Overview

Functional description

The NFM-P discovers devices using SNMP and stores the device properties in the NFM-P database. To discover one or more devices in your network, you create a discovery rule and then scan the network for devices according to the IP addresses or address ranges specified in the discovery rule.

A discovery rule contains one or more rule elements that specify which devices or subnets are to be included in, or excluded from, the discovery process. For example, you can configure one rule element to discover a subnet, and another to exclude specific IP addresses from the subnet.

The NFM-P periodically scans the network for new devices according to a discovery rule scan interval. By default, the scan interval specified in the NFM-P mediation configuration applies to all NFM-P discovery rules. However, in a discovery rule, you can specify a scan interval that overrides the scan interval in the mediation configuration. For example, to reduce the amount of network-management traffic created by the periodic scans in a busy subnet, you can increase the scan interval in the discovery rule for the subnet.

When the system IP address is used to discover a device, the management is in-band. When the management IP address is used to discover a device, the management is out-of-band. See Chapter 8, Device commissioning and management for information about in-band and out-of-band management.

Note: The NFM-P does not attempt to discover tests or test suites that are configured on a device using a CLI.

Note: If a discovered chassis exceeds the NFM-P license count during the execution of a discovery rule, the NFM-P marks the device as Unmanaged.

Note: After you update the NFM-P license to accommodate an additional chassis, you must manage the device manually. See To manage, suspend, or unmanage a device for information.

Note: If you change the system name of a device, you must unmanage the device and then remanage the device in order for the NFM-P to recognize the new system name. See To manage, suspend, or unmanage a device for information.

Note: The NFM-P blocks the discovery of mixed mode SROS devices.

Device discovery using IPv6

The NFM-P supports the discovery of devices that use IPv6 in-band or out-of-band management IP addresses. In order for the NFM-P to discover and manage a device that uses IPv6, the device must have an IPv6 address on the management port, system interface, or both. The NFM-P main server must also be given an IPv6 address during installation.

The IP version that the NFM-P uses to discover a device is specified in each discovery rule. If the NFM-P discovers both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses on the system interface of a device, it discovers the device using the address that corresponds to the IP version specified in the discovery rule.