:

Router> enable
Router# configure terminal
Router(config)# default ip nbar protocol-pack
Router(config)# exit

The following example shows how to load a protocol pack of a lower version using the force keyword:

Router> enable
Router# configure terminal
Router(config)# ip nbar protocol-pack harddisk:olddefProtoPack force
Router(config)# exit

Example: Verifying the Loaded NBAR Protocol Pack

The following sample output from the show ip nbar protocol-pack command shows information about the active protocol pack:

Router# show ip nbar protocol-pack active

ACTIVE protocol pack: 
Name:                            Default Protocol Pack
Version:                         1.0
Publisher:                       Cisco Systems Inc.

The following sample output from the show ip nbar protocol-pack command shows detailed information about the active protocol pack:

Router# show ip nbar protocol-pack active detail

ACTIVE protocol pack: 
Name:                            Default Protocol Pack
Version:                         1.0
Publisher:                       Cisco Systems Inc.
Protocols:
base                             Mv: 4
ftp                              Mv: 5
http                             Mv: 18
static                           Mv: 6
socks                            Mv: 2
nntp                             Mv: 2
tftp                             Mv: 2
exchange                         Mv: 3
vdolive                          Mv: 1
sqlnet                           Mv: 2
netshow                          Mv: 3
sunrpc                           Mv: 3
streamwork                       Mv: 2
citrix                           Mv: 11
fasttrack                        Mv: 3
gnutella                         Mv: 7
kazaa2                           Mv: 11

The following sample output from the show ip nbar protocol-pack command shows the protocol pack present in the specified disk location:

Router# show ip nbar protocol-pack disk:0ppsmall_higherversion

Name:                            Default Protocol Pack
Version:                         2.0
Publisher:                       Cisco Systems Inc.

The following sample output from the show ip nbar protocol-pack command shows detailed protocol pack information present in the specified disk location:

Router# show ip nbar protocol-pack disk:0ppsmall_higherversion detail

Name:                            Default Protocol Pack
Version:                         2.0
Publisher:                       Cisco Systems Inc.
Protocol Pack contents:
iana                     Mv: 1
base                     Mv: 4
tftp                     Mv: 2

Additional References

Related Documents

Related Topic

Document Title

Cisco IOS commands

Cisco IOS Master Commands List, All Releases

Cisco IOS LAN Switching commands

Cisco IOS LAN Switching Command Reference

Cisco IOS QoS configuration information

Cisco IOS QoS Configuration Guide

Standards

Standard

Title

None

--

MIBs

MIB

MIBs Link

None

To locate and download MIBs for selected platforms, Cisco software releases, and feature sets, use Cisco MIB Locator found at the following URL:

http://www.cisco.com/go/mibs

RFCs

RFC

Title

None

--

Technical Assistance

Description

Link

The Cisco Support and Documentation website provides online resources to download documentation, software, and tools. Use these resources to install and configure the software and to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support and Documentation website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html

Feature Information for NBAR Protocol Pack

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Table 1Feature Information for NBAR Protocol Pack

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

NBAR Protocol Pack

15.2(2)T

The NBAR Protocol Pack feature provides an easy way to configure the protocol pack, which is a set of protocols developed and packed together.

The following commands were introduced or modified:

default ip nbar protocol-pack, ip nbar protocol-pack, show ip nbar protocol-pack.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R)

Any Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and phone numbers used in this document are not intended to be actual addresses and phone numbers. Any examples, command display output, network topology diagrams, and other figures included in the document are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any use of actual IP addresses or phone numbers in illustrative content is unintentional and coincidental.

© 2011 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.