Auto Discovery: Configure Network Devices

Network appliances can be automatically discovered and added to the Nodegrid Platform. This includes appliances which support Telnet, SSH, ICMP, Console Servers, KVM Switches or IMPI protocols plus others.

Appliances can be discovered through various methods, in combination or singly:

• Similar Devices (select one of the devices from the drop-down)

• Port Scan and enter a list of ports in the Port List field,

• Ping

• DHCP (via MAC Address) 

Setup is a three-step process.

Step 1 – Create a Template Device

The template device must be created first. In this process, only enter the details listed.

1. Managed Devices :: Devices.

2. Click Add.

3. On Add dialog, enter Name (of the template).

4. On Type drop-down, select one (device_console, ilo, imm, drac, idrac6, ipmi1.5, impi2.0, ilom, cimc_ucs, netapp, infrabox, pdu)..

5. On IP Address, enter 127.0.0.1.

   
   

6. Enter Username, Password and Confirm Password.
   Alternatively, select Ask During Login checkbox (user credentials are entered during login).

7. On Mode drop-down, select Disabled (ensures the device is not displayed on the Access page).

8. Click Save.

CLI Procedure

1. Go to /settings/devices

2. Use the add command to create a new device.

3. Use the set command to define the following settings:

   1. name

   2. type (device_console, ilo, imm, drac, idrac6, ipmi1.5, impi2.0, ilom, cimc_ucs, netapp, infrabox, pdu*)

   3. ip_address as 127.0.0.1

   4. username and password (of the device) or set credential ask_during_login

   5. set mode to disabled

4. Save the changes with commit.

[admin@nodegrid /]# cd /settings/devices
[admin@nodegrid devices]# add
[admin@nodegrid {devices}]# set name=Network_Template
[admin@nodegrid {devices}]# set type=device_console
[admin@nodegrid {devices}]# set ip_address=127.0.0.1
[admin@nodegrid {devices}]# set credential=ask_during_login

or

[admin@nodegrid {devices}]# set credential=set_now
[admin@nodegrid {devices}]# set username=admin password=admin

[admin@nodegrid {devices}]# set mode=disabled
[admin@nodegrid {devices}]# commit

1. Step 2 – Create a Network Scan

2. Go to Managed Devices :: Auto Discovery :: Network Scan.

3. Click Add.

4. On Add dialog, enter Name (of Scan ID).

5. Enter IP Range Start and IP Range End.

6. Select Similar Devices checkbox. 

   • On Device drop-down, select an existing template (to identify devices).

7. Select Enable Scanning checkbox.

8. Select Port Scan checkbox.

9. Enter Port List (ports to be scanned, i.e., “2”, “3,104”, 11-20).

10. Select Ping checkbox (enables Ping function).

11. On Scan interval (in minutes), enter a value.

12. Click Save.

CLI Procedure

1. Go to /settings/auto_discovery/network_scan/

2. Use the add command to create a Network Scan.

3. Use the set command to define the following settings:
   scan_id (name for the Network Scan)
   ip_range_start and ip_range_end (define a network range to be scanned)
   Set enable_scanning to yes to enable the scan

4. Define one or more of the three scan methods:
   similar_devices (set device to match one of the existing devices or templates
   port_scan (set to yes)
   set port_list (to a list of ports reachable on the device)
   ping (no further settings are required)

5. Set scan_interval (when to scan, in minutes).

6. Save the changes with commit.

[admin@nodegrid /]# cd /settings/auto_discovery/network_scan/
[admin@nodegrid network_scan]# add
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set scan_id=SSH_Console
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set ip_range_start=192.168.10.1
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set ip_range_end=192.168.10.254
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set enable_scanning=yes
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set similar_devices=yes
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set device= network_template
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set port_scan=yes
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set port_list=22
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set ping=no
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# set scan_interval=100
[+admin@nodegrid {network_scan}]# commit

Step 3 – Create a Discovery Rule

1. Go to Managed Devices :: Auto Discovery :: Discovery Rules.

2. Click Add.

3. On the Add dialog, enter Name (of the Discovery Rule).

4. On Status drop-down, select (Enabled, Disabled).

5. On Discovery Method menu, select Network Scan checkbox.

6. On Scan ID drop-down, select the created Network Scan ID.

7. (optional) In Host or VM Identifier menu, enter parameter to further filter (if provided, part of port name must match value).

8. On Action drop-down, select what to do when a new device is discovered (Clone (Mode: Enabled), Clone (Mode: On-Demand), Clone (Mode: Discovered), Discard Discovered Devices).

9. On Clone from drop-down, select the template device created earlier.

10. Click Save.

The Nodegrid Platform automatically starts discovering devices, based on the created Discovery Rules.

This process takes several minutes.

CLI Procedure

1. Go to /settings/auto_discovery/discovery_rules/

2. Use the add command to create a Discovery Rule.

3. Use the set command to define the following settings:
   rule_name for the Discovery Rule
   status for the discovered rule (enabled, disabled)
   method set to network_scan
   scan_id select a Network Scan ID created earlier
   host_identifier parameter to further filer, if provided - part of the port name must match the value)

4. For action, select what should be done on a new device discovery (clone_mode_enabled, clone_mode_on-demand, clone_mode_discovered, discard_device).

5. clone_from set to the template device created earlier.

6. Save the changes with commit.

[admin@nodegrid /]# cd /settings/auto_discovery/discovery_rules/
[admin@nodegrid discovery_rules]# add
[admin@nodegrid {discovery_rules}]# set rule_name=Network_Scan
[admin@nodegrid {discovery_rules}]# set status=enabled
[admin@nodegrid {discovery_rules}]# set method=network_scan

[admin@nodegrid {discovery_rules}]# set scan_id=SSH_Console
[admin@nodegrid {discovery_rules}]# set action=clone_mode_enabled
[admin@nodegrid {discovery_rules}]# set clone_from=Network_Template
[admin@nodegrid {discovery_rules}]# commit

The Nodegrid Platform automatically starts discovering devices, based on the created Discovery Rules.

This process takes several minutes.