24.3.3 Setting up auto-discovery rules

Configuring NNMi discovery provides an excellent opportunity for thinking about the NNMi management targets. Before configuring NNMi discovery and converting filters, assess the current network environment and consider what to incorporated into the NNMi topology.

For direct conversion, the NNMi discovery rules include the following two sets of tasks: expanding the discovery scope, and limiting the objects discovered within the scope.

Reference note: When configuring NNMi, it is important to first define all rules that expand or restrict discovery and then to enter the seed for starting the discovery process.

Because the following schedule configuration areas are not used in NNMi, they cannot be migrated:

IPX discovery from Windows
Discoveries that exceed the license restrictions
Disabling Layer 2 object discovery (this is always enabled in NNMi)
Exclusion of discovery using an attribute filter other than IP address and sysObjectID (and its derivatives)
Restriction on Layer 2 discovery based on the CDP protocol area (for example, integrated port and vlan)
Expanded topology configuration (no longer corresponds to NNMi's spiral discovery).

Organization of this subsection

(1) Configuring spiral discovery

(1) Configuring spiral discovery

In NNMi, two methods are available for configuring spiral discovery. One is manual loading of nodes (from a host file, for example) and the other is using auto-discovery rules.

(a) Manual loading of nodes

[Figure]

In NNM, look for a file that includes the content entered in the loadhosts command.

This file lists the IP addresses and host names of the individual nodes, as well as their subnet masks if specified.

Example of NNM loadhosts

An example of a loadhosts command file follows:

10.2.32.201 lnt04.mycorp.net # comment

10.2.32.202 lnt07.mycorp.net # comment

10.2.32.203 lnt03.mycorp.net # comment

10.2.32.204 lnt02.mycorp.net

10.2.32.205 lnt05.mycorp.net
In NNMi, you can use discovery seeds in the same way the loadhosts command was used in NNM.

To do this, specify the -f option and a seed file, and run the nnmloadseeds.ovpl command.

Reference note

Before configuring seeding in NNMi, complete the configuration of all community strings.
Reference note
To obtain the same discovery results as NNM's loadhosts command, disable the auto-discovery rules that are set in NNMi. To disable the auto-discovery rules, do one of the following:
- Delete the rules from the Discovery Configuration form.
- In the Auto-Discovery Rule form, clear the Discover Matching Nodes check box.
  
  The NNMi seed file format has an IP address or a node name (with a comment if provided) for each row. For details, see the nnmloadseeds.ovpl Reference Page.

NNMi seed file example

An example of an NNMi seed file with the same functions as the NNM loadhosts command and host file follows:

10.2.32.201 # comment

10.2.32.202 # comment

lnt03.mycorp.net # comment

lnt02.mycorp.net

10.2.32.205

Tip: In NNMi, a loopback address is always given a higher priority as a management address. If a loopback address is not used, NNMi will probably (but not always) use a seed address as a management address. Therefore, a good approach is to copy the hosts file in which the high-priority IP address is written. If you are using a host name, verify that DNS resolves it as a high-priority address. However, this does not guarantee that NNMi will use this address as a management address. For details about how to select a management address, see Discovery Node Name Choices in NNMi Help.

(b) Using auto-discovery rules

[Figure]

Check whether a discovery filter was used in NNM.

In NNM, a single discovery filter is applied to the entire discovery scope.

a. Open the NNM user interface.

b. Under Options, choose Network Polling Configuration.

c. On the General tab, check the Use a discovery filter check box. If it is selected, write down the name of the discovery filter being used. If the check box is cleared, proceed to 24.3.4 Adding seeded discovery.

d. Look for a discovery filter in the following file:

- Windows: %OV_CONF%\C\filters

- UNIX: $OV_CONF/C/filters

Check the logic carefully. In NNMi, you can filter the IP address range and system object ID range. You can also migrate some objects, by converting a host name wildcard to an IP range or converting vendor names to a system object ID range.

NNM discovery filter examples

Shown below are NNM filter examples, such as routers, bridges, Nokia_Firewalls, NetBotz, and NetsNSegs. NetBotz firewall and Nokia firewall are defined with sysObjectID.

Nokia_Firewalls "Nokia Firewalls"

{ ( isNode && ( "SNMP sysObjectID" ~ .1.3.6.1.4.1.94.1.21.2.1.1 ) ) ||

( isNode && ( "SNMP sysObjectID" ~ .1.3.6.1.4.1.94.1.21.2.1.9 ) ) ||

( isNode && ( "SNMP sysObjectID" ~ .1.3.6.1.4.1.94.1.21.2.1.10 ) ) ||

( isNode && ( "SNMP sysObjectID" ~ .1.3.6.1.4.1.94.1.21.2.10.11 ) ) ||

( isNode && ( "SNMP sysObjectID" ~ .1.3.6.1.4.1.94.1.21.2.10.12 ) ) ||

( isNode && ( "SNMP sysObjectID" ~ .1.3.6.1.4.1.94.1.21.2.1.138 ) ) }

NetBotz "NetBotz"

{ isNode && ( "SNMP sysObjectID" ~ .1.3.6.1.4.1.5528.* ) }

My_NetInfrastructure "My Network Infrastructure"

{ Routers || Bridges || Nokia_Firewalls || NetBotz || NetsNSegs }
In the NNMi console, enter discovery filters.

NNMi discovery filter entry example

For example, to move the NNM filters shown in NNM discovery filter examples in step 1 under Using auto-discovery rules, define the following three auto-discovery rules: One for the Nokia firewall, another for NetBotz devices, and a third for routers and switches (collectively referred to as bridges in NNM 08-00 and later). In NNMi, NetsNSegs is not necessary. In this example, the range of the network to be discovered is assumed to be 10.*.*.* .

a. For the Nokia file, enter the rule name (Nokia_Firewalls) and then enter the network IP range 10.*.*.* .

b. Enter each sysObjectID (without the period at the beginning). Next, select the Discover Any SNMP Device check box (by default, NNMi discovers only switches and routers). Because these devices might not be marked as switches or routers in some cases, select the Discover Any SNMP Device check box when specifying sysObjectIDs.

c. Enter the NetBotz rule. You must specify an IP range here as well. In this rule, the wildcard is used in NNM .1.3.6.1.4.1.5528.*.. In NNMi, an asterisk (*) is implied and therefore is not necessary.

d. The last rule is for switches and routers. Because NNMi discovers these devices by default, do not specify their object IDs (OID). You only need to specify an IP range.

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