The problem: Device design prevents auto-discovery
Windstream deploys Calix C7 Multiservice Access Systems (C7s) in its network. C7s work in clusters, where all members of the cluster share the same IP address. Data collection from C7s is complicated, as each device has multiple internal SNMP agents, each of which has its own credentials and settings, all exposed on the same IP address and different ports.
Making SNMP requests against C7 devices is expensive: an overwhelming number of requests, many of which would be discarded if the devices are busy, also means an unacceptable impact on performance.
Our solution: Customize using metadata to manually populate inventory
The OpenNMS Group used its Meta-Data DSL (domain specific language) feature to populate the inventory using the node’s endpoint of the ReST API. A custom script uses metadata syntax to explicitly identify the ports needed on the physical interface during the provisioning process.
Read the Windstream Case Study to learn more.
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About the Author: Bonnie Robinson
