Alcatel-Lucent OmniVista Cirrus

Network Management as a Service

OmniVista Cirrus Production Notes 4.6.1

OmniVista Cirrus Production Notes 4.6.1

OmniVista® Cirrus is a cloud-based Network Management System (NMS). This cloud-based approach eliminates the need for purchasing and maintaining a physical server and installing the NMS onsite, since everything resides in the cloud. Network Operators can access OmniVista Cirrus from anywhere, using any approved browser and device (e.g., workstation, tablet).

Access to OmniVista Cirrus is supported on the following browsers: Chrome 68+ (on Windows and Redhat/SuSE Linux client PCs), and Firefox 62+ (on Windows and Redhat/SuSE Linux client PCs).

These Production Notes detail new features and functions, network/device configuration prerequisites, supported devices, and known issues/workarounds in OmniVista Cirrus. Please read the Production Notes in their entirety as they contain important operational information that may impact successful use of the application.

New Features and Functions

An overview of new features and functions is provided below.

Devices

OmniVista Cirrus now supports the following devices:

  • AOS Devices
    • OS2260 Series Switches - The new OS2260 Series Switch is now supported. The following models are available: OS2260-10, OS2260-P10, OS2260-24, OS2260-P24, OS2260-48, and OS2260-P48.
    • OS2360 Series Switches -The new OS2260 Series Switch is now supported. The following models are supported: OS2360-24, OS2360-48, OS2360-P24, OS2360-P48, OS2360-P24X, and OS2360-P48X.
    • New OS6900 Switch Model - OS6900-V48C8 switches are now supported.
  • APs
    • OAW-AP1351 - OAW-AP1351 is now supported in OmniVista.

Note: On the OS2260 and OS2360 switches, the Cloud Agent is disabled by default. This means that an out-of-the-box switch will not automatically call home to OmniVista Cirrus. To restart the Cloud Agent on the switch, telnet to the switch and enter the “cloud-agent admin-state disable force” CLI command and then “y” at the confirmation prompt. Next, enter the “cloud-agent admin-state enable” CLI Command to trigger the call home to OmniVista Cirrus.

Software

OmniVista Cirrus now supports the following OS Software Versions:

  • AOS 5.1R1 - OmniVista Cirrus now supports AOS 5.1R1 for the new OS2260 and OS2360 Series Switches.
  • AOS 8.7R3 - OmniVista Cirrus now supports AOS 8.7R3 on all previously supported AOS Switches.
  • AWOS 4.0.3 - OmniVista Cirrus now supports AWOS 4.0.3 on all supported APs.

New Applications

The following section details new applications introduced in this release.

Introducing OmniVista Cirrus 10.1

A “teaser” version of OmniVista 10.1 is now available. OmniVista Cirrus 10.1 is a cloud-based Network Management System (NMS) that simplifies monitoring and troubleshooting of Stellar Access Points through detailed QoE Measurements and WiFi Analytics in an easy-to-read dashboard display. An existing installation of OmniVista 2500 or OmniVista Cirrus 4.6 is required to initially discover, register, and manage Stellar Access Points. Once discovered, the Access Points are then configured to send events to OmniVista Cirrus 10.1, where the data is gathered and can be analyzed by a Network Administrator. For more information see Getting-Started with OmniVista Cirrus 10.1.

To access OmniVista Cirrus 10.1, use the following URL:
https://manage.ovcirrus.com

Application Updates/Enhancements

The following section details updates and enhancements to existing OmniVista Cirrus applications.

Audit

  • User Activity Report Purge Settings Can Now Be Controlled from the UI.
    • User can control how long they want to retain the user activity history. Range: 7 days to 365 days, Default = 90 days.

CLI Scripting

  • Tabs Added to the CLI Terminal Screen
    • If you open multiple CLI Terminal sessions, the IP address of each device is displayed in a tab at the top of the Terminal Screen for easy access.

Discovery

  • When you get a warning status for a device, the word “warning” now provides a link to the SNMP Traps for that device.

Resource Manager

  • Restoring an RMA Switch from a Golden Config or Resource Manager Backup
    • OmniVista now supports RMA use case via Golden Config and Resource Manager Backup features.

SSID

  • Option to Enable/Disable UAPSD
    • You can now enable/Unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery (UAPSD) on an SSID. The UAPSD field sn located in the “Advanced WLAN Service Configuration” section when configuring an SSID. The field is also available on the WLAN (Expert) page. (Default = Enabled).
    • SSID UI is now enhanced to differentiate AP groups that advertise SSIDs according to a configured schedule versus those that advertise SSIDs all the time.

UPAM

  • You can now disable multiple accounts at the same time.

WLAN

  • RF Profile Support for 160 Mhz Channel Width
  • Kick-off Client is Now Allowed from the Wireless Client List Page.
  • AP Support Roaming RSSI Threshold for non-802.11K/V Clients

OmniVista Cirrus Framework Improvements

  • Performance
    • OmniVista now supports polling of large SNMP tables using REST API for switches running greater or equal to AOS 8.7R3. Enabled by default; go to Managed Devices settings to disable polling.
    • Topology improved to handle large number of devices and links in the network.

Network and Device Prerequisites

The following prerequisites must be verified/configured before using OmniVista Cirrus.

Customer Network Prerequisites

The following Network Deployment, Bandwidth, Proxy, Firewall, and NTP Server configurations must be verified/configured on your local network before using OmniVista Cirrus.

Network Deployment

The following sections detail DHCP Network and Static Network deployment prerequisites.

DHCP Deployment Requirements

Standard Requirements

  • IP Address - DHCP Server IP address.
  • Option 1 - Subnet Mask.
  • Option 2 - Gateway.
  • Option 6 - Domain Name Servers - Required for FQDN resolution of OmniVista Cirrus connection points.
  • Option 28 - Broadcast Address. This option is only recommended, not required.
  • Option 42 - NTP Server(s) - Required for Certificate validation (start date and duration), and all related encryption functions. This option is not required on devices running AOS 6.7.2 R04 / AOS 8.5R2 / AWOS 3.0.4.1036 or higher. It is however, recommended.

ALE Specific Requirements

  • Option 43
    • Sub-Option 1 - Vendor ID. Validate the DHCP response (must be set with the value alenterprise). This sub-option is only required if you specify any of the sub-options listed below, or any devices on your network are running AOS 6.7.2 R03.

The following Sub-Options are only required if you are using a Proxy to connect to the Internet.

    • Sub-Option 129 - Proxy URL. It can be either an IP address or a URL (e.g., "IP-address=4.4.4.4", "URL=http://server.name").
    • Sub-Option 130 - Proxy Port.
    • Sub-Option 131 - Proxy User Name. If the customer proxy access requires authentication, both 131 and 132 can be supplied via these sub-options.
    • Sub-Option 132 - Proxy Password.
    • Sub-Option 133 - Network ID.
  • Option 138 - Remove any existing configuration (required for all ALE Devices).

Static Deployment Requirements

The following switch configuration prerequisites must be met for a Static Network Deployment.

1. Execute the following CLI commands on each switch. The commands can be contained in a CLI Script and pushed to network switches. See the CLI Scripting online help for more information.

ip name-server <dns_ip>
ip domain-lookup
ntp server <ntp_ip>
ntp client enable

2. (If you are using a Proxy), modify the <running directory>/cloudagent.cfg file on each switch as follows:

  • Activation Server URL: Enter the Activation Server FQDN.
  • HTTP Proxy Server: Enter the Proxy IP address.
  • HTTP Proxy Port: Enter the Proxy IP port.
  • HTTP Proxy User Name: Enter the Proxy username.
  • HTTP Proxy Password: Enter the Proxy password.

3. Enable the Cloud Agent on each switch with the following CLI Command:

cloud-agent admin-state enable

Bandwidth Requirements

Onboarding
For basic onboarding of devices and connection to the OmniVista Cirrus Server, a minimum of 10 kbps end-to-end network throughput is required between the device and OmniVista Cirrus.

Advanced Management
To enable statistics data transfer, status queries, configuration commands, and other requests/responses between devices and OmniVista Cirrus, a minimum of 20Mbps without latency end-to-end network throughput is required between the device and OmniVista Cirrus. APs must be running the latest AWOS software version.

Proxy Requirements

If a device is accessing the Internet via an HTTP/HTTPs proxy, the proxy server must be specified in DHCP Option 43, Sub-option 129 (Server) and Sub-Option 130 (Port). The server may be specified in 1 of 2 formats: 1) “URL=http://server.domain”, or 2) “IP-address=8.8.8.8”. The port is specified as a number (8080).

Firewall Requirements

The following ports must be configured to allow outbound traffic from your local network:

  • 443 - If you are not using a Proxy to connect to the Internet, your firewall must allow outbound access to this port; if you are using a Proxy, you need to be able to access this port via your local proxy.
  • 80 - Relevant only if you are accessing UPAM Guest/BYOD Captive portal via insecure HTTP.  If you are not using a Proxy to connect to the Internet, your firewall must allow outbound access to this port; if you are using a proxy, you need to be able to access this port via your local proxy.
  • 123 - Relevant if you are using an NTP Server that is outside of your network. You must ensure that your firewall allows outbound access to port 123 udp. This access cannot be mediated by a proxy, it must be direct (NAT is allowed).
  • 53 - Relevant if you are using a DNS Server that is outside of your network. You must ensure that your firewall allows outbound access to both port 53 tcp and port 53 udp. This access cannot be mediated by a proxy, it must be direct (NAT is allowed).

NTP Server Requirements

An NTP Server(s) is required for Certificate validation (start date and duration), and all related encryption functions. Devices must have access to at least one NTP Server, whether local or external. Note that if a device's System Time is not correct, it may take several attempts to synchronize with the NTP Server before the device connects to the OmniVista Cirrus Server.

Device Prerequisites

The minimum device software versions for onboarding and management are detailed below. The minimum onboarding versions are required for the device to connect the to the OmniVista Cirrus Server. The specified management software versions are required to support all of the management features available in OmniVista Cirrus 4.6.1.

Onboarding

For onboarding (call home and connection to the OmniVista Cirrus Server), devices must be running the following minimum software versions:

  • AOS 6.7.2.R05
  • AOS 8.5R2
  • AWOS 3.0.5.xx.

Management

Devices must be running the software versions specified below to support all of the management features available in OmniVista Cirrus 4.6.1.

  • Essential Switch (E) - OS2260/OS2360 – (5.1R1), OS6350/OS6450 - (6.7.2.R08), OS6360 (8.7R3), OS6465 (8.7R3), OS6560 (8.7R3)
  • Core Switch (C) - OS6900 (8.7R3)  
  • Advanced Switch (A) - OS6860/OS6860E/OS6865 (8.7R3), OS6860N (8.7R3)
  • Stellar AP (SA) - OAW-AP1101, OAW-1201, OAW-1201H, OAW-1201L (available in Brazil only), OAW-AP1221, OAW-AP1222, OAW-AP1231, OAW-AP1232, OAW-AP1251, OAW-AP1201BG, OAW-AP1301, OAW-AP1311, OAW-AP1321, OAW-AP1322, OAW-AP1351, OAW-AP1361, OAW-AP1362 (AWOS 4.0.3)

When licensed devices call home, OmniVista Cirrus checks the software versions the devices are running and, if necessary, triggers an update of the device to the software required to support OmniVista Cirrus 4.6.1. In addition, a software update for a device can be manually triggered from the device list.

Supported Devices

A full list of ALE supported devices/AOS releases can be found here.

REST API Management

You can use REST APIs for scripting or integration with any 3rd party systems in your management network. Available OmniVista REST APIs can be found here  https://ovcirrus.com/api.

Issues/Workarounds

Device Catalog

OV Managed Device Automatically Deleted and License Unassigned (OVC-4683)
Summary: A currently-managed device can be automatically deleted, its license unassigned, and the device moved to “Registered” if the IP address assignments of devices are changed.

For example, suppose there are two devices discovered and managed by OmniVista: Device1 with IP address "IP1", and Device2 with IP address "IP2". At some point, the IP Address assignment for these devices are changed as follows: Device1 IP address is changed from "IP1" to "IP2"; and Device2 IP address is changed from "IP2" to something else. This scenario could happen, for example, if the DHCP Server is restarted and does not attempt to give the same IP address as before to the DHCP clients.

If Device1 is then rediscovered (as part of periodic polling or by a manual user action), Device2 will be deleted from OmniVista when OmniVista discovers that Device1 now has the "IP2" IP address to avoid the situation where two devices have the same IP address in OmniVista.
Workaround: NA - Informational.

Upgrades Are Triggered Differently for 6x and 8x Switches (OVC-435)
Summary: The Activation Server checks the "current software version" from the switches to determine whether a switch should upgrade or not. Because of the different behaviors of 6x and 8x Switches, there may be some inconsistencies about when a switch will be triggered to upgrade.

  • AOS 8x switches send current software version of the current running directory.
  • AOS 6x switches send current software version of WORKING directory when in sync.

Example AOS 6x:
Assume switch comes up in the Certified Directory.
Assume /flash/working has the same image version as "desired software version" set in Device Catalog, whereas /flash/certified has a lower version. Since AOS 6x sends current software version of /flash/working, upgrade will NOT be triggered on the switch.

Example AOS 8x:
Assume switch comes up in the Certified Directory.
Assume /flash/cloud has the same image version as "desired software version" set in Device Catalog, whereas /flash/certified has a lower version. Since AOS 8x sends current software version of current running directory which is /flash/certified. there will be an upgrade. The switch will download the desired software version to /flash/cloud and reboots from /flash/cloud.

Workaround: NA - Informational.

Auto-Upgrade for Switches Running Lower Than AOS 6.7.2.R7 (OVC-8103)
Summary: Switches running an AOS version lower than 6.7.2.R7 will be automatically upgraded to AOS 6.7.2.R7 even if you select the "Do Not Upgrade" option when adding the device to the Device Catalog.
Workaround: N/A - Informational.

Inventory

Upgrade Workflow Should Be Changed When Device Is Loaded From Certified Directory (OVC-435)
Summary: When an AOS 6.x Switch with "Set to Software Version" set to "Latest Version" contacts the OmniVista Server, the server checks the Working Directory to see if it is running the latest AOS software. If the Working Directory contains the latest software version, an upgrade will not be triggered, even if the Certified Directory is running on an older software version. To upgrade the Certified Directory to the latest software, reboot the switch from the Working Directory.
Workaround: NA - Informational.

mDNS

AP Not Added to the Edge List when Deploying mDNS on Eth1 Port (OVE-11033)
Summary:
Connecting AP1351/AP1301 to the switch only on Eth1 port does not support mDNS service deployment.
Workaround:
When deploying mDNS, use either the Eth0 port only or link aggregation (Eth0 and Eth1) on AP1351/AP1301 to connect to the switch.

Notifications

Trap Configuration Fails when the Switch Name Contains the "#" Character (OVE-10558)
Summary: When a switch name contains the “#” character (for example, “Switch10.1.1.10##”), configuring traps on that switch will fail.
Workaround: Do not include the "#" character in the switch name.

Remote Access Points

Unable to find the RAP in the OV2500 (OVC-8302)
Summary: RAP was not displayed in OmniVista when the Dual Stack Lite technology was used for Internet access in RAP/VPN VA configuration.
Workaround: Fixed in next OmniVista Cirrus release (OVC 4.6.2).

UPAM

HTTPs Traffic is Not redirected to Portal Page for an HSTS Website (OVC-1777)
Summary: The first time a user opens an HSTS website, they are redirected to the portal page, as expected. The second time a user opens an HSTS website, the redirection will not work. If the user clears browser cache and retries connecting to the HSTS website, it will work. The behavior depends on the browser used. Chrome is very strict, so the problem is always seen, Firefox is not as strict; the problem will still happen but not as frequently.
Workaround: N/A - Informational.

No IPv4 or IPv6 Value Displayed in UPAM Authentication Record (OVC-6061)
Summary: Client IP address is not displayed in UPAM Authentication Record.
Workaround: N/A - Informational.

Delay in UPAM Interactions After Subscriber Gets a Paid Account (OVC-6806)
Summary: After a subscriber gets a paid account, UPAM related interactions will not work until free radius server is restarted (at 00:00 AM the subsequent day).
Workaround: There will be a delay in realizing any expected changes in UPAM function when any of the following occurs:

  • Creation of a new tenant
  • Activation of a different RADIUS Server Certificate
  • Synchronization of RADIUS Attribute Dictionary at OmniVista with RADIUS Server
  • Edit of NAS Client details.

After any of the above actions, expected UPAM changes will take effect after the following midnight (00:01 a.m. PST), as these require a restart of the OmniVista internal RADIUS Server. The OmniVista internal RADIUS Server is restarted periodically at midnight PST. All tenants sharing the same OmniVista VM will experience a brief period of interruption of UPAM RADIUS functionality during this periodic restart.

WiFi4EU not Connected to Captive Portal (OVE-11164)
Summary:
The validity period for Captive Portal authentication defaults to 30 days, but WiFi4EU requirement is maximum 24 hours.
Workaround: There is no workaround.

Web Content Filtering

End User Should be Notified When a Page Is Blocked by WCF (OVE-10205)
Summary: When a client tries to access a website restricted by Web Content Filtering (WCF), the page will fail to load, and the browser will display an error. However, the error message is a generic connection error message. It does not explain why the page failed to load (e.g., “Access to this Website is restricted”).
Workaround: Connect to a known unrestricted site to verify the reason the connection failed. In a future release, if a client attempts to access a restricted site, OmniVista will redirect the client to a specific block page.

WLAN

Client Name Field Blank for Clients Running iOS 14 (OVC-8287)
Summary: The Client Name field in the “List of All Client on All APs” is not displayed for devices running iOS 14.
Workaround: No workaround at this time. The problem occurs on devices running iOS 14 as they do not send Option 12 in the DHCP message.

RF Profile Not Supported on AP1201BG (OVE-10781)
Summary: Stellar OAW-AP1201BG does not support RF profiles, as it is a BLE gateway.
Workaround: No workaround at this time.

Social Login Fail with Google Account (OVC-8901)
Summary: The default list of URLs shown when selecting Social login vendors (Google, Facebook…) does not include country specific URLs.
Workaround: Manually add/append the required URLs to the list of “Whitelist Domains” when you configure the SSID.

Other

If You Remove a Master from a Virtual Chassis Slave Devices Lose Connectivity
Summary: If You Remove a Master from a Virtual Chassis (VC), Slave devices Lose Connectivity Due to stale certificates. Devices use a certificate to communicate with OmniVista Cirrus. This certificate is given to the devices by the OmniVista Cirrus on their first Activation attempt. In a VC, the Master chassis is issued a certificate for its Serial Number and this certificate is copied over to all the Slaves. If the owner of the certificate (Master) is removed permanently from the VC, the remaining chassis will form a VC and attempt activation using the certificate of the old Master, but will be unable to activate using this certificate. Customers should raise a ticket with ALE Customer Support to overcome this issue. After understanding the VC topology, ALE Customer Support might take a decision to remove the certificate from the VC and enable the remaining chassis in the VC to attempt Cloud Activation afresh.
Workaround: Raise a ticket with ALE Customer Support. After investigating the VC topology, ALE Customer Support may decide to remove the certificate from the VC and enable the remaining chassis in the VC to re-attempt activation.

Problem Connecting to Switch with OV Assistant When Multiple Bluetooth Dongles Present (OVC-7240)
Summary: The OmniVista Assistant uses the Bluetooth dongle MAC address to initiate a connection to a switch. If multiple Bluetooth dongles are active at the same time, OmniVista Assistant may initiate a connection to an unexpected dongle.
Workaround: Make sure there are no other active Bluetooth dongles in the area. And make sure the correct model and serial number appear under "Paired Devices" before initiating a connection to a switch.

Issues Fixed

Issues Fixed Since Release 4.5.3

  • MTS-Managed Tenant Local Users Cannot Use "View SSIDs on an AP Group" Feature (OVC-6321)
  • Cannot Onboard a Switch Running AOS 6.7.2.R05 (OVC-6879)
  • Device Address Column Sorted Incorrectly in Device Backup/Restore Table (OVE-1861)
  • Cannot Download Radius Server Certificates (OVC-8405)
  • Must Wait 1 Day Before Using Web Content Filtering (WCF) Feature (OVC-8508)
  • User Is Not Notified When User Role Is Configured for Two-Factor Authentication (OVC-8540)
  • Client Blacklisting Does Not Work on AP1320/AP1360 (OVE-9544)
  • mDNS Server and Client Policy: UI Offers Policy Lists in "Access Role Profile" Drop-Down (OVE-10559)
  • Unified Policies Are Lost on Certain Switches After Reboot (CRAOS8X-26272)

Issues Fixed Since Release 4.5.2

  • APs Are Displayed as IOT Devices in IoT Inventory (OVE-5542)

Issues Fixed Since Release 4.5.1

  • ALE-BYOD Users and ALE-Corp Users Disassociated from SSIDs (OVE-6759)
  • Delete Map Cannot Complete in Topology (OVC-7412)

Issues Fixed Since Release 3.0

  • If Network ID Strict Mode Is Enabled Some Devices Will Be Unable to On-Board (OVC-4381)
  • Cannot Notify Policy List with Accept All | Deny All Policy on AOS 6x Devices (OVC-6133)
  • Unable to upload Captive Portal Certificate on UPAM (ALEISSUE-410)
  • Unable to change “Account Validity Period” While Creating Guest Access Code with Service Level (ALEISSUE-459)
  • APs were UP, however showed DOWN in OmniVista (ALEISSUE-383)

Issues Fixed Since Release 2.1.0

  • External LDAP Server Requires Direct Connection (OVCLOUD-2832)
  • BYOD Access Strategy "Go to initial URL" Option Does Not Work on AOS 6x Switches (OVC-421)
  • No CLI Command to Configure Network ID in Statically Configured Cloud Agents (OVC-4569)

Issues Fixed Since Release 2.0

  • Cannot Remove a BYOD/Guest Online Device From Device List on AOS 8x Switches (OVC-419)
  • Cannot Find Audit Logs in OmniVista Cirrus (OVC-456)
  • Error When Applying Access Role Profile with Policy List to 6x Device (OVC-459)
  • Cannot Apply Policy List from RADIUS Attribute "Alcatel-Policy-List" in UPAM on AOS 6.x Switches (OVC-463)
  • Captive Portal Page Is Not Kept After Upgrading From 1.0.2 (OVC-2467)
  • AP Image Upgrade From 3.0.2 to 3.0.4 Requires 2 Reboots (OVC-2957)
  • Device Status Color Does Not Change When a Trap is Sent From an AP (OVC-3220)
  • Minimum OS Versions Required for Full OmniVista Cirrus Functionality (OVC-3468)
  • OS6560 Device Loses VPN Connectivity and Remains in a DOWN State (OVC-3530)
  • Guidance for Users with ALE Business Store Based OmniVista Cirrus Subscriptions That Are Pending Activation (OVC-3776)
  • OS6560 Dumps ipcmmd pmds When Calling Home (OVC-3834)

Issues Fixed Since Release 1.0.2

  • Hide Top N clients and Top N App Charts (OVC-1565)
  • OS6560 Does Not Support Policy List on OS6560 Switch running AOS 8.4.1.R03 (OVCLOUD-1384)
  • Status of All AOS Devices Changed from “OV Managed” to “Pre-Provisioning" in Device Catalog (OVC-145)
  • Analytics Line Chart Does Not Display Date in X-Axis (OVC-461)

Issues Fixed Since Release 1.0.1

  • Device Added to Data Lake Is Not Added to Device Catalog Even Though "Call Home" Was Successful (OVC-146)
  • VC of 2 OS6900-X20 Disappeared from the List of Managed Devices (OVC-147)

Additional Documentation

Online help is available in OmniVista Cirrus and can be access by clicking on the Help Link (?) in the upper-right corner of any screen. You can also search through the online help on the OmniVista Cirrus Home Page. An overview of OV Cirrus as well as Getting Started Guides for Freemium and Paid Accounts is available here.