Juniper NETWORKS Onboarding Data Center Switches

Fa'amatalaga

• Product Name: Apstra Data Centre Switch Automation Solution
• Compatibility: Juniper data centre switches
• Automation Type: Intent-based networking
• Key Feature: Distributed agent architecture

Fa'atonuga o le Fa'aaogaina o Mea

• System agents are essential components for managing devices with the Apstra automation solution.
• Ensure you have system agents installed on all devices before proceeding.
• Understand the various device configuration stages outlined in the user guide to effectively manage and operate your data centre fabric.
• Configure the management interface and IP address on the out-of-band management network.
• Click on “Create Onbox Agent(s)” or “Create Offbox Agent(s)” to initiate the installer.
• Enter the required information in the form and click “Create” to install the agent.
• Wait for the installation to complete. The device will appear in a quarantined state.
• Follow additional steps to move the device to the OOS-Ready state for blueprint assignment.
• Utilise Apstra ZTP for automatic discovery and onboarding of new switches or devices reset to factory settings.
• Check ZTP server status via the Apstra server GUI for visibility and management.

Amata

• This guide walks you through the steps required for getting your Juniper data centre switches ready to be deployed with the Apstra automation solution.
• The main tasks are to install device system agents on devices, then bring those devices under Apstra control, either manually or automatically with Apstra ZTP. We’ll cover both methods.
• Once you’ve onboarded your devices, they become Managed Devices, ready to be assigned in one of the Apstra server’s blueprints.

FAAMANATU: Ae e te leʻi amataina, e tatau ona e faʻapipiʻi ma faʻapipiʻi le server Apstra. Mo nisi fa'amatalaga, va'ai le Juniper Apstra Quick Start

Apstra automates data centre networks of all sizes and complexities. Intent-based networking makes all aspects of operating data centre fabrics simpler, reliable, and efficient. A key to achieving such results is how the solution controls each individual device that comprises a managed fabric. The distributed agent architecture is an important component of what makes Apstra a unique and powerful automation solution. Let’s discuss the various elements that comprise the onboarding process.

Sui Fa'atonu

• Device system agents manage communication between devices and the Apstra server.
• They’re responsible for performing configuration on the devices.
• They also facilitate the transfer of device telemetry, a key component of intent-based analytics (IBA).
• For all these elements to operate smoothly, Juniper puts supported device models and NOS software through a rigorous system of testing.
• It’s imperative that you reference the Fa'atonuga o masini ma NOS tables when choosing hardware and software versions for your data centre fabric.
• You can install agents directly on a switch in the user space in the NOS (onbox), or you can install them in containers within the Apstra cluster (offbox) and communicate with the device that way.
• You’ll select one depending on your scenario.
• Some NOS types don’t support on-box agents. And some network operators don’t want to install agent software directly onto network devices.
• If you elect to use off-box agents, you must make considerations for cluster capacity to accommodate their location.

Fa'atonuga o masini Stages

• For the Apstra server and managed devices to communicate, Apstra uses an out-of-band management network.
• For them to be able to communicate, the IP address, user credentials and basic configuration parameters must be in place.
• This minimal configuration state is called “pristine configuration.” Once it’s in place and the switch and server can communicate, you can install a device agent.
• Apstra then captures the existing device configuration and saves it as a baseline. See a pristine configuration exampi lalo.

• Fa'atonuga mama o le muamua lea o nai stages that a device can be in when it’s under Apstra management.
• Devices are placed into various configurations as they are moved in and out of operation.
• To appreciate how the solution operates, it’s essential to understand these stages.
• Fa'aalu se taimi e toe fai aiview o fa'amatalaga ma fa'amatalaga o le olaga i totonu o le Device Configuration Cycle vaega o le Juniper Apstra User Guide.

Fa'ato'a i luga ole laiga

O la'asaga aupito maualalo e mana'omia e fa'amautu ai le feso'ota'iga i le va o le ki ma le server e fa'apea:

1. Fa'atulaga le fa'aoga pulega ma le tuatusi IP i luga ole feso'ota'iga pulega i fafo. Fa'aaofia ai se auala fa'aletonu mo le pulega fa'aoga e o'o atu ai i le server.
2. Set user credentials and password needed for the Apstra server to establish a connection with the switch.
3. Fa'aaga le API o lo'o fa'aogaina e le 'au'aunaga e fa'atulaga ai le masini i lona olaga atoa.

O faʻatonuga tonu e faʻatino ai laasaga o loʻo i luga e eseese e faʻatatau i le NOS faʻatau filifilia. Fa'asino i le Juniper Apstra Taiala mo Tagata Fa'aoga mo fa'amatalaga mo tagata fa'atau lagolago.
O le taimi lava e mafai ai e le ki ona ping le server Apstra, e mafai ona e faʻaogaina le Faʻapipiʻi Mea Faʻapipiʻi e faʻapipiʻi ai le sooupu. Fai lenei mea mai le Managed Devices view.

• Ina ia amataina le faʻapipiʻi, kiliki a le Create Onbox Agent(s) poʻo le Create Offbox Agent(s) i le pito i luga taumatau.

Ulufale faʻamatalaga manaʻomia i totonu o le Fomu (s) Fomu o loʻo tatala, ona kiliki lea o le Faʻamau Faʻamau. E manaʻomia sina taimi mo le 'auʻaunaga e faʻatino ai le faʻapipiʻiina. A maeʻa ona faʻaalia le masini i le laulau view in the quarantined state. There are additional steps that move devices in this state to the OOS-Ready state, where they are available to be assigned to a blueprint.

FAAMANATU: O le fa'aogaina o le masini fa'apipi'i e aumai ai suiga i totonu o le Apstra automation platform o lo'o fa'aalia auiliili i le Puleaina Meafaigaluega vaega o le Juniper Apstra User Guide.

Faʻatasi ma Apstra ZTP

• Apstra ZTP resides on its own VM, separate from the Apstra server.
• It automatically discovers new switches and those that have been reset to factory settings (zeroised)
• Use the Apstra server GUI to check the state of the ZTP server and the management of devices.
• This provides visibility into all aspects of the process, making it easy to onboard any number of devices quickly and with the desired settings and NOS versions, place.

The ZTP service provides DHCP for automatic IP addressing, installation of pristine configurations and installation of the system agents. Apstra ZTP performs these steps:

1. DHCP (filifiliga)
   • E talosagaina e le masini se tuatusi IP e ala i le DHCP.
   • E maua e le masini le tuatusi IP na tuʻuina atu ma se faʻailoga i le ata OS faʻapitoa.
2. Device Initialisation
   • O le masini e la'u mai ai le fa'ailoga ZTP fa'apitoa e ala i le TFTP.
   • The device executes the script, preparing it for management. The OS image is checked and is upgraded, if necessary.
   • O le masini admin/root password ua seti.
   • System Agent ID is initialised.
3. Agent Initialisation
   • The ZTP script leverages APIs to initiate the agent installation. It recognises automatically whether an on-box or off-box is needed.

The Apstra ZTP service is a comprehensive set of tools that you can customise in various ways to adapt to your specific requirements. Once you have downloaded the server image and performed any customisations, it’s ready to simplify bringing switches into the Apstra automation platform.
FAAMANATU: The Apstra ZTP service requires installation and configuration to adapt to your specific environment. You can find step-by-step instructions for installing and onboarding devices see the Apstra ZTP chapter in the Juniper Apstra User Guide.
Now we’ve seen how devices are initialised. Let’s now look at how we move them into an operating network.

Tutu i luga ma tamoe

Puleaina Meafaigaluega

• You’ve followed the manual steps or you’ve used ZTP to get your devices installed with their management IP addresses and device agents. Plus, your switches are registered with the Apstra server. But they’re not quite ready for deployment.
• Just after being added, devices are placed into the Out-of-Service Quarantine state. To place them under full control of the system, they need to be acknowledged.

• Once you’ve acknowledged your devices, you can drill into numerous aspects of the device’s status.
• There are additional tools to show the agent state, allow us to work with the Pristine Config and to view masini telemetry.

FAAMANATU: Fa'aaogā meafaigaluega ile Managed Devices view ua ufitia i le Puleaina Meafaigaluega vaega o le Juniper Apstra User Guide.

• ZTP can initiate NOS upgrades if needed. But what do you do if you need to upgrade the software after the devices are under the control of the system? The good news is that the Managed Devices page hosts a tool that can keep your NOS versions fresh and secure.
• This is critical for the network to operate properly.
• It’s also a convenient manner to deal with any issues that may be encountered that require you to perform an update.
• The NOS management tool offers flexibility for image storage location and visibility into installation progress.

FAAMANATU: Fa'aleleia le NOS o se masini mai le Managed Devices view o loo faamatalaina auiliili i le Fa'aleleia le masini NOS vaega o le Juniper Apstra User Guide.

Faifai ai pea

• O lea la ua feso'ota'i au masini ma i le tulaga pito i luga, e mafai ona e alu i le isi stages of automating your data centre deployment.
• Use these links to continue your journey with Apstra data centre automation.

O le a le mea e sosoo ai?

Afai e te mana'o iai	Ona
Suia le tusi faamaonia SSL i se tasi saogalemu	See the Apstra Installation / Configure Apstra Server / Replace SSL Certificate section in the Juniper Apstra Installation and Faʻaleleia Tusitusiga
Fa'atulaga avanoa fa'aoga ile fa'aoga profiles ma matafaioi	See the Platform / User/Role Management section in the Juniper Apstra Taiala mo Tagata Fa'aoga
Fausia lau si'osi'omaga mata'utia i feso'ota'iga fa'apitoa ma sone fa'aala	Vaʻai i le Staged / Virtual section in the Juniper Apstra Usr Taiala
Aoao e uiga i auaunaga telemetry Apstra ma pe faʻapefea ona e faʻalauteleina	See the Devices / Telemetry section in the Juniper Apstra User Taiala
Learn how to leverage intent-based analytics (IBA) with Apstra	Va'ai Fa'amatalaga Fa'avae Fa'amoemoe ma le apstra-cli Utility i le Juniper Apstra User Guide

Aoao i Vitio

• Our video library continues to grow! We’ve created many videos that demonstrate how to do everything from installing your hardware to configuring advanced Junos OS network features.
• Here are some great videos and training resources that will help you expand your knowledge of Junos OS.

Afai e te mana'o iai	Ona
Watch short demos to learn how to use Juniper Apstra to automate and validate the design, deployment, and operation of data centre networks, from Day 0 through Day 2+	Vaai i le Juniper Apstra Demos ma Juniper Apstra Data Center vitio on the Juniper Networks Product Innovation YouTube page.
Maua ni fautuaga pupuu ma pupuu ma faʻatonuga e maua ai tali vave, manino, ma faʻamalamalamaga i uiga patino ma galuega a Juniper tekinolosi	Vaai Aoaoina ma Juniper luga ole itulau autu YouTube a Juniper Networks.
View se lisi o le tele o aʻoaʻoga faʻapitoa faʻapitoa matou te ofoina atu i Juniper	Vaai i le Amataina itulau ile Juniper Learning Portal.

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FAQ

Q: What is Apstra's key feature for managing data center networks?

A: Apstra utilizes intent-based networking to simplify, improve reliability, and enhance efficiency in operating data center fabrics.

Q: Can I onboard devices manually with Apstra?

A: Yes, you can manually establish connectivity between switches and the server by configuring the management interface and using the Create Agent s feature.

Q: Where can I find detailed information on managing devices with Apstra?

A: Refer to the Managed Devices section of the Juniper Apstra User Guide for detailed instructions on bringing switches into the Apstra automation platform.

Pepa / Punaoa

Juniper NETWORKS Onboarding Data Center Switches [pdf] Taiala mo Tagata Fa'aoga Su'ega Nofoaga Autu o Fa'amatalaga, Su'ega Nofoaga Autu, Su'ega Tutotonu, Su'ega

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