Configuring Cisco Switches for Oracle ASR

This topic describes how to configure and activate Cisco switches for Oracle Auto Service Request (ASR).

Commencing with Oracle Exadata System Software release 21.2.0, when you use the Patch Manager utility (patchmgr) to upgrade the Cisco switch firmware, a new monitoring component is also installed on the Cisco switch. The new monitoring component propagates switch alerts to Oracle ASR, enabling automated problem detection and resolution. This capability covers the Management Network Switch and RoCE Network Fabric switches present in X8M and later systems. It also covers Management Network Switch model 9348 present in earlier X8 and some X7 systems.

After installation, the switch monitoring component must be configured to send alerts to the Oracle ASR manager. Perform the following configuration once for each switch:

1. Access the switch using SSH, and log in as the admin user with the administrator password.

   Note:

   If SSH has not been configured, then use Telnet to access the switch as the admin user.
2. On Management Network Switch model 9348 switches only, configure the switch to use virtual routing (vrf) by default.

   Switch# python bootflash:scripts/asr/bin/asr set vrf=default

   WARNING:

   Do not run this command on any switch other than Management Network Switch model 9348.

3. If the Oracle ASR manager endpoint location uses HTTPS, copy the certificate from the Oracle ASR manager to the switch.

   The certificate must be copied to bootflash:scripts/asr/.run/ca.pem on the switch.

   For example, you could use the following commands on a host that has SSH access to the switch and the Oracle ASR manager:

   # openssl s_client -showcerts -servername ASR_host -connect ASR_host:port </dev/null 2>/dev/null|openssl x509 -outform PEM > ca.pem 
   # scp ca.pem switch:bootflash:scripts/asr/.run/ca.pem

   In the preceding commands:

   • ASR_host - Specifies the Oracle ASR manager host name or IP address.

   • port - Specifies the port number for the Oracle ASR manager endpoint. Typically, port 16161 is used.

   • switch - Specifies the hostname or IP address of the switch.

4. Set the Oracle ASR manager endpoint location.

   Switch# python bootflash:scripts/asr/bin/asr set endpoint="ASR_endpoint"

   In the command, specify the URL for the Oracle ASR manager endpoint.

   For example:

   Switch# python bootflash:scripts/asr/bin/asr set endpoint="https://192.0.2.108:16161"

5. Enable the Oracle ASR manager endpoint.

   Switch# python bootflash:scripts/asr/bin/asr set state=enabled

6. Verify the configuration.

   Switch# python bootflash:scripts/asr/bin/asr show

   The following is an example of the expected command output:

   ...
   ASR Properties:
          status : Registered    
          state : enabled
      send-event :    
          endpoint : http://192.0.2.108:16161
   ...

7. Send a test event to Oracle ASR.

   Switch# python bootflash:scripts/asr/bin/asr set send-event=test

   Confirm that the test event is received by Oracle ASR.

8. Exit the switch terminal session.

   Switch# exit