Preparing for the Installation
This chapter provides preinstallation tasks that must be performed and verified before proceeding with the Prime Network installation.
Note
All procedures in this chapter are performed as the root user.
Gateway Preinstallation Tasks—Embedded Database
Table 3-1 shows the tasks that you must perform before installing Prime Network on a gateway that uses an embedded database. All procedures should be performed as the root user.
Table 3-1 Gateway Preinstallation tasks Using an Embedded Database
|
|
|
Step 1 |
Verify that the Disk 1: New Install DVD is available.
Note If the Installation DVD is not available, mount the build server on the gateway and access the required build for PN installation.
|
Installation DVDs |
Step 2 |
Verify that the server machines meet the system requirements. |
Installation Requirements |
Step 3 |
Ensure you have the following SSH connectivity as root:
- Gateway to unit
- Unit to gateway
- Unit to localhost
- Gateway to localhost
|
— |
Step 4 |
Verify that the server machines meet the Oracle database requirements. |
Prime Network Gateway and Database Requirements
|
Step 5 |
Verify the installed operating system. |
Verifying the Installed Operating System |
Step 6 |
Disable SELinux. |
In /etc/selinux/config, configure SELINUX=disabled, then reboot the machine. |
Step 7 |
Verify the RPM files required for Prime Network on Red Hat are installed. |
Verifying the RPMs Required on Red Hat for Prime Network |
Step 8 |
Verify that all the ports designated for Prime Network are free. |
Required Ports for Prime Network |
Step 9 |
Allocate the storage for the Oracle database files. By default, Prime Network supports an archive size of 14 days. Contact your Cisco account representative for assistance. |
Also see the database requirements in Breakdown of Oracle Database IOPS . |
Step 10 |
Verify that the time of the servers is synchronized. |
Configuring the Network Timing Protocol. |
Step 11 |
Enable the jar command in the root user path on all machines where you will install Prime Network. |
Run which jar to verify that the jar command is available. |
Step 12 |
Verify that the user has root privileges on the gateway. |
— |
Step 13 |
Verify that DNS is enabled on the Prime Network gateway, unit, and client machines. |
— |
Step 14 |
Verify that the hosts file (/etc/hosts) is configured to include the machine’s local hostname and its IP address. |
Do not put the hostname and local host address on the same line, as shown in the bad /etc/hosts example. Valid /etc/hosts file: 127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost ::1 localhost6.localdomain localhost6 10.56.117.131 pnqa-ha-p2 pnqa-ha-p2.cisco.com Invalid /etc/hosts file: 127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost hostname1 ::1 localhost6.localdomain localhost6 |
Step 15 |
Verify the minimum Swap file memory size is 8GB |
If the installation fails because of missing swap file check the swap file minimum allowed size. The minimum allowed swap file size is 8192000. |
Gateway Preinstallation Tasks—External Database
Table 3-2 lists the tasks that you must perform before installing Prime Network on a gateway that uses an external database. All procedures should be performed as the root user.
Table 3-2 Gateway Preinstallation Tasks Checklists For External Database
|
|
|
Step 1 |
Verify that the Disk 1: New Install DVD is available. |
Installation DVDs |
Step 2 |
Verify that the server machines meet the system requirements. |
Installation Requirements |
Step 3 |
Ensure you have the following SSH connectivity as root:
- Gateway to unit
- Unit to gateway
- Unit to localhost
- Gateway to localhost
|
— |
Step 4 |
Verify that the server meets the Oracle database requirements. |
Prime Network Gateway and Database Requirements Before you begin to Install Prime Network 5.2, ensure to: 1. Edit the file in the following path:
2. Change the value to Set RemoveIPC=no 3. Remove the following comment:
4. Stop the Firewall: service firewalld stop |
Step 5 |
Verify the installed operating system. |
Verifying the Installed Operating System |
Step 6 |
Disable SELinux. |
In /etc/selinux/config, configure SELINUX=disabled, then reboot the machine. |
Step 7 |
Verify the RPM files required for Prime Network on Red Hat are installed. |
Verifying the RPMs Required on Red Hat for Prime Network |
Step 8 |
Verify that all the ports designated for Prime Network are free. |
Required Ports for Prime Network. |
Step 9 |
Verify that the Oracle database is configured before proceeding with the installation. |
Preparing the Oracle External Database. |
Step 10 |
Start the Oracle listener after installing the database. |
Starting the Oracle Listener (External Database) |
Step 11 |
(Optional) Collect the following details:
- Port number
- SID
- Data file location
|
Required if you do not want Prime Network to auto-configure your database during the installation. Note Confirm the absolute path and location of the Oracle data files with your database administrator. The location can be under the ORACLEHOME directory or under any other pre-allocated, mounted directory that has oracle:oinstall or oracle:dba permissions. |
Step 12 |
Pre-allocate the storage for the Oracle database files. |
See Prime Network Gateway and Database Requirements. Note Contact your Cisco account representative if you need assistance. |
Step 13 |
Verify that the time of the servers is synchronized. |
Configuring the Network Timing Protocol |
Step 14 |
Verify that the time zone setting on all Prime Network servers is GMT (with 0 offset). Prime Network stores events in the database in GMT format. The Prime Network clients convert events to the time zone that is configured on the client workstation. |
— |
Step 15 |
Enable the jar command in the root user path on all machines where you will install Prime Network. |
Run which jar. |
Step 16 |
Verify that the user has root privileges on the gateway. |
— |
Step 17 |
Verify that DNS is enabled on the Prime Network gateway, unit, and client machines. |
— |
Step 18 |
Verify that the hosts file (/etc/hosts) is configured to include the machine’s local hostname and its IP address. |
Do not put the hostname and local host address on the same line, as shown in the bad /etc/hosts example. Valid /etc/hosts file: ip_address1 hostname1.domain hostname1 127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost ::1 localhost6.localdomain localhost6 Invalid /etc/hosts file: ip_address1 hostname1.domain hostname1 localhost 127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost hostname1 ::1 localhost6.localdomain localhost6 |
Unit Preinstallation Tasks
Table 3-3 shows the tasks that you must verify or perform before proceeding with Prime Network unit installation. All procedures should be performed as the root user.
Table 3-3 Unit Preinstallation Tasks Checklists
|
|
|
Step 1 |
Verify that the Disk 1: New Install DVD is available. |
Installation DVDs |
Step 2 |
Verify that the unit machines meet the system hardware and software requirements. |
Prime Network Unit Requirements |
Step 3 |
Verify that the time on all units in the setup is synchronized. Note The maximum difference allowed between different clocks is 4 minutes. |
— |
Step 4 |
Verify that all the ports designated for Prime Network are free. |
Required Ports for Prime Network |
Verifying the Installed Operating System
Prime Network 5.2 is supported onRed Hat 6.7, Red Hat 6.8, Red Hat 6.9, Red Hat 6.10, Red Hat 7.4, and Red Hat 7.5 64-bit Server Edition (English language).
To verify that you have installed a supported Linux version, as the root user, enter:
# cat /etc/redhat-release
The command output should list a supported version, as in this example:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 6.7
Verifying the RPMs Required on Red Hat for Prime Network
As root user, verify all required RPMs are installed. For a list of required RPMs, see Required Red Hat Services and RPMs.
To verify which required RPMs are installed, use the rpm -q command followed by the required RPMs, as in the following example (which is for Red Hat 6.7):
rpm -q binutils-2.20.51.0.2-5.36.el6.x86_64 compat-libcap1-1.10-1.x86_64 compat-libstdc++-33-3.2.3-69.el6.x86_64 gcc-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64 gcc-c++-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64 glibc-2.12-1.132.el6.x86_64 glibc-2.12-1.132.el6.x86_64 ksh-20120801-10.el6.x86_64 libgcc-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64libstdc++-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64 libstdc++-devel-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64 libaio-0.3.107-10.el6.x86_64 libaio-devel-0.3.107-10.el6.x86_64 make-3.81-20.el6.x86_64 sysstat-9.0.4-22.el6.x86_64 expect-5.44.1.15-5.el6_4.x86_64 openssh-clients-5.3p1-94.el6.x86_64 openssh-server-5.3p1-94.el6.x86_64 openssh-5.3p1-94.el6.x86_64 telnet-0.17-47.el6_3.1.x86_64 openssl-1.0.1e-16.el6.x86_64 compat-libstdc++-33.x86_64 dos2unix-3.1-37.el6.x86_64 --qf '%{name}.%{arch}\n'|sort
The output of this command will list the RPMs and will indicate which RPMs are not installed.
Example output:
binutils-2.20.51.0.2-5.36.el6.x86_64
package compat-libcap1-1.10-1.x86_64 is not installed
compat-libstdc++-33-3.2.3-69.el6.x86_64
package gcc-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64 is not installed
gcc-c++-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64
glibc-2.12-1.132.el6.x86_64
ksh-20120801-10.el6.x86_64
libgcc-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64
libstdc++-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64
libstdc++-devel-4.4.7-4.el6.x86_64
libaio-0.3.107-10.el6.x86_64
libaio-devel-0.3.107-10.el6.x86_64
sysstat-9.0.4-22.el6.x86_64
expect-5.44.1.15-5.el6_4.x86_64
openssh-clients-5.3p1-94.el6.x86_64
openssh-server-5.3p1-94.el6.x86_64
openssh-5.3p1-94.el6.x86_64
telnet-0.17-47.el6_3.1.x86_64
openssl-1.0.1e-16.el6.x86_64
compat-libstdc++-33.x86_64
dos2unix-3.1-37.el6.x86_64
Starting the Oracle Listener (External Database)
After the external database has been created, start the Oracle listener so that the network-conf.pl configuration script can connect to the database.
Step 1
Determine if the Oracle listener is up by executing the following command as the root user:
The following output should be displayed (in this example, ORACLEHOME is set to /export/home /oracle):
oracle 17327 1 0 Aug 02 ? 0:00 /export/home/oracle/product/11.2.3/bin/tnslsnr LISTENER -inherit
Step 2
If the Oracle listener is down, complete the following steps:
a.
Log in as user oracle.
b.
Enter lsnrctl start.
Configuring the Network Timing Protocol
It is recommended to use your organization’s NTP server for timing synchronization, however, if necessary, you could use the Prime Network gateway.
Note
If gateway high availability is configured, you must use your organization’s NTP server for timing.
To use your organization’s NTP server for timing synchronization:
Step 1
Locate the ntp.conf file, which is usually located under /etc. (Check the file location with the NTP system administrator.)
Step 2
Enter the following in ntp.conf, where NTP_SERVER_IP is the IP address of your organization’s NTP server.
server NTP_SERVER_IP prefer
server -6 NTP_SERVER_IP prefer
Step 3
Restart the NTP service:
To use the Prime Network gateway for timing synchronization:
Step 1
On the Prime Network gateway, create a file with the following contents and save it as /etc/ntp.conf :
server 127.127.1.0 prefer
fudge 127.127.1.0 stratum 10
driftfile /var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift
statsdir /var/lib/ntp/ntpstats/
filegen peerstats file peerstats type day enable
filegen loopstats file loopstats type day enable
filegen clockstats file clockstats type day enable
Step 2
Create a drift file:
touch /var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift
Step 3
Restart the NTP service:
Step 4
Configure the units and database to be NTP clients by creating a file with the following contents, and save it as /etc/ ntp.conf :
a.
Create an /etc/ntp.conf with the following contents:
For IPv4, enter:
server GW_SERVER_IP prefer
For IPv6, enter:
server -6 GW_SERVER_IP prefer
b.
Restart the NTP service:
c.
Verify connectivity to the NTP server, enter:
Note
If you find two NTP processes running on the server, kill one of them.
Finding NTP Process in Server
To find an NPT process running in the server, follow the command provided below:
[root@ast-nms-cpn ~]# ps -ef | grep -v grep | grep "ntp"
ntp 2040 1 0 Jan23 ? 00:00:01 ntpd -u ntp:ntp -p /var/run/ntpd.pid -g
root 2051 2040 0 Jan23 ? 00:00:01 ntpd -u ntp:ntp -p /var/run/ntpd.pid -g
Killing NTP Process in Server
To kill an NTP process running in the server, follow the command provided below:
[root@ast-nms-cpn ~]# kill -9 2051
[root@ast-nms-cpn ~]# ps -ef | grep -v grep | grep "ntp"
ntp 2040 1 0 Jan23 ? 00:00:01 ntpd -u ntp:ntp -p /var/run/ntpd.pid -g [
root@ast-nms-cpn ~]#
[root@ast-nms-cpn ~]# ps -ef | grep -v grep | grep "ntp" | wc -l
l
IPv4 and IPv6 Compliance Considerations
Prime Network 5.2 supports monitoring and communication over IPv4 and IPv6 interfaces. Units can hold and manage VNEs from different interface types. Prime Network IPv4 and IPv6 installation options are shown in Table 3-4 . Variations in the options are possible, for example, a gateway with a dual-stack interface can connect to one unit with an IPv4 interface and another with an IPv6 interface.
Note
If Gateway is installed with IPv6 interface then OR is not supported.
Table 3-4 Supported IPv4 and IPv6 Installations
|
|
|
|
Gateway |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Client |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Unit |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Cisco Embedded Oracle |
Yes |
No |
Yes Note For Dual Stack environments IPv6 is supported. However, it is recommended to select IPv4 as the DB interface during network-conf execution and select IPv6 as the backend interface. |
User-purchased Oracle |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Operations Reports |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
While Prime Network 5.2 allows for flexible IPv4 and IPv6 installations, do not install Prime Network in an IPv4 and IPv6 network until you review the following points:
- Units configured in a redundant relationship must have the same interface type, that is, either IPv4 or IPv6.
- Installation sets the interface type between a unit and a gateway. Upgrading to Prime Network 5.2 does not automatically add a new interface type between an existing unit and its gateway, even if the IPv6 connectivity already exists. Contact Cisco Technical Support for assistance.
- The client must have the same connectivity type to the database machine as the Prime Network gateway. For example, if the gateway is configured to access the database using IPv4, the client must also be able to access the database using IPv4.
- Only Oracle version 12cR2 and later are IPv6-compliant. If you plan to install a gateway or unit with only IPv6 interface types, verify that the Oracle database is version 12cR2 or later. (The Prime Network embedded Oracle database is version 12c[12.2.0.1].)
- You can install the Prime Network 5.2 embedded database on an IPv4-only server or on a dual stack server (IPv4 and IPv6). You cannot install the embedded database on an IPv6-only server.
- You can install Prime Network 5.2 Operations Reports on an IPv4-only server or on a dual stack server (IPv4 and IPv6). You cannot install the tool on an IPv6-only server.
- When using Change and Configuration management, make sure your device can communicate both over IPv4 and IPv6. If your device cannot communicate over IPv4, then the Unit from which the VNE of that device is configured can only manage devices over IPv6. This is valid only in case the device does not have dual stack.
- If the units are installed with interface type that differs from the interface on which the database is installed, then database must be configured for dual listener. To configure dual listener, complete the procedure in Configuring Dual Listeners after the installation.
UNIX Services and Components Used by Prime Network
Table 3-5 lists the Linux services and components that are used by the Prime Network system. Do not remove them.
Table 3-5 Required Linux Services and Components
|
|
Configuration Information
|
|
|
xntpd |
Time server |
/etc/inet/ntp.conf |
123 (UDP) |
ntp |
ntp4 |
Time server |
/etc/inet/ntp.conf |
123 (UDP) |
ntp |
ntpd |
Time server |
/etc/inet/ntp.conf |
123 (UDP) |
ntp |
/bin/tcsh |
UNIX shell |
None |
None |
None |
/usr/bin/tcsh |
UNIX shell |
None |
None |
None |
Perl |
Scripting language |
None |
None |
None |
/bin/sh |
UNIX shell |
None |
None |
None |
/bin/ksh |
UNIX shell |
None |
None |
None |
/usr/bin/ksh |
UNIX shell |
None |
None |
None |
ntpd |
Time server |
/etc/inet/ntp.conf |
123 (UDP) |
ntp |