Introduction
This document describes 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 Cisco Prime Infrastructure from these perspectives:
- 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.
- 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 physical form factors.
- 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.
- 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 compatibility, software compatibility, and legacy support.
- Migration Readiness Checks - This section includes ten checks that include basic health checks of the Cisco Prime Infrastructure Appliance, and an analysis of known migration blockers. (Additional validations can come soon.)
- Templates (added in PDART version 3.01) - This tool can determine the Wireless Templates that have been pushed by the Cisco Prime Infrastructure. It evaluates whether these Templates can be applied by the Cisco DNA Center and the attributes supported by the Cisco DNA Center.
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. PDART assesses the deployment for 2.3.x release of the Cisco DNA Center
The output of the tool is aTAR GZ
file that contains:
PDF
file - a summary assessment of the current Cisco Prime Infrastructure deployment and the mapping with the Cisco DNA Center
Run log
file - contains the console run logs
JSON
file - contains the report in a JSON format
Debug Log
file - contains database (DB) dumps for additional information on the setup (useful for troubleshooting)
AP Log
file - list of all the Access Point (AP) and their compatibility
When PDART is executed via UI, the output is two files; theTAR GZ
file as well as thePDF
file.
Built-in collaboration with Cisco DNA Center Escalation Engineering, Sales, and CX Centers TAC Engines team.
Tool Requirements
- PDART 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.
- If you have multiple Cisco Prime Deployments, then PDART needs to be executed on each deployment.
- PDART must be executed as user root (a requirement for PDART execution from CLI only).
- If the Cisco Prime Infrastructure deployment is a High Availability (HA) pair (HA feature configured), then use the procedures detailed here for installing the PDART UBF (a requirement for PDART execution from UBF 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: CiscoDevNet / PDART.
There are two ways to copy the file:
- A file transfer tool like Filezilla or WinSCP.
- 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)... 10.82.113.3
Connecting to github.com (github.com)|10.82.113.3|: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)... 192.168.109.133, 192.168.108.133, 192.168.108.133, ...
Connecting to raw.githubusercontent.com (raw.githubusercontent.com)|192.168.109.133|: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 permissions to executable.
[root@pi ~]# chmod 755 pdart
Execute theLinux file
command to ensure you have the executable, and an ls -l to check whether thechmod
command has allowed the root user to execute the filepdart
.
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. (Optional) Validate the hash of the file pdart to ensure the right file has been downloaded.
To ensure the right file has been downloaded, compare either the MD5 hash or the SHA256 hash values which are available at the end of this page. Each version of PDART can have a unique set of hash values.
Step 3a. MD5 Hash verification.
Use the command md5sum (as listed). Generate the hash on your Cisco Prime Infra or any other Linux system and compare the hash value with the value at the end of this page.
$ md5sum pdart
52f429dd275e357fe3282600d38ba133 pdart
Step 3b. SHA256 Hash verification.
Use the command sha256sum (as listed). Generate the hash on your Cisco Prime Infra or any other Linux system and compare the hash value with the value at the end of this page.
$ sha256sum pdart
c91b6092ab4fa57adbe698a3c17f9146523bba5b0315222475aa4935662a0b6e pdart
Step 4. 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: 3.01 ###
### ###
####################################################
###
##
## Script Start Time: 2023-06-12_13:03:25
##
######
##
## Initiating DB Accessible Check ...
##
# DB is accessible, continuing....
######
##
## 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 - Wireless Templates checks...
## Report built for - Platform checks...
##
## Script End Time: 2023-06-12_13:07:13
##
******
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_2023-06-12_13-03-25.tar.gz
[root@pi ~]#
Step 5. A singleTAR GZ
file is created by the tool and is available at the location/localdisk/defaultRepo/pdart.d/
. The file can be copied out of Prime with the use of Filezilla or WinSCP. TheTAR 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_2023-06-12_13-03-25.tar.gz
PDART_report_2023-06-12_13-03-25.pdf
PDART_results_2023-06-12_13-03-25.json
PDART_runlog_2023-06-12_13-03-25.log
PDART_aps_2023-06-12_13-03-25.json
PDART_debuglog_2023-06-12_13-03-25.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 fileUpdated 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 withDNACAssessmentReadiness_
(CCO log in is required to download the file).
3.10.1 --> Software Download Prime Infrastructure Release 3.10.1
3.9.1 --> Software Download Prime Infrastructure Release 3.9.1
3.8.1 --> Software Download Prime Infrastructure Release 3.8.1
3.7.1 --> Software Download Prime Infrastructure Release 3.7.1
Here is an image of 3.8.1:
Primeubf381
Step 2. Upload theUBF
file from your local system and install it (Cisco Prime reload required).
Once the file is downloaded to the local system, theUBF
file can be uploaded and installed via the UI. From the main menu, navigate to the Software Update page.
ClickAdministration > Licenses and Software Updates > Software Update.
ClickUpload
to upload theUBF
file to Cisco Prime.

Browse through the local computer to choose the requiredUBF
file and clickOk
.

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

ClickYes
in the pop-up window to restart Cisco Prime Infrastructure and install the UBF.

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

Step 3. Navigate to the PDART screen (either step 3a or 3b).
Step 3a. Once the UBF is installed, navigate to this URL which brings up the PDART main page. ClickRUN PDART TOOL
to execute PDART.
https://<Cisco Prime IP Address>/webacs/pdart.jsp
Step 3b. Once the UBF is installed, and if the Prime Data Migration Tool version 5 is also installed, PDART can be launched from the hamburger menu as per these screencaptures.

Step 4. Execute PDART from the UI.
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.
ClickDownload PDART Report
to view the PDART PDF report or click theBack 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
PDART Version
|
Comments
|
Up to 0.09
|
All assessments are based on Cisco DNA Center version 2.2.2.x. UBF & Github.
|
1.01
|
All assessments (use case, device, scale, reports) are now based on Cisco DNA Center version 2.2.3.x. New JSON file for all APs and their compatibility. Platform section changed to Migration Readiness and includes CPU cores, Total memory, CPU load average, Planned AP list and location, buildings without any latitude/longitude settings, disk utilization & phase 2 migration tool installation checks. Github only.
|
1.02
|
Compatibility with PI 3.10. Github only.
|
1.03
|
Unmanaged devices count check, multiple bug fixes & crashes in device compatibility. ISE Server migration recommendations. Github only.
|
1.05
|
Includes bug fixes. Both UBF and Github support.
|
2.01
|
All assessments are based on Cisco DNA Center version 2.3.3.x. Legacy support and additional migration blocker checks. Available on Github only.
|
2.02
|
This version is available in both forms, as a UBF (update 3) on CCO and available as an executable on Github. Scale numbers are inline with the new numbers published for 2.3.3.x release.
UBF files are:
Cisco DNACAssessmentReadiness_3_7_Update_03-1.0.3.ubf
Cisco DNACAssessmentReadiness_3_8_Update_03-1.0.3.ubf
Cisco DNACAssessmentReadiness_3_9_Update_03-1.0.3.ubf
Cisco DNACAssessmentReadiness_3_10_Update_03-1.0.3.ub
|
2.03
|
Minor bug fixes and available on Github only.
|
2.04
|
Minor bug fixes and available on Github only.
|
3.01
|
All assessments are based on Cisco DNA Center version 2.3.5.x.
Introduced Wireless templates feature.
Available on Github only.
MD5 Checksum: fd31d1895b32bdd5bbe557b5b816e57c
SHA256 Checksum: 16343616aadb63b676804e2b49cf1e93e142caede1003c889de462b2d6983ffc
|
3.02
|
All assessments are based on Cisco DNA Center version 2.3.5.x. Device compatibility matrix within PDART is updated.
Additional migration checks & modifications:
- Sites that cannot be migrated due to unsupported special characters or those that begin or end with a blank space.
- Duplicate planned migration check to include locations.
- Devices that cannot be migrated as they are part of the wrong group or wrong group type.
Available on Github and as UBF
MD5 Checksum: 6f774cb32143f73333ad8960bcecd871
SHA256 Checksum: 78c82e2ebc2e00ac3fd9a98171bfa98c769a51d12b3fa98b73baaf97fd552236
|
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 Infrastructure successfully, but does not execute, then share the output of theseLinux
commands:
file pdart
ls -l pdart
log files in /localdisk/defaultRepo/pdart.d/
tool run logs seen on screen (in case of CLI version)
If PDART fails to run via the UI, then share the screen captures and any failed logs.