Setting up Switches

Before you start

Make sure you have already installed the RAs and CA to your on-premises infrastructure. If you have not, please begin here. 

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Adding Switches

• Enable SNMP on Switches
• Back to the CA Console
• Adding a Switch

SNMP Enabled on Switches

Before you can add switches to Viakoo, you need to verify the following is implemented or obtained:

• Verify that SNMP services are turned on for the switches that are accessible from your video recorder. 
• The SNMP service IP address is reachable from the video recorder. Pinging the switch IP address from the recorder is the easiest way to verify.
• You know the read-only "SNMP Read Community Name".

 To set up the SNMP Trapping From Your Switches 

You will need to set up the Viakoo trap receiver IP address. Add the recorder IP address into the trap destination list of the switch.

If you switches are not set up with SNMP services, refer to your switch's instruction manual on how to do that or request support from IT to enable SNMP on your switch.

Back to the CA Console

To add your switches to Viakoo, you will first need to go back to the CA Console. 

The CA Console is stored locally on the Windows-based machine where you installed the Communications Agent (CA). If that machine is reachable through your browser, enter the following URL in your browser window: http://<ca-machine's-ip-address>:10101. Alternatively, if you are logged into that machine, open up any browser and type in: http://localhost:10101 to get to the CA Home page. 

If you need to remember where you installed the CA, just look for the satellite dish icon  in the navigation panel on the left side of your site in the Viakoo interface.

Once you get here:

• Click on the Add Multiple Switches to add a Managed Switch to your configuration.

Adding the Switch

Once you bring up the VCA Console's Home screen, click on the "+" sign next to the Viakoo RA (System) you want to use to collect the data for the new switch.

This expands the view under the associated system and you can see separate options for adding switches, IoT devices or StorStac machines. To add a single switch, click on "add a switch".

This brings up a pop-up allowing you to enter 3 input fields:

1. The IP address of the management port of the switch.
2. The SNMP port number (defaults to the industry standard port "161")
3. The Read Community Name for the switch (defaults to "public"). 

Click "Save" to add the switch to your configuration. In the expanded view of the home screen, you can now see the new switch added to the associated RA's configration.

You can add more switches by repeating this process. If you have a number of switches to add, you can use the "Add Multiple Switches" option from the VCA Menu.

 

This brings up the Add Multiple Switches view:

This view allows you to add a collection of Switches all at once either in sequence, one row at a time, or by loading a CSV file that includes the same information. Each row needs to have the same ingredients as above (IP Address of management port, the SNMP port, and read community string) as well as which RA you want to collect the switch's data. 

After adding your collection of switches, click the "Save Switches" button. This will show you a pop-up of your selection and an indicator of whether the CA successfully adds the switch to the associated RA.