Importing HA 2 ACE 4710 into ANM 4.1

Question

I am New to ACe Loadbalancers. We have just installed the ANM4.1 and we are trying to import both appliances into the ANM4.1. Is there somthing I sould be aware off before I do the Install.? The question is when O do the Import does the ANM will have my config from the aces AS IS untouched. I am making sure that the ANM will not delete my config on the ACES
Thanks

Answer 1

Hi Hussaini,
As per best practice I would like you to make sure that you have taken the backup of all the context of ACE using running config and saved it separately other then the device itself so at any point of contingency your hard work for configuring the box should not go in vain and you be ready for any kind of situation post import into ANM.
When you install ANM for the first time you need to add a license from the command line before you can access ANM.
ANM requires licenses to manage virtual devices and to run the ANM server or servers.
ANM checks against the licensed Virtual Context count on each ACE.
Thus if you have the ACE-VIRT-020 license on the ACE, to manage that ACE you must have an available ANM-AV-020 installed on the managing ANM. Even if that ACE to be managed has 5 or fewer defined Virtual Context or so.
BTW..if at *any* time you get stuck in an operational bind due to ANM licensing, go to www.cisco.com/go/licensing, select the first link for evaluation licenses, and from there select to get evaluation license PAK for ANM. This will allow you to install the evaluation license that is *unlimited* for 90 days. Hopefully that is plenty of time to order the additional licensing you need for production operations.
For each ACE with ACE-VIRT-020 ANM needs qty 1 of ANM-AV-020.
Same for 050, 100, 250.
ANM uses the following protocols for communication:
For communication to an ACE module or appliance:
–XML over HTTPS
–SSHv2 (read and write)
–SNMP V2C (read-only)
–Syslog over User Datagram Protocol (UDP) (inbound notifications only)
Enabling SSH Access and the HTTPS Interface on the ACE Module and Appliance
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/app_ntwk_services/data_center_app_services/application_networking_manager/4.1/user/guide/UG_manage_devices.html#wp1362821If the ACE module or appliance is new and still has its factory settings, you do not need to perform the procedure in this section because SSH is enabled by default.
If you are using ANM with an ACE module or ACE appliance and you configure a named object at the ACE CLI, keep in mind that ANM does not support all of the special characters that the ACE CLI allows you to use when configuring a named object. If you use special characters that ANM does not support, you may not be able to import or manage the ACE using ANM.
The quickest and easiest way to add devices to ANM is to import them individually using the Add function available at Config > Devices. If you already know the device IP address, you can use this procedure to add your devices to ANM.
Before you begin importing, you need to set up your network devices so that ANM can communicate and monitor them.
Before importing a device, the ANM server pings the IP address of the device. If you have a firewall between the ANM server and the device that you want to import, your network administrator needs to modify the firewall to allow the ping traffic to reach the device or ACE.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/app_ntwk_services/data_center_app_services/application_networking_manager/4.1/user/guide/UG_manage_devices.html#wp1449529
You can install the ANM server software on a standalone server or on a VMware virtual machine . The capabilities and functions of the ANM software are the same regardless of which application you use. The two ANM applications:
ANM server: Dedicated server with ANM server software and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating system installed on it. For information about installing this type of ANM application, see the Installation Guide for the Cisco Application Networking Manager 4.1.
ANM Virtual Appliance: VMware virtual appliance with ANM server software and Cisco Application Delivery Engine Operating System (ADE OS) installed on it. Cisco distributes ANM Virtual Appliance in Open Virtual Appliance (.OVA) format. For information about installing this type of ANM application, see the Installation Guide for the Cisco Application Networking Manager 4.1 Virtual Appliance.
So I am repeating again that please check the liscense as the ANM_AV license needed as it doesn't depend on the amount of contexts currently in use.
If the ACE you are trying to import is using more contexts than the amount allowed by the ANM_AV license then you can face problem during import or only that much contexts will be imported and rest will fail to sync or face problem during import.
You can check this value with the "ACE# show license status" command.
Some times there may be chance for license mismatch between the ACE and the ANM.
ANM uses TCP port 10444 for the ANM License Manager.
For any other difficulty if you face even after this please write back to me.
HTH
Sachin Garg