Manual Batch Creation of Devices and Tests

You can add devices and tests using the web interface. However, for bulk additions or changes, Traverse includes tools to provision large numbers of devices into the provisioning database via the BVE API. The bulk import tool (provisionDevices.pl) will also automatically discover available network interfaces, system resources, various application services, etc. on the devices, and using the default test threshold values, automatically create the tests in the system so that you can be up and running in a very short period of time.

Before using the bulk import tool (provisionDevices.pl), make sure that all necessary departments and logins have been created. The import tool is meant to be used for importing devices for one department at a time. For each such department create a text file (e.g. network_devices.txt) and add device information (one device per line) in the following format:

device_name device_address device_type snmp_community

• device_name is either the FQDN or a descriptive name of the device.
• device_address is the ip address of the device. This should be in dotted-quad (n.n.n.n) notation.
• device_type is one of the following : UNIX | NT | ROUTER | SWITCH | UNKNOWN (determine automatically)
• snmp_community is the snmp community string of the device, if the device supports snmp. This information is used to automatically discover network and system resources.

Devices are imported for one logical location at a time also. So make sure to include devices in an import file that are meant to belong to the same department and monitored from the same location. Once this import file is ready, use the provisionDevices.pl tool to proceed with the import. General syntax of the tool is the following:

<Traverse_HOME>/utils/provisionDevices.pl --host=<fqdn | ip_address> [ --port=<port_number> ] --user=<login_id> --password=<login_password> --file=<import_file> --location=<location_name> [ --skipexist ] [ --help ] [--debug ]

• <fqdn | ip_address> is the FQDN/ip address of host where the BVE socket server is running. Usually you would provision devices from the same host, so this would be localhost.
• <port_number> specifies the port number to which you want to connect (the default is 7661).
• <login_id> and <login_password> are the userid and corresponding password for an end user, who is a member of the specific department to which you want the newly provisioned devices to belong.
• <import_file> is the text file containing the device information as outlined above.
• <location_name> is the name of the location as defined in the database. The default Traverse installation is pre-configured with location name Default Location.

As the device is created and tests are discovered and added to the provisioning database, information will be printed. This name must match a name assigned to a specific location in the DGE Management section of the web application.

Other Options

• --skipexist: Do not add tests for devices that already exist.
• --timeout: Timeout to use for provisioning session.
• --help: Print the help message.
• --debug: Provide extra debugging information.

Example: Batch Creation of Tests

Example: Batch Creation of Tests

reading contents of import file '/tmp/import.txt' ...

connecting to provisioning host ...

succesfully logged in as user test with supplied password

creating new device 'my_test_host' (192.168.100.100)

attempting to perform auto-provisioning for 'port' tests ...

created 'port' test for 'HTTP'

created 'port' test for 'POP3'

created 'port' test for 'HTTPS'

created 'port' test for 'IMAP'

attempting to perform auto-provisioning for 'snmp' tests ...

created 'snmp' test for 'hme0 Status'

created 'snmp' test for 'hme0 Util In'

created 'snmp' test for 'hme0 Util Out'

created 'snmp' test for 'hme0 Err In'

created 'snmp' test for 'hme0 Err Out'

created 'ping' test for 'Packet Loss'

created 'ping' test for 'Round Trip Time'

data import complete in 0 days, 0:00:31

Note: Tests are created based on thresholds and intervals defined in TestTypes.xml, so if you want to make changes to the defaults, make sure to edit this file before starting the import task.

Updating Topology for Provisioned Devices

If you have created devices using the CSV file import or the provisionDevices.pl script and wish to update the topology and dependencies of the provisioned devices, you can:

1. Run a new discovery.
2. Specify the subnets where the provisioned devices exist.
3. Towards the end of the network discovery form, check the box under Advanced Options to Update Topology for Provisioned devices only.

Support for IPv6 Devices

Traverse supports monitoring of IPv6 devices in single or dual-stack environments. You can either add the devices by name or by IPv6 address just as you would provision an IPv4 device. Traverse automatically and transparently handles monitoring of any IPv6 device without any additional requirement.