Add and Organize Devices

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To ensure that Cisco EPN Manager can query devices and receive events and notifications from them, you must configure devices to forward events to the Cisco EPN Manager server. For most devices, this means you must configure the devices to forward SNMP traps and syslogs.

For other devices (such as some optical devices), it means you must configure the devices to forward TL1 messages.

If you have a high availability deployment, you must configure devices to forward events to both the primary and secondary servers (unless you are using a virtual IP address; see Using Virtual IP Addressing With HA).

In most cases, you should configure this using the snmp-server host command. Refer to the topics in this document that list the prerequisites for the different device operating systems.

snmp-server host server_IP
snmp-server community public-cmty RO
snmp-server community private-cmty RW
snmp-server ifindex persist

Do not change the device's default packet size (which 1500 bytes). SNMP requests are sent in bulk by default. A small packet size could result in truncated responses.

This setting disables domain lookups (which can cause Telnet command delays):

no ip domain-lookup

The following syslog settings are required.

logging server_IP
logging on
logging trap informational
logging buffered 64000 informational
logging event link-status default

The following syslog is required if the device has a management IP address (interface_name is the active management IP address):

logging source-interface interface_name

snmp-server host server_IP
domain ipv4 host server_name server_IP
telnet ipv4 server max-servers no-limit
snmp-server community community_name SystemOwner
snmp-server community community_name RO
snmp-server entityindex persist
snmp-server ifindex persist
vty-pool default 0 99
xml agent tty
netconf agent tty
service timestamps log datetime show-timezone msec year 

Do not change the device's default packet size (which 1500 MB). SNMP requests are sent in bulk by default. A small packet size could result in truncated responses.

In addition to the required settings, you must follow these guidelines:

• Install the Cisco IOS XR Manageability Package (MGBL) on top of the Cisco IOS XR version. You can get information on this package from the release notes for your Cisco IOS XR version.
• Use the device login user that is a member of group root-system and cisco-support.
• User should use the admin user unique Telnet login user@admin (and also be a member of groups root-system and cisco-support).
• The devices must have one of the following SNMP community privileges: SDROwner, SystemOwner or the default (which means no specific level was specified). You may configure this as needed, using the following guidelines. (The following command is one line.)

snmp-server community [clear | encrypted] community-string [view view_name] [RO | RW]
[SDROwner | SystemOwner] [access_list_name]

The snmp-server command takes the following arguments.

The following syslog settings are also required.

logging server_IP
logging on
logging trap informational
logging facility local7
logging events level informational
logging events link-status software-interfaces

In the following syslog, the range indicates the minimum of 307200 and maximum of 125000000 log messages that can be stored on the device.

logging buffered <307200-125000000>

This syslog is required if the device has a management IP address (interface_name is the active management IP address):

logging source-interface interface_name

If the device was added using its virtual IP address, configure it as follows:

ipv4 virtual address use-as-src-addr

• Cisco EPN Manager uses SSH to secure communication with Cisco NCS 4000 Series devices. To enable SSH, apply the following configuration settings on the device:

  ssh server v2
  ssh server rate-limit 600

• In MPLS traffic engineering configuration mode, enable event logging:

  mpls traffic-eng logging events all

• Set the VTY options:

  line default
  exec-timeout 10 0
  session-limit 10
  session-timeout 100
  transport input ssh
  transport output ssh
  vty-pool default 0 99 line-template default

• Configure the Netconf and XML agents:

  xml agent tty
  netconf agent tty

• Configure SNMP on the device:

  snmp-server host server_IP
  snmp-server community public RO SystemOwner
  snmp-server community private RW SystemOwner
  snmp-server ifindex persist

  You can use either SNMPv2 or SNMPv3:

  • For SNMPv2 only, configure the community string:

    snmp-server community ReadonlyCommunityName RO SystemOwner

  • For SNMPv3 only, configure the following settings:

    snmp-server user User Group v3 auth sha encrypted Password priv des56 encrypted Password SystemOwner
    snmp-server view Group 1.3.6 included
    snmp-server group Group v3 priv notify Group read Group

    For configuring the polling and configuration view, choose one of the following configuration options:

    • SNMPv3 default configuration (used for SNMPv3 polling and viewing of the default configuration):

      snmp-server group Group v3 priv read v1default write v1default notify v1default

    • SNMPv3 specific configuration:

      • For SNMPv3 polling only:

        snmp-server group Group v3 priv

      • For viewing configuration for SNMPv3 set, polling, and for traps/informs notifications:

        snmp-server group Group v3 priv notify epnm read epnm write epnm

      • For viewing SNMPv3 - LLDP MIB OID configuration:

        snmp-server view Group 1.0.8802.1.1.2 included

    Note	In the first line, User and Group are two distinct variables that you need to enter values for.

• Configure the stats command to improve the SNMP interface stats response time using the configuration Snmp-server ifmib stats cache

• Configure SNMP traps for virtual interfaces to ensure that link-down scenarios are captured:

  snmp-server interface subset 1 regular-expression Hun*
  notification linkupdown
  !
  snmp-server interface subset 2 regular-expression Forty*
  notification linkupdown
  !
  snmp-server interface subset 3 regular-expression Ten*
  notification linkupdown
  !

• Syslogs are used by Cisco EPN Manager for alarm and event management. NTP settings ensure that Cisco EPN Manager receives the correct timestamps for events. To configure syslogs on the device, add the following settings:

  clock timezone TimeZone
  service timestamps log datetime show-timezone msec year
  ntp server NTP_Server
  update-calendar
  logging facility local7
  logging Server_IP vrf default severity info [port default]
  mpls traffic-eng logging events all

  Note the following:

  • When specifying the time zone, enter the time zone's acronym and its difference (in hours) from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). For example, to specify the time zone for a device located in Los Angeles, you would enter clock timezone PDT -7.

  • Replace Server_IP with the IP address of the host Cisco EPN Manager is installed on.

• Configure the Virtual IP address:

  ipv4 virtual address NCS4K_Virtual_IP_Address/Subnet_Mask
  ipv4 virtual address use-as-src-addr

  Note	NCS4K_Virtual_IP_Address and Subnet_Mask are two distinct variables separated by a slash. Be sure to enter a value for both of these variables.

• Enable performance management on all optical data unit (ODU) controllers:

  controller oduX R/S/I/P
  per-mon enable
  

• Enable performance management for Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM):

  tcm id {1-6}
  perf-mon enable
  

• Configure the Telnet or SSH rate limit for accepting service requests:

  • For Telnet, set the number of requests accepted per second (between1-100; the default is 1):

    cinetd rate-limit 100

  • For SSH, set the number of request accepted per minute (between 1-600; the default is 60):

    ssh server rate-limit 600

• To open Cisco Transport Controller (CTC) from Cisco EPN Manager (from a Device 360 view), enable the HTTP/HTTPS server:

  http server ssl

• If you plan to use the Configuration Archive feature, devices must be configured as secured. To do this from CTC:

  1. Choose Provisioning > Security > Access

  2. Set EMS Access to secure.

• If you notice any performance issues because multiple Cisco NCS 4000 Series devices are sending information simultaneously, increase the number of Telnet sessions per second:

  cinetd rate-limit 100

If you want to access a device that uses IPv6 addresses, configure the IPv6 address and static route on the Cisco EPN Manager server (virtual machine) by performing these steps:

1. Remove the ipv6 address autoconfig from the interface.
2. Configure the IPv6 address on the Cisco EPN Manager server.
3. Add a static route to the Cisco EPN Manager server.

Note	Service discovery might take longer than usual when a large number of devices is added during database maintenance windows. Therefore, we recommend that you avoid large-scale operations during the night and on weekends.

Cisco EPN Manager supports two discovery methods:

• Ping sweep from a seed device (Quick Discovery). The device name, SNMP community, seed IP address and subnet mask are required. This method is not supported for discovering optical devices. See Run Quick Discovery

• Using customized discovery methods (Discovery Settings)—This method is recommended if you want to specify settings and rerun discovery in the future. If you want to discover optical devices, use this method. See Run Discovery With Customized Discovery Settings.

Note

If a discovery job rediscovers an existing device and the device's last inventory collection status is Completed, Cisco EPN Manager does not overwrite the existing credentials with those specified in the Discovery Settings. For all other statuses (on existing devices), Cisco EPN Manager overwrites the device credentials with those specified in the Discovery Settings.

The discovery process of a device is carried out in the sequence of steps listed below. As Cisco EPN Manager performs discovery, it sets the reachability state of a device, which is: Reachable, Ping Reachable, or Unreachable. A description of the states is provided in Device Reachability and Admin States.

1. Cisco EPN Manager determines if a device is reachable using ICMP ping. If a device is not reachable, its reachability state is set to Unreachable.

2. Server checks if SNMP communication is possible or not.

   • If a device is reachable by ICMP but its SNMP communication is not possible, its reachability state is set to Ping Reachable.

     Note

     In this fault scenario, do the following: Ensure that the credentials used by Cisco EPN Manager for device verification are correct. Verify that SNMP is enabled on the device and that the SNMP credentials configured on the device match those configured on Cisco EPN Manager . Check whether SNMP packets are being dropped due to configuration errors or due to your security settings (default behavior) in all the network devices that are participating in transporting SNMP packets between the managed devices and the Cisco EPN Manager server. For Cisco NCS 2000 devices, verify the TL1 credentials, in addition (or instead) of SNMP credentials.

   • If a device is reachable by both ICMP and SNMP, its reachability state is Reachable.

3. Verifies the device's Telnet and SSH credentials. If the credentials fail, details about the failure are provided in the Network Devices table in the Last Inventory Collection Status column (for example, Wrong CLI Credentials). The reachability state is not changed.

4. Modifies the device configuration to add a trap receiver so that Cisco EPN Manager can receive the necessary notifications (using SNMP).

5. Starts the inventory collection process to gather all device information.

6. Displays all information in the web GUI, including whether discovery was fully or partially successful.

Note	When Cisco EPN Manager verifies a device’s SNMP read-write credentials, the device log is updated to indicate that a configuration change by Cisco EPN Manager (identified by its IP address).

Use a CSV file to add devices if you have an existing management system from which you want to import devices, or you want to specify different values in a spreadsheet.

• Create the CSV File
• Import the CSV File

Groups are logical containers for network elements, such as devices and ports. You can create groups that are specific to your deployment—for example, by device type or location. You can set up a group so that new devices are automatically added if they match your criteria, or you may want to add devices manually.

For information on the specific types of groups, see the related topics Network Device Groups and Port Groups.

For information on how elements are added to groups, see How Elements Are Added to Groups: Dynamic, Manual, and Mixed Groups.