Cisco ASR 9000 Series Aggregation Services Router System Management Configuration Guide, Release 4.2.x
Configuring Call Home on the Cisco ASR 9000 Series Router
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Configuring Call Home on the Cisco ASR 9000 Series Router

This module describes the configuring of the Call Home feature.

Table 1 Feature History for Configuring Call Home

Release

Modification

Release 4.1.0

Call Home was introduced

This model contains the following topics:

About Call Home

Call Home provides an email-based notification for critical system policies. A range of message formats are available for compatibility with pager services or XML-based automated parsing applications. You can use this feature to page a network support engineer, email a Network Operations Center, or use Cisco Smart Call Home services to generate a case with the Technical Assistance Center.

The Call Home feature can deliver alert messages containing information about diagnostics and environmental faults and events.

The Call Home feature can deliver alerts to multiple recipients, referred to as Call Home destination profiles. Each profile includes configurable message formats and content categories. A predefined destination profile is provided for sending alerts to the Cisco TAC, but you also can define your own destination profiles.

When you configure Call Home to send messages, the appropriate CLI show command is executed and the command output is attached to the message.

Call Home messages are delivered in the following formats:

  • Short text format which provides a one or two line description of the fault that is suitable for pagers or printed reports.
  • Full text format which provides fully formatted message with detailed information that is suitable for human reading.
  • XML machine readable format that uses Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Adaptive Messaging Language (AML) XML schema definition (XSD). The AML XSD is published on the Cisco.com website at http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​. The XML format enables communication with the Cisco Systems Technical Assistance Center.

Destination Profiles

A destination profile includes the following information:

  • One or more alert groups—The group of alerts that trigger a specific Call Home message if the alert occurs.
  • One or more e-mail destinations—The list of recipients for the Call Home messages generated by alert groups assigned to this destination profile.
  • Message format—The format for the Call Home message (short text, full text, or XML).
  • Message severity level—The Call Home severity level that the alert must meet before a Call Home message is sent to all e-mail addresses in the destination profile. An alert is not generated if the Call Home severity level of the alert is lower than the message severity level set for the destination profile.

You can also configure a destination profile to allow periodic inventory update messages by using the inventory alert group that will send out periodic messages daily, weekly, or monthly.

The following predefined destination profiles are supported:

  • CiscoTAC-1—Supports the Cisco-TAC alert group in XML message format.

Call Home Alert Groups

An alert group is a predefined subset of alerts or events that Call Home detects and reports to one or more destinations. Alert groups allow you to select the set of alerts that you want to send to a predefined or custom destination profile. Alerts are sent to e-mail destinations in a destination profile only if that alert belongs to one of the alert groups associated with that destination profile and if the alert has a Call Home message severity at or above the message severity set in the destination profile.

The following table lists supported alert groups and the default CLI command output included in Call Home messages generated for the alert group.

Table 2  Alert Groups and Executed Commands

Alert Group

Description

Executed Commands

Environmental

Events related to power, fan, and environment-sensing elements such as temperature alarms.

show environment

show logging

show inventory

show environment trace

show diag

Inventory

Inventory status that is provided whenever a unit is cold booted, or when FRUs are inserted or removed. This alert is considered a noncritical event, and the information is used for status and entitlement.

admin show platform

admin show version

admin show diag

admin show inventory oid

Syslog

Events generated by specific interesting syslog messages

admin show version

admin show logging

admin show inventory

Call Home maps the syslog severity level to the corresponding Call Home severity level for syslog port group messages.

Call Home Message Levels

Call Home allows you to filter messages based on their level of urgency. You can associate each destination profile (predefined and user-defined) with a Call Home message level threshold. The Call Home message level ranges from 0 (lowest level of urgency) to 9 (highest level of urgency). Call Home messages are generated if they have a severity level equal to or greater than the Call Home message level threshold for the destination profile.

Call Home messages that are sent for syslog alert groups have the syslog severity level mapped to the Call Home message level.


Note

Call Home does not change the syslog message level in the message text.

The following table lists each Call Home message level keyword and the corresponding syslog level for the syslog port alert group.

Table 3  Severity and syslog Level Mapping

Call Home Level

Keyword

syslog Level

Description

9

Catastrophic

N/A

Network-wide catastrophic failure.

8

Disaster

N/A

Significant network impact.

7

Fatal

Emergency (0)

System is unusable.

6

Critical

Alert (1)

Critical conditions that indicate that immediate attention is needed.

5

Major

Critical (2)

Major conditions.

4

Minor

Error (3)

Minor conditions.

3

Warning

Warning (4)

Warning conditions.

2

Notification

Notice (5)

Basic notification and informational messages. Possibly independently insignificant.

1

Normal

Information (6)

Normal event signifying return to normal state.

0

Debugging

Debug (7)

Debugging messages.

Obtaining Smart Call Home

If you have a service contract directly with Cisco Systems, you can register your devices for the Smart Call Home service. Smart Call Home provides fast resolution of system problems by analyzing Call Home messages sent from your devices and providing background information and recommendations. For issues that can be identified as known, particularly GOLD diagnostics failures, Automatic Service Requests will be generated with the Cisco-TAC.

Smart Call Home offers the following features:

  • Continuous device health monitoring and real-time diagnostic alerts.
  • Analysis of Call Home messages from your device and, where appropriate, Automatic Service Request generation, routed to the appropriate TAC team, including detailed diagnostic information to speed problem resolution.
  • Secure message transport directly from your device or through a downloadable Transport Gateway (TG) aggregation point. You can use a TG aggregation point in cases that require support for multiple devices or in cases where security requirements mandate that your devices may not be connected directly to the Internet.
  • Web-based access to Call Home messages and recommendations, inventory and configuration information for all Call Home devices. Provides access to associated field notices, security advisories and end-of-life information.

You need the following items to register:

  • The SMARTnet contract number for your device
  • Your e-mail address
  • Your Cisco.com ID

For more information about Smart Call Home, see the Smart Call Home page at this URL: https:/​/​supportforums.cisco.com/​community/​netpro/​solutions/​smart_services/​smartcallhome

Configuring Call Home

The tasks in this module describe how to configure the sending of Call Home messages. The following steps are involved:

  1. Assign contact information.
  2. Configure and enable one or more destination profiles.
  3. Associate one or more alert groups to each profile.
  4. Configure the email server options.
  5. Enable Call Home.

Configuring Contact Information

Each router must include a contact e-mail address. You can optionally include other identifying information for your system installation.

SUMMARY STEPS

    1.    configure

    2.    call-home

    3.    contact-email-addr email-address

    4.    (Optional) contract-id contract-id-string

    5.    (Optional) customer-id customer-id-string

    6.    (Optional) phone-number phone-number-string

    7.    (Optional) street-address street-address

    8.    (Optional) site-id site-id-string

    9.    Use one of these commands:

    • end
    • commit

    10.    show call-home


DETAILED STEPS
     Command or ActionPurpose
    Step 1 configure


    Example: 
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router# configure
     

    Enters global configuration mode.

     
    Step 2call-home


    Example: 
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# call-home
RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)#
     

    Enters call home configuration mode.

     
    Step 3contact-email-addr email-address


    Example:
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# contact-email-addr 
user1@cisco.com
     

    Configures the customer email address. Enter up to 200 characters in email address format with no spaces.

     
    Step 4contract-id contract-id-string


    Example:
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# contract-id 
Contract-identifier
          		(Optional)

    Configures the contract ID. Enter up to 64 characters. If you include spaces, you must enclose the entry in quotes ("").

     
    Step 5customer-id customer-id-string


    Example:
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# customer-id Customer1
          		(Optional)

    Configures the customer ID. Enter up to 64 characters. If you include spaces, you must enclose the entry in quotes ("").

     
    Step 6phone-number phone-number-string


    Example:
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# phone-number +405-123-4567
          		(Optional)

    Configures the customer phone number. The number must begin with a plus (+) prefix, and may contain only dashes (-) and numbers. Enter up to 16 characters.

     
    Step 7street-address street-address


    Example:
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# street-address "300 E. Tasman Dr. 
San Jose, CA 95134"
          		(Optional)

    Configures the customer street address where RMA equipment can be shipped. Enter up to 200 characters. If you include spaces, you must enclose the entry in quotes ("").

     
    Step 8site-id site-id-string


    Example:
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# site-id SJ-RouterRoom1
          		(Optional)

    Configures the site ID for the system. Enter up to 200 characters. If you include spaces, you must enclose the entry in quotes ("").

     
    Step 9Use one of these commands:
    • end
    • commit


    Example: 
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# end

    or

    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# commit
     

    Saves configuration changes.

    • When you issue the end command, the system prompts you to commit changes: 
      Uncommitted changes found, commit them
before exiting(yes/no/cancel)? [cancel]:
      • Entering yes saves configuration changes to the running configuration file, exits the configuration session, and returns the router to EXEC mode.
      • Entering no exits the configuration session and returns the router to EXEC mode without committing the configuration changes.
      • Entering cancel leaves the router in the current configuration session without exiting or committing the configuration changes.
    • Use the commit command to save the configuration changes to the running configuration file, and remain within the configuration session.
     
    Step 10show call-home


    Example:
    RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router# show call-home
     

    Displays information about the system contacts.

     

    Configuring and Activating Destination Profiles

    You must have at least one activated destination profile for Call Home messages to be sent. The CiscoTAC-1 profile exists by default but is not active.

    SUMMARY STEPS

      1.    configure

      2.    call-home

      3.    profile profile-name

      4.    destination address email email-address

      5.    destination message-size-limit max-size

      6.    destination preferred-msg-format {short-text | long-text | xml}

      7.    destination transport-method email

      8.    active

      9.    Use one of these commands:

      • end
      • commit

      10.    show call-home profile {all | profile-name}


    DETAILED STEPS
       Command or ActionPurpose
      Step 1 configure


      Example: 
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router# configure
       

      Enters global configuration mode.

       
      Step 2call-home


      Example: 
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# call-home
RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)#
       

      Enters call home configuration mode.

       
      Step 3profile profile-name


      Example:
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# profile my_profile
RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)#
       

      Enters call home profile configuration mode to configure a new or existing profile.

       
      Step 4destination address email email-address


      Example:
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)# destination 
address email support_me@cisco.com
       

      Configures an email address to which Call Home messages are sent for this profile.

       
      Step 5destination message-size-limit max-size


      Example:
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)# destination 
message-size-limit 1000
       

      Configures the maximum size of Call Home messages for this profile. Values can be between 50 and 3145728 characters.

       
      Step 6destination preferred-msg-format {short-text | long-text | xml}


      Example:
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)# destination 
preferred-msg-format xml
       

      Configures the message format for this profile. The default is xml.

       
      Step 7destination transport-method email


      Example:
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)# destination 
transport-method email
       

      Configures the transport method for this profile. Email is the only supported method.

       
      Step 8active


      Example:
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)# active
       

      Activates the destination profile.

      Note   

      At least one destination profile must be active for Call Home messages to be sent.

       
      Step 9Use one of these commands:
      • end
      • commit


      Example: 
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# end

      or

      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# commit
       

      Saves configuration changes.

      • When you issue the end command, the system prompts you to commit changes: 
        Uncommitted changes found, commit them
before exiting(yes/no/cancel)? [cancel]:
        • Entering yes saves configuration changes to the running configuration file, exits the configuration session, and returns the router to EXEC mode.
        • Entering no exits the configuration session and returns the router to EXEC mode without committing the configuration changes.
        • Entering cancel leaves the router in the current configuration session without exiting or committing the configuration changes.
      • Use the commit command to save the configuration changes to the running configuration file, and remain within the configuration session.
       
      Step 10show call-home profile {all | profile-name}


      Example:
      RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router# show call-home profile all
       

      Displays information about the destination profile.

       

      Associating an Alert Group with a Destination Profile

      An alert is sent only to destination profiles that have subscribed to the Call Home alert group.

      Before You Begin

      Use the show call-home alert-group command to view available alert groups.

      SUMMARY STEPS

        1.    configure

        2.    call-home

        3.    profile profile-name

        4.    subscribe-to-alert-group environment [severity severity-level

        5.    subscribe-to-alert-group inventory [periodic {daily | monthly day-of-month | weekly day-of-week} hh:mm

        6.    subscribe-to-alert-group syslog severity severity-level pattern string

        7.    Use one of these commands:

        • end
        • commit


      DETAILED STEPS
         Command or ActionPurpose
        Step 1 configure


        Example: 
        RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router# configure
         

        Enters global configuration mode.

         
        Step 2call-home


        Example: 
        RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# call-home
RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)#
         

        Enters call home configuration mode.

         
        Step 3profile profile-name


        Example:
        RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# profile my_profile
RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)#
         

        Enters call home profile configuration mode to configure a new or existing profile.

         
        Step 4subscribe-to-alert-group environment [severity severity-level


        Example:
        RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)# subscribe-to-alert-group 
environment severity major
         

        Configures a destination profile to receive messages for the environment alert group. Alerts with a severity the same or greater than the specified severity level are sent. The default severity is debugging.

        • catastrophic—Includes network-wide catastrophic events in the alert. This is the highest severity.
        • critical—Includes events requiring immediate attention (system log level 1).
        • debugging—Includes debug events (system log level 7). This is the lowest severity.
        • disaster—Includes events with significant network impact.
        • fatal—Includes events where the system is unusable (system log level 0).
        • major—Includes events classified as major conditions (system log level 2).
        • minor—Includes events classified as minor conditions (system log level 3)
        • normal—Specifies the normal state and includes events classified as informational (system log level 6). This is the default.
        • notification—Includes events informational message events (system log level 5).
        • warning—Includes events classified as warning conditions (system log level 4).
         
        Step 5subscribe-to-alert-group inventory [periodic {daily | monthly day-of-month | weekly day-of-week} hh:mm


        Example:
        RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)# subscribe-to-alert-group 
inventory periodic monthly 1 10:00
         

        Configures a destination profile to receive messages for the inventory alert group. Either alerts are sent periodically, or any non-normal event triggers an alert.

         
        Step 6subscribe-to-alert-group syslog severity severity-level pattern string


        Example:
        RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home-profile)# subscribe-to-alert-group 
syslog severity major pattern
         

        Configures a destination profile to receive messages for the syslog alert group. Alerts with a severity the same or greater than the specified severity level are sent.

        • catastrophic—Includes network-wide catastrophic events in the alert. This is the highest severity.
        • critical—Includes events requiring immediate attention (system log level 1).
        • debugging—Includes debug events (system log level 7). This is the lowest severity.
        • disaster—Includes events with significant network impact.
        • fatal—Includes events where the system is unusable (system log level 0).
        • major—Includes events classified as major conditions (system log level 2).
        • minor—Includes events classified as minor conditions (system log level 3)
        • normal—Specifies the normal state and includes events classified as informational (system log level 6). This is the default.
        • notification—Includes events informational message events (system log level 5).
        • warning—Includes events classified as warning conditions (system log level 4).

        You can specify a pattern to be matched in the syslog message. If the pattern contains spaces, you must enclose it in quotes ("").

         
        Step 7Use one of these commands:
        • end
        • commit


        Example: 
        RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# end

        or

        RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# commit
         

        Saves configuration changes.

        • When you issue the end command, the system prompts you to commit changes: 
          Uncommitted changes found, commit them
before exiting(yes/no/cancel)? [cancel]:
          • Entering yes saves configuration changes to the running configuration file, exits the configuration session, and returns the router to EXEC mode.
          • Entering no exits the configuration session and returns the router to EXEC mode without committing the configuration changes.
          • Entering cancel leaves the router in the current configuration session without exiting or committing the configuration changes.
        • Use the commit command to save the configuration changes to the running configuration file, and remain within the configuration session.
         
        What to Do Next

        Use the show call-home profile command to view the profile configurations.

        Configuring Email

        Call Home messages are sent via email. You must configure your email server before Call Home messages can be sent.

        SUMMARY STEPS

          1.    configure

          2.    call-home

          3.    (Optional) sender from email-address

          4.    (Optional) sender reply-to email-address

          5.    mail-server address priority priority

          6.    rate-limit events-count

          7.    Use one of these commands:

          • end
          • commit

          8.    show call-home mail-server status


        DETAILED STEPS
           Command or ActionPurpose
          Step 1 configure


          Example: 
          RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router# configure
           

          Enters global configuration mode.

           
          Step 2call-home


          Example: 
          RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# call-home
RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)#
           

          Enters call home configuration mode.

           
          Step 3sender from email-address


          Example: 
          RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# sender from 
my_email@cisco.com
                      		(Optional)

          Specifies the email message “from” address.

           
          Step 4sender reply-to email-address


          Example: 
          RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# sender reply-to 
my_email@cisco.com
                      		(Optional)

          Specifies the email message “reply-to” address.

           
          Step 5mail-server address priority priority


          Example: 
          RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# mail-server 
198.51.100.10 priority 1
           

          Specifies the mail server to use to send Call Home messages. You can specify an IP address or mail server name. You can specify up to five mail servers to use. The server with the lower priority is tried first.

           
          Step 6rate-limit events-count


          Example: 
          RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# rate-limit 4
           

          Specifies the maximum trigger rate per minute. The default is five events per minute and the maximum is also five.

           
          Step 7Use one of these commands:
          • end
          • commit


          Example: 
          RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# end

          or

          RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# commit
           

          Saves configuration changes.

          • When you issue the end command, the system prompts you to commit changes: 
            Uncommitted changes found, commit them
before exiting(yes/no/cancel)? [cancel]:
            • Entering yes saves configuration changes to the running configuration file, exits the configuration session, and returns the router to EXEC mode.
            • Entering no exits the configuration session and returns the router to EXEC mode without committing the configuration changes.
            • Entering cancel leaves the router in the current configuration session without exiting or committing the configuration changes.
          • Use the commit command to save the configuration changes to the running configuration file, and remain within the configuration session.
           
          Step 8show call-home mail-server status


          Example:
          RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router# show call-home mail-server status
           

          Displays the status of the specified mail server.

           

          Enabling Call Home

          By default the sending of Call Home messages is disabled. You must perform this task to enable the sending of Call Home messages.

          Before You Begin

          Before enabling the sending of Call Home messages, you should complete the configuration tasks described in this module. Specifically, you must have enabled a destination profile for any Call Home messages to be sent.

          SUMMARY STEPS

            1.    configure

            2.    call-home

            3.    service active

            4.    Use one of these commands:

            • end
            • commit


          DETAILED STEPS
             Command or ActionPurpose
            Step 1 configure


            Example: 
            RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router# configure
             

            Enters global configuration mode.

             
            Step 2call-home


            Example: 
            RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# call-home
RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)#
             

            Enters call home configuration mode.

             
            Step 3service active


            Example: 
            RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config-call-home)# service active
             

            Enables the sending of Call Home messages.

             
            Step 4Use one of these commands:
            • end
            • commit


            Example: 
            RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# end

            or

            RP/0/RSP0/CPU0:router(config)# commit
             

            Saves configuration changes.

            • When you issue the end command, the system prompts you to commit changes: 
              Uncommitted changes found, commit them
before exiting(yes/no/cancel)? [cancel]:
              • Entering yes saves configuration changes to the running configuration file, exits the configuration session, and returns the router to EXEC mode.
              • Entering no exits the configuration session and returns the router to EXEC mode without committing the configuration changes.
              • Entering cancel leaves the router in the current configuration session without exiting or committing the configuration changes.
            • Use the commit command to save the configuration changes to the running configuration file, and remain within the configuration session.