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--- seedessentials [2011/04/03 15:03]
faltin
+++ seedessentials [2013/08/16 13:36]
bredal [Subcategory]
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== Seed the NAV database with the Seed Database tool ======
-{{tools:editdb.png|}}After NAV is installed and started (with ´nav start´) NAV does absolutely nothing ;-) Put differently, NAV does not autodiscover your network, you have to seed the database with key information using the Seed Database tool. This document explains the requirements (minimum and recommended) that need to be followed in order to get NAV going.
+{{tools:editdb.png|}}After NAV is installed and started (with ´nav start´) NAV does absolutely nothing ;-) Put differently, NAV does not autodiscover your network, you have to seed the database with key information using the Seed Database tool. This document explains the requirements that need to be followed in order to get NAV going.
 We explain three levels of seeding data into NAV:
-  - Level 1: Minimum requirements
+  - [[#level_1minimum_requirements|Level 1: Minimum requirements]]
-  - Level 2: Organize your network equipment in rooms, use bulk import
+  - [[#level_2organize_your_network_equipment_in_rooms|Level 2: Organize your network equipment in rooms]]
-  - Level 3: Take fully advantage of NAV's capabilities
+  - [[#level_3take_full_advantage_of_nav_s_capabilities|Level 3: Take full advantage of NAV's capabilities]]
 You may start on level 1 or 2, stay there forever, or later extend to level 3, as you are getting more familiar with
 NAV.
+In all cases you may seed data in two different ways:
+  * The add/edit form
+  * The bulk import option (only for initial registration of a new entity)
+The latter allows you to gather all your data in colon separated text files and easily import all these seed data into
+NAV. You may have other sources of this seed data and can consider extracting the data from these sources and automatically build your seed text files.
+Please note that after you have  bulk imported a given entity and later would like to change some of the entity attributes, this must be done with the edit form (we do not support bulk sync, only initial import).
 ====== Level 1: Minimum requirements ======
-When you seed network equipement into NAV you need to specify the organization that is operationally responsible for the equipment, and further the room the equipment is placed in. A room needs further to belong to a location.  To make things simple a fresh NAV install includes the organization ''my_org'', the room ''my_room'' and the location ''my_location''. You may register all your equipment belonging to ''my_org'' and placed in ''my_room''.
+When you seed network equipment into NAV you need to specify the organization that is operationally responsible for the equipment, and further the room the equipment is placed in. A room needs further to belong to a location.  To make things simple a fresh NAV install includes the organization ''myorg'', the room ''myroom'' and the location ''mylocation''. You may register all your equipment belonging to ''myorg'' and placed in ''myroom''.
-The mimimum requirements are:
+The minimum requirements are:
   * Register all equipment you want NAV to monitor with:
     * IP address (for routers it is best to register the loopback address)
-    * room: use ''my_room''
+    * room: use ''myroom''
-    * organization: use ''my_org''
+    * organization: use ''myorg''
     * category: NAV has 7 predefined categories. They are: GW, GSW, SW, WLAN, EDGE, SRV and OTHER. [[CategoriesAndTypes|More details here]].
     * SNMP read community: Required if your device is of category GW, GSW, SW, WLAN or EDGE
-    * SNMP write community: If you plan to use the port blocker, [[arnold|Arnold]], or use the configure ports option (PortAdmin)  of IP Device Info, SNMP //write// communities are also required for your switches.
+    * SNMP write community: If you plan to use the port blocker, [[arnold|Arnold]], or use the configure ports option ([[portadmin|PortAdmin]])  of [[ipdeviceinfo|IP Device Info]], SNMP //write// communities are also required for your switches.
 If you stick with these minimum requirements it will mean NAV has no information of where the equipment is located, nor what
-organizations are involved. Further, since you have not yet adopted the recommended [[subnetsandvlans#guide_lines_for_configuring_router_interface_descriptions|NAV guidelines for configuring router interface description]], you will have no information on the ownership and usage of the various subnets. It is however easy to improve these things at a later stage when you are ready to organize things better.
+organizations are involved. Further, since you have not yet adopted the recommended [[subnetsandvlans#guide_lines_for_configuring_router_interface_descriptions|NAV guidelines for configuring router interface description]], you will have no information on the ownership and usage of the various subnets/vlans. It is of course possible to improve these things at a later stage when you are ready to get better organized (see the [[#the_move_selected_option|'Move selected' option]]).
 You may of course use bulk import with the minimum requirements to be even more efficient. You only need to bulk the IP devices.
@@ Line 33: / Line 43: @@
 <code>
-my_room:10.0.0.101:my_org:GW:public
+#roomid:ip:orgid:catid[:ro:serial:rw:function:subcat:...]
-my_room:10.10.10.11:my_org:SW:public::private
+myroom:10.0.0.101:myorg:GW:public
-my_room:10.10.20.100:my_org:SRV
+myroom:10.10.10.11:myorg:SW:public::private
-my_room:10.10.10.12:my_org:SW:public::private
+myroom:10.10.20.100:myorg:SRV
-my_room:10.10.10.13:my_org:SW:public::private
+myroom:10.10.10.12:myorg:SW:public::private
-my_room:10.10.10.14:my_org:SW:public::private
+myroom:10.10.10.13:myorg:SW:public::private
+myroom:10.10.10.14:myorg:SW:public::private
 </code>
-====== Level 2: Organize your network equipment in rooms, use bulk import ======
+====== Level 2: Organize your network equipment in rooms ======
 Level 2 extends the minimum requirements to:
@@ Line 52: / Line 63: @@
 ===== Bulk import example =====
-:!: To make things most efficient Seed Database has the ability to [[seedessentials#bulk_import|bulk import data]] from text files using a colon separated list.
+To make things most efficient Seed Database has the ability to [[seedessentials#bulk_import|bulk import data]] from text files using a colon separated list.
 In our example we have a campus network spread across three campuses around town. We have 7 rooms were the network/server equipment is placed.
@@ Line 96: / Line 107: @@
 room7:campusC:Room B238 in Arts building:::::63.42412, 10.4346
 </code>
+Remember that if you later would like to add more data in a room, this must be done using the edit form (you cannot bulk import the same room twice).
 ====  Bulk organizations ====
@@ Line 122: / Line 135: @@
 You will notice that servers have no SNMP community. The router has read community only and the switches also have WRITE community. The latter is because you want to use the port blocker tool Arnold and/or the PortAdmin tool for configuring switch ports.
-====== Level 3: Take fully advantage of NAV's capabilities ======
+====== Level 3: Take full advantage of NAV's capabilities ======
+To take full advantage of NAV's capabilities do the following:
   - Define all physical location where equipment is placed, i.e. network/server rooms and wiring closets.
   - Organize rooms in locations (locations serve as natural geographical domains).
@@ Line 132: / Line 148: @@
-====== The order of things ======
+===== The order of things =====
 Due to dependencies within the database, it is recommended that you register seed data in the following order:
@@ Line 146: / Line 162: @@
-====== Registering a new IP device ======
+===== Registering a new IP device with 'Add new IP Device' =====
 Registering IP devices is by far the most important and most comprehensive registering process. Some comments:
   * For routers (GW / GSW) register the loopback address of the router (this is more robust, as this interface never goes down).
-  * The categories GW, GSW, SW, EDGE and WLAN require a SNMP read community. After you fill in the initial form (or after your bulk submit) an actual SNMP poll of the equipment is done. If it does not answer to the given SNMP read community, the IP device will not be added. In other words, you must have the  box up and running, configured with SNMP **before** you can add it to NAV (bulk import is a way of avoiding this requirement).
+  * The categories GW, GSW, SW, EDGE and WLAN require a SNMP read community. After you fill in the initial form  an actual SNMP poll of the equipment is done. If it does not answer to the given SNMP read community, the IP device will not be added. In other words, you must have the  box up and running, configured with SNMP **before** you can add it to NAV (bulk import is a way of avoiding this requirement).
-  * SNMP write community may be registered with the device, it is not an requirement and is only needed if you are planning to use [[arnold|Arnold]] or the PortAdmin functionality available from IP Device Info. If you supply an SNMP write community NAV requires that this is a valid write community.
+  * SNMP write community may be registered with the device, it is not an requirement and is only needed if you are planning to use [[arnold|Arnold]] or the [[portadmin|PortAdmin]] functionality available from IP Device Info. If you supply an SNMP write community NAV requires that this is a valid write community.
   * NAV will automatically register the name of the device based on DNS (NAV does a host lookup on the given IP address). Note that if DNS later is changed NAVs collection system will detect this and update  the name. If no DNS record exist, NAV will use the IP address as name. Note that the name configured on the  device (i.e. the OID system.sysname) is **not** used (we plan for NAV 3.11 of Dec 2011 to also use the system.sysname).
   * NAV will also derive the serial number from the equipment. If this fails, or if you for some reason  want to register something else here, you can do this manually. Registering serial number is not a  requirement, but recommended. The serial number is the key parameter to recognize the physical device.  Device History bases its track record of physical devices on serial number.
   * You may register a text string, function, that describes the IP device further. You may find this  most relevant for SRV and OTHER.
-  * The subcategory field can be used to classify a device within the category. An example is to classify the servers (category SRV) into the subcategories MAIL and DNS. An IP device be a member of one or several subcategories. The subcategory will only appear as an option if there are registered subcategories for the category.
+  * The subcategory field can be used to classify a device within the category. An example is to classify the servers (category SRV) into the subcategories MAIL and DNS. An IP device be a member of one or several subcategories. The subcategory will only appear as an option if there are registered subcategories for the category. **NB: Subcategories are to be replaced with 'netbox groups'.** A network group can be compared to a tag, and is independent of categories. A netbox group can be used to filter equipment in reports, creating alert profiles and more. If you have already created subcategories, they will automatically be transformed to groups.
 After an IP device is successfully added to NAV, the collection system will collect data from the device.
@@ Line 166: / Line 183: @@
-====== Bulk import ======
+===== Bulk import =====
 As an option you can add seed data using the bulk import option. We recommend this for
 the initial seeding when you need to input a lot of data.
@@ Line 176: / Line 193: @@
     * The syntax in your file is incorrect
     * You are trying to add duplicates
-    * Note that when bulk importing NAV will accept IP devices even if the provided SNMP read or write communities are incorrect. The effect of wrong communities will of course be that no information can be read/written with SNMP. The SNMP collecter of NAV, ipDevPoll, will log this as error messages. You can also notice the the "Last updated" field in IP Device Info is not updated.
+  * Note that when bulk importing NAV will accept IP devices even if the provided SNMP read or write communities are incorrect (NAV does not verify this in the case of bulk imports). The effect of wrong communities will of course be that no information can be read/written with SNMP. The SNMP collecter of NAV, ipDevPoll, will log this as error messages. You will also notice the the "Last updated" field in IP Device Info is not updated.
   * If you are trying to import a nested organizational structure, it may be necessary to import the organization file several times.
-======  The other seed topics ======
+See the Level 2 part of this document for examples of bulk imports.
+=====  The other seed topics =====
 We here comment on the other seed topics.
-===== Services =====
+==== Services ====
-IP devices (typically servers) may have one or more services that you would like to monitor. Available sewrvices are shown in the service list when you add a service. Some services requires extra arguments, they may also have optional arguments. I.e. for imap you have to supply a username/password. This is necessary in order to make a fully qualified test if the service is working properly.
+IP devices (typically servers) may have one or more services that you would like to monitor. Available services are shown in the service list when you add a service. Most services requires extra arguments, they may also have optional arguments. I.e. for imap you have to supply a username/password. This is necessary in order to make a fully qualified test if the service is working properly.
+(more doc of the services options will come later)
-===== Rooms =====
+==== Rooms ====
 All IP devices are located in a room.
   * A room is recognized by its unique roomid (max 30 characters).
@@ Line 195: / Line 215: @@
   * The parameters optional1 - optional4 are generic, the idea being that they can serve a local purpose. They may describe exact room number, telephone number, etc. By modifying [[reporttool#report.conf|report.conf]] you can give the optional parameters meaningful names in the room report!
-===== Location =====
+==== Location ====
 A location is a geographical area containing a number of rooms. The locationid is max 30 characters.
+==== Organization ====
-===== Organization =====
 An organization has a name of max 30 characters. It may have a parent organization, we thus support
 a hierarchical structure. Further it has a description and three generic fields, optional1 - 3.
@@ Line 214: / Line 231: @@
   - Each IP device has an organization that are in charge of operation (registered when adding the IP device).
   - You as a NAV user belong to an organization. The PortAdmin tool uses this to restrict the vlans a user may alter when configuring switch ports (this has only effect if you have followed the [[subnetsandvlans#guide_lines_for_configuring_router_interface_descriptions|the NAV guidelines for router interface descriptions]]).
-===== Usage categories =====
+==== Usage categories ====
 Relevant (along with organization) if you adopt the aforementioned guidelines for configuring router interface
 descriptions. The usage categories are typically students, staff, administration etc. A maximum
@@ Line 221: / Line 238: @@
-===== Type =====
+==== Type ====
 All equipment that answers to SNMP supply a system.sysObjectID, this is an identifier for type. When you add a new IP device NAV will relate this to a known type. If the type is unknown to NAV a new type record will automatically be created. You will most probably want to edit the type name and type description manually later to get better human understandable data. This will become apparent when you look at the "all ip devices report" in the report tool.
@@ Line 237: / Line 254: @@
 Consult the [[EquipmentTypes|type page]] for more information about types.
-===== Vendor =====
+==== Vendor ====
 Types are of a vendor. A number of vendors are predefined in NAV, if you need to add more do it here.
+==== Subcategory ====
+You may define subcategories within the predefines categories in NAV, see [[CategoriesAndTypes]] for more. IP devices may in turn belong to one or more subcategories.
+<note important>Subcategories are to be replaced with netbox groups. See note in [[CategoriesAndTypes]] for more information.</note>
-===== Subcategory =====
+==== Prefix  ====
-You may define subcategories within the predefines categories in NAV, see [[CategoriesAndTypes]] for more. IP devices may in turn belong to one or more subcategories.
-===== Prefix  =====
 Prefixes that are in operation are autodiscovered in NAV. The collection system finds all directly connected subnets and static routes (the latter will be included i NAV 3.11) from the routers (GW / GSW). The prefixes you can register here are of the
 following two types:
@@ Line 262: / Line 273: @@
-===== Vlan =====
+==== Vlan ====
 A vlan is equivalent to a broadcast domain which in turn may consist of zero, one of more IP subnets (usually one). All vlans are autodiscovered in NAV. If the [[subnetsandvlans#guide_lines_for_configuring_router_interface_descriptions|NAV guidelines for configuring router interface descriptions]] are followed, the collection system has an easy task filling in information on network type, organization and usage. The vlan value can also in many (most) cases be automatically derived. If the guidelines are **not** followed the network type will be automatically derived (correctly in most cases). If [[http://drift.uninett.no/rutiner/descr-felt.html|the UNINETT description guidelines]] are followed, the collection system will set the middle part (logical portname) as netident.
 :!: In any circumstance, if there are missing information in the vlan table, you can manually alter the information. The information you may alter are: organization, usage and vlan.
-===== Cabling =====
+==== Cabling ====
 If you like, you can document your cabling system. For each room (wiring closet) register the jack numbers and the target building and room number. Also register the twisted pair category and a description if you like.
 Please note that the cabling information is not used elsewhere in NAV, not even in the report system. It is not recommended to add data here.
-===== Patch =====
+==== Patch ====
 Similarly you can register patches that are done in the wiring closets from switch port to jack. The patch
 may be a split, register what kind, and what leaf.
@@ Line 282: / Line 294: @@
+===== The 'Move selected' option =====
+You will notice that it is not possible to edit the room, location or organization values directly when in edit mode.
+You may however obtain the same effect using the 'Move selected' option available from the 'List' tab!
+From the IP device list you may:
+  - select one or more IP devices (as many as you like)
+  - click move selected
+  - then choose whether you want to move the selected to a new room and/or a new organization
+  - select the destination room/organization
+  - confirm
+  - Your equipment is moved!
+The same operation can be done for:
+  * moving one/more room(s) to another location
+  * giving an organization a new parent organization

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