Getting Started

This chapter describes the software and hardware requirements and summarizes the steps for deploying the DANZ Monitoring Fabric (DMF) Controller.

 

DMF Installation Prerequisites

Follow the prerequisite steps below:

Table 1. DANZ Monitoring Fabric (DMF) Prerequisites
Task Description Comments
1. Connect the management port of the DMF switches to the management network switch.  
2. Connect the DMF switch console port to the console server. The default baud rate is 9600 for Arista Networks switches. The default baud rate is 115200 for ONIE-enabled switches.  
3. Connect the DMF Controller, Service Node, Recorder Node, and Analytics Node Ethernet port to the management network switch.  
4. For the DMF Controller, Service Node, Recorder Node, and Analytics Node, connect the iDRAC port to the management network (if possible, to a different subnet). Assign an iDRAC IP and validate the DMF Controller, Service Node, Recorder Node and, Analytics Node iDRAC are reachable. The default password for iDRAC should be at the bottom of the Service Tag.  
5. Connect the DMF Service Node and Recorder Node data ports to the DMF switch per customer-designed topology. Refer to Overview for Service Node data ports and Overview for Recorder Node data port.  
6. On the management network switch, ensure that spanning-tree mode edge or spanning-tree mode portfast is enabled for all the ports to which the DMF appliances and switches are connected.  
7. On management network switch ensure that IGMP snooping is disabled.  
8 On the management network switch ensure IPv6 communication in the L2 domain.  
9. Verify reachability to NTP, DNS, and default gateway IP address for the management network.  
10. For L3 deployment (where Controller, DMF switches, DMF Service Node, or DMF Recorder Node are in different subnets), ensure the correct ports on the firewall are open. Refer to Management Plane Security (Protocol Access Required for the DMF Controller) for a list of ports on the firewall to open.  

Downloading Software

The Arista Support Portal provides links to software packages and documentation for DANZ Monitoring Fabric (DMF) products.

To download the DMF software or documentation, click the DMF (BMF) / CCF (BCF) tab and expand the DANZ Monitoring Fabric (DMF) - Big Monitoring Fabric (BMF) folder tree.

Download the appropriate release documents from the DMF - BMF Product Documentation folder tree.

To download software, expand the DMF - BMF Software Downloads folder tree and locate the required software from either DMF - BMF Latest Recommended Release, DMF - BMF Prior Recommended Release, or DMF - BMF All Releases folder trees.

Figure 1. Downloading Software

Where to Start

The following table identifies the documents that provide information and procedures for common tasks when deploying DANZ Monitoring Fabric (DMF).

Task Document
1. Identify new features and any software or upgrade issues for the current release. Release Notes
2. Verify the compatibility of any hardware components used in your deployment. Hardware Compatibility List
3. Explore features and identify the configuration required. DMF User Guide and Analytics User Guide
4. Other tasks as needed. See Documentation Summary
Note: The Documentation Summary identifies other documents to help perform tasks after initial deployment.

Documentation Summary

The following documents help perform tasks after initial deployment:
  • Analytics User Guide - Configuring and using Arista Analytics.
  • CLI Reference Guide - Describes the command syntax and function of each command and keyword provided by the DANZ Monitoring Fabric (DMF) Controller CLI.
  • Deployment Guide - Procedures for installation, upgrade, and initial DMF Controller configuration common to all DMF features and use cases.
  • Hardware Compatibility List - Lists software and hardware tested for interoperability with the current DMF release.
  • Hardware Guide - Describes the LEDs and ports for DMF supported switch and appliance hardware.
  • DMF User Guide - Configuring and using DANZ Monitoring Fabric features.
  • Release Notes - New features, upgrade issues, open and resolved issues in the current release, SW behavior changes and, known limitations.
  • REST API Guide - General Guidelines using REST API and a list of REST API calls.
  • SNMP MIP Guide - Supported MIBs.
  • Verified Scale - Tested and verified scaling for DMF.

DMF Software and Hardware

This section lists the Controller and switch requirements for deploying the DANZ Monitoring Fabric (DMF).
  • DMF Controller:
    • Controller Software.
    • Controller Hardware Appliance or KVM/ESX Virtual Machine (For VM requirements, refer to Installing a Controller VM.
  • Switch Requirements
    • Refer to the DANZ Monitoring Fabric 8.4 Hardware Compatibility List for the supported switch hardware.
    • Switch software.
The figure below shows the interfaces provided by the DMF Controller hardware.
Figure 2. DMF Controller Hardware Appliance
The following table describes the interfaces:
Table 2. DMF Controller Interfaces
Port Set Function Where It is Connected
Controller Management Ports

2 x 1G white-labeled ports

Administrative access to the DMF Controller using CLI, GUI, or REST. Connect both ports for redundancy. Customer management network.
Controller iDRAC green-labeled port For remote management of DMF Controller Appliance. Connect green-labeled 1Gb port to DMF management network.
Packet Capture Ports-10Gb

First 10G orange-labeled ports

For Packet Capturing Feature on DMF Controller Appliance. Connect the first orange-labeled 10Gb port to DMF fabric switches.

DANZ Monitoring Fabric Quick Start

 
Configuration CLI Example GUI Option Documentation
Active and Standby DANZ Monitoring Fabric (DMF) Controllers. Complete the First boot script. show controller Controller View Installing and Configuring the DMF Controller
Monitoring Fabric Switches
  • Name and MAC address.
switch switch-1 mac <mac-address> Fabric > Switches Installing DMF Switches
DMF Service Node
  • Name and MAC address.
  • Connect it to the DMF fabric and management network.
  • First boot and initial setup.
  • Managed services.
service-node <name>mac <service-node-eth0-mac> Complete the First boot script for initial configuration.managed-service netflow 1 netflow <L3-Delivery interface> service-interface switchapp-ft-as6700-1 port-channel1 Fabric > Switches Monitoring > Managed Services Installing and Upgrading the DMF Service Node
DMF Recorder Node
  • Register name and MAC address.
  • Define recorder instance and interface.
  • Assign a recorder interface to policy.
packet-recorder device <recorder-name>mac <mac-address> packet-recorder device <name> packet-recorder interface <name> packet-recorder-interface switch <switch> <interface use=packet-recorder <interface> Monitoring > Packet Recorders Monitoring > Policies Installing and Configuring the DMF Recorder Node
Out-of-Band policies
  • Assign filter interface role to port connected to SPAN or Tap interfaces.
  • Assign delivery interface role to ports connected to tools.
  • Match interesting traffic and forward traffic to tools connected to delivery ports.
switch switch-1 interface ethernet1role filter interface-name span-tap-1 switch switch-1 interface ethernet2 role delivery interface-name tool-1 policy p1 10 match tcp action forward filter-interface span-tap-1delivery-interface tool-1 tunneling Monitoring > Interfaces Monitoring > Policies

DANZ Monitoring Fabric 8.4 User Guide

Arista Analytics Complete the First boot script and perform initial configuration Settings > Analytics Configuration

Arista Analytics 8.4 User Guide