Introduction

This document describes the Cisco PDART - a Cisco DNA center readiness tool for the Cisco prime infrastructure.

Prerequisites

Requirements

There are no specific requirements for this document.

Components Used

The information in this document is based on the Cisco DNA Center platform and Cisco Prime Infrastructure.

The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If your network is live, ensure that you understand the potential impact of any command.

Background Information

The Cisco PDART (Cisco Prime Infrastructure Cisco DNA Center Assessment & Readiness Tool) analyzes a Cisco Prime Infrastructure deployment and assesses whether Cisco DNA Center supports the current deployment.

The PDART assesses the Cisco Prime Infrastructure from these perspectives:

1. Use Cases - This tool can check over 170 use cases automatically. It checks whether these Use Cases are in use or have been used in the past. It then assesses each Use Case (in use/used only) against the Cisco DNA Center. It evaluates whether these Use Cases are currently supported, not supported, or on the roadmap for the Cisco DNA Center. There are an additional 23 Use Cases that require manual verification and these are listed in the report.
2. Scale Parameters - This tool can check nine Scale Parameters automatically and compares the scale with the maximum values supported for the current deployment. It then compares these Scale Parameters with the recommended scale across various Cisco DNA Center form factors.
3. Reports - This tool can determine the used and scheduled Reports. It compares these Reports with those available with the Cisco DNA Center and evaluates whether these Reports are currently supported, not supported, or on the roadmap.
4. Device Compatibility - This tool can detect all the managed devices and map each device to the supported device list of the Cisco DNA Center. It assesses each device based on its hardware and software compatibility.
5. Migration Readiness Checks - This tool performs five checks and determines the current health of the Cisco Prime Infrastructure Appliance. (Additional validations can come soon.)

The PDART is an easy-to-use tool that is read-only and does not cause any impact. It does not capture any confidential information or send any information outside of the deployment.

The output of the tool is a TAR GZ file that contains:

1. PDF file - a summary assessment of the current Cisco Prime Infrastructure deployment and the mapping with the Cisco DNA Center
2. Run log file - contains the console run logs
3. JSON file - contains the report in a JSON format
4. Debug Log file - contains database (DB) dumps for additional information on the setup
5. AP Log file - list of all the Access Point (AP) and their compatibility

In the case when PDART is executed via UI, the output is two files, the TAR GZ file as well as the PDF file.

Built-in collaboration with Cisco DNA Center Escalation Engineering, Sales, and CX Centers TAC Engines team.

Tool Requirements

• It is executed on the Cisco Prime Infrastructure
• The CLI option works with Cisco Prime Infrastructure 3.5 version and later only
• The UBF option works with Cisco Prime Infrastructure 3.7 version and later only
• It assesses the deployment for 2.2.3.x release of the Cisco DNA Center
• If you have multiple Cisco Prime Deployments, then PDART needs to be executed on each deployment
• It must be executed as user root (a requirement for PDART execution from CLI only)
  

Tool Execution

There are two ways to run the tool:

Option 1: Run the PDART Executable from CLI

Step 1. Copy the executable file pdart from Github to any directory on the Cisco Prime Infrastructure. The latest version of the PDART executable is available at this location: https://github.com/CiscoDevNet/PDART/.

There are two ways to copy the file:

a) A file transfer tool like Filezilla or WinSCP

b) If the Cisco Prime Infrastructure has Internet connectivity, then use this command to download the file:

wget --no-check-certificate https://github.com/CiscoDevNet/PDART/raw/main/pdart

Example:

[root@pi ~]# wget --no-check-certificate https://github.com/CiscoDevNet/PDART/raw/main/pdart
--2021-07-16 00:23:44-- https://github.com/CiscoDevNet/PDART/raw/main/pdart
Resolving github.com (github.com)... 140.82.113.3
Connecting to github.com (github.com)|140.82.113.3|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 302 Found
Location: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CiscoDevNet/PDART/main/pdart [following]
--2021-07-16 00:23:44-- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CiscoDevNet/PDART/main/pdart
Resolving raw.githubusercontent.com (raw.githubusercontent.com)... 185.199.109.133, 185.199.108.133, 185.199.111.133, ...
Connecting to raw.githubusercontent.com (raw.githubusercontent.com)|185.199.109.133|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 14545120 (14M) [application/octet-stream]
Saving to: ‘pdart’

100%[=============================================================================================================================================================================================================>] 14,545,120 11.2MB/s in 1.2s

2021-07-16 00:23:45 (11.2 MB/s) - ‘pdart’ saved [14545120/14545120]

[root@pi ~]#

Step 2. Change the file to an executable.

[root@pi ~]# chmod 755 pdart

Execute the Linux file command to ensure you have the executable and an 'ls -l' to check whether the chmod command has allowed the root user to execute the file pdart.

file pdart
ls -l pdart

Example:

[root@pi ~]# file pdart
pdart: ELF 64-bit LSB executable, x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked (uses shared libs), for GNU/Linux 2.6.32, BuildID[sha1]=294d1f19a085a730da19a6c55788ec08c2187039, stripped
[root@pi ~]# 
[root@pi ~]#  ls -l pdart
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root root 14545120 Jul 16 00:23 pdart
[root@pi ~]# 

Step 3. A single command to execute the file from CLI (ensure you have logged in as user 'root').

 ./pdart

Sample output from CLI:

[root@pi ~]# ./pdart

####################################################
###                                              ###
###          Welcome to Cisco PDART              ###
###             version: 1.05                    ###
###                                              ###
####################################################

## 
## Script Start Time: 2022-06-21_14:25:35  
##

######
## 
## Initiating Platform Checks ... 
## 


...



###### 
## 
## All Checks completed, building the PDF ... 
##


## Summary page built, working on the pages with the details...


## Report built for - Device compatibility checks...


## Report built for - Scale checks...


## Report built for - Use Case checks...


## Report built for - Reporting checks...


## Report built for - Platform checks...


## 
## Script End Time: 2022-06-21_14:29:33
## 

******
Cisco PDART Tool has successfully completed.
PDF report, run logs and a json of the results can be found at:

PDART tarfile - /localdisk/defaultRepo/pdart.d/PDART_2022-06-21_14-25-35.tar.gz 

[root@pi ~]#

Step 4. A single TAR GZ file is created by the tool and is available at location /localdisk/defaultRepo/pdart.d/. The file can be copied out of Prime with the use of Filezilla or WinSCP. The TAR GZ file can be untared before or after the copy.

This command would untar the file on your Cisco Prime Infrastructure (an optional step).

[root@pi ~]# tar -xvf PDART_2022-06-21_14-25-35.tar.gz
PDART_report_2022-06-21_14-25-35.pdf
PDART_results_2022-06-21_14-25-35.json
PDART_runlog_2022-06-21_14-25-35.log
PDART_aps_2022-06-21_14-25-35.json
PDART_debuglog_2022-06-21_14-25-35.log
[root@pi ~]#

Option 2: Execute the PDART via UBF Patch

PDART can be executed via the UI with the use of this method. The PDART executable is part of a patch file Updated Bundle File (UBF) that needs to be downloaded from Cisco.com, uploaded to your Prime Instance, and then installed. Root credentials are not a requirement for this option. These are the detailed steps:

Step 1. Identify your software version and download the UBF that matches from Cisco.com.

Download the file that starts with DNACAssessmentReadiness_ (CCO login is required to download the file).

3.9.0 or 3.9.1 --> https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286326052/type/284272933/release/3.9.1

3.8.0 or 3.8.1 --> https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286325039/type/284272933/release/3.8.1

3.7.0 or 3.7.1 --> https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286324413/type/284272933/release/3.7.1

Here is an image of 3.9.1:

Step 2. Upload the UBF file from your local system and install it (Cisco Prime reload required).

Once the file is downloaded to the local system, the UBF file can be uploaded and installed via the UI. From the main menu, navigate to the Software Update page. Click Administration> Licenses and Software Updates> Software Update.

Click Upload to upload the UBF file to Cisco Prime.

Browse through the local computer to choose the required UBF file and click Ok.

Once the file is uploaded, click on the Install button to install the UBF.

Click Yes in the pop-up window to restart Cisco Prime and install the UBF.

Cisco Prime restarts and is out of service for 15 to 30 minutes.

Step 3. Navigate to the PDART screen and execute PDART from here.

Once the UBF is installed, navigate to this URL which brings up the PDART main page. Click RUN PDART TOOL to execute PDART.

https://<Cisco Prime IP Address>/webacs/pdart.jsp

These screen captures guide you through the execution of PDART:

PDART takes about 3-5 minutes to complete in most cases but in a scaled setup it can take up to 10 minutes to complete.

These options show up once PDART has completed execution.

Click Download PDART Report to view the PDART PDF report or click the Back to Main Page, to go back to the main page to rerun PDART.

Sample Report

The image includes the first page of the report which is a summary of all the checks executed. Subsequent pages include more details on the checks executed.

PDART Versions

Issues with the Tool

Contact pdart-tool-support@cisco.com for any assistance with the tool.

If the PDART file was downloaded to Cisco Prime successfully but does not execute, then share the output of these Linux commands:

file pdart
ls -l pdart

If PDART fails to run via the UI, then share the screen captures and any failed logs.