APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability: General Procedures to Onboard PowerSwitch Systems to APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability

Onboarding Methods

OS10 and SONiC Enterprise devices can be onboarded to APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability through the APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector. APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector is supported on PowerSwitch systems running OS10 10.5.3.0 or later and Enterprise SONiC version 4.1.x and later. APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector has been validated on OS10 Full Switch and SmartFabric Services modes.

Supported Devices

• Enterprise SONiC 4.1.x

  N3248X-ON
  N3248TE-ON
  E3248P-ON
  E3248PXE-ON
  S5248F-ON
  S5296F-ON
  S5448F-ON
  S5232F-ON
  S5224F-ON
  S5212F-ON
  Z9664F-ON
  Z9264F-ON
  Z9332F-ON
  Z9432F-ON
  Z9864-ON

• OS10 10.5.3.0 or later

  N3248TE-ON
  S3048-ON
  S4048T
  S4112F-ON
  S4112T-ON
  S4128F-ON
  S4128T-ON
  S4148F-ON
  S4148T-ON
  S4148U
  S5296F-ON
  S5248F-ON
  S5232F-ON
  S5224F-ON
  S5212F-ON
  S5448F-ON
  Z9100
  Z9264F-ON
  Z9332F-ON
  Z9432F-ON
  Z9664F-ON
  E3224F-ON

Migrating from SupportAssist to APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector

Existing OS10 SupportAssist customers can migrate to APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector without losing their data in APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability.

1. Remove the SupportAssist configuration.

   OS10# configure terminal
   OS10(config)# eula-consent support-assist reject
   This action will disable Support Assist and erase all configured data. Do you want to proceed ?
   [yes/no(default)]:yes
   OS10(config)#

2. Once the SupportAssist configuration has been removed in step 1, follow Section 1: Onboarding PowerSwitch systems using APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector.

Onboarding PowerSwitch systems using APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector

APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector
The collector is a small virtual machine distributed as a vApp that enables the collection of data for PowerSwitch, Connectrix, and VMware systems. For PowerSwitch, the APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector communicates with the individual switches using REST API. A single collector can be used for PowerSwitch, Connectrix, and VMware systems. With collector version 1.15.4 and greater, a centralized gateway is used to connect to Secure Connect Gateway (SCG). The deployment of a new integrated gateway (eVE) is no longer supported.

See Article Number: APEX AIOps Observability: The deployment of a new integrated gateway (eVE) is no longer supported

Centralized Gateway - APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector communicates by connecting to the Internet through the Secure Connect Gateway (installed independently of the CloudIQ Collector).

Figure 1: Centralized Gateway

Prerequisites

The Customer:

• PowerSwitch with OS10 10.5.3.0 or later, and Enterprise SONiC 4.1.x or later
• Ability to deploy a VMware vApp virtual machine that acts as the data collector
• An active ProSupport or higher contract
• Completed customer registration at Dell Support Site (for each user)
• Open port 9443 for access between the APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector and the Secure Connect Gateway.
• If the Secure Connect Gateway resides behind a firewall, open port 443 on the firewall for an outbound connection to the SupportAssist server

  https://esrs3-core.emc.com

The APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector:

• Does not support IPv6
• Must be running at least v1.11.0 (OS10) or v1.15.0 (SONiC 4.1.x)
• Requires read-only access to VMware vCenters

For a video Outline of this process, see: Onboarding PowerSwitch Devices to CloudIQ Using CloudIQ Collector

Download APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector

The APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector can be downloaded from the Dell Support site or the APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability UI.

Download from the Dell Support site:

1. Log in to the Dell Support Page
2. Search for APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector
3. Download the latest APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector vApp

Download from APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability UI:

1. Log in to the APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability user interface
2. Select Admin > Collectors
3. Select Download a Collector at the top of the screen
4. Select Download Collector vApp
   
   Figure 3: Collector Download Screen.

    

Deploying the APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability Collector

1. Log in to vCenter
2. Select File > Deploy OVF Template
3. Select Upload files on the Select an OVA template page in the Deploy OVF template window, browse to and select the OVA file, and then select Next.
4. Enter the name of the VM and select the location where it will be installed on the Select a name and folder page, and then select Next.
5. Select the Destination compute resource for this operation on the Select a compute resource page, and then select Next.
6. Verify the template details on the Review details page, and then select Next.
7. Read and select I accept all license agreements on the License agreements page, and then select Next.
8. Select the Storage for the configuration on the Select storage page, and then select Next.
9. Select a Destination network for each source network in the Select Networks page, and then select Next.
10. In the Customized template page, enter the following information, and then select Next.
    • Hostname
    • IP Address in CIDR format (For example, XX.XX.XX.XX/24)
    • Default Gateway
    • DNS Server #1
    • DNS Server #2 (if applicable)
    • Search Domains (Multiple search domains are separated by spaces)
    Note: Not entering the IP address in CIDR format allows the vApp to boot, but it is not reachable.
    
    Figure 4: Deployment Screen
11. Review the host information in the Ready to Complete page.
12. If correct, select Finish to deploy the vApp.
13. Once the vApp is fully deployed, close the Deployment Completed Successfully window and power on the VM.

Configure the APEX AIOPs Observability Collector

The latest version of the collector may be connected directly over SupportAssist or over an SCG gateway.
See details within the following KB.

000275651-APEX AIOPs Observability: How do I install the new APEX AIOPs Observability Collector v1.16.1? (A Dell Support account is required to view this article)

Adding PowerSwitch to APEX AIOPs Observability Collector

1. Ensure that the switches are properly configured before attempting to discover them with the APEX AIOPs Observability Collector

   • SONiC
     RESTCONF API is enabled by default. Therefore, you do not have to run any commands.
   • OS10
     1. Enable the RESTCONF API service only on the switches operating in full switch mode.
        1. To verify the mode

           OS10# show switch-operating-mode
           Switch-Operating-Mode : Full Switch Mode

        2. Enter the configuration mode

           OS10# configure terminal
           OS10(config)#

        3. Enable the RESTCONF API

           OS10(config)# rest api restconf
           OS10(config)# exit

     2. RESTCONF API service is enabled by default on switches operating in SmartFabric Services mode.
        1. To verify the mode

           OS10# show switch-operating-mode
           Switch-Operating-Mode : SmartFabric Mode

           Note: Rest API RESTCONF is not seen in the running configuration in SmartFabric Services mode, as RESTCONF API Service is enabled by default.
        2. To verify that the RESTCONF API is enabled

           show running -configuration | grep rest

           If enabled, the output is rest api restconf

   • Create a rest user account for APEX AIOPs Observability Collector with appropriate privileges (Recommended).

     • SONiC
       The role operator provides access to EXEC mode to view the current configuration. An operator cannot modify configuration settings on a switch.

       sonic(config)# username <username> password <password> role operator

     • OS10
       The role netoperator provides access to EXEC mode to view the current configuration with limited access.
       A network operator cannot modify any configuration setting on a switch.

       OS10(config)# username <username> password <password> role netoperator

   • Select PowerSwitch from the left side menu.
     
     Figure 9: Add PowerSwitch.

   • Select the Add PowerSwitch button to configure access to switches individually.

   • Enter the switch details and select Validate and Add

     Note: Credentials for RADIUS/TACACS+ can be used when adding a PowerSwitch if the OS10 switch is configured with either of these services. If the password changes or expires, the collector is unable to connect to the switches.

     
     
     Figure 10: PowerSwitch Details