Configuring Operations Hub

Configuring Operations Hub

The Cisco Operations Hub allows you to create and configure users.

This section provides details on how to configure the Cisco Operations Hub and to use the Cisco Operations Hub UI and APIs.

Exporting and Importing Configuration

You can import and export the Operations Hub configuration using the Cisco Operations Hub UI or RESTful APIs.

  • Export - Enables you to store the exported configuration at a secure location.

  • Import - Enables you to import the configuration during disaster recovery to restore the Cisco Operations Hub to its original configuration.

From Cisco Operations Hub cluster, you can import and export data for the following components:

  • User management data

  • LDAP configuration

  • Tag information

  • Login banner content

  • User created Grafana and Kibana dashboards


Note

Only Administrators can perform the import and export configuration.

Importing Configuration Using Cisco Operations Hub

This procedure imports the Cisco Operations Hub configuration.

Procedure

Step 1

At the main menu, select System > Import & Export.

The Import & Export page appears.

Step 2

In the Import Configuration area, browse and choose an Operations Hub configuration file or drag and drop the file. The Operations Hub configuration file must be in the tar.gz format.

Step 3

click Import.

Note

 

User passwords are not exported when you export the Cisco Operations Hub configuration. Therefore you have to provide a password before importing any configuration file. Otherwise the user management data cannot be imported.

To update the user password in the user management file, complete the following steps:

  1. Extract the exported Cisco Operations Hub configuration files.

  2. Add a password in the user management JSON file.

  3. Repack the files.

Exporting Configuration Using Cisco Operations Hub

This procedure exports the Cisco Operations Hub configuration.

Procedure

Step 1

At the main menu, select System > Import & Export.

The Import & Export page appears.

Step 2

In the Export Configuration area, click Export to download the file containing the Operations Hub configuration.

Step 3

Rename the file and save it to a secure location.

Customizing Login Banner

An administrator can create and customize a banner for the Cisco Operations Hub login page.

Use this task to customize the banner.

Procedure

Step 1

At the main menu, select System > Login Banner Message.

The Login Banner window appears.

Step 2

Enter the banner message in the Login Banner Message field. You can enter a maximum of 500 characters.

Configuring Time Zone

Table 1. Feature History

Feature Name

Release Information

Description

Configure Time Zone

Cisco Operations Hub, Release 23.3

You can change the time zone of a time stamp to be displayed in the Operations Hub GUI, on demand.

Cisco Operations Hub allows you to display and change the time zone on demand. When configured, the dates automatically change across all the Operations Hub UI pages. You may decide to temporarily set the time zone display value or retain it all the time. By default, all Operations Hub UI pages display the time based on the browser-identified time zone.

You can customize the time zone by using the following steps.

  1. At the main menu, select System > Appearance under Settings. The Appearance window displays.

  2. Enable the Show Time Zone UTC offset toggle switch and select a preferred UTC offset.

  3. Disable the Show Time Zone UTC offset toggle switch if you want to disable the time zone offset feature.


Note

Time zone setting is localized to a browser and a computer.

Configuring Email Notifications

Operations Hub is capable of sending notification emails when alerts are triggered. Administrators can customize the outbound SMTP configuration and enable or disable notifications for specific alert categories from the Operations Hub Web UI or API.

Alert categories include: Cluster, Operations Hub Infrastructure, DB Upgrade, Internal User Password Expiration, and System.

When notifications are enabled for a particular alert category, every time an alert in that category is triggered, the email addresses configured in that categories’ notification recipient list are sent a notification email.

Enabling Email Notifications

Enabling Email Notifications consists of four steps:

  1. Switching on Email Notifications

  2. Configuring SMTP

  3. Choosing Alert Categories and Recipients

  4. Saving your Configuration

Switching on Email Notifications

Use this procedure to switch on Email Notifications.

  1. At the main menu, select System > Email Notifications.

  2. Click Edit at the bottom right of the page.

  3. Locate the switch labeled Email Notifications and toggle it on.

  4. Click Save.


Note

Even though Email Notifications have been switched on, notifications won’t be sent until you complete the SMTP configuration, choose your Alert Categories & Recipients, and save your configuration.

Configuring SMTP

Use this procedure to specify or change the email address, SMTP server hostname, and port number Operations Hub uses to send notification emails.

Before you begin, make sure that Email Notifications are switched on.

  1. At the main menu, select System > Email Notifications.

  2. Click Edit at the bottom right of the page.

  3. Locate the SMTP Configuration card.

  4. Enter the SMTP configuration details.

Field Description
From Email Address Operations Hub uses this email address as its From address when sending email notifications.
SMTP Server Hostname Operations Hub uses this SMTP server to send email notifications.
SMTP Server Port Number (Optional) By default, Operations Hub uses port 25 to connect to the specified SMTP server. You can optionally enter a different port number.

  1. Click Save.

Choosing Alert Categories and Recipients

Use this procedure to enable or disable notifications for one or more alert categories and to add or remove email addresses from a categories’ notification recipient list.

Before you begin, make sure that Email Notifications are switched on, and your SMTP Configuration is completed.

  1. At the main menu, select System > Email Notifications.

  2. Click Edit at the bottom right of the page.

  3. Locate the Alert Categories card.

  4. Enable the switch next to an Alert Category name to turn on notifications for that category or disable the switch to turn off notifications.

  5. Click the Alert Category name to open its Notification Recipient List panel.

  6. Add or remove email addresses.

  7. Click Save, to save your email addresses and close the panel.


Note

You must save your configuration to complete the enablement of email notifications.

Saving your Configuration

Use this procedure to save your SMTP configuration, Alert Category & Recipients choices, and enable email notifications.

  1. From the Email Notifications page, click Save at the bottom of the page.

Figure 1. Email Notifications
Figure 2. Notification Recipient List

Configuring Cisco Smart Licensing

Table 2. Feature History
Feature Name Release Information Description
Support for Configuring Cisco Smart Licensing Cisco Operations Hub, Release 23.1 Cisco Operations Hub supports the configuration of Smart Licensing using Operations Hub WebUI.

Cisco Smart Licensing is a new and flexible method of licensing, to buy, deploy, track, and renew Cisco software. With Smart Licensing, you can configure, activate, and register your application. Smart Licensing establishes a pool of software licenses that you can use across your entire enterprise in a flexible and automated manner.

The following sections describe several utilities and processes that are necessary to complete the registration and authorization.

Prerequisites for Smart Licensing

To enable Smart Licensing on Operations Hub, ensure that you have the following components in place:

  • Access to Cisco Smart Software Manager (CSSM)

  • Smart Account (SA) and Virtual Account (VA). If you don’t have a smart account, see Create a Smart Account.

  • Cisco Operations Hub

  • Cisco Smart Software Manager On-Prem (Optional)

Configuring Smart License

You can configure the Smart License using Operations Hub by selecting System > Smart License at the Main Menu.

Configuring CSSM URL on Device

At the Main Menu, select System > Smart License and click Edit SSM Connection Mode in Smart License page to select the connection mode.

Select one of the options provided by Operations Hub:

  1. Direct mode requires direct internet access to Cisco SSM cloud.

  2. Cisco SSM On-Prem offers security sensitive organizations near real-time visibility and reporting of the Cisco licenses purchased and consumed, without requiring direct internet access.

  3. Reservation offers mechanism to reserve licenses and install them.

Click Save to save the SSM Connection Mode.

Performing Device Registration

At the Main Menu, select System > Smart License and click Register at the bottom right. You must also log in to Cisco Smart Software Manager (CSSM) to generate a token. Tokens are generated to register a new product instance to the virtual account. Use the following steps to generate a new token from the Cisco Smart Software Manager (CSSM) and register.

  1. Click Register. A new panel to accept a registration token displays.

  2. Keeping the Operations Hub open, log in to CSSM at https://software.cisco.com/. Ensure that you use a username and password that is provided by Cisco.

  3. Click Inventory.

  4. Select your virtual account from the Virtual Account drop-down list.

  5. Click General > New Token.

  6. Create a registration token. Provide a token description. Specify the number of days that the token must be active.

  7. Switch the Export-Controlled functionality to Allow the products to register with this token.

  8. Click Create Token. After the token creation, click Copy to copy the newly created token.

  9. Come back to Operation Hub. Paste the token generated in the previous step under Registration Token and complete the registration process.

  10. On successful registration, the dashboard displays the status as Registered. An error is generated if registration fails.

Deregistering a Device

At the Main Menu, select System > Smart License and click Deregister to deregister your device.

Performing License Reservation

License reservation is a mechanism to reserve licenses and install them. The following are the license reservation types:

  • Specific License Reservation (SLR): Only specific licenses are reserved. Supports term licenses.

  • Permanent License Reservation (PLR): All licenses are reserved.

Specific License Reservation

Specific License Reservation (SLR) is a Smart Licensing functionality that enables you to deploy a software license on a device without communicating usage information to Cisco. SLR allows you to reserve a license for your product instance from the Cisco Smart Software Manager (CSSM). This feature is used in secured networks.

To create an SLR, use the following steps:

  1. Generate the reservation request code from Cisco Operations Hub Main Menu by selecting System > Smart License, at the Main Menu.

    • Click Edit SSM Connection Mode, select the Reservation connection mode and click At the Main Menu, select System > Smart License and click Edit SSM Connection Mode in Smart License page to select the connection mode..

    • Hover the mouse pointer to the bottom right of the screen (Next to Guided Licence Reservation).

    • Click Generate Reservation Request Code to generate a Reservation Request Code.

    • Click Generate Code to generate a Reservation Request Code.

    • Copy the Reservation Request Code displayed on the screen.

  2. Log in to Cisco Smart Software Manager at https://software.cisco.com/. Log in to the portal using a username and password that is provided by Cisco.

  3. Click Inventory.

  4. Select your virtual account from the Virtual Account drop-down list.

  5. Click Licenses > License Reservation.

  6. Select SLR entitlement.

  7. Provide a token description. Specify the number of licenses to be reserved for every entitlement.

  8. Click Create Token. After the token is created, click Copy to copy the newly created token.

  9. Install the reservation key on the device from Operations Hub.

    • Click Submit Reservation Authorization Code.

    • Paste the Reservation Authorization Code in the Reservation Authorization Code field or upload the downloaded Reservation Authorization Code file.

    • Click Reserve.

Permanent License Reservation

Permanent License Reservation (PLR) is a set of capabilities that are designed for highly secure environments. PLR restricts all communications with the outside environment.

To create a PLR, complete the following steps:

  1. Generate the reservation request code from Cisco Operations Hub Main Menu by selecting System > Smart License, at the Main Menu.

    • Hover the mouse pointer to the bottom right of the screen (Next to Guided Licence Reservation).

    • Click Generate Reservation Request Code to generate a Reservation Request Code.

    • Click Generate Code to generate a Reservation Request Code.

    • Copy the Reservation Request Code displayed on the screen.

  2. Log in to Cisco Smart Software Manager at https://software.cisco.com/. Log in to the portal using a username and password that is provided by Cisco.

  3. Click Inventory.

  4. Select your virtual account from the Virtual Account drop-down list.

  5. Click Licenses > License Reservation.

  6. Select PLR entitlement.

  7. Provide a token description. Specify the number of licenses to be reserved for every entitlement.

  8. Click Create Token. After the token is created, click Copy to copy the newly created token.

  9. Install the reservation key on the device from Operations Hub.

    • Click License Reservation > Submit Reservation Authorization Code.

    • Paste the Reservation Authorization Code in the Reservation Authorization Code field.

    • Click Reserve.

Returning License Reservation


Note

Ensure that you can access Cisco Smart Software Manager (SSM). Use the following steps to return a license reservation:

  1. Generate the reservation request code from Cisco Operations Hub Main Menu by selecting System > Smart License, at the Main Menu.

    • Hover the mouse pointer to the bottom right of the screen (Next to Guided Licence Reservation).

    • Click Return All License Reservations.

    • Click Generate Code to generate a Reservation Request Code.

    • Copy the Reservation Return Code displayed on the screen.

  2. Log in to Cisco Smart Software Manager.

  3. Submit the Reservation Return Code to return your license.