Provision Campus Networks

Networks and device groups

The Campus Network feature in Catalyst Center allows you to manage devices from multiple sites using networks and device groups. A device group is a collection of devices intended to have similar configurations, while a network is a collection of device groups.

Device groups can be categorized into two types—wired or wireless—and consist of devices from multiple sites.

Group profiles

Group profiles are network profiles that can be applied to device groups. You can create group profiles by either learning configurations from a device or creating them manually. Additionally, you can compare a device's configurations with a group profile to identify any deviations.


Note

The Campus Network feature is in beta.

Create a network

Procedure

Step 1

From the main menu, choose Provision > Campus Network > Networks.

This table describes what occurs based on the presence of existing networks.

If...

Then...

there are no existing networks

Create Network option is displayed.

there are existing networks

a list of the available networks is displayed with the Create Network option to add a new network.

Step 2

Click Create Network.

Step 3

In the Create Network window, configure these fields:

Network details

  • Network name: Enter a name for the network.

  • Site: Choose a site for the network. All devices that are associated with the site and the levels below it will be added to the network.

Device group details

  • Device group name: Enter a name for the device group.

  • Type: Choose the device group type—Wired or Wireless.

Step 4

Click Create Network.

Manage networks

Use this procedure to view networks and the associated device groups in Catalyst Center.

Procedure

Step 1

From the main menu, choose Provision > Campus Network > Networks.

If there are no existing networks, use the Create Network option to create a new network. For more information, see Create a network.

For existing networks, the list of networks is displayed with details, such as the number of device groups and devices and the site associated with the network.

To...

Do this...

Edit or delete a network

Hover your cursor over the ellipsis icon and choose Edit network name or Delete network, as required.

You cannot delete a network that has a device group attached to it.

Add a network

 Click Create Network. See Create a network.

View network details

Click a network.

See the next step.

Step 2

Click a network to view details of the network.

The window displays these details:

Name

Description

Device groups

This tab displays all the device groups associated with the network with details like the type of the device group and number of devices in the device group. To view the device group details, click a device group name. For more information, see Manage device groups.

Hover your cursor over the ellipsis icon and choose Edit or Delete, as required. You cannot delete a device group that has devices assigned to it.

Click Create Device Group to add a new device group. In the create window, enter a device group name, choose a type and click the create option.

Devices

This tab displays the list of network devices associated with the network with details such as the IP address, manageability status, the device group it belongs to, and so on. To view the device details, click a device name.

Hover your cursor over the ellipsis icon and choose Learn profiles to learn the device configurations and create a group profile. Choose Remove from network to remove the device from the network.

Manage device groups

Use this procedure to view and manage a device group.

Before you begin

Ensure that you have created a network with device groups. For more information, see Create a network.

Procedure

Step 1

From the main menu, choose Provision > Campus Network > Networks.

Step 2

Click a network name in the Networks window.

Step 3

Click a device group under the Device groups tab.

Step 4

Use these options to manage the device group.

Click the Edit icon to modify the device group name.

The device group window displays the list of network devices assigned to the device group. The device table includes information, such as the device name, IP address, manageability status, uptime, and so on. Click a device to view the configuration details.

If there are no devices, the Assign devices option is displayed.

Table 1. Devices

Option

Description
Compare configuration

Compare device configurations with an existing group profile.

  • Choose Compare configuration > Compare configurations of all devices to compare configurations of all devices.

  • Choose the devices you want to compare and click Compare configuration to compare configurations for selected devices.

Assign devices

Assign devices to the device group.

In the Assign devices window, check the check box next to the devices you want to add and click Assign devices.

Note

 

You can assign devices only from the site associated with the network.
Remove devices

Remove the device from the device group.

Check the check box next to the device you want to remove and click Remove devices.

Learn profiles

Create a group profile by learning the device configuration.

Check the check box next to the device that you want to learn from and click Learn profiles.

Note

 

The learn configuration option is available for Cisco Catalyst 9000 Series Switches only.

Learn group profiles from a switch

Use this procedure to create a switching group profile by learning the configurations from a device.

Before you begin

Ensure that you have created networks and device groups and assigned devices to your device group. See Manage networks and Manage device groups.

Procedure

Step 1

From the main menu, choose Provision > Campus Network > Networks.

Step 2

Click a network.

Step 3

Use one of these options to view the devices in your network.

  • Under the Device Group tab, click a device group.

  • Click the Devices tab.

Step 4

Select the device that you want and click Learn profiles.

Note

 

Learn profile is supported only for Cisco Catalyst 9000 Series Switches.

Step 5

Choose the type of profile—Layer 2 or Security and enter a name for the group profile.

Step 6

Click Next.

The configurations that are learned from the device are displayed.

Note

 

Port configurations are not captured in the learn profile workflow.

Step 7

View the configurations and edit as required.

Step 8

Click Next.

Step 9

In the Summary window, review the configurations and click Save.

Compare device configurations

Use this procedure to compare device configurations with a group profile to identify deviations.

Before you begin

Ensure that you have created networks and device groups and assigned devices to your device group. Refer to Manage networks and Manage device groups.

Procedure

Step 1

From the main menu, choose Provision > Campus Network > Networks.

Step 2

Click a network.

Step 3

Follow these steps to compare the device configurations.

  1. In the Device Groups tab, click a device group.

  2. In the Device Group window, choose the required option.

    To...

    Do this...

    Compare device configurations of all the devices

    Choose Compare configuration > Compare configurations of all devices.

    Compare device configuration for selected devices

    Check the check box for the required devices, and click Compare configuration.

Step 4

In the Compare configuration dialog box, complete these steps:

  1. From the Select profile type drop-down list, choose the type of group profile.

  2. From the Select profile drop-down list, choose the group profile against which you want to compare the configurations.

  3. Click Compare.

The Comparison results window shows the number of devices for these comparison outcomes:

  • Match: Devices with matching configurations.

  • Does not match: Devices with configurations that do not match the group profile.

  • Comparison failed: Devices for which the comparison failed.

You can also view the specific devices that were compared and their individual comparison results.

Manage group profiles

Use this procedure to add, edit, and delete group profiles.

Procedure

Step 1

From the main menu, choose Provision > Campus Network > Group Profiles.

Step 2

Use this table to configure the group profiles.

To...

Do this...

Create a group profile

Hover over Add Profile and choose the type of profile—Layer 2 or Security.

Refer to Create a group profile for switching device group.

Edit a profile

Choose Edit under the Actions column.

Edit the required configurations and click Save. For configuration details, refer to Table 1 and Table 2.

Delete a profile

Choose Delete under the Actions column.

Create a group profile for switching device group

Use this procedure to create a group profile for switching device groups.

Procedure

Step 1

From the main menu, choose Provision > Campus Networks > Group Profiles.

Step 2

Click Add Profile and choose the type of profile—Layer 2 Profile or Security Profile.

Alternatively, instead of the first two steps, click the menu icon and choose Workflows > Create/Edit Group Profile. If the task overview window opens, click Let’s Do it to go directly to the workflow.

Step 3

For Layer 2 and security profile, choose one of these options to create the profile and click Next.

  • Create a group profile by learning an existing device's configuration.
  • Create a group profile manually.

Step 4

Create the profile based on the option that you chose.

If you chose...

Then...

Create a group profile by learning an existing device's configuration.

  1. Choose the device that you want to learn the configurations from and click Next.

  2. Choose the profile type and enter a name for the group profile.

  3. View the configurations that are learned from the device and edit as required.

  4. Review the configurations and click Save.

Create a group profile manually

Choose a profile type and configure the profile settings. See the next step.

Step 5

Choose the profile type—Layer 2 or Security.

Step 6

In the Group Profile Name field, enter a profile name and click Next.

The profile configuration window is displayed based on the option that you chose.

Step 7

Use this table to configure a Layer 2 profile.

Table 2. Layer 2 profile configurations

Name

Description

VLAN

  1. Click Add VLAN

  2. Enter a VLAN ID and VLAN Name.

  3. Click Add Configurations to configure additional configurations, if required.

  4. Click Save.

Discovery Protocols

Configure the CDP and LLDP details such as admin status, hold time, timer, and so on.

Click Add Configurations to configure additional configurations, if required.

STP

Configure the STP configurations such as the operational mode, STP port default fast mode, and other default configurations.

Click Add Configurations to configure additional configurations, if required.

VTP

Choose the VTP mode and version.

Click Add Configurations to configure additional configurations, if required.

DHCP Snooping

Enable DHCP Snooping and configure the related configurations.

IGMP Snooping

Enable IGMP Snooping and configure the related configurations.

MLD Snooping

Enable MLD Snooping and configure the related configurations.

UDLD

Configure the UDLD mode (enabled or disabled) and other default configurations, as required.

Authentication

  1. Choose an option for the 802.1x authentication method.

  2. To attach an authentication template, click Add Authentication Template.

    In the Add Authentication Template window, choose a template from the drop-down list and click Save.

Step 8

Use this table to configure a security profile.

Table 3. Security profile configurations

Name

Description

Cisco TrustSec

Configure the Cisco TrustSec details, such as the SGT number, authorization list name, role-based access control enforcement, SGT VLAN map, and list of enforcement VLANs.

Step 9

After configuring the required profile settings, click Next.

Step 10

Review the configurations. (Click Edit to make any changes.)

Step 11

Click Save.