NetMRI discovery depends on a collection of under-the-hood features to ensure that polling and addition of devices in the network proceed smoothly and accurately. This chapter describes the three following critical tasks.
Defining Data Collection and Device Groups: You must define important settings for network polling. This topic involves the processes of data collection and polling of devices across the network, including polling of switched Ethernet devices. The definition of device and interface groups is discussed in other topics later in this Guide. For more information, see Defining Group Data Collection Settings.
- ManagingSNMPandCLICredentials: Credentials are a critical component for discovery and Configuration Management. You can define global default values for admin account logins, enable passwords, and also define admin account logins and enable passwords on individual devices. For more information, see Adding and Editing Device Credentials.
- DebuggingandManagingCollectionResults: When data collection and polling stops for any reason, NetMRI provides methods for determining the cause of the failure and ways to fix it. See Debugging Issues in Discovery and Data Collection bookmark177 and Running Discovery Diagnostics for more information.
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The CC column in the Network Explorer –> Discovery table reveals important debugging information for configuration collection issues. The most important discovery and Config Collection issues are listed in this topic, along with where in NetMRI to fix them.
Image RemovedWarning Image Added icons in the CC column indicate possible configuration data collection problems. Other locations that report related messages include Device Viewer –> Settings & Status –> Management Status and Settings icon –> Setup –> Discovery Settings –> Seed Router. Specific messages are described below. |
| Config Not Changed | The configuration for the device has not changed since the previous polling of the device. No problem is indicated here unless you have pushed a changed configuration to the device. Even in those cases, allow some more time for the device to synchronize with NetMRI. If you expect changes to be reflected in device polling. go to Device Viewer –> Configuration Management –> Config Explorer and check the Running Config Saved? status line. If the answer is No, ensure the changes in the device's running-config are saved according to the device's configuration data saving requirements. |
| CLI Credentials Unknown | NetMRI cannot obtain the device configuration due to not having the correct CLI username/password tuple, and credential guessing did not work for the device. Go to the Device Viewer –> Settings & Status –> CLI Credentials page for that device. Click Edit and enter the necessary values for the SSH and/or Telnet login tuple and the Enable Password if necessary. Each attempt at connection and collection is listed in the table. Note that the C column, for CLI Credentials Status, may show an Error, usually listed as Failed to authenticate: Invalid Username and/or password. |
| Configuration Collection Disabled Globally | This message appears for devices that support configuration collection, but the collection was skipped because Config Collection is globally disabled in NetMRI. The same message appears in the Device Viewer –> Settings & Status –> Management Status page. Go to Settings icon –> Setup –> Collection and Groups –> Groups –> Config Management side tab, and enable the Config Collection checkbox. Also, ensure the proper protocols (SSH, Telnet, HTTP) are enabled for config collection. |
| Configuration Collection Enabled Globally, All Protocol Options Disabled | This message appears for devices that support configuration collection, but the collection was skipped because Config Collection is globally enabled in NetMRI but no data collection protocols were enabled. The same message appears in the Device Viewer –> Settings & Status –> Management Status page. Go to Settings icon –> Setup –> Collection and Groups –> Groups –> Config Management side tab, and enable the Config Collection checkbox. Ensure the proper protocols (SSH, Telnet, and/or HTTP) are enabled for config collection. |
| Configuration Collection Disabled at Device Group level | The device showing this message currently has config collection disabled for the Device Group to which the device belongs. Go to Settings icon –> Setup –> Collection and Groups –> Groups, click the Action icon and choose Edit for the selected Device Group. In the Group Settings tab, enable the Config Collection checkbox. |
| Not Included by Discovery Settings | The message indicates that although the device has been detected by NetMRI, it is not included in any IP Ranges or as a Static IP with the Exclude from Discovery Settings option, is not reachable through Device Hints, or is not detectable as a Seed Router.
The device in question may also be explicitly excluded from management by previously clicking the Unmanage button in Device Viewer –> Settings & Status –> Management Status page. Go to Settings icon –> Setup –> Discovery Settings and change the appropriate settings in any of the four categories. This message appears only during a manual Get Config operation. |
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LIcensed| Licensed | The message indicates that the device has not been added automatically to the full NetMRI license for the appliance reporting the Issue. Go to the Device Viewer –> Settings & Status –> Management Status page and click the License button. In the License Status dialog, choose the settings necessary to change the licensing status for the device. This message appears only during a manual Get Config operation. |
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| Running Discovery Diagnostics |
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| Running Discovery Diagnostics |
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Running Discovery Diagnostics
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NetMRI tracks the last time it has successfully communicated with a device via NMAP (used for fingerprinting), SNMP, and telnet/SSH/HTTP. This timestamp information appears in the Network Explorer –> Discovery page in NetMRI. To provide the most accurate possible timestamp, the protocols used to generate the timestamps also includes ICMP Ping and NetBIOS communications protocols. Ping and NetBIOS data results are not directly displayed in the Network Explorer –> Discovery page. NetMRI uses the maximum timestamp for a given device (i.e. across all protocols) to populate the timestamp value that is sent to NIOS.
For how to configure a synchronization, see Configuring IPAM Sync. This section also lists IPAM Sync data fields that are exported from NetMRI to NIOS.
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For additional information about NIOS IPAM Sync, see Overlay/Overwrite Logic
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| Configuring IPAM Sync |
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| Configuring IPAM Sync |
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Configuring IPAM Sync
This section describes the following:
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The following table lists the data fields in the CSV file used for IPAM Sync:
| Data Field in IPAM Sync Export File | NetMRIModel->Attribute | Field Description |
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| General Device Data |
| discovered_name | Device -> DeviceName | DNS name of the IP address. |
| ip_address | Device -> DeviceIPDotted | A valid IPv4 address. Required. |
| mac_address | Device -> DeviceMAC | A valid mac address. Must be lowercase. Optional. |
| last_discovered_timestamp | Device -> DeviceTimestamp | Timestamp of last time the discoverer has seen the device. A UTC timestamp. Required. |
| first_discovered_timestamp | Device -> DeviceFirstOccurrence | Timestamp of the first time the discoverer has seen the device. A UTC timestamp. Optional. |
| netbios_name | N/A | The NetBIOS name of the device. String type. |
Maximum | The maximum size is 15 characters. Optional. |
| os | Device -> DeviceVersion | The OS of the IP address. String Type. |
Maximum | The maximum size is 256 characters. Optional. |
| device_model | Device -> DeviceModel | The model of the device. |
| device_vendor | Device -> DeviceVendor | The vendor of the device. |
| device_location | Device -> DeviceSysLocation | The location of the device. |
| device_contact | Device -> DeviceSysContact | The contact of the device. |
| oui | Device -> DeviceOUI | The OUI of the device. |
| discoverer | N/A | Always "NetMRI". |
| Attached Device Data (only for endhosts) |
| network_component_type | Device -> DeviceType | The type of component connected to the IP address. Eg Switch, Router, Other. Optional. String type. Max size 32. |
| network_component_name | Device -> DeviceName |
Name | The name of component connected to the IP address. Optional. String type. Max size 64. |
| network_component_ description | Device -> DeviceSysDesc |
Description | The description of component connected to the IP address. Optional. String type. Max size 256. |
| network_component_ip | Device -> DeviceIPDotted | The IP address of the component connected to the IP address. Optional. String type. IPv4 address format. |
| network_component_model | Device -> DeviceModel | The model of the component connected to the IP address. |
| network_component_vendor | Device -> DeviceVendor |
Vendor | The vendor of component connected to the IP address. |
| network_ |
component| compInterface -> ifNameonent_location | Device -> DeviceSysLocation |
Type | The type of component connected to the IP address. |
| network_component_contact | Device -> DeviceSysContact |
Contact | The contact of the component connected to the IP address. |
| network_component_port_ number | Interface -> SwitchPortNumber |
Port | The port number on the component connected to the IP address. Optional. Unsigned integer type. Range 0 - 9999. |
| network_component_port_ name | Interface -> ifName |
Port | The port name on the component connected to the IP address. Optional. String type. Max size 64. |
| network_component_port _description | Interface -> ifDescr |
Description | The description of the Port on the component connected to the IP address. Optional. String type. Max size 256. |
| Port Data |
| port_vlan_name | Vlan -> VlanName |
Name the Vlan | the VLAN on the Port. Optional. String type. Max size 64. |
| port_vlan_number | Vlan -> VlanIndex |
Port Vlan | The port VLAN Number. Optional. Unsigned integer type. Range 0 - 9999. |
| port_speed | Interface -> ifSpeed |
Speed | The speed settings on the switch port. Optional. String type. Valid values are 10M, 100M, 1G, 10G, 100G, and Unknown. |
| port_duplex | Interface -> ifDuplex |
Duplex | The duplex settings on the switch port. Optional. String type. Valid values are Full and Half. |
| port_status | Interface -> ifAdminStatus | Administratively up or down. Optional. String type. Valid values are Up, Down, and Unknown. |
| port_link_status | Interface -> ifAdminStatus | Connected or not. Optional. String type. Valid values are: Connected, Not Connected, and Unknown. |
| Cisco ACI Data |
| tenant | N/A | The ACI tenant. |
| bridge_domain | N/A | The ACI bridge domain. |
| endpoint_groups | N/A | The ACI endpoint groups. |
| VRF and BGP Data |
| vrf_name | Interface -> vrf_name | The VRF name of the IP address. |
| vrf_description | Interface -> vrf_description | The VRF description of the IP address. |
| vrf_rd | Interface -> vrf_rd | The VRF route distinguisher of the IP address. |
| bgp_as | N/A | The BGP autonomous system number of the device. |
| Wireless Access Point Data |
| ap_name | N/A |
Name | The name of the wireless access point. |
| ap_ip_address | N/A | The IP address of the wireless access point. |
| ap_ssid | N/A | SSID of the wireless access point. |
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| Overlay/Overwrite Logic |
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| Overlay/Overwrite Logic |
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Overlay/Overwrite Logic
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- Network sync: Newly-imported subnets are imported as “managed”.
- If the imported subnet conflicts with an existing subnet, it is not accepted. The imported subnet can go into a container as long as there is no conflict.
- If the subnet already exists, no changes are made.
- If the subnet is in IPAM but not in NetMRI, it is left in IPAM.
- IP address sync: New IP addresses are added and marked as “unmanaged”. If an IP address already exists, the field values is are overwritten during the import.
- Before NetMRI 7.1.4 and NIOS 8.1, if the IP address exists in IPAM but it is not in the import file, it is left in IPAM.
- As of NetMRI 7.1.4 and NIOS 8.1, if the IP address exists in IPAM but it is not in the import file, its discovered data is cleared out. You can control the time that the IP address stays in the NetMRI database after it is no longer discovered under NetMRI. To do so, go to Setup -> General Settings -> Advanced Settings.
Viewing IPAM Sync Discovered Data in NetMRI and NIOS
In NIOS, you can view the data discovered by NetMRI and synchronized using IPAM Sync as follows:
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The following table helps to locate IPAM Sync discovered data in the NetMRI UI.
| UI Name of Discovered Data Field | Data Field Description | Place in NetMRI UI |
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| General Device Data |
| IP Address | The IP address of discovered network device or end host interface. | Network Explorer -> Discovery |
| Last Discovered | The timestamp when the IP address was last discovered. |
| First Discovered | The timestamp when the IP address was first discovered. |
| Discovered MAC Address | The discovered MAC address for the network device or end host. The discovery acquires the MAC address for hosts that are located on the same network as the Grid member that is running the discovery. | Interface Viewer |
| Discoverer | Specifies whether the IP address was discovered by NetMRI or Network Insight discovery process. Equals to “NetMRI” of “Network Insight” correspondingly. | N/A |
| OS | Guess for OS by network discovery. OS info is collected from device by SNMP. Depending on device SNMP settings, this field can be populated with OS version or remain empty (mostly for end hosts) -- in last case Device Type will contain OS name. In NIOS 8.4 and newer versions fingerprint scan result will be displayed as OS of end hosts. | Device Viewer |
| Discovered Name | The name of the network device or end host associated with the discovered IP address. |
| Device Model | Model name of the device in the vendor terminology. |
| Device Vendor | The vendor name of the discovered device. |
| Device Location | The physical location of the network device or endhost. | Device Viewer -> Device/Network Explorer -> Device Identification |
| Device Contact | The contact details for the network device or endhost. |
| NetBIOS Name | The name returned in the NetBIOS reply or the name you manually register for the discovered host. | Switch Port Management -> End hosts |
| Device Type(s) | Identifies the device type. | Network Explorer -> Discovery Device Viewer |
| Device Management IP | Management IP address of the device if the device has more than one IP. | Device Viewer -> Settings & Status -> General Settings |
| Interface Port Name | System name of the interface the IP associates with. | Device Viewer -> Interfaces |
| Interface Port Type | Hardware type of the interface the IP associates with. | Device Viewer -> Interfaces |
| Open Port(s) | Open ports of the device. Sample format is "TCP: 21,22,25,80 UDP: 137,139". Limited to max total 1000 ports. Data is collected by Nmap and refreshes every 24 hours. Port scanning must be enabled. | N/A |
| Device OUI | The OUI of device. | N/A |
| Attached Device Data |
| Attached Device Vendor | The vendor name of the switch port connected to the discovered device. | For an attached device: Device Viewer |
| Attached Device Address | The IP address of the switch that is connected to the network device or endhost. |
| Attached Device Name | If a reverse lookup was successful for the IP address associated with this switch, the host name is displayed here. |
| Attached Device Type | Identifies the switch that is connected to the discovered device. |
| Attached Device Model | If a reverse lookup was successful for the IP address associated with this switch, the device model is displayed here. |
Attached Device Description | A textual description of the switch that is connected to the discovered device. | For an attached device: Device Viewer -> Device/Network Explorer -> Device Identification |
| Attached Device Location | The physical location of the network device to which the discovered host is connected, as detected from the device during discovery. |
| Attached Device Contact | The contact details of the network device to which the endhost is connected, as detected from the device during discovery. |
| Attached Device Port Description | A textual description of the switch port that is connected to the discovered device. | For an attached device: Device Viewer -> Interface -> Configuration |
| Attached Device Port Name | The name of the switch port connected to the discovered device. |
| Attached Device Port | The number of the switch port connected to the discovered device. |
| Attached Device Port ID | Identificator of the switch port that is connected to the discovered device. |
| Port Data |
| Port Type | Hardware type of the interface with which the IP is associated. |
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| Port Duplex | Duplex settings of the port ofn the network component. Possible values: Full, Half. | Interface Viewer |
| Port Link | Link Status of the port on the network component. Possible values: Connected, Not Connected, Unknown. |
| Port Speed | Speed settings of the port of the network component. Possible values: 100G, 100M, 10G, 10M, 1G, Unknown. |
| Port Status | Status of the port of the network component. Possible values: Down, Unknown, Up. |
| VLAN Name | Name of the VLAN of the network component port. | Device Viewer -> Interfaces -> Configuration |
| VLAN ID | Number of the VLAN of the network component port. |
| Cisco ACI Data |
| Tenant | Discovered tenant. | Device Viewer -> ACI |
| Bridge domain | Discovered bridge domain. |
| EPG | List of comma-separated discovered endpoint groups. |
| VRF and BGP Data |
| VRF Name | VRF name of IP address. | Device Viewer -> Router -> VRF table |
| VRF Description | VRF description of IP address. |
| VRF RD | VRF route distinguisher of IP address. |
| BGP AS | BGP autonomous system number of device. | Device Viewer -> Router -> BGP |
| Wireless Access Point Data |
| AP Name | Discovered name of Wireless Access Point. | Device Viewer -> Wireless |
AP IP address | Discovered IP address of Wireless Access Point. |
| SSID | Service set identifier (SSID) associated with Wireless Access Point. |
Fields related to Cisco ACI data (tenant, bridge_domain, endpoint_groups) are specific for SDN elements and controllers.
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| Supporting Cisco Discovery Service |
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| Supporting Cisco Discovery Service |
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Supporting Cisco Discovery ServiceNetMRI automatically supports an Infoblox utility, Cisco Discovery Service, that enables network administrators to provide Cisco-validated reporting and analysis. NetMRI operates as a Cisco Discovery Service-enabled system supporting discovery of network systems for analysis and management. You can use the CDS Integration Tool as part of a new NetMRI installation, or use the tool to extract further insight and value from an existing deployment. Cisco Gold Partner status is required for effective use of the software utility.
NetMRI supports CDS API version 2.0 and uses a NetMRI device or virtual machine to inspect all aspects of a network's Cisco infrastructure to collect the following information:
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