Consult the following topics to address frequently asked questions about NetMRI operation, using the Cisco Discovery Service utility software, using the NetMRI AutoUpdate feature, viewing hardware status messages from NetMRI appliances, changing the banner logo and other information.
| Note | ||
|---|---|---|
|
...
For information on NetMRI licensing, including network device licensing, see NetMRI Licensing. |
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
...
Q. I have an admin account in NetMRI but I can't get my CLI connections to work - my Telnet and SSH connections time out.
A. Your admin account does not have CLI credentials enabled. To fix this, open Settings, go to User Admin –> > Users, and click the Edit icon for the admin account. Click the CLI Credentials tab. Then, enable the User CLI Credentials Enabled check box, and enter the user name and password, with password confirmation. If you need an Enable password for accessing network devices through the CLI, enter that value and confirm that as well. Click Save and start a new terminal session to the NetMRI appliance.
...
Q. Why do device group counts in the Select Device Groups panel appear to be out of sync with the counts at Network Explorer –> > Inventory –> > Devices section –> > Devices?
A. Device group membership counts are recalculated every 15 minutes. When the appliance is discovering many new devices, you might see a different count until you refresh your browser following that recalculation. If no new devices are being added to the network, you are unlikely to see a difference.
...
Q. How can I remove a device from NetMRI?
A. A network device is removed if it is in the included CIDR blocks and hasn't been accessed by NetMRI in a 7-day period and it hasn't shown up anywhere on the network based on data collected in the past day. This 7-day period is adjusted with the Device Expiration Days setting in the Settings icon –> > General Settings –> > Advanced Settings page. Data sources checked to see if the device exists include ARP, routing, CDP and any /32 or /128 CIDR blocks. A discovery diagnostic of a device will show which devices are reporting this device in those tables for help in troubleshooting problems. Any device included in a CIDR block is removed after one day. Any non-network device, such as a PC, is removed from NetMRI if it isn't seen in any collected data in the previous 24 hour period.
Q. What kinds of IPv6 networks do I need to add to my seed routers or discovery ranges?
A. IPv6 standards define several new types of network prefixes, because the address value is longer and is formatted differently. Unique local IPv6 Unicast network prefixes begin with the designation FC00:/7. (These values are similar to the familiar 10.x.x.x, 172.16.x.x and 192.168.x.x IP prefixes.) Globally routable values begin with the 2000:/ or 2001:/ prefixes but are not used as examples in this document because of the need to use private address spaces in documentation, to avoid possible conflicts with live networks.
NetMRI discovery of IPv6 networks can make use of Hints and CIDR blocks for discovery.
Do not use link-local or multicast addresses as a device hint, for a range, or a seed router. Unique local IPv6 unicast values are acceptable. As with the 10.x.x.x and other private IPv4 values, they are not globally routable and are safe for use in the local network. Also see the section Configuring Network Discovery Settings for more information.
Q. Some devices in my network only support SNMPv2c. Can I use SNMPv2c credentials as the default for discovery?
A. Yes. See Choosing SNMP Protocol Preferences for more details.
...
Q. Can I disable HTTP access to NetMRI?
A. By default, both HTTP and HTTPS modes are enabled. Infoblox recommends disabling the HTTP mode. Go to Settings icon –> > General Settings –> > Security – NetMRI HTTPS Settings to modify settings.
...
- 22/ssh TCP for configuration collection
- 23/telnet TCP for configuration collection
- 25/smtp TCP for notifications
- 161/snmp UDP for SNMP collection
- 162/snmptrap UDP for notifications
- 514/syslog UDP for Syslog notifications
- 1433 TCP TCP for CDR collection (when the IP telephony module is licensed).
- any TCP or UDP port defined by Settings icon –> > Setup section –> > Port List and port scanning is enabled.
...
- Use the NetMRI ping/traceroute tool via the browser interface (Tools –> > Device –> > Ping/Traceroute), or the ping command via the NetMRI Administrative Shell, to verify that NetMRI can reach any server on the Internet.
- Use the NetMRI ping/traceroute tool via the browser interface, or the traceroute command via the Administrative Shell, to verify that NetMRI can reach techdata.infoblox.com on the Internet.
- Verify that your firewall rules allow NetMRI to make an outbound SSH connection (tcp port 22) to techdata.infoblox.com.
...
NetMRI allows system administrators to configure the HTTP, HTTPS, SNMP and SSH protocols used to connect to the appliance via the Console GUI and Admin Shell, and the protocols used by the appliance to connect to network devices when collecting data. Protocol configurations can be defined at the Settings icon –> > General Settings –> > Security page, or by executing the configure command in the NetMRI Administrative Shell.
...
The General Settings section (Settings icon –> > General Settings group) provides access to server statistics and a variety of server settings. Pages in this section enable the following tasks:
- Set and reset any of numerous advanced settings (for information, see NetMRI Advanced Settings bookmark946)
- Configure authentication service settings (for information, see Defining Authentication Services)
- Configure NetMRI to automatically check for software updates, and optionally install updates (see the Auto Update bookmark951 bookmark951)
- Substitute your own banner logo (for information, see Replacing a Banner Logo bookmark953)
- Create custom fields for manually recording any device information (for information, see Defining and Using Custom Fields)
- Shut down the server (for information, see Shutting Down the Server bookmark958)
- Manage NetMRI server security (for information, see NetMRI Security Settings)
- Review NetMRI patches and updates
...
NetMRI Advanced Settings (located in Settings icon –> > General Settings –> > Advanced Settings) provides a multi-page grouping of configuration settings for many NetMRI features. Advanced Settings are designed so NetMRI users can run a fully functioning system without changing any defaults settings in this category.
To modify items in Advanced Settings, click the Action icon for any setting and choose Edit. To reset the Advanced Setting to its defaults, choose Reset.
| Settings Group | Description | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration Management | Job Self Approval: Allows or disables the ability of job authors to approve the jobs they create. Job Requires User Credentials: Defines when job script execution needs command-line credentials for the devices against which the job runs. Concurrent Jobs: This is the number of maximum concurrent device sessions per job. 20 is the default value for regular performance. For IB-4000 and VMs with at least 64Gb RAM you can set this value up to 120. For other units it cannot exceed default value. Config Syslog Change Filter Usernames: This is a comma separated list of usernames to ignore for config file changes, reported by syslog messages. Fully Qualified Domain Name or IP: This is the FQDN or IP to use in links instead of Management IP. | ||||||||||
| Data Collection | A group of settings to determine how NetMRI reacts to large data sets. ARP Aggregate Limit: Determines the largest ARP table collectible by NetMRI. Route Limit: Defines the threshold for NetMRI to switch to CLI data collection for collection of large routing tables (typically but not exclusively compiled by BGP4 routers with connections to the external Internet). Routing table collection can also be enabled or disabled. Route Collection: Allows enabling or disabling route table collection. Note that disabling route table collection can negatively affect discovery and will prevent some network analysis, including layer 3 topology, from being performed. CatOS Configuration Command: Allows you to specify show config or show config all when collecting switch configurations. Interface Live Viewer Polling Interval and Interface Live Viewer Poller Limit: These settings define the polling interval in seconds, and limit the number of concurrent polling instances triggered by Interface Live Viewer. Force SSH v1: This setting forces SSH CLI access to use SSH v1. Enter Enable Mode: Determines whether the Configuration Management and Job Management systems in NetMRI should enter the Enable mode on managed devices before entering device commands. Extended Device Discovery Support: This is a Cisco Discovery Service setting that allows some extended levels of SNMP data to be gathered by CDS from Cisco devices. Off by default, this setting potentially improves download times when the CDS user requests the data collection for a report. SNMPv1 Data Collection Fallback: This setting enables or disables the use of SNMPv1 if the device does not support SNMPv2c for any reason. Collect Virtual Device Context (VDC) Data: This is a setting for virtual device contexts data collection. For more information, see Viewing Virtual Device Contexts. Maximum SNMP Table Rows: Limits the number of SNMP table rows collected from device. DNS Lookup Options: Determines what type of devices the DNS processor operates on. DNS Lookup Capacity Throttle: Determines what percentage of available capacity the DNS processor operates at. CPU Utilization: Defines the method for CPU utilization calculation for the device CPU utilization issue. This can be "max" or "average". The default value is "max". That means the maximum value from all CPU utilization values is used as the indicator for the device CPU utilization issue. If the "average" method is used, the average value from all CPU utilization values is used as the indicator for the device CPU utilization issue. Polling Frequency Modifier: This is the coefficient that allows you to slow down or speed up the device polling frequency relative to the default NetMRI setting. This setting applies globally. For more information, see Setting Polling Frequency for a Device Group.
Cisco Model Name: Permits models name collection from EntPhysical table for some Cisco devices. | ||||||||||
| Deduplication | Settings related to the deduplication of devices discovered from multiple collectors. Enable the load balancer: Turns on the load balancing feature for moving devices from highly-loaded collectors to less loaded collectors. Minimum capacity utilization: Sets the minimum percentage of devices, from collector's total capacity in terms of managed devices, at which moving devices from such collectors is allowed. Minimum capacity utilization difference: Sets the minimum difference, in percentage, in the current devices utilization by collectors, at which devices can be moved to the less loaded collector. Timeout for choosing the collector: Sets the maximum allowable time, in hours, for choosing the best management collector for the device. For more information, see Deduplication and Load Balancing Settings. | ||||||||||
| Discovery | Several Discovery settings that affect how devices are collected in the NetMRI database. Device Expiration in Days: Governs the "stickiness" of device records in the database. Device Name Priority: Allows setting of DNS or SNMP as the primary protocol for naming devices when added to the database. Ping Sweep Frequency: Determines the elapsed time period, in hours, between ping sweeps within IP address ranges (default value 24). Discovery Ignore Duplicate MACs: Enabling this setting forces NetMRI to delete pre-existing records for a switch identified by a specific MAC address should the device change its assigned IP. Discovery Truncate IP History prevents IPs that aren't assigned to interfaces from being assigned in NetMRI to particular devices, which preserves the functions of the Cisco ip alias command where needed. Discovery Truncate IP History: When enabled NetMRI will no longer attempt to associate IP addresses to devices for IP addresses which aren't assigned to interfaces. This is typically found with the use of the Cisco "ip alias" command and would mean that those IP alias addresses will show up as distinct devices. SNMPv1/SNMPv2c Discovery Version: Setting allows a choice between three options: Use SNMPv1 for credential discovery; Use SNMPv2c for credential discovery; or Use both SNMPv2c and SNMPv1 for credential discovery. See Choosing SNMP Protocol Preferences for related information. Discovery Status Precedence: Sets Discovery Status Precedence. End Host Expiration Hours: The number of hours an end host must be off the network before it is removed from the database. Poll ARP with SPM: Includes ARP tables in Switch Port Management polling schedules. TCP Scan Technique: Sets the TCP scan technique. Ping Timeout: Sets the ping timeout in milliseconds. Ping Retries: Sets the number of ping retries. MAC Address Exclusion List: A comma delimited list of MAC addresses or OUIs to exclude from the Discovery, Neighbor, and Forwarding processes. Syslog Discover Now Filter: Filters to exclude DHCPACK syslog messages without sysname values of 'autoconfig'. Way to determine duplicates: Sets the way to determine whether found devices are duplicates or not using major device system variables or chassis/serial number. Low-Rank Device Expiration Days: Sets the low-rank device expiration time in days. | ||||||||||
| Job Management | DIS max timeout: The maximum allowable timeout for the DIS session, in hours. Max Discovery Processes: The maximum number of DiscoverNow processes. | ||||||||||
| NIOS Administration | NIOS User Name: Name of a Grid administrator with privileges sufficient to validate DHCP servers found by NetMRI discovery. NIOS Password: Password of the Grid administrator account. | ||||||||||
| Notification | Syslog Facility: Controls the facility used to tag syslog notifications. For example, log audit, log alert, kernel message, mail system, and so on. Log All CLI Sessions: Specifies whether or not to log all CLI sessions to the Device Audit Log. Prune CLI Session Duration: Specifies the retention time to keep data in the Device CLI Audit Log, in days. | ||||||||||
| Performance Dashboard | Show Advanced Categories: If this is set to false then only the standard performance dashboard categories will be displayed. If set to true then standard as well as advanced performance dashboard categories will be displayed. Add Performance tables to the backup: Includes performance dashboard tables to the database backup. | ||||||||||
| Policy Compliance | Policy Rule Timeout: Timeout for the current processing policy rule to move to the next policy rule (in seconds). | ||||||||||
| Reports | Concurrent Running Reports: Limits the total number of simultaneous running reports on the system. The default is 2 and should be retained in most cases. | ||||||||||
| Security | Hide Password Fields: Allows hiding CLI credentials passwords. Note that choosing to hide passwords permanently disables this setting and requires contacting technical support for re-enabling the setting. | ||||||||||
| Security Control | Hit Count Period: The amount of time in days to be used in calculating the hit count for a device filter. | ||||||||||
| Switch Port Management | Convert Free Ports to Available: Number of days a port has to be Free before it becomes Available. ARP Cache Refresh Period: Sets the refresh period for ARP cache (in seconds). ARP Cache Refresh Device History: Sets the ARP cache refresh device history (in days). This enables pinging of devices from older tables compiled from previous polling days, prior to the most recently compiled End Host data tables. The default value is 14 days and the minimum value is one day. This feature helps rediscover devices that move off the managed network and eventually rejoin, such as laptops returning from travel. ARP Cache Refresh Ignore Discovery Ranges: Ignores discovery ranges during the ARP cache refresh. This helps to optimize the discovery of end hosts by disabling pinging of such devices outside of specified discovery ranges. By default, this feature is set to False, which means that devices outside the configured discovery ranges will be pinged by NetMRI. Set this value to True if deemed necessary. Include voice vlans in DownstreamHubOrSwitch issue analysis: Includes voice VLANs in the issue analysis. | ||||||||||
| System | Slow Query Length: Controls the time a query needs to take before it is logged to the slow query log. Maximum Number of Database Archives: Sets the number of database archives to keep. Maximum JVM Memory: Max amount of memory to use for collection. Using 0 in this field will calculate the value based on system memory. Maximum JVM Configuration Server Memory: Max memory setting for the configuration server. Using 0 in this field will calculate the value based on system memory. Maximum JVM Report Server Memory: Max memory setting for the report server. Using 0 in this field will calculate the value based on system memory.
IPAM Sync Retries: This setting determines how many times the NIOS IPAM Sync operation will retry in the event of an intermittent failure. After the number of retries is exceeded, the operation will not be attempted again until the next scheduled sync, or the Sync Now button is pressed. Enter 0 to disable retries. IPAM Sync Retry Interval: This setting determines how many seconds the NIOS IPAM Sync operation will wait between retries in the event of an intermittent failure. Synchronization Timeout: Inactivity timeout value for rsync (in seconds). System Message Period: The number of days of system messages to display. Lower values improve the page performance. Firewall Access Module Setting: Controls the standard Firewall Access Module feature setting. The initial setting is "default".
Block Device Prompt access: Prohibits the use of device prompts (shell) through the web UI and Admin Shell. You may need this to prevent access to your devices from anywhere except your jump hosts. If you are running NetMRI in redundant mode, contact support to disable this setting. Once disabled, this setting can only be reverted by the Infoblox Support team. Perform reboot after Weekly Maintenance: Performs system reboot after Weekly Maintenance. History Table Timeout: An interval in hours at which the history table cache is cleared. | ||||||||||
| User Administration | Password Expiration: The number of days a password is valid before it expires. Using 0 in this field will cause all passwords to never expire. Consecutive Failed Login Limit: The number of consecutive failed login attempts for a user before NetMRI locks the user out. Using 0 in this field will have the attempts set to unlimited. Lockout Duration: The number of minutes a user should be locked out of the NetMRI after the defined consecutive failed login limit. Using 0 in this field will have the lockout period set to none. Password Length: The minimum password length for access to the NetMRI. Password Numeric: Controls the requirement that a password contain at least one of both an alpha and numeric character in passwords. Password Non-Alphanumeric: Controls the requirement that a password contain at least one special character. Password Mixed Case: Controls the requirement that a password contain at least one upper case character and at least one lower case character. Hide the system banners from non-admin users: Hides the System Health and Capacity Limit banners from non-admin users. Send audit to syslog: Sends all audit log entries to the syslog. For related information, see Advanced User Administration Settings. | ||||||||||
| User Interface | Password Banner: Controls the message displayed on the login page. Minimum Table Size: Controls the default number of rows displayed on most NetMRI tables. Maximum Visualization Objects: The number of objects (nodes + edges) that the Visualization will attempt to render before stopping so as to not cause memory problems with your browser. Inactivity Timer: The amount of time in minutes for which no activity from the NetMRI GUI or admin shell which will result in an automatic logout of the user. Long Running Request Timer: The amount of time in seconds before prompting the user to cancel or wait for a long running data request. Device Picker Offer Limit: Controls the number of matching devices offered by the Device Picker. Hide Empty Device Groups: Hides the device groups that have no members. Custom views are visible for creating user only: Defines if custom views are visible for creating user only. |
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Hardware Status page (Settings icon –> > Notifications section –> > Hardware Status page) provides status information about hardware components in the NetMRI NT-4000 appliance, including component failures and general messages about the health and operation of elements such as the fan assemblies, LCD screen, removable hard disks, power supplies, events that are reported when the case is open, overall System Health messages and others.
...
NetMRI can be configured to periodically check for minor software updates, and can optionally automatically download and install those updates. Software update notifications appear as the issue "NetMRI Update Available," and users are notified of automatic software installations through a system message, visible in the Settings icon –> > Notifications –> > System Messages page, to notify users of Applied or Available updates.
...
Use the Banner Logo page (Settings icon –> > General Settings –> > Banner Logo) to display your logo in reports generated by NetMRI. Your logo will replace the default logo that is provided with NetMRI.
...
Use the Shutdown Server page (Settings icon –> > General Settings –> > Shutdown Server) to stop or restart NetMRI.
...
You can also shut down the server from the Administrative Shell.
the appliance is configured for separate analysis and management operation, check its rear panel. For separate operation, the SCAN port is connected to the production network for analysis, and the MGMT port is connected to the management network for system administration. If the appliance is connected to only one network, instructions in this section are not necessary.
- Go to Settings icon –> > General Settings section –> > Shutdown Server.
- Type the CIDR-format Address (using syntax A.B.C.D/NN), type the Gateway IP address, then click Add. To delete a static route: Click the Delete button for any static route listed in the Static Route List on the page.
...
The Update History page (Settings icon
| Anchor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
...
1. Click the Actions icon and choose Send Support Bundle.
–Or–
- Go to Settings icon –> > Database Settings -> > Send Support Bundle.
- Choose a Transfer Mode: Download to Client Workstation or Send to Infoblox Support Site.
- Click, CTRL+click or SHIFT+click to select one or more Data Categories. Sending technical data requires at least one category selection. Data categories include the following:
...
This document provides a list of hard-coded system alert messages. It also includes a NetMRI Database Issues List.
System Alert Messages List
...