NetBrain Technologies Inc. NetBrain Consultant Edition. Quick Start Guide

Transcription

1 NetBrain Technologies Inc. NetBrain Consultant Edition Quick Start Guide

2 Content 1. Install NetBrain Workstation CE System Install and Activate NetBrain Gateway Server Install Workstation Manage license of NetBrain Design module (OE-D) Discover Network and Populate the Workspace Start Workspace Wizard Define Telnet/SSH/SNMP credentials and Proxies Discover Live Network Import Configuration Files Tune Live Access Benchmark network and build L3&L2 topology Create L3 or L2 topology maps Create Map for a Network Task Map network design from configuration files Map the Area around a Problematic Device Analyze Network via Map Decode Network Design via Design Reader Annotate Network Configuration in the Map Route Table Toolkit Configuration File Toolkit Auto Documentation Create a Word Document Create an Asset Report... 34

3 1. Install NetBrain Workstation CE System

4 Component Minimum System requirement Operation System Others Gateway Server 2 GHz, Dual core CPU, 2 GB Windows Server Microsoft Internet memory, 10 GB free disk space 2008, Windows Information Services Server 2003 including (IIS) SP2/R2 Network Server 2 GHz, 2 GB memory, 10 GB free Windows Server disk space 2008, Windows Server 2003 including SP2/R2 Workstation 1 GHz, 1 GB memory, 5 GB free Windows XP disk space SP2, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008

5 1.1 Install and Activate NetBrain Gateway Server Step 1 Install IIS services Step 2 Install Gateway Server 1. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs option. 2. Select Add/Remove Windows Components button. 3. Select Application Server item then click the Details button. 4. Select the Internet Information Services (IIS) item, and then click OK to install the services. 1. Run NetBrain Gateway installation setup file and follow the setup wizard. 2. In the window for PostGRES installation, keep the default port and default username postgres. Enter the password as postgres. Go to the next step if IIS is already installed. If you got an error message postgresql.conf not found, check whether the Secondary Logon service is running. Start this service if not. Reinstall the Gateway Server. For detail or other possible problem, check here. Step 3 Activate Gateway Server 1. Click the Start > NetBrain > NetBrain License Tool option. The NetBrain License window opens. 2. Select the NetBrain Enterprise Server from the product drop-down list. 3. Click the Trial Activate button. The Register for Trial License window opens. If you do not have the Activation Key, Click here and fill in the form. NetBrain will send you the Activation Key for the trial license. If the server is not connected to Internet, you can activate the license via . Follow the instruction here. Note: if you have the permanent license, click the Activate button. At the Activate License window Fill in the License ID,

6 Password, First Name, Last Name and fields. 4. Fill in the and Activation Key and click the Next button to start the activation process. After verification, the trial license will be activated and you are able to use the program for up to 15 days. Step 4 Login in Gateway Server web interface Enter URL brain. The default username/password is admin/admin. To change the admin default password, click User accounts and then the button of admin.

7 Gateway Server Home page

8 1.2 Install Workstation Step 1 1. Login to the web interface of Gateway Server and click Install Workstation link. 2. Download NetBrain OE Workstation setup file. Download Setup File Step 2 1. Run NetBrain CE Workstation setup file. 2. Follow the Setup Wizard. Install NetBrain CE Workstation Step 3 Login to CE Workstation 1. Launch the Workstation. 2. Click the Change Server option from the Server drop down list. 3. Enter the Gateway Server IP address or domain name and the port number. 4. Click the Test connection button. 5. Enter the administrator username and the password. The default is admin/admin. 6. Select the <<New Local Workstation>> option from Workspace drop-down list The Workstation user interface is not same for the administrator as for the engineer. Most of tasks in this guide can be done via the administrator user interface of NetBrain Workstation.

9 7.Click OK 1.3 Manage license of NetBrain Design module (OE-D) NetBrain Design (OE-D) is an add-on module which allows a user to work on the local workspace. OE-D module requires the additional floating license controlled by Gateway Server. A Workstation User must check out the license if he wants to create a new local workspace or open an existing local workspace. Check out OE-D license 1. On the Login window, select an existing local workspace or select the <<New Local workspace >> option to create a new local workspace. The system will check out the design module license automatically if an OE-D license is available. If no OE-D license is available (you have not bought OE-D license or all OE-D licenses are already checked out), the following error message will be popped up.

10 2. If you already login on a server workspace, click > Check Out License menu to open the Advanced license options window. Check the Enable Floating license of Network Design Module option then click OK, the system will try checking out the OE-D license. If an OE-D license is available, the message Succeed to check out the functions will be popped up. If no license is available, an error message Failed to get floating license of Network Design module will be popped up. Release Design module license You can release the OE-D license in three ways: 1. Exit the workstation. The system will release the OE-D license that was checked out on your workstation. 2. Click > Check Out License menu then uncheck the Enable Floating license of Network Design Module option on the opening Advanced License Options window, the system will release the design module license. Note: If you are working on a local workspace, the Enable Floating license of Network Design Module option is grey and you can t release OE-D license since you are using the license.

11 3. On ES webpage the Administrator can also force an online user who checked out OE-D license to log out in order to release the license. On home page, click the Force Logout button, the corresponding user will be logged out and the OE-D license will be released. Manage OE-D License while working on Workstation offline For a Workstation to work offline, the user must check out OE floating license for a certain time. And if the user wants to work on OE-D module offline, the user must also check out OE-D license for a certain time. The default expiring time of the offline mode license is 7 days. The maximum expiring time is 14 days which can be set on Gateway server webpage. Check out an offline mode license of NetBrain Design module 1. Click > Check Out License menu to open the Advanced License Options window. 2. Check the Reserve license for offline mode with 7 days 0 hours option and click OK button.

12 2. Discover Network and Populate the Workspace To start with NetBrain, you need build the workspace. The workspace is a virtual environment to emulate the network. NetBrain provides a wizard to help you set up the workspace. This Workspace Wizard includes six steps: Step 1: Define the live network settings, the credentials to access the live network. Step 2: Discover live network. Starting from a seed device, the system will discover the live network. Step 3: Add more devices by importing configuration files. If some devices cannot be accessed or are not discovered for some reasons, you can add more devices by importing configuration files. Step 4: Tune live access. The system will poll all network devices to validate the required access credentials of each device (the device settings). Step 5: Benchmark network and build L3&L2 topology. You should run the local benchmark at least once. The L3 and L2 topology will be built automatically from the benchmark data. Step 6: Create L3/L2 Topology maps. This step is not an essential step for the workspace setup. However by creating the map from the system created device groups or switch groups, you can visualize the topology. 2.1 Start Workspace Wizard Click and select New Local Workspace option to open the Workspace Wizard window. Enter the workspace name and description.

13 Click the Next button to go to Step 1 of the workspace wizard. 2.2 Define Telnet/SSH/SNMP credentials and Proxies The step 1 of Workspace Wizard is to enter the network settings. This function allows you to configure the required credentials to access devices on your network and retrieve configuration files during the network discovery process. It can also be used in the Tune Live Access function to poll the devices and automatically match and input the correct device settings.

14 1. Click the Telnet/SSH login tag. 2. Click the Add button. 3. Enter the corresponding values. 4. Repeat step 2 and 3 to add all possible Telnet/SSH login credentials. 5. Click the other tabs in Live Network Setting window to add Privilege Password, SNMP community, Network Server and Jumpbox. 6. Click the Next button to go to the next step of wizard. Note: If Workstation can access your network directly, then you do NOT need set a Jumpbox. Otherwise you do need set a Jumpbox so that the Workstation can access the live network. Live Network Setting Examples Telnet/SSH login Username nb Password nb Privilege Password nb SNMP community nb Network Server IP address Port 9099 Jumpbox IP address Username NetBrain Password NetBrain Login Prompt login: Command Prompt: :/>

15 2.3 Discover Live Network The step 2 of Workspace Wizard is to discover the live network. Live Network Discovery provides the ability to discover network devices and retrieve their configuration files. These devices are then automatically added to the workspace. 1. Click the Options button and select correct access order. For example, if most of your devices are accessed via SSH, you can select Try SSH then Telnet. 2. Enter an IP address of the seed router. Or click Select Device to select a seed router. 3. Click the Start Discovery button. 4. Select an entry to view the log. 5. Click the Next button to go to the next step of wizard. Note: The discovery statistics are updated and displayed at. Note: If you fail to discover some devices in your network, first make sure that you enter all possible live network settings at step 1 Define Telnet/SSH/SNMP Credentials and Proxies and then you can try different seed routers. 2.4 Import Configuration Files The step 3 is to import configuration files. If you have discovered all network devices you are interested in step 2, you can click the Next button to skip this step. Otherwise if you do not have access to all or some of the network devices, you can add these devices by importing their configuration files. Before this step, you need to retrieve the configuration files of your network devices and save them as text files in your PC.

16 1. Collect configuration files into a file folder. Note: If you use configuration management tools such as HP Automation and Cisco Works, you can export configurations into a directory from these tools and import them into NetBrain. 2. Click From Folder button and select the file folder you saved configuration files. 3. Click the OK button. 4. The imported devices are displayed in the Workspace pane. 5. Click the Next button to go to the next step of wizard. Note: NetBrain supports configuration files of Cisco IOS router, IOS switch, CatOS switch, Pix/ASA firewall, Junos router, 3COM router/switch. A complete list of vendors and hardware models supported can be found here. Configuration files need to be of original text format. 2.5 Tune Live Access The step 4 is tune live access. The tune live access function allows you to poll live devices automatically using the live network settings defined in step 1. The live access function then automatically matches and fills in the correct values to their respective devices.

17 1. Click Start Tuning. 2. Click an entry to view its log. 3. After the process is finished, right click an entry and view its device setting or telnet/ssh to it. 4. Click the Next button to go to the next step of wizard. Tip: if you get failure for some devices, you can click Start Tuning button again without closing window. The system will only try the devices which failed in last testing. All credentials to access a device are saved as Device Settings. You can manually edit the device setting of a device. 1. Right click a device from Workspace pane and select Device Settings menu. 2. Enter the credential directly. Or you can click the button and select one from the live network setting you just defined. 3. You can apply these setting to all devices or a device group. To do so, select the settings and device groups and click the Apply button. If the system fails to reach a device via a method, first click the entry of this device in Tune Live Access window and view the log for any clue. If the system can ping the device successfully but cannot Telnet/SSH to the device or reach the device via SNMP, then quite possibly some live network settings are missing. Refer to Define Telnet/SSH/SNMP Credentials and Proxies to add live network settings. Click here for other possible cases of failure and solutions.

18 2.6 Benchmark network and build L3&L2 topology The step 5 is to benchmark the network. Benchmark data is a snapshot of the network state at a particular point in time. The benchmark data includes configuration files, interface information, routing, MAC, ARP, and CDP tables and are used to build L3 and L2 topology and also in the troubleshooting process to recall a healthy network state. By default, L2 and L3 topology are automatically built from the latest benchmark data. 1. Click the Start Benchmark Now button to have the system start benchmarking your network immediately. 2. Click the Next button to go to the next step of Wizard. Note: If you have a large network, it may take a while to finish a benchmark. 2.7 Create L3 or L2 topology maps The final step of Workspace Wizard is to create L3 and L2 map. This step is not essential for workspace setup. It just shows you one of many methods to create a map on demand.

19 1. Select a device group and click Create Map button. Note: You can also create L2 topology maps. Click the Map L2 Topology Map tag to display all switch groups. Select a switch group to map. 2. Click the Finish button to exit the wizard.

20 3. Create Map for a Network Task With NetBrain, every function works from a map. NetBrain provides many ways for you to create a L2/L3 map on-the-fly for a task in hand. 3.1 Map network design from configuration files Create a map from configuration files 1. Collect configuration files into a file folder. Note: If you do not have configuration files ready, you can download a set of files from here. 2. Drag and drop the folder into the Workstation. 3. A map is automatically created for all devices in the folder. Apply Digital Zoom to a Q-Map 1. Scroll the mouse wheel forward to zoom in the map and view the detail data along the link.

21 Mouse over any Text in a Q-Map 1. Mouse over a text along a link to display the relevant configuration-let in the Tip Window. Tip: Click the button on the Map ribbon menu to turn on/off Tip Window. One-Click Visio Diagram 1. Click the Export to Visio button in context menu. 2. The system creates the Visio diagram.

22 3.2 Map the Area around a Problematic Device When customers report a PC couldn t connect to network, or monitoring system generates an alarm of unreachable devices, you need a map about the problem area. Use NetBrain s search and mapping capability for this type of task. Map the area around an IP address 1. Enter any IP address in the Home > Search text box. 2. Click the Search button. 3. Click icon to create a new map. 4. Drag and drop a device from search results pane to the map.

23 5. Click button to open neighbor window. 6. Double click all neighbors or one neighbor to draw the neighbor(s) in the map. Tip: You can use hostname and any text inside a configuration as the search key. For exact match, add "" around the search string.

24 4. Analyze Network via Map Once a data-driven Q-Map is created, many network analyses can be automated from the map. The frequently used analysis can be launched from the context menu (also called the floating menu) bar. The context menus change when different types of network objects are selected in the Q-map. Context Menu Network Analysis Q-Map Floating Menu Click the blank space in a Q-map to bring up the context menu for a map. Router Floating Menu Highlight routing protocol Compare Configurations and routings Retrieve live data Add map note Show attachment Export to Visio View configurations and config-let Click a router to bring up the context menu for a device. via design reader View route table View NAT table View MAC table (only applicable to switch) Extend neighbor 4.1 Decode Network Design via Design Reader NetBrain design reader extrapolates detail design out of the configurations. The detail design can be viewed in tip window conveniently and in design reader comprehensively.

25 1. Scroll the mouse wheel forward to zoom in the map and view the detail data along the link. 2. Move the mouse over the labels and the tip window opens (click the Map > Show Tip button in the ribbon if it does not open). 3. Click the design reader button in tip window. The design reader pane opens. 4. Select a design filter in the left pane. 5. Click a device in the map to apply the design filter. 6. Click the button to view the sample. Tip: You can use Design Reader to learn best practice by click view sample button. A map along with common configure-let opens.

26 4.2 Annotate Network Configuration in the Map Annotate Configuration in a Q-map 1. Move the mouse over the labels and the tip window opens (click the Map > Show Tip button in the ribbon if it does not open). 2. Click the button to save the tip window in the map. Tip: You many need to apply zoom in order to see multicasting label such as PIM-DM or PIM-SM shown up in the map.

27 Highlight routing protocols in L3 map 1. Click highlight in context menu and select highlight routing protocol. 2. To clear the highlight, click highlight in the context menu and select Clear All.

28 Highlight VLAN in L2 map 1. Click highlight in context menu and select highlight LAN segment. 2. To clear the highlight, click highlight in the context menu and select Clear Highlight.

29 4.3 Route Table Toolkit View the route tables benchmarked at different times and map the route item onto a Q-map. Use route table toolkit 1. Click a device and click Route table > route table in context menu. 2. From the route table pane, sort the route entries by one of the parameters. Tip: Sort the route table by Age in the ascending order to find the flapping routes. 3. Enter an IP subnet or an IP address and then press Enter key. The system will filter the corresponding routes. 4. Drag and drop a route entry to a Q-map. The device and its next-hop device of the route are mapped in the map. Tip: From the source pull-down menu, select a cached Datafolder to view historical routing table, and compare against current data.

30 4.4 Configuration File Toolkit View the current and historical configuration files. Compare and find what are changed between two configuration files. 1. Select a device in the map. 2. Click Config > Config in context menu. 3. Select a source. 4. Click the Compare button. 5. Select two DataFolders to compare. 6. The differences between two configuration files are highlighted. Click the Next or Prev button to view the next or previous difference.

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32 5. Auto Documentation Using Consultant Edition, standard assessment documentation can be created with full automation. This includes: Professional grade Visio diagrams Customizable network assessment documents in Word Inventory reports in CSV format

33 5.1 Create a Word Document The NetBrain Workstation one-click Network Documentation feature allows you to easily document your work, making the troubleshooting or design process much easier. The system will automatically collect all or subsets of network data for all devices on Q-maps and create a compressed document for you. 1. Open a map and click the Word button in the context menu. 2. Select a design template. There are three built-in templates, network design, network inventory and troubleshooting. You can also define your own template. The template defines what data to be imported into the document. 3. Click the Advanced button to define the data to be exported into Word document. 4. Click the button to select the destination file to save the output document. 5. Click the Finish button.

34 5.2 Create an Asset Report The comprehensive inventory data discovered by NetBrain can be exported to a CSV file. To create an asset report 1. Click the Workspace tab > Asset Report button (within the Export group). The Browse for Folder window opens. 2. Select a folder and then click the OK button to export the workspace data to three CSV files.