Cisco Active Network Abstraction Administrator Guide, 3.6.6 - Managing Links [Cisco Active Network Abstraction]

Table Of Contents

Managing Links

Creating a Static Link

Managing Links in Maintenance Mode

Viewing Links in Maintenance Mode

Removing Links from Maintenance Mode

Removing a Static Link

Managing Links

This chapter describes how to add and remove a static link between two ports of two NEs in the network. Static links override any existing autodiscovered topology in the system. A static link is identical in all respects to a link that is autodiscovered.

Static links can be viewed using the Topology branch and in the device topology static key in the relevant Golden Source AVM .xml file.

This chapter includes:

•Creating a Static Link

•Managing Links in Maintenance Mode

•Removing a Static Link

Creating a Static Link

You can create a static link between devices by selecting the two end ports from the device physical inventory in Cisco ANA Manage. To create a static topological link, you need to supply the exact location of the two end ports (at both ends of the link). The physical hierarchy in which the port is located defines the location of a port, as follows:

Device > [shelf] > module > [submodule] > port

Note The link is bidirectional, and needs to be added only once.

The new link is validated after the two ports are selected, but before the link is added. Validation checks:

•The similarity of the connector port types (for example, RJ45 on both sides).

•Layer 2 technology type (for example, ATM OC-3 on both sides).

•The physical layer.

•The operation status of both ports.

•Whether one of the ports is part of another link.

If validation reveals that one of the ends is part of a static link, you are asked to delete the previous link manually. If validation reveals that one of the ends is part of a dynamic link, the previous link is overridden.

To create a new static link:

Step 1 Select Topology in the Cisco ANA Manage window.

Note Any changes made in the Topology branch are saved automatically and are registered immediately in Cisco ANA.

Step 2 Open the New Static Link dialog box in one of the following ways:

•Right-click Topology, then choose New Static Link.

•Choose File > New Static Link.

•Click New Static Link in the toolbar.

The A Side and Z Side lists enable you to choose the devices and the ports for the static link. When you select a device from the list, the physical inventory of the device is displayed in the related area of the dialog box.

Step 3 From the A Side and Z Side lists choose a device. The physical inventory of each device is displayed in the related area of the dialog box.

Step 4 Expand the tree and choose the A Side and Z Side port of each device.

For more information about the icons and severity displayed in this dialog box, see the Cisco Active Network Abstraction 3.6.6 User Guide.

Step 5 Click Create. The link is validated and a confirmation message is displayed.

Note The Create button is enabled only when A Side and Z Side ports are selected.

Note A warning message is displayed if:
- One of the validation checks fails.
- The operation status of one port is up and the other port is down.
- The ports selected are not of the same type.
- The Layer 2 technology type is not the same.
- If one of the ports is part of another link.

Click No to cancel the connection.

Step 6 Click Close. The New Static Link dialog box closes, and the newly created link between the two devices appears in the workspace.

Note The new link is created with the rule A Side < Z Side lexicographically. For example, if you select A Side = PE-West and Z Side = PE-East, the link that is created and displayed in the table is A Side = PE-East and Z Side = PE-West.

Managing Links in Maintenance Mode

Beginning with Cisco ANA 3.6.6, users with the Administrator access role can place links into maintenance mode. Maintenance mode suppresses alarms that you do not want to see during particular activities, such as when setting up links and devices before they become operational in your network. When appropriate for your network, you can remove links from maintenance mode so that alarms are displayed as usual.

Placing a link in maintenance mode does not affect the network or the link's connections. Instead, it filters the alarms for the specified link so that they are not displayed. The alarms and tickets are still in the database and can be viewed in Cisco ANA EventVision with the proper option set.

Suppression of alarms is based on the state of the link when the alarm is generated. If a link is in maintenance mode and an alarm is generated, that alarm will be suppressed even if you later remove the link from maintenance mode. Conversely, adding a link to maintenance mode does not affect the suppression of alarms that occurred prior to the link going into maintenance mode.

Network-based events do not change the maintenance status of a link. When Cisco ANA receives notification that a link has been added to the network, it checks to see whether or not it is in maintenance mode. If the link is in maintenance mode, it filters the alarms accordingly until the link is removed from maintenance mode.

Note After removing a link from maintenance mode, new events are displayed 20 minutes after the last event that is correlated to a suppressed event.

Cisco ANA NetworkVision enables you to place links in maintenance mode. For more information, see the Cisco Active Network Abstraction 3.6.6 User Guide.

Cisco ANA Manage enables you to view all links in maintenance mode and to remove them from maintenance mode. For more information, see:

•Viewing Links in Maintenance Mode

•Removing Links from Maintenance Mode

Viewing Links in Maintenance Mode

Cisco ANA Manage enables you to view all links in the system that are in maintenance mode. It does not, however, identify the map in which the link exists. To view links in a specific map that are in maintenance mode or to identify the map in which a link in maintenance mode exists, use Cisco ANA NetworkVision (see Cisco Active Network Abstraction 3.6.6 User Guide).

To view all links in maintenance mode for the entire system, choose Maintenance Links in Cisco ANA Manage.

Table 8-1 describes the columns in the Maintenance Links workspace table.

Table 8-1 Maintenance Links Workspace Table

Column

Description

A Side

The device or site that is the source of the link, as a hyperlink to the inventory of the device or site.

Z Side

The device or site that is the destination of the link, as a hyperlink to the inventory of the device or site.

Removing Links from Maintenance Mode

You can remove both dynamic and static links from maintenance mode and one or more links at a time. In addition, you can remove links by using either Cisco ANA Manage or Cisco ANA NetworkVision. Cisco ANA Manage displays all links that are in maintenance mode while Cisco ANA NetworkVision lets you view the specific map for each link.

To remove a link from maintenance mode using Cisco ANA Manage:

Step 1 Choose Maintenance Links in the Cisco ANA Manage window.

Step 2 In the workspace table, select one or more entries to remove from maintenance mode.

Step 3 Right-click a selected entry, then choose Remove Maintenance. The selected entries are no longer displayed in the Maintenance Links workspace table.

Note After removing a link from maintenance mode, new events are displayed 20 minutes after the last event that is correlated to a suppressed event.

For more information about links and maintenance mode, see the Cisco Active Network Abstraction 3.6.6 User Guide.

Removing a Static Link

A static link between the devices can be deleted. A static link is one that is manually entered by the user.

If you remove a static link that is in maintenance mode, you also need to remove it from the Maintenance Links table to ensure that all system information is consistent. For more information about removing links from maintenance mode, see Removing Links from Maintenance Mode.

To remove a link:

Step 1 Select Topology in the Cisco ANA Manage window.

Step 2 In the workspace, select one or more links to delete.

Step 3 Delete the link in one of the following ways:

•Right-click the link, then choose Delete.

•Click Delete in the toolbar.

The selected link is deleted and is no longer displayed in the workspace.