Installing the Cisco MSE Virtual Appliance on a Hyper-V Platform

Hyper-V™ is a Microsoft® technology that enables the deployment of virtual servers. Hyper-V is a role in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2012 that provides the tools and services that can use to create a virtualized server computing environment. This type of environment is useful to create and manage virtual machines, that allow running multiple operating systems on one physical computer and isolate the Operating System from each other.

For more information about Microsoft Hyper-V, see this URL: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732470(v=ws.10).aspx

This chapter contains the following sections:

Installation Requirements for Microsoft Hyper-V

For more information on prerequisites for installation, see this URL: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj647784

Overview of the Process for Installing the Cisco MSE Virtual Appliance on a Hyper-V Platform

Table 5-1 describes the steps to be followed while deploying the Cisco MSE virtual appliance.

 

Table 5-1 Workflow for MSE Virtual Appliance Installation

Process
Description

1.blank.gif Verify the requirements and prepare for Cisco MSE VA installation.

See Verifying Prerequisites for more information.

2.blank.gif Download the Cisco MSE VA Tar file from Cisco.com.

See Downloading the Cisco MSE Virtual Appliance Tar File for more information.

3.blank.gif Deploying the VHD package.

See Importing MSE Appliance on the Microsoft Hyper-V for more information.

4.blank.gif Configure the basic settings.

See Configuring the Basic Settings to Start the MSE Virtual Appliance VM for more information.

5.blank.gif Configure the MSE on Prime Infrastructure.

See Configuring MSE on the Prime Infrastructure for more information.

6.blank.gif Synchronize the network design and tracking parameters.

See Synchronizing the Network Design and Tracking Parameters for more information.

Verifying Prerequisites

  • Install Hyper-V
  • Create and Set up a virtual machine
  • Install the guest operating system and integration services
  • Configure virtual networks

Refer to these URLs for more information:

Downloading the Cisco MSE Virtual Appliance Tar File

To download the tar file, follow these steps:

Step 1blank.gif Access the Cisco Mobility Services Engine (MSE) Virtual Appliance image at the following location: http://software.cisco.com/download/navigator.html

Step 2blank.gif In the Product/Technology Support section, choose Download Software.

Step 3blank.gif In the Select a Product section, navigate to the Wireless software by choosing Products > Wireless > Mobility Services > Cisco Mobility Services Engine Virtual Appliance.

A list of the latest release software for Cisco Mobility Services Engine Virtual Appliance is available for download.

Step 4blank.gif In the Latest list, choose 8.0.x.x.

Step 5blank.gif You can select any of the following files to download:

  • MSE-HYPERV-VA-8-0-x-x-Generic.tar.bz2—Use this file for a new MSE deployment on a Hyper-V platform.
  • MSE-HYPERV-VA-8-0-x-x-LowEnd.tar.bz2—Use this file for a new MSE deployment on a low-end Hyper-V platform.

Step 6blank.gif Save the installer to your computer in a place that will be easy to find when you start the deployment.

 

Importing MSE Appliance on the Microsoft Hyper-V

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Noteblank.gif The Microsoft® Hyper-V 2008 does not support the Open Virtualization Format (OVF). For
Hyper-V 2012, you must extract the Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) bundle and deploy the Mobility Services Engine (MSE) appliance on the target Hyper-V.

Step 1blank.gif Download the MSE tar file as specified in this procedure: Downloading the Cisco MSE Virtual Appliance Tar File.

Step 2blank.gif Extract the MSE appliance tar file using any of the extract tools that you have (see Figure 5-1).

Figure 5-1 MSE Tar File

 

353068.tif
 

The extracted archive consists of these files (see Figure 5-2):

  • HyperV client utility file (.ps1)
  • MSE metadata file (.mf)
  • MSE disk file (.vhd)
  • MSE xml file (.ovf)

Figure 5-2 Extracted Files

 

353075.tif
 
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Noteblank.gif Do not change the name of any files that are extracted and make sure that the absolute path does not contain any spaces.

Step 3blank.gif You can run the MSE-HyperV-Client-Utility.ps1 file in the following ways:

  • Double click the utility.ps1 file and follow Step 4 through Step 8.
  • Open the Windows PowerShell Client and go to the location where the archive is extracted and then run this file:./MSE-hyperv-client-utility.ps1. Follow the steps from Step 9 through Step 19.

Step 4blank.gif Double click the MSE-Hyper-Client-Utility file.

Step 5blank.gif Provide the appropriate Virtual Machine (VM) name.

Enter the Virtual Machine name (Press [Enter] to choose Default[]):

Step 6blank.gif Enter the VHD location.

Enter the VHD location to be stored (Press [Enter] to choose Default [C:\Users\Public\Documents\Hyper-V\]):

Step 7blank.gif Enter the VM location.

Enter the location to store the files for the new virtual machine (Press [Enter) to choose Default [C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V\]):

Step 8blank.gif The MSE appliance is deployed in the Hyper-V server as shown below.

Figure 5-3 Hyper-V Deployment

 

353070.tif

Step 9blank.gif Open the power shell and go to the location where the archive is extracted and run the file./MSE-hyperv-client-utility.ps1 as shown in the figure below.

 

353078.tif
 

Step 10blank.gif Prompts for the name of the VM:

  • Provide the appropriate name or press Enter for default name.

Step 11blank.gif Prompts for the location to store the.VHD file:

  • Specify the location to store the.VHD file or press Enter to store the file in the default location as shown in the figure below. If you select the default location for storing, select the VHD and make sure that the default location is “C:\Users\Public\documents\Hyper-v\’ and has enough space to store the.VHD file.

 

353079.tif
 

Step 12blank.gif Prompts for the location to store the VMs. Provide the path to store the virtual machine or press Enter to store at the default location.

Step 13blank.gif The VM with attached VHD is defined into the Hypervisor and starts the VM

 

353080.tif
 

Step 14blank.gif The newly created MSE appliance gets imported into the Check if the VM is up and running in the Hyper-V-Manager Client.

Step 15blank.gif Open the Hyper-V-Manager and find the newly created VM.

Figure 5-4 Deployed Appliance

 

353070.tif
 

Step 16blank.gif The virtual machine will be in shut down state as soon as the deployment is completed.

Step 17blank.gif Start the Virtual Machine (VM).

Right-click on the imported file and select Start (see Figure 5-5).

Figure 5-5 Starting the Virtual Machine

 

353071.tif
 

Step 18blank.gif Check the network status of MSE VM.

Right-click on the VM and select Settings.

Step 19blank.gif In the Settings window, choose Hardware > IDE Controller 1 > Network Adapter1 to check the network that is attached to the NICs.

 

Configuring the Basic Settings to Start the MSE Virtual Appliance VM

You have completed deploying the MSE virtual appliance on a new virtual machine. A node for the virtual machine now appears in the resource tree in the HyperV-Manager window. After deployment, you need to configure basic settings for the MSE virtual appliance.

To start the MSE setup, follow these steps:

Step 1blank.gif Click the Console tab, within the console pane.

Step 2blank.gif Press Enter for the login prompt to appear to initiate the MSE Installation Wizard. The following is displayed:

------------------------------------------------------------------
Cisco Mobility Services Engine
mse-kw login: root
password: password
Last login: Mon Apr 7 04:11:50 on tty1
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Noteblank.gif If the MSE does not prompt for setup, enter the following command: /opt/mse/setup/setup.sh.

Would you like to setup initial parameters using menu options (yes/no) [yes]:
 
Please select a configuration option below and enter the
requested information. You may exit setup at any time by
typing <Ctrl+C>.
 
You will be prompted to choose whether you wish to configure a
parameter, skip it, or reset it to its initial default value.
Skipping a parameter will leave it unchanged from its current
value.
 
Please note that the following parameters are mandatory and must be configured at lease once.
-> Hostname
-> Network interface eth0
-> Timezone settings
-> Root password
-> NTP settings
-> Prime Infrastructure password
 
You must select option 24 to verify and apply any changes made during this session.
--------------------------------------------------------------
 
PRESS <ENTER> TO CONTIBNUE:
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------
 
Configure MSE:
 
1) Hostname * 13) Remote syslog setting
2) Network Interface eth0 settings * 14) Host access control settings
3) Timezone settings * 15) Audit rules
4) Root password * 16) Login banner
5) NTP settings * 17) System console restrictions
6) Prime Infrastructure configuration 18) SSH root access
7) Display current configuration 19) Single user password check
8) Domain 20) Login and password settings
9) High availability role 21) GRUB password
10) Network interface eth1 settings 22) Root access control
11) DNS settings 23) Auto start MSE on system boot up
12) Future restart time 24) ## Verify and apply changes ##
 
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Noteblank.gif It is highly recommended that all relevant items be configured during initial setup to ensure optimum operation of the mobility services engine in your network. The hostname and either the Ethernet-0 (eth0) or the Ethernet-1 (eth1) port must always be configured during the automatic installation.

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Noteblank.gif You can rerun the automatic installation script at any time to add or change parameters using this command:
[root@mse]# /opt/mse/setup/setup.sh.
There is no need to re-enter values that you do not want to change during one of these updates.

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Noteblank.gif If you do not want to configure an item, enter skip and you are prompted for the next configuration step. Any setting skipped is retained and not modified.

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Noteblank.gif Minimal configuration is done for the mobility services engine as part of installation using the console. All configurations beyond the initial setup using the automatic installation is done with the Cisco Prime Infrastructure.

Step 3blank.gif Configure the hostname

Please enter your choice [1 - 24]: 1
 
Current hostname=[mse-kw]
Configure hostname? (Y)es/(S)kip/(U)se default [Skip]: y
The host name should be a unique name that can identify
the device on the network. The hostname should start with
a letter, end with a letter or number, and contain only
letters, numbers, and dashes.
 
Enter a host name [mse-kw]:
 

Step 4blank.gif Configure eth0 network settings

Please enter your choice [1 - 24]: 2
 
Current IP address=[10.0.0.1]
Current eth0 netmask=[255.0.0.0]
Current IPv4 gateway address=[172.20.104.123]
Configure eth0 interface parameters? (Y)es/(S)kip/(U)se default [Skip]:y
 
Enter an IP address for first ethernet interface of this machine.
 
Enter eth0 IP address [10.0.0.2]:
 
Enter the network mask for IP address 172.21.105.126
 
Enter network mask [255.255.255.224]:
 
Enter an default gateway address for this machine.
 
Note that the default gateway must be reachable from
the first ethernet interface.
 
Enter default gateway address [172.20.104.123]:
 

Step 5blank.gif Configure the DNS Settings:

Please enter your choice [1 - 24]: 11
 
Domain Name Service (DNS) Setup
 
Enable DNS (yes/no) [no]: y
Default DNS server 1=[8.8.8.8]
Enter primary DNS server IP address:
DNS server address must be in the form #.#.#.#, where # is 0 to 255 or hexadecimal : separated v6 address
 
Enter primary DNS server IP address [8.8.8.8]:
Enter backup DNS server IP address (or none) [none]:
 

Step 6blank.gif Configure the Timezone settings:

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Noteblank.gif If your wIPS deployment consists of a Cisco MSE and other devices (such as Cisco WLCs and access points), set the Cisco MSE and the other devices to the same time zone.

Please enter your choice [1 - 24]: 3
 
Current timezone=[America/]
Configure timezone? (Y)es/(S)kip/(U)se default [Skip]: y
 
Enter the current date and time.
 
Please identify a location so that time zone rules can be set correctly.
Please select a continent or ocean.
1) Africa
2) Americas
3) Antarctica
4) Arctic Ocean
5) Asia
6) Atlantic Ocean
7) Australia
8) Europe
9) Indian Ocean
10) Pacific Ocean
11) UTC - I want to use Coordinated Universal Time.
#? 2
Please select a country.
1) Anguilla 27) Honduras
2) Antigua & Barbuda 28) Jamaica
3) Argentina 29) Martinique
4) Aruba 30) Mexico
5) Bahamas 31) Montserrat
6) Barbados 32) Netherlands Antilles
7) Belize 33) Nicaragua
8) Bolivia 34) Panama
9) Brazil 35) Paraguay
10) Canada 36) Peru
11) Cayman Islands 37) Puerto Rico
12) Chile 38) St Barthelemy
13) Colombia 39) St Kitts & Nevis
14) Costa Rica 40) St Lucia
15) Cuba 41) St Martin (French part)
16) Dominica 42) St Pierre & Miquelon
17) Dominican Republic 43) St Vincent
18) Ecuador 44) Suriname
19) El Salvador 45) Trinidad & Tobago
20) French Guiana 46) Turks & Caicos Is
21) Greenland 47) United States
22) Grenada 48) Uruguay
23) Guadeloupe 49) Venezuela
24) Guatemala 50) Virgin Islands (UK)
25) Guyana 51) Virgin Islands (US)
26) Haiti
#? 47
Please select one of the following time zone regions.
1) Eastern Time
2) Eastern Time - Michigan - most locations
3) Eastern Time - Kentucky - Louisville area
4) Eastern Time - Kentucky - Wayne County
5) Eastern Time - Indiana - most locations
6) Eastern Time - Indiana - Daviess, Dubois, Knox & Martin Counties
7) Eastern Time - Indiana - Pulaski County
8) Eastern Time - Indiana - Crawford County
9) Eastern Time - Indiana - Pike County
10) Eastern Time - Indiana - Switzerland County
11) Central Time
12) Central Time - Indiana - Perry County
13) Central Time - Indiana - Starke County
14) Central Time - Michigan - Dickinson, Gogebic, Iron & Menominee Counties
15) Central Time - North Dakota - Oliver County
16) Central Time - North Dakota - Morton County (except Mandan area)
17) Mountain Time
18) Mountain Time - south Idaho & east Oregon
19) Mountain Time - Navajo
20) Mountain Standard Time - Arizona
21) Pacific Time
22) Alaska Time
23) Alaska Time - Alaska panhandle
24) Alaska Time - Alaska panhandle neck
25) Alaska Time - west Alaska
26) Aleutian Islands
27) Hawaii
#? 21
 
The following information has been given:
 
United States
Pacific Time
 
Therefore TZ='America/Los_Angeles' will be used.
Local time is now: Sun Apr 6 18:45:27 PDT 2014.
Universal Time is now: Mon Apr 7 01:45:27 UTC 2014.
Is the above information OK?
1) Yes
2) No
#? 1
 

Step 7blank.gif Configure the Root password:

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Noteblank.gif If you do not set the root password, a warning message is displayed when you apply the settings.

Please enter your choice [1 - 24]: 4
 
Root password has not been configured
Configure root password? (Y)es/(S)kip/(U)se default [Skip]:
Changing password for user root.
 
You can now choose the new password.
 
A valid password should be a mix of upper and lower case letters, digits, and other characters. You can use an 8 character long password with characters from all of these classes. An upper case letter that begins the password and a digit that ends it do not count towards the number of character classes used.
 
Enter new password:
 

Step 8blank.gif Configure the NTP Setup

Please enter your choice [1 - 24]: 5
 
Network Time Protocol (NTP) Setup.
 
If you choose to enable NTP, the system time will be
configured from NTP servers that you select. Otherwise,
you will be prompted to enter the current date and time.
 
NTP is currently disabled.
Configure NTP related parameters? (Y)es/(S)kip/(U)se default [Skip]: y
 
Enter whether or not you would like to set up the
Network Time Protocol (NTP) for this machine.
 
If you choose to enable NTP, the system time will be
configured from NTP servers that you select. Otherwise,
you will be prompted to enter the current date and time.
 
Enable NTP (yes/no) [no]: y
Default NTP server 1=[time.nist.gov]
Enter NTP server name or address:
NTP server address must be in the form #.#.#.3, where # is 0 to 255 hexadecimal : separated v6 address.
Enter NTP server name or [time.nist.gov]:
Enter another NTP server IP address (or none) [none]:
Configure NTP Authentication ? (Y)es/(S)kip/(U)se default [Skip]: y
Enter NTP Auth key Number [1]:
Enter NTP Auth key Value (String) [Secret]:
Do you want to continue (yes/no) [no]: y
 

Step 9blank.gif Configure the Prime Infrastructure password:

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Noteblank.gif If you do not set the password, a warning message appears when you apply the settings. The default PI communication password is admin.

Please enter your choice [1 - 24]: 6
 
Cisco Prime Infrastructure communication password has not been configured.
Configure Prime Infrastructure password? (Y)es/(S)kip/(U)se default [Yes]:
 
Enter a password for the admin user.
The admin user is used by the Prime Infrastructure and other northbound systems to authenticate their SOAP/XML session with the server. Once this password is updated, it must correspondingly be updated on the NCS page for MSE General Parameters so that the Prime Infrastructure can communicate with the MSE.
 
Enter Prime Infrastructure password:
 

Step 10blank.gif Verify the setup information and apply the changes:

Please enter your choice [1 - 24]: 23
 
Please verify the following setup information.
 
-----------------------------BEGIN----------------------------
 
Hostname=mse8-0
Eth0 IP address=, Eth0 network mask=255.255.254.0
Time zone=America/Los_Angeles
Enable DNS=yes, DNS servers=8.8.8.8
Enable NTP=yes, NTP servers=time.nist.gov
Time zone=America/Los_Angeles
Root password is changed.
Cisco Prime Infrastructure password is changed.
 
------------------------------END-----------------------------
 
You may enter "yes" to proceed with configuration, "no" to make
more changes.
 
 
Configuration Changed
Is the above information correct (yes or no): yes
 
--------------------------------------------------------------
------------
Checking mandatory configuration information...
 
Setup will now attempt to apply the configuration.
 
Restarting network services with new settings.
Shutting down interface eth0:
 
The system is minimally configured right now. It is strongly recommended that you run the setup script under /opt/mse/setup/setup.sh command to configure all appliance related parameters immediately after installation is complete.
 
PRESS <ENTER> TO EXIT THE INSTALLER:
[root@mse8-0 installers]# reboot
Stopping MSE Platform
 
Flushing firewall rules: [OK]
Setting chains to policy ACCEPT: nat filter [OK]
Unloading iptables modules: [ok]
 
Broadcast message from root (pts/0) (Tue Apr29 14:15:27:2014):
 
The system is going down for reboot NOW:
The figure below shows an example of the completion screen:
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Noteblank.gif The next time you log in using root, only the Linux shell prompt appears and not the setup script. You can rerun the setup script at any time to change settings by logging in as root and running /opt/mse/setup/setup.sh.

Step 11blank.gif To verify the configuration, run the getserverinfo command.

[mse-kw]# getserverinfo
 

Step 12blank.gif To configure the MSE to automatically launch after boot up, enter the following command:

[mse-kw]# chkconfig msed on
 

Step 13blank.gif Roboot using the following command:

[mse-kw]# reboot
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Noteblank.gif To start the MSE service manually, enter the following command:
[mse-kw]# service msed start

The setup script generates a log file that can be found at /opt/mse/setup/setup.log.

 

Configuring MSE on the Prime Infrastructure

See Configuring MSE on the Prime Infrastructure for more information.

Synchronizing the Network Design and Tracking Parameters

See Synchronizing the Network Designs for more information.