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Sensors use sensor-driven tests to determine the health of wireless networks. A wireless network includes AP radios, WLAN
configurations, and wireless network services.
Assurance supports a dedicated sensor, which is dedicated hardware for performing sensor functions.
The dedicated Cisco Aironet 1800s Active Sensor gets bootstrapped using PnP. After this sensor obtains Assurance server-reachability details, it directly communicates with the Assurance server.
Provision Sensors
Provision the Wireless Cisco Aironet 1800s Active Sensor
Procedure
Step 1
If you are using the Cisco Aironet AP 1800S Sensor without an Ethernet module, you must enable CiscoProvisioningSSID on the wireless controller.
Note
For the Cisco Aironet 1800s Active Sensor earlier than Software Release 1.3.1.2, make sure that you do not choose the sensor
device profile CiscoProvisioningSSID. Instead, choose your own SSID for backhaul purposes. See Manage Backhaul Settings.
(Optional) After the sensor device is available in the device inventory, you can choose to upgrade the software image. See the "Provision Software Images" topic in the Cisco DNA Center User Guide.
Enable Provisioning SSID on the Wireless Controller
Procedure
Step 1
Log in to the Cisco Wireless Controller.
The Network Summary page appears.
Step 2
Click the Advanced tab.
The Summary page appears.
Step 3
In the top menu bar, click the Management tab.
Step 4
From the left-navigation pane, choose Cloud Services > Sensor.
The Backhaul Configuration page appears.
Step 5
In the SSID field, enter TFTP.
Step 6
From the Auth-type drop-down list, choose Open.
Step 7
From the Provisioning drop-down list, choose Enable.
Step 8
Make sure that the DHCP Interface drop-down list is set to management.
Step 9
Click Apply.
After provisioning is enabled, a hidden WLAN called CiscoSensorProvisioning is created, and the sensor joins using an EAP-TLS client certificate. This enables the sensor to find the Cisco DNA Center IP address, which is done using DHCP Option 43 or through DNS.
Enable Cisco Provisioning SSID on the Cisco Catalyst Wireless Controller
Procedure
Step 1
Log in to the Cisco Catalyst Wireless Controller GUI.
Step 2
From the left-navigation pane, choose Configuration > Cloud Services.
The Cloud Services page appears.
Step 3
In the Network Assurance tab, do the following:
From the Network Assurance Configuration area, set the Service Status toggle to Enabled.
From the Provisioning area, set the Provisioning toggle to Enabled.
Step 4
(Optional) In the VLAN Interface field, enter the name of the VLAN interface.
Step 5
Click Apply.
After Provisioning is enabled, a hidden WLAN called CiscoSensorProvisioning is created.
The following error message appears in the bottom-right corner of the window.
Error in Configuring
CLI Line 2 Please associate the wlan and policy profile CiscoSensorProvisioning to the desired AP.
Note
This message is not an error. The message provides information about the action that must be performed.
Step 6
Verify that the CiscoSensorProvisioning policy profile is created.
From the left-navigation pane, choose Configuration > Policy.
The Policy Profile page appears.
Verify that the CiscoSensorProvisioning policy appears under the Policy Tag Name column.
Step 7
Associate the WLAN and policy profile CiscoSensorProvisioning to the appropriate AP. Do the following:
From the left-navigation pane, choose Configuration > Tags.
The Manage Tags page appears.
In the Policy tab, click Add.
In the Name field, enter a unique name for the Policy Tag.
Click Add.
From the WLAN Profile drop-down list, choose CiscoSensorProvisioning.
From the Policy Profile drop-down list, choose CiscoSensorProvisioning.
Click ✔.
Click Save & Apply to Device to save the Policy Tag.
Note
Changing the Policy Tag on an AP may cause clients associated with the AP to disconnect and reconnect.
Provision a Wireless or Sensor Device
This procedure explains how to claim a device from the Plug and Play Devices list. Alternatively, you can claim a device from
the device details window by clicking Claim.
Before you begin
Ensure that Cisco network devices to be provisioned have a supported software release and are in a factory default state.
If you are using a network device that was previously configured or is in an unknown state, see the device clean-up and reset
details in the Network Plug and Play Troubleshooting Guide for Cisco DNA Center.
Define the CLI and SNMP credentials for the devices.
Note
You can claim wireless devices using CLI, SNMPv2c, or SNMPv3 credentials. If you use SNMPv2c, provide both Read Only and Read
Write credentials.
Optionally, ensure that the software images for any Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL devices to be provisioned are uploaded and marked
as golden in the Image Repository, if you want to deploy images.
Note
The image deployment process used by Plug and Play during Day-0 provisioning is not the same as that used when updating a
device image later. During Plug and Play provisioning, there are no device prechecks, auto flash cleanup, or postchecks done,
as it is expected that devices are in the factory default state.
For provisioning a sensor device, ensure that the sensor is reachable through the Cisco DNA Center enterprise IP address (private/enp9s0). A DHCP option 43 string makes the device reachable in unclaimed mode in Cisco DNA Center; however, to claim the device, it must be reachable from the interface enp9s0 IP address. In the DHCP server, configure the
NTP server (DHCP option 42) and the vendor-specific DHCP option 43 with ACSII value "5A1D;B2;K4;I172.16.x.x;J80;", where 172.16.x.x
is the virtual IP address of Cisco DNA Center associated with the enp9s0 interface.
Procedure
Step 1
Click the menu icon () and choose Provision > Plug and Play.
Step 2
View the devices in the table.
You can use the Filter or Find option to find specific devices.
Step 3
Check the check box next to one or more wireless devices that you want to claim.
Step 4
From the menu bar above the device table, choose Actions > Claim.
The Claim Devices window opens, showing the first step, Assign Site. If, instead, you see a window that shows mandatory tasks such as defining a site and defining device credentials, you must
click Add Site to define a site, and Add device credentials to define device credentials. These are prerequisites for the claim process and, after these tasks are completed, you can
return to claiming a device by clicking Refresh in this window.
Step 5
(Optional) Change the device name, if needed, in the first column.
Step 6
(Optional) Change the device type, if needed, in the second column. You can choose AP or ME (Mobility Express), depending
on which mode the device is using.
Choosing the wrong mode causes an error provisioning the device. This item does not appear for Cisco Wireless Controller or sensor devices.
Step 7
From the Select a Site drop-down list, choose a site and floor to assign to each device. AP devices must be assigned to a floor with a wireless
controller.
To apply the same site as the first device to all other devices, check the Apply Site to All check box. To assign the site from any device to some other devices, click Assign this Site to Other Devices, choose the devices, and click Assign. Wireless devices can be assigned only to floors within a building, not to the building itself.
Note
Cisco DNA Center does not configure this site as the AP location during AP PnP onboarding. You can configure the AP location using the Configure Access Points workflow.
Step 8
Click Next.
The Assign Configuration window opens.
Step 9
(Optional) You can change which columns are displayed in the table by clicking the three dots at the right end of the table headings
and choosing the desired columns. Click Apply to save the changes.
Step 10
In the Configuration column, click Assign for the device that you want to configure and follow these steps:
View the device configuration summary and click Cancel if no changes are needed.
(Optional) In the Device Name field, change the device name, if needed.
For an AP device, in the Radio Frequency Profile drop-down list, choose a radio frequency profile to apply to the device. This may be set if you designated one profile as
a default.
For a wireless controller, enter values in the following fields: Wireless management IP, Subnet mask, Gateway, IP interface name, and optionally, VLAN ID.
For a Mobility Express device, enter values in the following fields: Wireless management IP, Subnet mask, and Gateway.
For a wireless sensor device, in the Sensor Settings drop-down list, choose the sensor device profile (backhaul) to apply to the device.
Note
For Cisco Aironet 1800s Active Sensor earlier than Release 1.3.1.2, make sure that you do not choose the sensor device profile
CiscoProvisioningSSID. Instead, choose your own SSID for backhaul purposes.
If you made any changes, click Save; otherwise, click Cancel to return to the list and configure other devices.
You can apply a configuration that you assigned to one device to other devices of the same type by clicking Apply … to Other Devices in the Actions column.
Step 11
(Optional) For a wireless sensor device, to assign a software image, do the following:
In the Image column, click Assign.
From the Image drop-down list, choose a golden software image.
Click Save.
Step 12
If any devices are a Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller, click Assign next to Image in the Configuration column and follow these steps:
(Optional) In the Image drop-down list, choose a golden software image to apply to the device. If there is only one golden image for this device
type in the image repository, it is chosen by default.
Click Save.
Step 13
If you selected multiple devices to provision, click Assign for the next device in the list and repeat the configuration, until you have done this for all devices.
Step 14
Click Next.
The Summary window appears, where you can view details about the devices and configuration.
Step 15
Check the Day-0 Config column for each device to see if the configuration preview was successful.
If the preview shows an error, you can click the Actions link in the error message above the table to see what actions you need to take. You can click an action to open a new tab
with the window where a change is needed. You must resolve any issues before claiming the device, to avoid provisioning errors.
You may need to go back to the Assign Configuration step and change the configuration, revisit the Design area to update network design settings, or resolve any network connectivity issues. After you have resolved the problem,
you can go back to this tab, click Retrying getting Day-0 configuration preview for failed device(s), and click OK. Ensure that the wireless controller that is managing a device has been added to the inventory and assigned to the site where the wireless device is assigned.
Step 16
Click Claim.
Step 17
In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes to claim the devices and start the provisioning process.
What to do next
If you have configured network settings, provision these settings on the devices. For information, see the Cisco DNA Center User Guide.
Monitor and Troubleshoot Network Health with Sensors
Monitor and Troubleshoot Network Health with All Wireless Sensors
Use this procedure to get a global view of the network health from the data received from all wireless sensors.
Click the menu icon () and choose Assurance > Dashboards > Wireless Sensors.
Figure 1. Wireless Sensors Dashboard
Step 2
Use the Wireless Sensors dashboard top-menu bar for the following functionality:
Timeline Area
Item
Description
Time Range setting
Enables you to display data within a specified time range on the dashboard. Do the following:
From the drop-down menu, choose the length of the range: 3 Hours, 24 Hours, or 7 Days.
Specify the Start Date and time; and the End Date and time.
Click Apply.
Hierarchy Location setting
Enables you to choose the data displayed on the dashboard from the selected locations in your network. Check the check boxes
for the sites, buildings, or floors in your network to display its sensor data on the dashboard.
Note
You can't exclude all locations from displaying data on the dashboard. Unchecking all locations results in data from all locations
to be displayed on the dashboard.
Filter icon
Enables you to choose the data displayed on the dashboard based on SSIDs and radio frequency bands.
To add filters:
Click Filter.
From the drop-down menu, click the SSID tab and check the check boxes for the desired SSIDs.
From the drop-down menu, click the Band tab and select the radio button for 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.
Click Apply.
To remove all selected filters:
Click the Filter icon.
Click Clear Filters.
Step 3
Use the Timeline to view the percentage of overall test failures for a specific time within a time range.
The time range is determined by what is configured in the setting above the timeline.
The blocks in the timeline represents a specific time window within the time range. The period of time for each block is determined
by time range set for the timeline:
For a 3 Hours time range, each block represents 15 minutes.
For a 24 Hours time range, each block represents 30 minutes.
For a 7 Days time range, each block represents 4 hours.
The blocks are color-coded to indicate the severity of percentage of test failures.
Hover your cursor over a block to view a breakdown of percentage of test result failures for each test category.
Step 4
Use the Overall Summary dashlet for the following functionality:
Overall Summary Dashlet
Item
Description
Total Sensors area
Provides an overall view of all the sensors in your network and their status. The following are the status types of the sensor:
Idle: The sensor is onboarded and does not have any scheduled tests.
Running: The sensor is onboarded and is included in a test suite or test template.
Unreachable: No heartbeat received from the sensor.
Click the hyperlinked number next to the status type to open a slide-in pane that displays the sensors with that status.
Displays the total number of tests performed by all sensors and a breakdown of the test results based on the following test
categories:
Onboarding
RF Assessment
Network Services
Performance
App. Connectivity
Email
You can click a test category to open a slide-in pane with additional details about its test results.
In the slide-in pane, click the test type tabs on the left to populate the slide-in pane with data from the test type. The
slide-in pane displays the following:
A chart that displays the test results, future trends, and list of APs used in the tests.
Note
For the RF Assessment test category, the chart displays the KPIs data rate and SNR, instead of test results.
Data type categories: Top Failure Reasons (if applicable), Top APs, Top Locations, Top Bands, and Top SSIDs (if applicable).
A table with detailed data of the sensors that ran the tests.
You can click the data segments from the data type categories to filter the data that appears in the table.
Edit Threshold
Enables you to customize the thresholds of the color-coded ranges that indicate the severity of percentage of test result
failures.
To customize the thresholds:
Click the edit () icon.
In the Edit Threshold menu, enter the percentage values in the fields for each color-coded range.
Click Apply.
Step 5
Use the Test Results dashlet to view the locations in your network with the most sensor test result failures:
Test Results Dashlet
Item
Description
Latest tab and Trend tab
These tabs determine the scope of the data that is displayed in the dashlet:
Latest: Displays the data from the selected time window in the timeline on the top of the window.
Trend: Displays data from the last 24 hours.
Heatmap View and Card View toggle
This toggle button allows you to change the view of the dashlet to the Heatmap View and the Card View.
The Heatmap View is displayed by default.
Heatmap View
Displays the top 5 rankings of the following statistical categories at the top of the dashlet:
Worst Location, Buildings, Floors, or Sensors: Sites, buildings, floors, or sensors with the highest test result failure percentage.
Largest Health Drop by Location, Buildings, Floors, or Sensors: Sites, buildings, floors, or sensors with the largest sudden drop.
Most Common Test Failure: Test types that had the highest test result failures.
Only the top spot for each statistical category is displayed. Click Show Data for Impact Top 5 to see the complete rankings.
Below the rankings is a heatmap representation of the sensor test result failures. In the heatmap, the blocks are color-coded
to indicate the severity of percentage of test result failures.
Use the drop-down lists in the Find the most problematic area to sort the data that is displayed in the rankings and heatmap. In the first drop-down list you can sort the data by
locations or sensors. In the second drop-list you can sort the data by test types.
Use the search field to filter the heatmap for specific locations or sensors.
Hover your cursor over a block to view the exact percentage value for test result failures.
Click a color-coded block to open a slide-in pane with further details about the test results at that intersect.
Card View
Displays the data in a card format for high-level monitoring and comparison.
Use the drop-down lists in the Find the most problematic area to sort the data.
Monitor and Troubleshoot Network Health with a Wireless Sensor
Use this procedure to get a 360° view of a specific wireless sensor. You can view a sensor's test results, performance trends,
and neighboring APs. You can also view and download a sensor's event logs.
Procedure
Step 1
Click the menu icon () and choose Assurance > Dashboards > Wireless Sensors.
The Sensor Dashboard appears.
Step 2
From the Sensors Dashboard, do one of the following:
In the Overall Summary dashlet, click the hyperlinked number from the Running, Idle, or Unreachable areas.
Then in the Sensor Status slide-in pane, click the hyperlinked name of the sensor.
In the Overall Summary dashlet, click a hyperlinked test category.
In the slide-in pane, click the hyperlinked name of the sensor from the table.
In the Test Results dashlet, click a color-coded box from the heatmap.
In the slide-in pane, click the hyperlinked name of the sensor from the table.
A 360° view of the sensor appears.
Step 3
Click the Time Range setting at the top-right corner to specify the time range of data that is displayed on the window:
From the drop-down menu, choose a time range: 3 hours, 24 hours, or 7 days.
Specify the Start date and time; and the End date and time.
Click Apply.
Step 4
Use the header above the timeline to view the basic information of the sensor such as the sensor's serial number, current
state, uptime, backhaul type, IP address, and so on. You can also view and download the sensor's event logs.
To view and download the event logs:
Click View Logs at the end of the header.
The Event Logs slide-in pane appears which displays the event logs.
In the Event Logs slide-in pane, click Request Support Bundle to generate the support bundle file which contains the event logs.
Attention
It takes about three to five minutes for a support bundle request to be ready for download.
Click Download Support Bundle to open the download prompt for the support bundle.
Step 5
Use the timeline to view the percentage of overall test failures for a specific time within a specified time range. The timeline
has the following functionality:
Set the time range with the Time Range setting above the time line.
View the percentage of overall test failures for a specific time window indicated by the blocks in the timeline. You can hover
your cursor over a block to view a breakdown of percentage of test result failures for each test category.
Step 6
Use the collapsible categories to view information about test results, performance trends, and neighboring APs:
Test Results Category
Displays a heatmap representation of the sensor test result failures for each tested AP. In the heatmap, the blocks are color-coded
to indicate the severity of percentage of test result failures.
Use the Test Type drop-down list to sort the data by test type.
Use the search field to filter the heatmap for specific APs.
Hover your cursor over a block to view the exact percentage value for test result failures.
Click the Latest and Trend tabs to change the scope of data displayed in the category:
Latest: Displays the data from the selected time window in the timeline on the top of the window.
Trend: Displays data from the last 24 hours.
Sensor Performance Trend Category
Displays a line graph or chart of the sensor performance data based on test types. For time-based test types, a comparative
view is used to display the performance of the current sensor, top performing sensor, and worst performing sensor.
Use the Test Type drop-down list to display data for a specific test type.
For time-based test types, click + Add Custom Location to add the sensor performance data for a specific location using the menu. You can select the sensor performance for sites,
buildings, or floors.
Neighboring APs Category
Displays the sensor's neighboring APs along with its RSSI in a list view and a map view.
To filter the APs based on frequency bands, use the radio buttons in the Band area.
Note
The sensor scans for neighboring APs every 30 minutes.
Manage Sensors and Backhaul Settings
Manage Sensors in Your Network
Use this procedure to view the onboarded sensors in your network. You can enable SSH, enable the status LED, and change the
name for these sensors.
Before you begin
Make sure the sensors are assigned to a site.
Procedure
Step 1
Click the menu icon () and choose Assurance > Manage > Sensors.
The Sensor List window appears.
Figure 2. Sensor List Window
Step 2
Use the left pane to specify the network hierarchy you want to view.
Step 3
Click the categories above the table to view the sensors that fit its criteria. The categories are:
Total: All the sensors in the selected network hierarchy.
Running: Displays the sensors that are currently running tests.
Idle: Displays the sensors that have no assigned tests.
Unreachable: Displays the sensors that are onboarded but are not responding to Cisco DNA Center.
Step 4
You can customize the data that is displayed in the table:
Click .
From the menu, check the check boxes of the data you want displayed in the table.
Click Apply.
Step 5
To configure the SSH settings for a sensor, do the following:
Check the check box of the sensor.
Hover your cursor over the Actions drop-down list and choose Edit SSH.
The Edit SSH slide-in pane appears.
In the Edit SSH slide-in pane, click the SSH toggle to enable SSH.
In the Username and Password fields, enter the desired SSH credentials.
Click Save.
Step 6
To change the status LED of a sensor, do the following:
Check the check box of the sensor.
Hover your cursor over the Actions drop-down list and choose Edit LED.
The Edit LED slide-in pane appears.
In the Edit LED slide-in pane, click the LED toggle to enable or disable the status LED.
Step 7
Click Save.
Step 8
To change the name of a sensor, do the following:
Check the check box of the sensor.
From the Actions drop-down list, choose Edit Sensor Name(s).
The Edit Sensor Name(s) slide-in pane appears.
In the Edit Sensor Name(s) slide-in pane, enter the name in the Name field.
Click Save.
Step 9
To enroll the sensors using SCEP Profiles, do the following:
Check the check box of the sensor.
From the Actions drop-down list, choose Enroll using SCEP.
The Enroll using SCEP slide-in pane appears.
Choose the SCEP profile from the Select SCEP Profile drop-down list.
Select the Username and Password and provide the required details. If you choose the Custom username option, then select No Password.
Click Save.
To check status, see the SCEP Profile column in the Sensor List window. A green check mark (✔) indicates success and a red X icon indicates failure. Hover your cursor over the ✔ or X icon to get more information.
Manage Backhaul Settings
Use this procedure to view, create, and manage backhaul configurations for wireless sensors. A wireless sensor requires a
backhaul SSID to communicate with Cisco DNA Center.
Click the menu icon () and choose Assurance > Manage > Sensors.
The Sensor List window appears.
Step 2
Hover your cursor over the Settings tab and choose Backhaul Settings.
Step 3
You can add and manage backhaul SSIDs by doing the following:
Click + Add Backhaul.
The Create Sensor Backhaul SSID Assignment window appears with two areas: Wired Backhaul and Wireless Backhaul.
In the Settings Name field, enter a name for the backhaul SSID.
In the Wired Backhaul area, configure the following:
Level of Security: Displays the encryption and authentication type used by the selected SSID. The available security options are:
802.1x EAP: Standard used for passing Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) over wired LAN.
Open: No security or authentication is used.
EAP Method: If you choose 802.1x EAP, you must choose one of the following EAP methods for user authentication from the drop-down list:
EAP-FAST: Enter the username and password in the fields provided.
PEAP-MSCHAPv2: Enter the username and password in the fields provided.
EAP-TLS: Choose Enroll Using Certificate Bundle or Enroll Using SCEP.
If you choose Enroll Using Certificate Bundle, click the drop-down arrow under Certificate Bundle, click + Add New Certificate Bundle, and enter the username and certificate bundle password.
PEAP-TLS: Choose Enroll Using Certificate Bundle or Enroll Using SCEP.
If you choose Enroll Using Certificate Bundle, click the drop-down arrow under Certificate Bundle, click + Add New Certificate Bundle, and enter the username and certificate bundle password.
In the Wireless Network Name (SSID) area, select the wireless network (SSID) and configure the following.
Level of Security: Displays the encryption and authentication type used by the selected SSID. The available security options are:
WPA2 Enterprise: Provides a higher level of security using Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) (802.1x) to authenticate and authorize
network users with a remote RADIUS server.
WPA2-Personal: Provides a good security using a passphrase or a preshared key (PSK). This allows anyone with the passkey to access the
wireless network.
If you select WPA2 Personal, enter the passphrase in the Passphrase text box.
PSK Format: The available preshared key formats are:
ASCII: Supports ASCII PSK passphrase.
HEX: Supports 64-character HEX key PSK password.
Open: No security or authentication is used.
Click Save.
Step 4
You can edit the existing backhaul configurations by doing the following:
Check the check box of the backhaul configuration.
Hover your cursor over the Actions drop-down list and choose Edit.
Step 5
You can delete a backhaul configuration by doing the following:
Check the check box of the backhaul configuration.
Hover your cursor over the Actions drop-down list and choose Delete.
Persistent Wireless Backhaul Connections on Sensor Devices
Cisco DNA Center supports a persistent wireless backhaul connection on sensor devices, which means that the wireless connection is "always
on" regardless of wireless testing activities.
With a dedicated backhaul connection, the wireless sensor uses the following two MAC addresses for backhaul and wireless purposes:
Base Radio + 0x10 (Backhaul SSID)
Base Radio + 0x11 (Test SSID)
The wired sensor uses the Base Radio + 0x10 (Test SSID) MAC address for testing purposes.
The sensor uses dual concurrent radio operations, one for the backhaul connection and the other for wireless tests.
Backhaul connection interruptions occur during scanning and switching interfaces to test different bands.
The frequency of backhaul connection disruptions is dependent on the test configuration.
The backhaul connection is not persistent if both backhaul and test SSIDs are in one band.
Manage SCEP Profiles
Use this procedure to view, create, and manage Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) profiles, which are used to enroll
wireless sensors.
Procedure
Step 1
Click the menu icon () and choose Assurance > Manage > Sensors.
Step 2
Click Setting > SCEP Profiles.
Step 3
To add and manage a SCEP Profile, do the following:
Click Add SCEP Profiles.
The Create SCEP Profile window appears.
In the Create SCEP Profile window, provide the following details:
SCEP Profile Name: Enter a name for the SCEP profile.
To edit an existing SCEP Profile, do the following:
Check the check box next to the SCEP Profile.
From the Actions drop-down list, choose Edit.
Step 5
To delete a SCEP Profile, do the following:
Check the check box next to the SCEP Profile.
From the Actions drop-down list, choose Delete.
Sensor-Driven Tests
Create and Run Sensor-Driven Tests Using Templates
Use this procedure to create and run sensor-driven tests using templates. The workflow for sensor-driven tests using templates
consists of two parts:
Create the test template: Configure the test configurations such as the SSIDs to test, test types to use, and the AP coverage.
Deploy the test template: After a test template is created, select the locations for testing and set the test schedule. After a test template is deployed,
it is ready to be run.
Using templates is beneficial if you have a use case that requires a sensor-driven test to be run at different locations and
with different schedules. With templates, you can create duplicates that can be deployed for each instance of the test location
and schedule. This saves you time from having to recreate the same test for each instance.
Before you begin
If you are using the Cisco Aironet 1800s Active Sensor to run sensor-driven tests, make sure that the sensor is provisioned
using PnP, so that it displays under Inventory. See Provision the Wireless Cisco Aironet 1800s Active Sensor.
Note that if a sensor test template restarts, all sensors on that template begin running their tests at the same time, which
causes the result graphs to show a cyclical pattern.
Procedure
Step 1
Click the menu icon () and choose Assurance > Manage > Sensors.
Step 2
Click the Test Templates tab.
The Test Templates window appears.
Figure 3. Test Templates Window
Step 3
To create a new sensor test template, click + Add Sensor Test.
The wizard for creating a sensor test template appears.
Step 4
For the Set up Sensor Test step, configure the following settings:
Test Template Name: Enter the name for the test.
Note
Use only letters, numbers, underscores, hyphens, and periods.
SSID Selection: Check the check boxes for the SSIDs you want to include for the sensor test.
Step 5
Click Next.
Step 6
For the Enter SSID Credentials step, enter the credentials for the selected SSIDs:
For SSIDs with Open security, select the following:
Open: For SSIDs with WebAuth passthrough, enter the email address.
ISE Guest Portal: Choose the labels for the ISE guest portal.
Clearpass Guest Portal: Choose the labels for the Clearpass guest portal and then click Apply.
For SSIDs with WPA2 Personal security, enter the password.
For SSIDs with WPA2 Enterprise security, enter the EAP method, username, and password.
Step 7
Check the Add Proxy Settings check box, to enable proxy settings.
Step 8
Configure the following proxy settings:
Proxy Server
Proxy Port
Proxy UserName
Proxy Password
Step 9
Click Next.
Step 10
For the Define Sensor Test Category Details step, check the check boxes for the test types to include:
For the Onboarding test category, the test types are Association, Authentication, and DHCP.
Note
All of these test types are selected by default and cannot be excluded from the test template.
For the RF Assessment test category, the test types are Data Rate and SNR.
Note
All of these test types are selected by default and cannot be excluded from the test template.
For the Network Services Tests test category, select from the following test types:
DNS: Resolves IP address for the domain name.
RADIUS: The sensor acts as a Dot1x supplicant and authenticates through wireless.
For the Performance Tests test category, select from the following test types:
Internet (NDT): Performs a speed test using Network Diagnostic Tool (NDT).
If you have a Network Diagnostics Test (NDT) server, enter the IP address of the NTD server in the field provided. If the
NDT server is reachable through a proxy server, enter the IP address of the proxy server in the field provided.
iPerf3: iPerf3 test is a tool used to measure network performance. This feature allows you to perform a speed test in the network
with a certain amount of traffic to determine whether the test is able to pass through the traffic.
To run the iPerf3 test, check the iPerf3 check box, and then enter the IP address of the iPerf3 server, UDP bandwidth, and
port details in the fields provided.
iPerf3 Limitations
You can add up to five iPerf3 servers.
You can configure each iPerf3 server to use a maximum of five ports per template. Sensors randomly select the port in which
it wants to run the iPerf3 test.
Two sensors cannot connect to the same port concurrently on a given iPerf3 server.
The “iPerf: Server Busy" error message indicates that there are not enough iPerf3 instances to support the number of the sensors
that are running the iPerf3 test.
To resolve this issue, do one of the following:
Add iPerf3 server instances. To do so, expand the ports that support iPerf3 testing on the existing servers.
Reduce the number of sensors that are configured to run the iPerf3 test. To do so, create a separate template for iPerf3 testing.
IP SLA: Runs UDP jitter, UDP echo, packet loss, and latency measurements from sensor to APs.
To run the IPSLA test, choose a Service Level option for each SSID from the drop-down list. Options are Platinum (voice), Gold (video), Silver (best effort), and Bronze (background).
For the Application Tests test category, select from the following test types:
Host Reachability: Tests for reachability using (ICMP) echo request.
Web: Tests for access to the provided URL and verification of the response data.
FTP: Tests for file upload and download operations
Note
The maximum file size for the sensor test is 5 MB.
For the Email test category, select from the following test types:
POP3: Post Office Protocol3, connects to POP3 server TCP port (110).
IMAP: Internet Message Access Protocol, connects to IMAP server TCP port (143).
Outlook Web Access: Logs into the Outlook Web Server (OWS) and verifies access.
Step 11
Click Next.
Step 12
For the Select AP Coverage step, do the following:
Select the frequency bands to test with the 2.4GHz and 5GHz check boxes.
In the Number of Target APs drop-list for the selected bands, choose the number of APs you want the sensor to test against.
Note
You can choose a maximum of five APs.
In the RSSI Range slider for the selected bands, drag the slider to the desired RSSI.
Step 13
Click Next.
Step 14
For the Summary step, review the template settings.
Click Edit for the SSIDs or AP Coverage steps to reconfigure its settings.
Step 15
Click Create Test to create the template.
The test template is created and a dialog box appears for confirmation.
Step 16
For the Done! Sensor Test Created confirmation window, click Deploy Test to Locations to configure the locations and schedule for the test template.
Important
If you return to the Test Templates window without deploying the test, click Deploy Test from the Location column to continue to the next step of deploying the test.
Step 17
For the Select Location step, use the hierarchy menu on the left to check the check boxes for the sites, buildings, or locations that you want to
deploy the test template.
Step 18
Click Next.
Step 19
For the Set Schedule step, select from one of the options for the test frequency:
Periodic: Runs the test at specified intervals. Use the Interval drop-down list to select the time between intervals.
Scheduled: Runs the tests on designated days of the weeks for a specified duration:
Click the S, M, T, W, T, F, and S buttons to select the days of the week to run the test.
For selected days, specify the start and end time for the test period from the From time pickers.
In the Select Value drop-down menu, select the desired test duration for the test period.
To add another test period for the selected day, click + Add to add a new row for configuring the test period.
To remove a test period, click the trash can icon.
Continuous: The test runs indefinitely and repeats after completion.
Step 20
Click Next.
Step 21
For the Summary step, review the deployment details.
Click Edit for the Location or Schedule steps to reconfigure its settings.
Step 22
Click Deploy Test.
The test template appears in the Test Template window.
Step 23
Click Run Now for the test template to run the test.
Manage Sensor-Driven Test Templates
Use this procedure to manage sensor-driven test templates. You can duplicate and delete sensor-driven test templates, as well
as undeploy running sensor-driven test templates.