QUESTION:
How do I use the bulk provisioning tool to add devices?
SOLUTION:
The bulk provisioning tool should be invoked from the DGE or DGE extension where the devices will be monitored, and requires connectivity to the BVE API server in order to create the devices and tests.
For devices with the potential for many tests, it may be necessary to increase the session timeout for the BVE server from the default of 300 seconds (e.g. 3600 seconds or an hour) in 'TRAVERSE_HOME\etc\emerald.xml' on the BVE, then restart the BVE API component to load the new setting:
<socketServer> <connections>3</connections> <!-- maximum concurrent connections --> <port>7661</port> <!-- port for incoming connections --> <timeout>3600</timeout> <!-- idle timeout, in seconds --> </socketServer>
On the DGE, create an input file (e.g. TRAVERSE_HOME\device.txt) for the tool containing one or more lines, each representing a single device:
# example with SNMPv2 options
10.16.32.1 | device_name | snmp_community_string | * | | * | | version=2 |
# example with SNMPv3 options
10.16.32.1 | device_name | USER:AUTH:ENCRYPT | * | | * | | version=3 | authproto=sha1 | privproto=aes
# example with Windows options
10.16.32.1 | device_name| Domain\administrator pAssw0rd | | | | | type=windows | proxy=127.0.0.1
replacing 10.16.32.1 with the device address, 'device_name' with the actual device name, and 'community' with the SNMP community string. Additional options and details on the input file features are available in 'TRAVERSE_HOME\utils\provisionDevices.txt' and the '--help' command line will also provide a list of available options.
Assuming our input file is 'TRAVERSE_HOME\device.txt', and that the provisioning tool is able to directly connect to the BVE API component:
cd TRAVERSE_HOME utils\provisionDevices.pl --host address_of_bve --user=traverse --password=traverse --file=device.txt --location=location
Substitute traverse/traverse with user/password credentials for a user in the same department as the device; replace address_of_bve with the actual BVE address; and specify the correct Traverse 'location'.
Note: If the user specific is an admin level user, you must use --represent to specify a user from the department.
Please note that the provisioning tool may run for quite some time before completing, and will discover all SNMP tests available on the device.
If the BVE API server port is not directly available from the DGE, it is possible to use the Traverse Remote Access component to 'tunnel' back to the BVE API server from the DGE. For example, to create a tunnel with local port '1111':
cd TRAVERSE_HOME apps\dropbear\bin\dbclient -T -K 30 -N -y -g -I 0 -i "C:\Program Files (x86)\Traverse\apps\dropbear\etc\dge_rsa_client_key.db" -L 1111:127.0.0.1:7661 -l user -p 7654 n.n.n.n
where 'user' is a Traverse login ID, n.n.n.n is the IP address of the BVE.
then from a separate command prompt, invoke the provisioning tool to use the tunnel available at port '1111'
cd TRAVERSE_HOME utils\provisionDevices.pl --port 1111 --user=zyrion --password=zyrion --file=device.txt --location=location
If provisionDevices.pl returns an error similar to the following then it will be necessary to increase the session timeout for the BVE server from the default of 300 seconds as described at the beginning of this article.
