Cisco WLC Backup

direland69

Hi,

Has anyone had success backing up a Cisco Wireless LAN Controller config with Cirrus?

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wlan_wlc_controller_5500_backup

Accepted answers

kahmeelyon

I did this template which works with our 44xx devices:

<Configuration-Management Device="Cisco WLC" SystemOID=" 1.3.6.1.4.1.14179.1.1.4.3">
<Commands>
  <Command Name="RESET" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="DisablePaging" Value="config paging disable" Delay="300"/>
  <Command Name="DownloadConfig" Value="show run-config commands"/>
  <Command Name="Reboot" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="EnterConfigMode" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="ExitConfigMode" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="Startup" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="Running" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="UploadConfig" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="DownloadConfigIndirect" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="UploadConfigIndirect" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="EraseConfig" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="SaveConfig" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="Version" Value=""/>
  <Command Name="PreCommand" Value="${CRLF}" Delay="1"/>
  <Command Name="More" Value="(q)uit" Delay="1"/>
  <Command Name="MenuBased" Value="false"/>
  <Command Name="VirtualPrompt" Value="(Cisco Controller) >"/>
</Commands>
</Configuration-Management>

All comments

jonchill

Nope, I've tried and can't get any Cirrus functionality. I think it's partly die to it not being a full implementation of IOS and Cirrus not fully supporting it.

Jon

IT Infrastructure Manager
Pilgrim Hospital
UK

pbrass

They have posted a template for Cisco's WLC that you can download and install for Cirrus. It doesn't seem to work with SSH, but it works great with telnet.

Has anyone gotten it to work with SSH?

-Peter

FormerMember

I still cant get it to work even with the template. First off the command on my WLC is sh run-config, and the template has running-config which errors out. Changing the template to run-config fixes that, but now I have to go through a series of press enter to continue prompts. These range depending on the device to around 30 times I have to press enter before I get a full config. The template doesnt issue any enter commands so the script fails every time.

Adding &CRLF commands dont work either for this template.

ecornwell

What version of code are you running? We're running 4.1.185.0 and I've been able to back them up without a problem. I used the template that was provided in the sharing zone.

FormerMember

I am running code version: 4.0.179.11

Thanks

smasher953

Anyone find an answer for this? We are just in the process of implementing a pair of WISM's and WCS. I'd like OrionNCM to be able to go into the WISM (just a pair of WLC's) and pull down the config file.

The "show run-config" CLI command doesn't actually give you to commands to configure the WLC -- just output on how the system is setup. ie: You can't copy/paste the output from "show run-config" into a corrupt WLC to get your config back.

The only way I can see to do this is to do a TFTP transfer of the config file with these CLI commands on the WLC:

transfer upload datatype config
transfer upload serverip <TFTPSERVER_ADDRESS>
transfer upload path <TFTP_PATH>
transfer upload filename <TFTP_FILENAME>
transfer upload start

But, then the problem is it prompts you and asks if you want to start the transfer. Here's the example of the WLC Controller Guide documentation:

Mode............................................. TFTP

TFTP Server IP................................... 10.10.10.4

TFTP Path........................................ Config/

TFTP Filename.................................... AS_4402_4_2_55_8_Config.xml

Data Type........................................ Config File

Encryption....................................... Disabled

**************************************************

***  WARNING: Config File Encryption Disabled  ***

**************************************************

Are you sure you want to start? (y/N) y

File transfer operation completed successfully.

Any idea how to do this? If it was 1 command line we could use the indirect transfer....but then the Y/N question to actually start the transfer. Anyone figure a way around this yet?

I'm currently running 5.2.178.0.

--greg

ATSJHIPPEN

I just uploaded a device configuration that works on our 3750 WLC. Cisco Wireless LAN Controller - Telnet/TFTP Download

I tested it on 5.2.178.0.

kahmeelyon

I did this template which works with our 44xx devices:

jswan

smasher953--

If you have WCS you can always use that to back up the configs.

fast

Thank you kahmeelyon!!! Your template works like a champ. I have a WLC 5.x controller that is not a member of our WCS and I haven't been able to get NCM to grab the config. I created my own template with the abbreviated "show run-config" command and couldn't get it to work. Copied and pasted your posted commands in my WLC 5.x template and now we're good to go.

Ismo

I did this template which works with our 44xx devices:

...
...

Can someone explain the basics to novice? Problem: WLC 4402 config backup doesn't work. I've tried to search the answer from these forums, but without success. Here's what I've tried:

I have copied template (as the matter of fact, many different kind of them) to Program Files\SolarWinds\Configuration Management\DeviceTypes-folder in orion server, and then just pressed "download configs..."-button from NCM and hoped for the best. It ends to something like this:
Error Downloading Config to TFTP Host: yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy. Device IP: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
Sometimes when I do some "random" changes I get this: Unable to locate or error loading device template: e:\Program Files\SolarWinds\Configuration Management\DeviceTypes\Cisco WLC. Device IP: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

Login works ok, I've tested it. And same time all the other Cisco switches backups in same LAN and same ftfp-server works fine.

I'm not really the "script wizard", I don't know anything about them, but somehow I know that something is missing in those templates "code". You guys just CAN'T success at backup with that script, even when many of you are telling something like "thanks, this worked perfectly". It just doesn't work! But question is, HOW I should change it? I've tried to add there some values that are empty now, for example :
<Command Name="DownloadConfigIndirect" Value="transfer upload start"/>
but it doesn't work. When I try to validate that template in web browser view, I get errors from " characters. When I remove them all, then I begin to get errors from < characters.So it feels that the whole language is totally wrong. We have 4402 WLC version 6.0.182.0 and Orion version 10.

I think I have something wrong with very basics of using this software, but I just don't know what and how.

If I make a command script like this:

transfer
upload start
y

it works ok, and backups a config. So tftp itself seem to work ok.

familyofcrowes

Does this work with version 7 WLC?

It keeps telling me "it's not a Cisco device"

Ismo

I'm commenting to my own message, because it still doesn't work. Quite strange that everyone else here seem to get that script work but not me. Is it possible that WCL would get own WORKING script in some future versions of Orion NCM??? Little bit stupid thing, that the most common WLAN controller command language of this world is not supported by Solarwinds, and users must exhance they know-how in the forums because of that.

Devices are changed, but problem didn't. I've replaced 4402 with 2pcs of 5500 controllers. But the problem still remains. If I make a script described in the end of last message, backuping is succesfull. Only problem is NCM UI doesn't see the configuration history for those devices, because it is not copied with NCM native tools which switches and routers use for example.

ecornwell

The problem is Cisco has changed the way certain commands display certain data. The earlier versions of the controllers wouldn't actually show you the command line values used to get the current config and instead showed you the result. I'm guessing this was from the Airespace days.

I've only played with one 5500 but once you find the correct command to get the info you want, you just need to plug it into the template and make sure the OID's match.

Ismo

The problem is Cisco has changed the way certain commands display certain data. The earlier versions of the controllers wouldn't actually show you the command line values used to get the current config and instead showed you the result. I'm guessing this was from the Airespace days.
I've only played with one 5500 but once you find the correct command to get the info you want, you just need to plug it into the template and make sure the OID's match.

The problem is not 5500. I had exactly same problem with recent 4402 controller. I just don't understand those scripts! Those <command name=> rows must be some kind of "aliases" to get OS to understand commands, right? If so, why there is no "tranfer", "upload start", and "y" aliases anywhere (the only commands needed to backup configuration in tftp)?!? That's what i don't understand. There is no any chance to make this script work as it is! That's what I've tried to ask from you gyus, but you don't seem to speak the same language as I. I know my english is bad...

As told, the same problem was with 4400 and is now with 5500, but both controller's backing up works perfectly with this simple command script written in NCM > scheduled jobs > wlc backup-job > command script

<login>, passwords etc
transfer
upload start
y

So, how can I make this script you guys talking about, to work as well as my own script works? Why I'm wanting that? Because configuration history doesn't show in NCM node list (there is no plus-buttons next to wlc device names). so it's not a standard way to do this thing, and I want configuration to show in graphs and reports in standard way, as well as switches and routers configurations are showing.

ecornwell

The scripts run different segments of the commands and are triggerered at certain points.

If we look at the commands below, it lists different things that can be done. The download configs section is the one that I used, but in your case, I think you want DownloadConfigIndirect. Check the content exchange, I believe I uploaded one for a Brocade switch that included the indirect download but didn't have a way to test it.

Ismo

The scripts run different segments of the commands and are triggerered at certain points.
If we look at the commands below, it lists different things that can be done. The download configs section is the one that I used, but in your case, I think you want DownloadConfigIndirect. Check the content exchange, I belie
<Command Name="DownloadConfigIndirect" Value=""/>

I didn't find it from exchange section.

But what should I write to that row? I assume it does nothing when value is set to ""? How I can put multiple commands and enter pressings into that?

I begin to feel that maybe it's time to forget the whole NCM backup thing and do it in my own way, without using NCM integration. Actually Cisco WCS server does many different scheduled jobs also, including backups. Also the script-based telnet works (as described above) and it does the job. Of course it would be nice to have all the backups in the same Orion system and to get backup percent in report graphs to be 100%. So by backing up with command script I'm losing integration to NCM client and NPM web UI. I have to login server, go in tftp-folder where backup txt-file is saved, and change/use it from there. And I cannot compare change history. But if NCM integration is this hard, maybe it's not worth it...

networkers

It did worked for me fine for the 44xx WLC

bcorgey

Here are the guts of a template for the Cisco WLC 4400, Cisco WLC 5500 series and the Cisco WISM.

TFTP is the preferred method as it will give you the true configuration and not an output of the current state of the device.... Connected devices and so on.

</Commands>

</Configuration-Management>

fast

bcorgey,

I tried your template using TFTP as my transfer option on a 5508 running v 6.x software and no joy. Any suggestions?

Thanks

bcorgey

fast,

Hard to say without a session trace. Is the transfer protocol set up to be TFTP on the 5508 itself or is it set to FTP? since the command line does not stipulate the protocol to use, it is going to try to use the preconfigured protocol.

Verify you can tftp directly from the device to the TFTP server on the NCM Server:

transfer upload datatype config [enter]

transer upload filename 12345.config [enter]

transfer upload serverip <NCM SERVER IP ADDRESS> [enter]

transfer upload start [enter]

y [enter]

Please also confirm NCM settings for the TFTP server match the TFTP server setting. TFTP_ROOT and IP address.

What version of NCM?

fast

Yes I can TFTP from the 5508 to the NCM server using the commands you showed. File showed up in C:\TFTP_Root on the server which is running NCM v6.1

I attached the trace for you to peek at if you have a chance.

Thanks again!

10.111.90.10-trace.txt

FormerMember

Bump!

Ok, so i'm trying to get a bunch of 5508 WLCs backed up through NCM. It looks like it's working, but i'm unclear of the differences in how i'm doing it and what the restore process would be if I ever had to do it.

1) I found a template on the context exchange for a 5508. I assign the WLC in NCM to that template and run the backup. It succeeds. It looks like it's running "show run-config commands".

2) I setup TFTP on my local machine and made the WLC do a TFTP transfer of the config to my machine.

When I compare the 2, they look different. Which is actually a true config? Which one could I use for a restore?

adambudwill

Crutcha, can you share (even over PM or something) what the TFTP configuration looks like or explain how it looks different? Doing some quick reading it sounds like CLI show run-config commands gives you the raw commands and the TFTP would give you some XML formatted one... I also see chatter about import/exporting certificates over TFTP so I'm not sure if that would also be part of it or not.