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NCM Node Import Filters

The NPM to NCM import job is great, but is there a way to do this AND filter based on custom NPM properties.  Example; if I have many NPM nodes which are provider managed but we monitor and collect statistics, can I filter those from the nightly import?

Parents
  • What do you mean by nightly "import"? Are you downloading configs on a nightly basis from these nodes, or are you actually importing nodes from the NPM database?

    In either case, you could use a custom property to filter by.

    If you are downloading configs, edit the Nodes tab on the Scheduled Job to Specify a Selection Criteria in order to determine the nodes that will be effected by the job. You might use a Yes/No custom property that invludes the nodes that are managed by you.

    If you are truly importing from the NPM to the NCM database, you could use the same property in Orion, then map it to a new custom property in NCM. You would then have to manaully select the nodes with  True value for the custom property.

    Does any of this make sense?

  • Looking to truly do a nightly import of devices between NPM and NCM.  I do not want to manually select devices as I would expect to add new devices added each day to reduce the administrative impact. 

    Example:  Engineers add a couple of new switches and access points into the network and NPM.  Instead of adding them manually into NCM the nightly import will pick them up.

  • You have no doubt already found this, but the Import Node scheduled jobs type only allows you to filter by vendor or machine type as you import nodes from Orion.

    Looks like we need to request that any custom property be allowed as a filter for this type of job.

    Did I miss something anyone?

  • I would also see other possibilities for import filtering (Vendor and Machine Types can not distinguish proper nodes, the true/false custom property needs extra work which is costly). Possibility to use SNMP community for selecting the nodes would be great for us.

    Markku

  • You have no doubt already found this, but the Import Node scheduled jobs type only allows you to filter by vendor or machine type as you import nodes from Orion.

    There is a true/false property in NCM that can be mapped to a property on the Orion NPM side called EnableOrionImport.  

  • Was just wondering if the feature to import based on custom properties from NPM -> NCM was ever inculded??

  • Do you mean the ability to map to a custom property in Orion NPM (e.g. enableNCMimport) to determine if a node is imported into NCM?   If so, this is in 5.5.1.

  • Hi Chris,

    I have installed the latest version of NCM

    Is there a way i could import nodes based on custom propery?

    I would also like to know if i click on download config it is trying to send command sh run can that be changed to show conf as we have some of the routers where only sh conf works

    Thanks

    -C-

Reply
  • Hi Chris,

    I have installed the latest version of NCM

    Is there a way i could import nodes based on custom propery?

    I would also like to know if i click on download config it is trying to send command sh run can that be changed to show conf as we have some of the routers where only sh conf works

    Thanks

    -C-

Children
  • Is there a way i could import nodes based on custom propery?

    Yes, you can set a custom property in Orion called "EnableNCMImport".   Then, in NCM when setting up the Job, map this property to the EnableOrionImport field in NCM.  See admin guide for more details.

    I would also like to know if i click on download config it is trying to send command sh run can that be changed to show conf as we have some of the routers where only sh conf works

    Yes, in the <install dir>\SolarWinds\Configuration Management\DeviceTypes folder you will find a list of device template.  Create a copy of the device template for your device type (rename it) and modify the download config command.   Then, in the NCM device details, manual select the device template you created.   see admin guide for more details on customizing device templates.

  • Thanks Chris!!

    That really helped!!

    Can you please also help me with knowing what are the standards that needs to be agreed before i completey implement NCM

    Like SNMP, devices etc....

    Is there any document that would help me setup all this and standardise the way it is being setup for our environment

    I am documenting everything to make sure that we are covering everything and followed

    Hi All

    Network gurus can you also help me with as much information you guys have with NCM 5.5 implementation which would be standardise before is start using NCM to avoid coming back and doing lots of changes which would have been avoided only by a small standard before it is being implemented

     

    Thanks and waiting for lots of inputs!!

    Chandru

  • Can you please also help me with knowing what are the standards that needs to be agreed before i completey implement NCM

    NCM prereqs:

    1. Network devices should be reachable from the NCM machine

    2. Network devices should have either SSH or Telnet access enabled

    3. Network devices should have SNMP enabled and be SNMP reachable from the NCM machine

    4. SSH or Telnet login credentials to your network devices, including enable password if required.

    2. SNMP community string for your network devices

    See NCM Admin Guide for system requirements and best practices.

  • Thanks Again!!

    Is the best practices part of Admin guide? I am not able to find it

    Does SNMP string needs to be write community string or read?

    I have one more quick question about snmp community string change

    I am planning to update all teh cisco devices with snmpv3 community string and if i change them in NCM, do i need to manually edit them in NPM again?

    Will NCM pull that information from NPM when the daily sync runs or we need to change manullay in NCM as well

    Chandru

  • Read SNMP community string is needed for inventory and system info discovery.    Read-Write SNMP community string is required if you want to setup config transfers using SNMP/TFTP.

    Yes, you would need to update the SNMP v3 community string in NPM as well as NCM.

    NCM may not be able to pull SNMP v3 information directly from the NPM DB (I believe it's encrypted), but you can try mapping the fields in NCM to see if it works.

  • For making config changes do we need snnmp write strings

    Can you please help me with best practise guide?

    Is there any automated way that can do this?

     

    regards

    Chandru

  • You don't need SNMP write strings to make config changes.    You just need an SSH or Telnet account with enough privileges to execute a "config t" operation to enter into config mode on your Cisco devices.