Elements

Using Protocol Pack Auto Update involves two servers, or a single server providing both functions, and any number of participating routers.

• Protocol Pack Server: Contains:

  • Downloaded protocol pack installation files

• Source Server: Contains:

  • Configuration file, NBAR_PROTOCOL_PACK_DETAILS.json, specifying the Protocol Pack Server location and Protocol Pack Auto Update settings

  • Protocol Pack Auto Update log files

• Routers: One or more routers with Protocol Pack Auto Update enabled (see Enabling Protocol Pack Auto Update)

Figure 1. Protocol Pack Auto Update

Deployment Steps

1. Set up a server reachable by all participating routers, to function as the Protocol Pack Server. Download the latest protocol pack files and store the files on the server.

2. Set up a server reachable by all participating routers, to function as the Source Server. On the server, create the JSON-format configuration file specifying the location of the Protocol Pack Server and Auto Update settings.

   See Setting Up a Source Server for Protocol Pack Auto Update.

   Note	A single server can perform the functions of both the Protocol Pack Server and Source Server.

3. On participating routers, enable Protocol Pack Auto Update.

   See Enabling Protocol Pack Auto Update.

   Example:

   Device#configure terminal
   Device(config)#ip nbar protocol-pack-auto-update
   Device(config-pp-auto-update)#source-server tftp://10.20.300.400/NbarAutoUpdate
   Device(config-pp-auto-update)#exit
   

4. (Optional) If required, use Protocol Pack Auto Update CLI commands on individual routers to locally override settings specified in the configuration file.

   See Configuring Local Protocol Pack Auto Update Settings on a Router.

5. When new protocol pack releases are available, download them to the Protocol Pack Server and add the locations to the configuration file on the Source Server.

To set up a Source Server for Protocol Pack Auto Update, use the following procedure.

1. Set up a server in a network location reachable by all participating routers.

   Note	A single server can perform the functions of both the Protocol Pack Server and Source Server.

2. In a directory on the server, create a text file called NBAR_PROTOCOL_PACK_DETAILS.json. This is the JSON-format configuration file controlling Protocol Pack Auto Update functionality on participating routers.

   See Protocol Pack Auto Update Configuration File.

3. Note the network location of the server, and the path to the directory containing the configuration file. Use this location when specifying the Source Server on participating routers. Do not include the configuration filename in the path.

   Example: tftp://10.20.300.400/NbarAutoUpdate

Configuration File Format and Filename

The configuration file format is JSON. The required filename is: NBAR_PROTOCOL_PACK_DETAILS.json

Specifying Protocol Pack File Locations

The configuration file provides the path for each available protocol pack file. Participating routers use these paths to download and install the protocol pack files automatically.

The complete path is formed by combining the specified Protocol Pack Server location together with the file path. A router downloading the protocol pack uses this complete path to download the file. Example:

• Protocol Pack Server location: tftp://10.20.200.1/NbarAutoUpdate/pp_server/

• Directory and filename: protocolpack_dir/pp1

• Complete path for downloading the protocol pack: tftp://10.20.200.1/NbarAutoUpdate/pp_server/protocolpack_dir/pp1

Organization of the Configuration File

Within the configuration file, protocol pack file locations are organized by platform and NBAR engine:

• Platform

  Examples: ASR, CSR, ISR

• NBAR engine version (example: 22)

  The NBAR engine version number identifies each version of NBAR, and can be displayed using the show ip nbar version command on a router.

Routers of Same Type Operating Different Versions of NBAR

Routers of the same platform type (for example, ISR) may be using different versions of NBAR—for example, two Cisco ISR 4451 routers, one operating with Cisco IOS XE 3.15 and the other with 3.17. The configuration file should specify protocol pack files for both NBAR versions.

Configuration File Parameters

The following parameters are used in the NBAR_PROTOCOL_PACK_DETAILS.json configuration file. Each router using Protocol Pack Auto Update may override these parameters using local CLI commands.

Configuration Files: Minimal Example

Example of a minimal configuration file, containing only the top-level nbar_auto_update_config, and mandatory fields. Because no schedule is configured, routers use the default schedule of checking daily at 00:00.

{
"nbar_auto_update_config":{
"protocol-pack-server":"tftp://10.20.200.1/NbarAutoUpdate/pp_server/"
},
"nbar_pp_files":{
"ISR":{"25":"/ProtoPack"},
"ASR":{"25":"/ProtoPack"},
"CSR":{"25":"/ProtoPack"},
"OTHER":{"25":"/ProtoPack"}
}
}

Configuration Files: Typical Example

Example of a typical configuration file, containing the top-level nbar_auto_update_config, plus mandatory and optional fields. In this example, the update schedule is weekly on Saturdays at 2:30 AM. Participating routers check for available updates at the scheduled time.

{
  "nbar_auto_update_config": {
    "protocol-pack-server": "tftp://10.20.200.1/NbarAutoUpdate/pp_server/",
    "update-window":0,
    "force-upgrade":true,
    "clear-previous":true,
    "schedule": {
      "weekly": 6,
      "hh": 02,
      "mm": 30
    },
  },
  "nbar_pp_files": {
    "ISR": {
      "22":"isr_protocolpack_dir/pp22",
      "23":"isr_protocolpack_dir/pp23"
    },
    "ASR": {
      "23":"asr_protocolpack_dir/pp23"
    },
    "CSR": {
      "23":["csr_protocolpack_dir/pp23"]
    },
    "OTHER": {
      "23":["other_pp1","other_pp23"]
    }
  } 
}

Enabling Protocol Pack Auto Update on a router requires:

• Enabling the feature

• Specifying the Source Server to use, or ensuring that it has been specified already

Disables Protocol Pack Auto Update on a router.

Initiates an immediate protocol pack update using the Protocol Pack Auto Update mechanism.

Displays the Protocol Pack Auto Update configuration, copied files, and statistics.

To configure local Protocol Pack Auto Update settings on a router, use the command sub-mode described here. Configuring local settings on the router overrides settings specified in the centralized configuration file.