PowerShell to Automate Cisco UCSM (4): PS with .Net to develop UI and provision service profile

Introduction

PowerShell to Automate UCS (1): Lab Setup introduced the UCSM and PowerTool lab setup.

PowerShell to Automate UCS (2): PowerGUI Editor introduced how to use PowerGUI as PowerShell script editor to simplify script development test; and also script example.

PowerShell to Automate UCS (3): Convert UCSM GUI to Script introduced how to start from 0 and write PowerShell script to manage UCSM by converting UCSM GUI to script.

This blog demonstrates how to integrate PowerShell and .Net to develop a user interface to check whether a server is in use, then select unused server and provision service profile from the established service profile template.

PowerShell to Automate Cisco UCSM (3): Convert UCSM GUI to Script

Introduction

PowerShell to Automate UCS (1): Lab Setup introduced the UCSM and PowerTool lab setup.

PowerShell to Automate UCS (2): PowerGUI Editor introduced how to use PowerGUI as PowerShell script editor to simplify script development test; and also script example.

This blog is to demonstrate how to develop PowerShell script to manage UCSM if you are new to PowerShell and have UCSM configuration experience.

Cisco PowerTool provides the function to convert UCSM GUI to PowerShell commands. Basically we just need to configure an example from UCSM GUI interface, the actions will be captured and output as PowerShell commands in ‘Cisco UCS Manager PowerTool’ application window.

The auto script generation works fine most of time, though it may provide too many attributes than necessary. After gaining some experience with PowerShell/PowerTool, it should be pretty easy to tailor the generated script. It seems Cisco finally provides some kinda of user-friendly product…I think Cisco try to make things difficult to protect its profitable certificate system ;p

PowerShell to Automate Cisco UCSM (2): PowerGUI Editor

Introduction

I introduced how to set up the UCSM automation lab and used PowerTool, the Cisco PowerShell module, to connect and manage UCSM (see PowerShell to Automate UCS (1): Lab Setup).

This blog is to introduce my favourite PowerShell editor, PowerGUI, which provides an intuitive graphic interface, simplifies scripting work and allows easy test and troubleshooting. Most importantly it is free!

Download PowerGUI from DELL (It is now owned by DELL): http://software.dell.com/products/powergui-freeware/

PowerGUI 3.8 is used in this lab. The lab steps are as below:

PowerShell to Automate Cisco UCSM (1): Lab Setup

Introduction

Powershell is not a tool limited to Windows world any more. Cisco offers its own PowerShell module, PowerTool, to manage UCS. In this lab, PowerTool is to be installed on a Windows machine, which has accessibility to UCS manager. UCS Platform Emulator (UCSPE) is installed to simulate UCSM including a Fabric Interconnect pair (FI-A and FI-B) and UCS-B servers.

PowerTool can also be integrated with UCS Director (UCSD), the Cisco automation and orchestration tool. UCSD can call PowerShell Agent (PSA) server remotely and provide a GUI service catalog to users. In addition, VMWare also has its own PowerShell module. AWS serves another example. I may write blogs on those usage in future, but they are out of scope of the current series.

Multi-VRF DMVPN with NHS Cluster and IPSec IKEv1

Lab Introduction

This lab is related to my previous post DMVPN Phase3 IKEv1 and NHS Cluster. The previous post shows ‘the crypto keyring can only be tagged with fvrf’ and ‘fvrf on match statement of isakmp profile’. So what shall we do if we have a single FVRF (front door VRF) but multiple IVRFs (inside VRF)? – it would be easier if we have FVRF1 and IVRF1, FVRF2 and IVRF2.

This lab demonstrates one solution. DMVPN tunnel will use loopback address instead of physical WAN interface as source interface: DMVPN in IVRF1 with loopback IP 1.1.1.x as source address and DMVPN in IVRF2 with loopback IP 4.4.4.x as source address.

Although there is one FVRF shared by both IVRF1 and IVRF2, we make IVRF1 source 1.1.1.x/24 have a unique key Cisco1 and IVRF2 source 4.4.4.x/24 have a unique key Cisco2.

Similar to the previous lab, HUB1 and HUB2 forms NHS cluster with HUB1 as primary and HUB2 as backup.

Different from the previous lab that used a dummy switch to simulate WAN, this lab uses a router with hostname WAN to simulate WAN. Sites are connected to WAN using eBGP. WAN BGP AS is 7788; HUB1 and HUB2 are in the same AS 65111; SPOKE is in AS 65113.

GNS3 Lab: Connect to Physical LAN and Use Layer3 Switch

Introduction

This lab covers:

1. Connecting GNS3 dynamips devices to physical LAN, so that we can Telnet/SSH devices from host PC/laptop.
2. Installing Layer 3 switch
3. An example HSRP lap to demonstrate management access from host laptop and using Layer 3 switch

Topology

The topology is as below:

1. f0/0 is the device management port
2. “My PC” cloud represents my laptop with Mac OS
3. ESW1 is layer 3 switch using C3725, downloaded from my dropbox C3725-2014.
4. R1 and R2 form HSRP with R1 as master

Connect GNS3 to Physical LAN

I was using MacOS, Windows is easier to create logical adapter. A good reference for Mac user is “How to connect your GNS3 lab to the internet in Mac OS“. In summary, we will create a logical adapter TunTap, add “Cloud”in GNS3, add “TAP” interface to the Cloud, connect TAP interface of the Cloud to GNS 3 device and configure the GNS 3 device interface IP.

Windows user will need to create a loopback adapter from Device Manager. An instruction of installing loopback adapter on Windows 10 is available here. Then add “Cloud” in GNS3, add the loopback adapter as “Ethernet” interface to the Cloud; connect the loopback interface of the Cloud to GNS3 device and configure the GNS3 device.

Then telnet from Mac “Terminal” to access GNS3 device as below:

Install Layer 3 Switch in GNS3

I use C3725 as Layer 3 switch. The image can be downloaded from my dropbox C3725-2014. Import it as normal dynamips device in GNS3, and tick “This is an EtherSwitch router” as below:

Then the EtherSwitch router can be selected from GNS3 switch section.

HSRP Lab

R1

R1#show run
Building configuration…

Current configuration : 1371 bytes
!
! Last configuration change at 21:13:40 UTC Sun Jun 5 2016
!
version 15.2
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
!
hostname R1
!
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker
!
enable password cisco
!
no aaa new-model
no ip icmp rate-limit unreachable
!
no ip domain lookup
ip cef
no ipv6 cef
!
!
multilink bundle-name authenticated
!
ip tcp synwait-time 5
!

interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 10.0.0.11 255.255.255.0
speed auto
duplex auto
!
interface FastEthernet0/1
ip address 192.168.10.11 255.255.255.0
standby 1 ip 192.168.10.10
standby 1 priority 110
standby 1 preempt
ip ospf 1 area 0
speed auto
duplex auto
!
interface FastEthernet1/0
ip address 200.0.0.11 255.255.255.0
ip ospf 1 area 0
speed auto
duplex auto
!
interface FastEthernet1/1
no ip address
shutdown
speed auto
duplex auto
!
interface FastEthernet2/0
no ip address
shutdown
speed auto
duplex auto
!
interface FastEthernet2/1
no ip address
shutdown
speed auto
duplex auto
!
router ospf 1
!
ip forward-protocol nd
!
no ip http server
no ip http secure-server
!
control-plane
!
line con 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
stopbits 1
line aux 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
stopbits 1
line vty 0 4
password cisco
login
!
!
end

R2

R2#show run
Building configuration…

Current configuration : 1280 bytes
!
version 12.4
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
no service password-encryption
!
hostname R2
!
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker
!
enable password cisco
!
no aaa new-model
no ip icmp rate-limit unreachable
ip cef
ip tcp synwait-time 5
!
no ip domain lookup
!
multilink bundle-name authenticated
!
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 10.0.0.12 255.255.255.0
duplex full
!
interface FastEthernet1/0
ip address 192.168.10.12 255.255.255.0
ip ospf 1 area 0
duplex auto
speed auto
standby 1 ip 192.168.10.10
!
interface FastEthernet1/1
ip address 200.0.0.12 255.255.255.0
ip ospf 1 area 0
duplex auto
speed auto
!
interface FastEthernet2/0
no ip address
shutdown
duplex auto
speed auto
!
interface FastEthernet2/1
no ip address
shutdown
duplex auto
speed auto
!
router ospf 1
log-adjacency-changes
!
no ip http server
no ip http secure-server
!
logging alarm informational
no cdp log mismatch duplex
!
control-plane
!
gatekeeper
shutdown
!
line con 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
stopbits 1
line aux 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
stopbits 1
line vty 0 4
password cisco
login
!
end

ESW1

ESW1#show run
Building configuration…

Current configuration : 3331 bytes
!
version 12.4
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
no service password-encryption
no service dhcp
!
hostname ESW1
!
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker
!
enable password cisco
!
no aaa new-model
memory-size iomem 5
no ip icmp rate-limit unreachable
ip cef
!
no ip domain lookup
!
multilink bundle-name authenticated
!
macro name add_vlan
end
vlan database
vlan $v
exit
@
macro name del_vlan
end
vlan database
no vlan $v
exit
@
!
vtp file nvram:vlan.dat
archive
log config
hidekeys
!
ip tcp synwait-time 5
!
interface FastEthernet0/0
description *** Unused for Layer2 EtherSwitch ***
ip address 10.0.0.13 255.255.255.0
duplex auto
speed auto
!
interface Serial0/0
no ip address
shutdown
clock rate 2000000
!
interface FastEthernet0/1
description *** Unused for Layer2 EtherSwitch ***
no ip address
shutdown
duplex auto
speed auto
!
interface Serial0/1
no ip address
shutdown
clock rate 2000000
!
interface Serial0/2
no ip address
shutdown
clock rate 2000000
!
interface Serial0/3
no ip address
shutdown
clock rate 2000000
!
interface FastEthernet1/0
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/1
switchport mode trunk
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/2
switchport access vlan 10
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/3
switchport access vlan 10
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/4
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/5
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/6
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/7
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/8
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/9
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/10
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/11
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/12
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/13
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/14
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface FastEthernet1/15
duplex full
speed 100
!
interface Vlan1
no ip address
shutdown
!
interface Vlan10
ip address 192.168.10.9 255.255.255.0
!
ip forward-protocol nd
ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.10.10
ip route 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.10.10
!
!
no ip http server
no ip http secure-server
!
no cdp log mismatch duplex
!
control-plane
!
banner exec ^C

***************************************************************
This is a normal Router with a Switch module inside (NM-16ESW)
It has been pre-configured with hard-coded speed and duplex

To create vlans use the command “vlan database” in exec mode
After creating all desired vlans use “exit” to apply the config

To view existing vlans use the command “show vlan-switch brief”

Alias(exec) : vl – “show vlan-switch brief” command
Alias(configure): va X – macro to add vlan X
Alias(configure): vd X – macro to delete vlan X
***************************************************************

^C
alias configure va macro global trace add_vlan $v
alias configure vd macro global trace del_vlan $v
alias exec vl show vlan-switch brief
!
line con 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
line aux 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
line vty 0 4
password cisco
login
!
!
end

R3

R3#show run
Building configuration…

Current configuration : 1111 bytes
!
! Last configuration change at 20:54:02 UTC Sun Jun 5 2016
!
version 15.2
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
!
hostname R3
!
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker
!
enable password cisco
!
no aaa new-model
no ip icmp rate-limit unreachable
!
no ip domain lookup
ip cef
no ipv6 cef
!
multilink bundle-name authenticated
!
ip tcp synwait-time 5
!
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 10.0.0.15 255.255.255.0
speed auto
duplex auto
!
interface FastEthernet0/1
ip address 200.0.0.15 255.255.255.0
ip ospf 1 area 0
speed auto
duplex auto
!
interface FastEthernet1/0
no ip address
shutdown
speed auto
duplex auto
!
interface FastEthernet1/1
no ip address
shutdown
speed auto
duplex auto
!
router ospf 1
!
ip forward-protocol nd
!
no ip http server
no ip http secure-server
!
control-plane
!
line con 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
stopbits 1
line aux 0
exec-timeout 0 0
privilege level 15
logging synchronous
stopbits 1
line vty 0 4
password cisco
login
!
end