Quick Start Installation Guide
Operational Requirements
Please reference Operational Requirements for important requirements pertaining to:
Images
IP Fabric images can be found on our Releases Page. Access is restricted to registered customers only.
Image Access
If you are a current customer, please contact your Solution Architect or Support for access instructions.
Please contact our sales representative if you are interested in a trial of IP Fabric.
We provide two different images listed below along with links to installation instructions.
- OVA can be deployed on:
- VMDK can be deployed on:
- qcow2 can be deployed on:
Hardware Requirements
After deploying the VM, please ensure that it has been configured correctly per the Hardware Requirements. Importing the OVA will use the base requirements of 4 CPUs, 16 GB RAM, and 90 GB HDD.
IPF CLI Config
IPF CLI Config needs to be completed during the IP Fabric virtual machine’s initial deployment. IPF CLI Config introduces the configuration of basic network parameters, including IP address, DNS, or proxy settings.
Follow the instructions in IPF CLI Config.
Accessing User Interface
Prior to accessing the main IP Fabric UI, you will need to create an admin
account in the System Administration UI:
Creating the First IP Fabric User
Applying IP Fabric License
To access the main IP Fabric user interface, a license must be uploaded to IP Fabric. Please contact your salesperson for the license key and follow the instructions in Accessing the Main User Interface
Licensing
A valid license must be applied to continue in this Quick Start Guide.
Configuration
The simplest way for the first-time configuration of IP Fabric is with the Configuration Wizard, which will guide you through the process of adding device credentials, discovery seeds, networks to include/exclude in discovery, and Advanced CLI settings.
If you would like to change these settings after the initial configuration, please see IP Fabric Settings. Alternatively, there are also snapshot-specific settings, which are useful for testing small changes prior to changing the Global Settings.
Site Separation
After completing the steps in the Configuration Wizard, you may also set Site Separation rules (in Settings → Discovery & Snapshots → Discovery Settings → Site Separation). This can be done before, or after the first discovery. Some customers find it easier to set that up after a discovery – as it will be possible to check to which Site an already discovered device would belong to using the “regex tester” on the Site Separation page.
Please see the documentation in Site Separation.
Discovery
If you followed the Configuration Wizard, the last step would ask you to Start Discovery. You can also start discoveries by using the Discovery Snapshot menu. This is where the magic of IP Fabric happens, where it will go out to your devices, find neighbors, and collect information.
Here are some great resources for explaining the discovery process:
Troubleshooting Discovery
Finally, please read through the Troubleshooting Discovery page that will guide you through the most common issues seen during the initial discovery process. It explains how discovery works, how to view logs, and which settings to change to include (or exclude) devices, among other useful tips.
If you are working with a Solution Architect in a Proof-of-Concept deployment, they will help you with troubleshooting any issues that may arise.