Chapter 1: Cisco NCS Overview
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CHAPTER 1 Cisco NCS Overview This chapter describes the Cisco Unified Network Solution and the Cisco Prime Network Control System (NCS). It contains the following sections: • The Cisco Unified Network Solution, page 1-1 • About the NCS, page 1-2 • NCS Licenses, page 1-3 • Cisco Unified Network Components, page 1-6 • Access Point Communication Protocols, page 1-8 • NCS Services, page 1-10 The Cisco Unified Network Solution The Cisco Unified Network Solution provides both wired and 802.11 wireless networking solutions for enterprises and service providers. It simplifies the deployment and management of large-scale wired and wireless LANs and enables you to create a unique best-in-class security infrastructure. The operating system manages all client data, communications, and system administration functions, performs Radio Resource Management (RRM) functions, manages system-wide mobility policies using the operating system security solution, and coordinates all security functions using the operating system security framework. The Cisco Unified Network Solution consists of Cisco Managed Switches, Cisco Unified Wireless Network Controllers (hereafter called controllers), and their associated lightweight access points controlled by the operating system, all concurrently managed by any or all of the following operating system user interfaces: • An HTTPS full-featured web user interface hosted by Cisco controllers can be used to configure and monitor individual controllers. • A full-featured command-line interface (CLI) can be used to configure and monitor individual controllers. • NCS can be used to configure and monitor one or more controllers and associated access points. NCS has tools to facilitate large-system monitoring and control. It runs on predefined physical appliances and on specific virtual deployments. • An industry-standard SNMP V1, V2c, and V3 interface can be used with any SNMP-compliant third-party network management system. Cisco Prime Network Control System Configuration Guide OL-25451-02 1-1 Chapter 1 Cisco NCS Overview About the NCS The Cisco Unified Network Solution supports client data services, client monitoring and control, and all rogue access point detection, monitoring, and containment functions. It uses lightweight access points, controllers, and the optional NCS to provide wireless services to enterprises and service providers. Note Unless specified otherwise, information pertaining to controllers applies to all Cisco Unified Wireless Network Controllers, including but not limited to Cisco 2000 and 2100 Series Unified Wireless Network Controllers, Cisco 4100 Series Unified Wireless Network Controllers, Cisco 4400 Series Unified Wireless Network Controllers, Cisco 5500 Series Wireless LAN Controllers, and controllers within the Cisco Wireless Services Module (WiSM) and Cisco 26/28/37/38xx Series Integrated Services routers. Figure 1-1 shows the Cisco Unified Network Solution components, which can be simultaneously deployed across multiple floors and buildings. Figure 1-1 Cisco Unified Network Solution About the NCS The NCS is a Cisco LAN Solution network management tool that adds to the capabilities of the web user interface and the command-line interface (CLI). NCS enables you to manage a network of controllers. NCS enables you to configure and monitor one or more controllers, switches and associated access points. NCS includes the same configuration, performance monitoring, security, fault management, and accounting options used at the controller level and adds a graphical view of multiple controllers and managed access points. On Linux, NCS runs as a service, which runs continuously and resumes running after a reboot. Cisco Prime Network Control System Configuration Guide 1-2 OL-25451-02 Chapter 1 Cisco NCS Overview NCS Licenses The NCS user interface requires Mozilla Firefox 3.6 or later or Internet Explorer 8 with the Chrome plugin releases or Google Chrome 12.0.742.x. The administrator defines permissions from the Administration menu, which also enables the administrator to manage user accounts and schedule periodic maintenance tasks. Note We strongly recommend that you do not enable third-party browser extensions. In Internet Explorer, you can disable third-party browser extensions by choosing Tools > Internet Options and unselecting the Enable third-party browser extensions check box on the Advanced tab. NCS simplifies controller configuration and monitoring and reduces data entry errors. NCS uses the industry-standard SNMP protocol to communicate with the controllers. NCS also includes the Floor Plan editor, which allows you to do the following: • Access vectorized bitmap campus, floor plan, and outdoor area maps. • Add and change wall types. • Import the vector wall format maps into the database. Note The vector files allow the Cisco NCS RF Prediction Tool to make better RF predictions based on more accurate wall and window RF attenuation values. NCS Licenses NCS is deployed through physical or virtual appliances; you use the standard License Center Graphical User Interface to add new licenses, which is locked by the standard Cisco Unique Device Identifier (UDI). When NCS is deployed on a virtual appliance, the licensing is similar to a physical appliance, except instead of using a UDI, you use a Virtual Unique Device Identifier (VUDI). Note If you want to move licenses from one physical appliance to another, you need to call the Cisco TAC and rehost the licenses to a new UDI. The NCS license is recognized by the SKU, which is usually attached to every purchase order to clearly identify which software or package is purchased by a customer. The different NCS license options are described in this section. This section contains the following topics: • NCS Evaluation License, page 1-3 • NCS Device Count License, page 1-4 • NCS Upgrade License, page 1-4 • NCS Migration License, page 1-4 NCS Evaluation License NCS can be used in a lab or in an evaluation with the following license: NCS-DEMO-10. This license provides an evaluation license for 10 devices, and for a duration of 30 days. If you need a custom device count or duration, please contact your Cisco representative. Cisco Prime Network Control System Configuration Guide OL-25451-02 1-3 Chapter 1 Cisco NCS Overview NCS Licenses NCS Device Count License NCS uses a single-tier licensing structure that includes all features and functionality in a single tier. Part numbers are purchased based on number of devices to be managed. Part numbers are available to support 50, 100, 500, 1000, 2500, 5000 or 10000 devices; where both an AP and a Switch are considered a single, managed device. The NCS Device Count license allows you to either choose a physical appliance or virtual appliance for the NCS setup. If you choose the option of ordering the physical appliances, the PRIME-NCS-APL-K9 is shipped to you along with a PAK for the license quantity you ordered. That is, if you are ordering L-NCS-1.1-1K with PRIME-NCS-APL-K9 SKU, you get a physical NCS appliance, plus a PAK for managing 1000 devices. If you choose the virtual appliance option, you download the virtual NCS image and the L-NCS-1.1-X PAK is mailed to you once it has been ordered. If you want to add more devices to your network, you can get the L-NCS-1.1-X-ADD SKU for X devices. The L-NCS-1.1-X-ADD are identical licenses supplied. The only difference is that these SKUs are for additional licenses and they do not come with physical or virtual activation. The larger license quantities, specifically 1K, 2.5K, 5K, and 10K are shipped in smaller increments to allow the licenses to be split across different NCS instances. NCS Upgrade License The L-NCS-2.0-UPGRADE-X-ADD SKU is used to upgrade NCS 1.X to NCS 2.X. Upgrades come in the following counts: 50, 100, and 500, 1K, 2.5K, 5K and 10K devices. Once the lower-license level count is equaled or exceeded, the system considers the license for the next level. At this point new, lower-level licenses are not allowed, but additional higher-level licenses are allowed. Note that a higher-level system allows lower-level licenses as long as there is no higher-level license or upgrade license present. This allows you to migrate licenses; take care to migrate the licenses in order from the lowest version to the highest version. Consider a case where you are running NCS 3.0 and you have NCS 1.0, NCS 2.0, and NCS 3.0 licenses. You need to replace the current appliance with a new one and want to move the licenses, but not as part of a backup/restore process. You must first load all NCS 1.0 licenses, an NCS 2.0 Upgrade, the NCS 2.0 licenses, an NCS 3.0 Upgrade, and then all the NCS 3.0 licenses for the licenses to be applied correctly. NCS Migration License The NCS uses a single-tier license model. When Cisco WCS BASE or WCS PLUS licenses are being migrated, licenses mapped to the new Cisco Prime NCS single-tier model. This is a two-stage process. This section contains the following topics: • Obtaining the XML File from the Existing WCS Deployment, page 1-5 • Uploading the XML File to the Cisco Migration Portal, page 1-5 Cisco Prime Network Control System Configuration Guide 1-4 OL-25451-02 Chapter 1 Cisco NCS Overview NCS Licenses The migration licenses that are generated from the Cisco migration portal basically have two levels of plus or base license with a count, additionally there can be a spectrum expert license. These licenses are mapped to NCS 1.1 licenses of equivalent counts. For example, a WCS 7.0 Base 500 with Spectrum Expert licenses can be converted to an NCS 1.1 500 device license. Obtaining the XML File from the Existing WCS Deployment Note Before adding the licenses that are migrated from your WCS installation, apply the L-WCS-NCS1-M-K9 license.