Cisco Active Network Abstraction User Guide, 3.6.7
Working with Business Tags and Configurations
Download this chapter
Working with Business Tags and ConfigurationsWorking with Business Tags and Configurations
Download the complete book
PDF of Cisco ANA 3.6.7 User GuidePDF of Cisco ANA 3.6.7 User Guide (PDF - 10 MB)
 Feedback

Table Of Contents

Working with Business Tags and Configurations

Cisco ANA Business Tag Overview

Creating a Business Tag

Searching for Business Tags and Viewing Their Properties

Renaming a Business Element

Deleting a Business Element


Working with Business Tags and Configurations

These topics describe how to manage and view Cisco ANA business tag information:

•Cisco ANA Business Tag Overview

•Creating a Business Tag

•Searching for Business Tags and Viewing Their Properties

Cisco ANA Business Tag Overview

Cisco ANA NetworkVision enables you to attach business tags to network objects. A business tag is a record, which is stored in the Cisco ANA Gateway database that points to a network object. Each business tag has a key field, which is a unique identifier for the business tag. The key is common both to the Cisco Supervisor and the Northbound Operations Support Systems (OSS) applications that are integrated with Cisco.

The tag can be created explicitly, by specifying the network object and the business tag's details. When the system performs an impact analysis report on the affected network objects, if there are business tags attached to these objects, the report includes the details.

Cisco ANA Gateway enables business tags to be attached to any managed network object that is represented in the Cisco ANA information model. This enables you to:

•Add user-familiar labels to network objects, for example, devices and so on.

•Define service endpoints, for example, subscriber and provider connections.

•Click a hyperlink and go directly to the required location, for example:

–To a specific port.

–To a specific subscriber using the subscriber's phone number.

Cisco ANA supports the following types of business tags:

•Subscriber

•Provider Connection

•Label

You can do the following:

•Create a business tag for a network object. See Creating a Business Tag.

•Search for a business tag or generate a list of all the business tags. See Searching for Business Tags and Viewing Their Properties.

•Edit the details of a business tag.

•Remove a business tag. For more information, see Creating a Business Tag.

Creating a Business Tag

Cisco ANA NetworkVision enables you to create a business tag, for example, a new subscriber to a port. In addition, you can detach existing subscribers from ports.

To attach a business tag:

Step 1 In the Cisco ANA NetworkVision window or in any of the dialog boxes, right-click a network object and choose Attach Business Tag. The Attach Business Tag dialog box appears.

Step 2 In the Attach Business Tag dialog box, complete the fields:

a. Enter the following data:

–Unique Key—A unique identifier for the business tag.

–Name—A name for the business tag.

b. From the Type drop-down list, select the type of business tag: Subscriber, Provider Connection, or Label).

Note If you select Label, the name of the network object changes to display the business name.

c. Enter a free-text message in the Notes area (optional).

Step 3 Click Save. The business tag is attached to the network object and displayed in the Business Tag tab of the inventory window for the selected network object. The name of the business tag is displayed in the navigation pane, maps, Cisco ANA PathTracer, and so on.

Note The Edit and Detach options are displayed in the right-click shortcut menu when a business tag is attached to a network element.

You can search and edit business tag information attached to a network object using tools available from the appropriate Business Tag dialog box. A business tag that has been attached to a network object can also be detached.

To detach a business tag:

Step 1 In the inventory window, navigate to the pertinent network object that contains the business tag you want to delete. You can also search for the business tag as described in Searching for Business Tags and Viewing Their Properties.

Step 2 Right-click the network object and choose Detach Business Tag.

Note A single or multiple business tags can be detached.

The business tag is detached from the network object and is no longer displayed.

Searching for Business Tags and Viewing Their Properties

Cisco ANA NetworkVision enables you to find a business tag (a subscriber, provider connection, or label) using the full or partial business tag name and the business tag key. If you use the full or partial business tag name for the search, the search results provide a list of business tags meeting the search criteria. If you use the business tag key, the search results provide information about the particular business tag.

Note If you know the location of the business tag, you can view its properties by opening the Business Tag tab in the device inventory window.

To search for a business tag:

Step 1 Do one of the following to open the Find Business Tag dialog box:

•Click Find Business Tag in the main toolbar.

•Choose Edit > Find Business Tag from the main menu.

The Find Business Tag dialog box contains the following tools:

Table 11-1 Find Business Tag Dialog Box Tools 

Button
Function

Finds the business tag according to a name, key, or type entered in the Find Business Tag dialog box.

Clears the search information entered in fields in the Find Business Tag dialog box.


Note To activate all the business tag tools (toolbar buttons), click any line in the table of the Find Business Tag dialog box.

Step 2 Enter your search criteria:

•Unique Key—Enter the identifying key you are searching for (partial or full key).

•Name—Enter the name you are searching for (partial or full name).

•Type—From the drop-down list, select the type of business tag you are searching for.

Step 3 Click Find. The search results are displayed in a table at the bottom of the Find Business Tag dialog box.

The table displays the business tag unique key, name, and type. It also provides a hyperlink to the network element the business tag is attached to.

•To view the business tag's properties, double-click the business tag in the search results table.

•To go to the business tag's location, click the hyperlink provided in the search results table.

Renaming a Business Element

To rename business elements in service view maps:

Step 1 In the Cisco ANA NetworkVision navigation pane or a map, right-click the business element and choose Rename.

Step 2 In the Rename Node dialog box, type a new name.

Step 3 Click OK.

The changed business element name appears in the Cisco ANA NetworkVision navigation pane and map.

Note Renaming a business element affects all users who have the business element loaded in their service view maps.

Deleting a Business Element

You can delete business elements from the business model (database). However, if you delete a business element from the database, it can no longer be viewed in the Add Business Element to <Root> dialog box. You generally delete business elements only when the physical elements no longer exist.

Caution Deleting business elements affects all users who have the business elements loaded in their service view map.

Table 11-2 lists the requirements that must be met before you can delete a business element.

Table 11-2 Business Element Deletion Requirements

Business Element
Requirements

Layer 3 VPN

The VPN has no virtual routers, or, if it does, the virtual routers and sites display the reconciliation icon.

Virtual router

The virtual router contains no VRFs, sites, or interfaces, or, if it does, the VRFs, sites, and interfaces display the reconciliation icon.

Site

No sites or interfaces are connected or bound to the VRF, or, if they are connected, they display the reconciliation icon.

Layer 2 VPN

The Layer 2 VPN has no LCPs, or, if it does, the LCPs display the reconciliation icon.

LCA

The LCA has no LCPs, or, if it does, the LCPs display the reconciliation icon.


To delete a business element:

Step 1 Verify that the business element meets all requirements specified in Table 11-2. You will not be able to delete the element if all requirements are not met.

Step 2 In the Cisco ANA NetworkVision navigation pane or a map, right-click the business element, and choose Delete.

Step 3 In the confirmation message, click Yes to delete the currently selected element, or click Yes to All to delete multiple selected elements.

The selected business element is deleted from the business configuration of all users.