CNS Agents
IPv6 addressing is supported in the Cisco Networking Services (CNS) subsystem. CNS is a foundation technology for linking users to networking services, and it provides the infrastructure for the automated configuration of large numbers of network devices. Many IPv6 networks are complex, with many devices, and each device must be configured individually. When standard configurations do not exist or have been modified, the time involved in initial installation and subsequent upgrading is considerable. ISPs need a method for sending out partial configurations to introduce new services.
To address all these issues, CNS was designed to provide "plug-and-play" network services using a central directory service and distributed agents. CNS features include CNS agents and a flow-through provisioning structure. CNS flow-through provisioning uses the CNS configuration and event agents to provide an automated workflow, eliminating the need for an onsite technician.
IPv6 addressing supports the CNS agents described in the following sections:
CNS Configuration Agent
The CNS configuration agent is involved in the initial configuration and subsequent partial configurations on a Cisco device. The configuration agent uses a CNS configuration engine to provide methods for automating initial Cisco device configurations, incremental configurations, and synchronized configuration updates, and the configuration engine reports the status of the configuration load as an event to which a network monitoring or workflow application can subscribe.
CNS Event Agent
The CNS event agent provides a transport connection to the CNS event bus for all other CNS agents. No event can be sent to the device by the configuration engine until the CNS event agent is operational and has successfully built a connection between the configuration engine and the device.
The event agent uses a CNS configuration engine to provide methods for automating initial Cisco device configurations, incremental configurations, and synchronized configuration updates.
CNS EXEC Agent
The CNS EXEC agent allows a remote application to execute a CLI command in EXEC mode on a Cisco device by sending an event message that contains the command.
CNS Image Agent
Administrators maintaining large networks of Cisco devices need an automated mechanism to load image files onto large numbers of remote devices. Network management applications are useful to determine which images to run and how to manage images received from the Cisco online software center. Other image distribution solutions do not scale to cover thousands of devices and cannot distribute images to devices behind a firewall or using Network Address Translation (NAT). The CNS image agent enables the managed device to initiate a network connection and request an image download allowing devices using NAT, or behind firewalls, to access the image server.
The CNS image agent can be configured to use the CNS event bus. To use the CNS event bus, the CNS event agent must be enabled and connected to the CNS event gateway in the CNS Configuration Engine. The CNS image agent can also use an HTTP server that understands the CNS image agent protocol. Deployment of CNS image agent operations can use both the CNS event bus and an HTTP server.
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