NBAR2 Protocol Pack Overview
The NBAR2 Protocol Pack feature provides an easy way to load a protocol pack, which allows you to update Network-Based Application Recognition (NBAR) protocols on supported devices without having to replace the Cisco software on the device. NBAR2 protocol pack contains a set of signatures that are supported by NBAR.
Protocol packs provide the following features:
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They are easy to load.
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They are easy to upgrade and downgrade.
Protocol Pack Compatibility
NBAR2 Protocol packs are released for specific NBAR engine versions. You can load an NBAR2 protocol pack only if the NBAR engine version used in the wireless LAN controller (WLC) software platform is the same as or higher than the engine version that the protocol pack is released for. However, you are strongly recommended to use the protocol pack that is the exact match for the engine.
WLC Software Release |
NBAR Engine Used |
Protocol packs released for the NBAR engine used |
---|---|---|
7.5 |
NBAR engine 13 |
|
7.6 |
||
8.0 |
NBAR engine 16 |
|
Note |
Consider a WLC running a 7.6 or older software release, loaded with a compatible protocol pack. If this controller is upgraded to software release 8.0 , then it will start using protocol pack 9.0.0, which comes in-built in 8.0 release. Additionally you can choose to download protocol pack 11.0.0, which in turn will be loaded instead of 9.0.0. However, if you revert back to the older software release, then the older protocol pack loaded for that release will be loaded again. |
Note |
If you try to load an incompatible protocol pack on a controller, it will be rejected with an error message stating that the protocol pack is incompatible with the underlying NBAR software version. Any existing protocol pack on the controller, will remain active. |
Downloading NBAR2 Protocol Packs
Use only the tested and certified protocol packs which are released on Cisco.com. You can download these protocol packs from this location:
http://software.cisco.com/download/navigator.html
A protocol pack is numbered in a format that is similar to this:
pp-AIR-8.0-(NBAR Engine Number)-(Protocol Pack Version).pack
For example, the Wireless LAN Controller Release 8.0 uses NBAR engine version 16. Hence, protocol packs released for Release 8.0 will have a numbering that is similar to this:
pp-AIR-8.0-16-11.0.0.pack