Skip to main content
All CollectionsIntegrations and API
Cisco Catalyst - Running the NetBeez agent as an app (IOS-XE 16.9.X)
Cisco Catalyst - Running the NetBeez agent as an app (IOS-XE 16.9.X)
Panickos Neophytou avatar
Written by Panickos Neophytou
Updated over 3 weeks ago

Cisco Solution Partner

NetBeez is a Cisco Preferred Solution Partner: the NetBeez agents are compatible with Cisco equipment. You can read more here.

cisco_tier_2_large.png

If you are looking for the agent version compatible with Cisco ISR routers as a virtual service, you can find the procedure here. Otherwise, for Cisco Catalyst switches, keep reading ...

Requirements

This procedure requires the following resources:

  • A NetBeez dashboard (request a trial if you don't have one)

  • Cisco Catalyst 9000 Series switch with code 16.9.X (for 16.12.X versions, please follow this guide)

  • A USB thumb drive where to load the NetBeez software (required as flash0: is not available for hosted applications)

Resources to be configured

To activate the NetBeez virtual service, you need to create the following resources on the Cisco Catalyst switch:

  • A GigabitEthernet interface that will be assigned to the management WRF

  • A DHCP Scope to offer a dynamic IP address to the NetBeez virtual service interface eth0

Step-by-step installation configuration

1. Login via telnet or SSH to your Cisco Catalyst 9000 switch

2. Configure resources for app-hosting (change based on requirements)

a. Configure the network interface:

configure terminal
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
vrf forwarding Mgmt-vrf
ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
speed 1000
negotiation auto

b. Create a DHCP scope to assign a DHCP address to the virtual service:

configure terminal
ip dhcp excluded-address vrf Mgmt-vrf 192.168.1.1 192.168.1.10

ip dhcp pool iox-apps2
vrf Mgmt-vrf
network 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0
default-router 192.168.1.1
domain-name domain.com
dns-server 8.8.8.8

3. Use the recommended Cisco SSD drive for the platform you are using or a USB SSD stick. Make sure the drive is formatted FAT32. Verify that it's connected and readable by the switch with the command "dir usbflash0:". In the alternative, you can save the file on the flash storage (for IOS-XE versions < 16.12.1).

4. Enable app-hosting

configure terminal
 iox 

The iox command should create the folder below on the USB drive (or flash):

dir usbflash0:
Directory of usbflash0:/

3 drwx 16384 Jun 26 2018 14:39:16 +00:00 iox

33537654784 bytes total (32602456064 bytes free)

5. Download the NetBeez tar on the usbflash0: storage unit:

copy http://storage.googleapis.com/netbeez-public/netbeez-cisco-9k.tar usbflash0:

6. Load the NetBeez virtual service:

app-hosting install appid netbeez package usbflash0:netbeez-cisco-9k.tar

7. Finalize the configuration of the NetBeez virtual service and boot the machine:

configure terminal
app-hosting appid netbeez
vnic management guest-interface 0

app-hosting activate appid netbeez
app-hosting start appid netbeez

8. Connect via console to the NetBeez virtual service with credentials netbeez/netbeez to register the agent to the dashboard:

app-hosting connect appid netbeez con

(To exit the console, hit CTRL-C three times)

At the end of the procedure, your NetBeez agent should be running on your Catalyst switch. To verify this, type this command on the switch's console:

lab9300#show app-hosting detail
State : RUNNING
Author : NetBeez, Inc.
Application
  Type : vm
  App id : netbeez
  Name : NetBeez Agent
  Version : 1.0
Activated profile name : custom
 Description : NetBeez Agent for Cisco Catalyst 9000
Resource reservation
  Memory : 1024 MB
  Disk : 5 MB
  CPU : 5000 units
  VCPU : 2
Attached devices
  Type Name Alias
  ---------------------------------------------
  Serial/shell
  Serial/aux
  Serial/Syslog serial2
  Serial/Trace serial3
Network interfaces
---------------------------------------
eth0:
MAC address : xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
IPv4 address : yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy

9. Now that you have the NetBeez app running on your Cisco Catalyst, login into the console, and fetch the configuration script:

curl -L -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/netbeez/agent-installation/master/agent_setup.sh

10. Execute the script as a sudo user (replace <secret_key_received_via_email> in the following command with the actual secret key received upon registration of your dashboard or find it on the About page in your NetBeez settings):

sudo bash agent_setup.sh --secret=<secret_key_received_via_email>

About the NetBeez Cisco ISR OVA image

The NetBeez Cisco Catalyst 9000 tar is available at:

The OVA was built following this guide available on GitHub.

Did this answer your question?