Deploying Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker in Embedded Mode

This chapter contains details of procedures for deploying Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker on Nexus series switches.

Beginning with Release 3.10.1, Cisco Nexus Data Broker (NDB) has been renamed to Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker. However, some instances of NDB are present in this document, to correspond with the GUI, and installation folder structure. References of NDB/ Nexus Data Broker/ Nexus Dashboard Data Broker, can be used interchangeably.

Before your proceed with the upgrade/ install procedures in this chapter, compare the md5sum between the Nexus Dashboard Data Broker Cisco.com image and image file copied to linux. Use the following command to check (linux):

cisco@NDB-virtual-machine:~/3.10.4/$ md5sum ndb1000-sw-app-emb-i6-plus-k9-3.10.4.zip
Displayed output: 685a0fe58f3280590dd878b7835241aa  ndb1000-sw-app-emb-i6-plus-k9-3.10.4.zip

Generating TLS certificate between Nexus Dashboard Data Broker server and Nexus Dashboard Data Broker switch for Embedded mode of deployment is not supported. For details about TLS, see the Managing TLS Certificate, KeyStore and TrustStore Files chapter in the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker Configuration Guide.

Obtaining the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker Embedded Software for NX-API

Procedure

Step 1

In a web browser, navigate to Cisco.com.

Step 2

Scroll down and click Downloads.

Step 3

In the Select a Product field, enter Nexus Dashboard Data Broker. The required embedded NXAPI file is displayed.

If prompted, enter your Cisco.com username and password to log in.

Step 4

Download and unzip the Cisco Nexus Data Broker Release application bundle zip file.

Step 5

Download activator script. The Python activator script needed to activate the NDB is available at: https://github.com/datacenter/nexus-data-broker.

Note

 

Ensure you have the latest script from Github before you start the installation process.

What to do next

Install the software on supported Cisco Nexus series switches. See Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker Release Notes for the list of supported platforms.

Installing and Activating the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker Embedded Software for NX-API Mode for NX-OS 9.3(1) or Later

Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker is not installed as OVA, it is installed in the Guestshell. To install Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker-Embedded software on NXOS 9.3(1) or later release, use the Nexus Dashboard Data Broker activator script, NDBActivator4.0_9.3_plus.py.

The activator script performs the following functions:

  • Resizes the Guestshell resources.

  • Unzips and places the ndb folder into the /usr/bin directory.

  • Configures the Guestshell to management VRF.

Before you begin


Note
By default, you cannot install a new version of the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker-Embedded if you already have an existing Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker-Embedded application installed and active. You can forcefully run the activator script even if it is already activated using python bootflash command with --force attribute. For example: 
Syntax: python <file path>NDBActivator4.0_9.3_plus.py –v guestshell+ <zip file path> --force

Example:  python bootflash:NDBActivator4.0_9.3_plus.py –v guestshell+ /bootflash/ndb1000-sw-app-emb-i6-plus-k9-3.10.4.zip --force

Note
To uninstall Nexus Dashboard Data Broker application, destroy the Guestshell using the command, guestshell destroy. If an instance of Nexus Dashboard Data Broker exists in the guestshell and you need to install a new Nexus Dashboard Data Broker instance, you need to destroy the existing Guestshell and re-install the Guestshell and the Nexus Dashboard Data Broker. 
N9K-switch# guestshell destroy

Note

After you disable and enable NXAPI mode, you should reconfigure nxapi use-vrf management command on the node.


Important

Ensure that you have sufficient space available in the bootflash. The ndb1000-sw-app-emb-i6-plus-k9-3.10.4.zip file require a total of ~600 MB of space in the bootflash (/volatile folder) for the decompression processes. The script runs only on NXOS platform, version i6(1), with memory greater than 8GB.

Procedure

Step 1

switch# copy ftp:/10.10.10.1 NDBActivator4.0_9.3_plus.py bootflash:vrf management

Copies the NDBActivator4.0_9.3_plus.py from the directory where you downloaded it to the switch. You can download the file from different sources such as HTTP, FTP, or SSH.

Step 2

switch# copy ftp://10.10.10.1 ndb1000-sw-app-emb-i6-plus-k9-3.10.4.zip bootflash:vrf management

Copies the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker embedded package from the directory where you downloaded it to the switch. You can download the file from different sources such as HTTP, FTP, or SSH.

Step 3

switch# show virtual-service list

Monitors the status of the copy processes.

Step 4

switch# guestshell enable

Enables the guestshell.

Step 5

switch# python bootflash:NDBActivator4.0_9.3_plus.py -v guestshell+ /bootflash/ndb1000-sw-app-emb-i6-plus-k9-3.10.4.zip

Installs the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker-Embedded package on the switch.

Step 6

switch# show virtual-service list

Monitors the status of the installations.

Note

 

To start the Nexus Dashboard Data Broker application, use the guestshell enable command. If the Nexus Dashboard Data Broker application is initiated through the Python script, guestshell is enabled automatically.

Note

 

To stop the Nexus Dashboard Data Broker application, use the guestshell disable command. Use guestshell enable command to enable Nexus Dashboard Data Broker.

Note

 

Do not continue until installation completes successfully. Nexus Dashboard Data Broker application starts after it is installed successfully.

Step 7

switch# show processes cpu sort | grep java

Example:

switch# show processes cpu sort | grep java

19587 3 6 551 0.00% java

switch#

Verify whether Nexus Dashboard Data Broker installed and initiated successfully.

What to do next

Log in to the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker GUI using HTTPS. The default HTTPS web link for the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker GUI is https://IP_address:8443/monitor. Enter the username and password (default values are admin/admin).

Upgrading to Release 3.10.4 for Cisco NXOS Release 9.3(1) or Later

This process involves using the GUI to download the configuration, perform the upgrade, and then upload the configuration. The process is applicable for Release 3.10 and later.

For detailed information about upgrading Cisco Nexus OS from I4(6) to I6(1) and I7(1), see Cisco Nexus 9000 Series NX-OS Software Upgrade and Downgrade Guide, Release 9.3(x).

Procedure

Step 1

Log in to the Nexus Dashboard Data Broker GUI.

Step 2

Navigate to Administration > Backup/Restore. Click Backup and Backup Locally to download the configuration in a zip file format.

Step 3

Copy the NDBActivator4.0_9.3_plus.py from the directory where you downloaded it to the switch. You can download the file from different sources such as HTTP, FTP, or SSH.

Example:

switch# copy scp://10.10.10.1 NDBActivator4.0_9.3_plus.py bootflash:vrf management

Step 4

Copy the Cisco Nexus Data Broker Embedded package from the directory where you downloaded it to the switch. You can download the file from different sources such as HTTP, FTP, or SSH.

Example:

switch# copy scp://10.10.10.1 ndb1000-sw-app-emb-i6-plus-k9-3.10.4.zip bootflash:vrf management

Step 5

Monitor the status of the copy processes.

Example:

switch# show virtual-service list

Step 6

Enable the guestshell.

Example:

switch# guestshell enable

Step 7

Install the Cisco Nexus Data Broker Embedded package on the switch.

Example:

switch# python bootflash:NDBActivator4.0_9.3_plus.py -v guestshell+ /bootflash/ndb1000-sw-app-emb-i6-plus-k9-3.10.4.zip

Step 8

Monitor the status of installation process.

Example:

switch# show virtual-service list

To stop the Nexus Dashboard Data Broker application, use the guestshell disable command.

Note

 

Do not continue until the installation is complete. Nexus Dashboard Data Broker application starts after it is installed successfully.

Step 9

Verify whether Nexus Dashboard Data Broker installed and initiated successfully.

Example:

switch# show processes cpu sort | grep java
Example:
switch# show processes cpu sort | grep java
19587 3 6 551 0.00% java

Step 10

Copy the running configuration to the startup configuration.

Example:

switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config

Step 11

Upload Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker 3.10.4 configuration that you downloaded in Step 1 in the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Data Broker user interface (UI). Navigate to Administration > Backup Restore > Restore Locally.