How to Configure and Manage the Extreme Management Center Server

Use the Server Information window to manage various Extreme Management Center (formerly NetSight) Server functions including viewing server information, configuring client connection options, and managing the database. To access this window, select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. You must be assigned the appropriate user capability to access this view.

Instructions on:

Console Client Connections Options

The Client Connections Options window lists the number of current client connections for each installed application, and lets you change the maximum number of connections allowed for each application and the Management Center Server. You can access this window by clicking the Configure button in the Server Information window.

  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Click the Configure button. The Client Connections Options window opens.
  3. The number of current client connections for each installed application displays. In the Total Allowed column, the maximum number of client connections allowed by this application displays. Select this column and use the arrows to change the number, if desired.
  4. Below the table, the Number of Clients Allowed field shows the maximum number of concurrent client connections allowed by the Management Center Server. Use the arrows to change the number, if desired. This number should be set to the total number of clients you want to allow to connect to the server.
  5. Click OK.

Managing the Database

Use the Database tab in the Server Information window to change the database server password and connection URL, as well as perform database backup, initialize, and restore operations. To access the tab, select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens, where you can select the Database tab.

Changing the Database Password

Database server properties are used by the Management Center Server when it connects to the database. The database is secured via a credential comprised of a user name and password. Use the following steps to change the database password.

  IMPORTANT: When Console is installed, it automatically secures the MySQL database server by removing all the root and anonymous users from the MySQL user database. Console then adds one generic user name (user = netsight) and password (password = enterasys). Change this password immediately as all customers who install Console know this generic password.
  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Select the Database tab.
  3. In the Database Server Properties section, select the Show Password checkbox to display the password, if desired.
  4. Click Change to open a window where you can enter a new password. (The password is masked unless you selected the Show Password checkbox.) Click OK.
  5. You must restart both the Management Center Server and client after you change the database password.

Changing the Database Connection URL

The Connection URL is the URL the Management Center Server uses when connecting to the database. For troubleshooting purposes, (for example, if you can't connect to the database) you may wish to enter a new connection URL using the following steps.

  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Select the Database tab.
  3. In the Database Server Properties section, enter a new URL in the following format:
    jdbc:mysql://[hostname]/<database>
    where [hostname] is optional. Click Apply.
  4. You must restart both the Management Center Server and client after you change the database connection URL.

Performing a Database Backup

You can save the currently active database to a file on the Management Center Server workstation. If the Management Center Server is local, you can specify a directory path where you want to store the backup file. If the server is remote, the database saves to the default database backup location.

  NOTE: To schedule regular database backups, use the Database Backup option available from Tools > Options > Suite Options > Database Backup.
  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Select the Database tab.
  3. In the Management Center Data Set Operations section, click Backup. The Backup Database window opens.
  4. The Database Path field displays the default database backup location. If the Management Center Server is local, you can specify an alternate backup directory by entering a path to the directory, or using the Browse button to navigate to the directory. If the server is remote, the database is saved to the default database backup location.
  5. In the Database Name field, enter a name for the database backup file.
  6. Click Backup to begin the database backup operation.

Restoring the Initial Database

Restoring an initial database removes all data elements from the database and populates the Management Center Administrator authorization group with the name of the logged-in user. This operation causes all current client connections and operations in progress to be terminated.

  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Select the Database tab.
  3. In the Management Center Data Set Operations section, click Restore. The Restore Database window opens.
  4. Select the Restore Initial Database option.
  5. Click Restore to begin the initialize database operation.
  6. You must restart both the Management Center Server and the client following an initialize database operation.

Restoring a Saved Database

You can restore a saved database (from a database backup operation) using these steps. This operation causes all current client connections and operations in progress to be terminated.

  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Select the Database tab.
  3. In the Management Center Data Set Operations section, click Restore. The Restore Database window opens.
  4. Select the Restore Saved Database option.
  5. Specify the database you wish to restore or use the Browse button to navigate to the database. If the server is remote, you only have access to databases in the default database backup directory.
  6. Click Restore to begin the database restore operation.
  NOTE: When restoring a saved database to a new Management Center server installation, any memory or database configuration changes on the original server requires a manual change on the new server in order to replicate the configuration of the original Management Center server.
  • Changes to the default -Xmx memory settings in the <install_directory>\NetSight\services\nsserver.cfg file needs to be duplicated on the new server when the database is restored. To change the memory setting to match the previous server, stop the Management Center server and edit the nsserver.cfg file.
  • The mySQL my.ini file also needs to be manually updated to match any changes made on the original server. For instructions on modifying the my.ini file, see the Change the MySQL my.ini File section in the Extreme Access Control (NAC) Deployment Guide.

Viewing Client Connections

The Client Connections tab in the Server Information window provides information that lets you view and manage current client connections to this server, and also view a history of client connections. To access the tab, select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens, where you can select the Client Connections tab.

Disconnecting a Client

Use the following steps to disconnect a client from the Extreme Management Center Server.

  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Select the Client Connections tab.
  3. In the Current Client Connections table, select the client that you want to disconnect and click the Disconnect button.
  4. The client being disconnected receives a message when their connection is 30 seconds from being terminated. Both tables on this tab update automatically when a client connects or disconnects.

Viewing Licenses

The License tab in the Server Information window displays a list of all licensable Management Center applications and their respective license information. To access the tab, select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens, where you can select the License tab. It also lists any Extreme Access Control assessment license and Access Control VM (virtual appliance) license, if applicable. For more information on the Access Control virtual appliance license, see Extreme Access Control VM license.

You can also use this tab to change a license. You would change a license in the event that you want to upgrade from an evaluation copy to a purchased copy, or upgrade to a license that supports more users/devices.

Contact your Extreme Networks Representative to purchase the software and receive a Licensed Product Entitlement ID that allows you to generate a product license. Prior to changing a license, you must redeem your Entitlement ID for the new product license. Refer to the instructions included with the Entitlement that was sent to you. (For more information, view the Product Licensing information at http://www.extremenetworks.com/support/enterasys-support/how-to/ .)

Changing a License

Use the following steps to change a license when upgrading from an evaluation copy to a purchased copy, or upgrading to a license that supports more users/devices.

  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Select the License tab.
  3. Select the license that you want to change and click Change License. The Change License window opens.
  4. Read and accept the terms of the license agreement and click OK.
  5. Enter the license text that you received when you generated the product license. (When you purchased your Management Center software product, you received a License Entitlement ID that allows you to generate a product license. Refer to the instructions included with the License Entitlement ID that was sent to you.)
  6. Click Update. The license file is updated with the new license text.

Viewing Locks

The Locks tab in the Server Information window lets you view a list of currently held operational locks. To access the tab, select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens, where you can select the Locks tab.

Operational locks are used to control the concurrency of certain client/server operations. They are used in two ways:

  • to lock a device while a critical operation is being performed, such as a software download.
  • to lock a certain function so that only one user can access it at a time. For example, only one user can have the Authorization/Device Access window open at a time.

The Locks tab provides information about each lock, such as who owns the lock, the duration of the lock, and a description of the lock. You can also cancel (revoke) a lock in this tab.

Revoking a Lock

Use the following steps to revoke a lock.

  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Select the Locks tab.
  3. In the Current Locks table, select the lock you want to cancel and click Revoke.
  4. A message is displayed on the user's machine informing them that their use of the locked functionality is terminated. When the user acknowledges the message, the function closes.

Viewing the Server Log

Use the Server Log tab in the Server Information window to view a log displaying all the events for the server. To access the tab, select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens, where you can select the Server Log tab.

A new Server Log is created every day. If the Management Center Server is local, you can view previous logs using the File tab. The Server Log opens with the log's location and filename displayed in the title bar. Use the Find tab or Filter tab to perform find and filter operations on Server Log entries, and target specific entries of interest. Server Log entries are listed by date and time, with newer entries listed at the bottom.

Viewing Server Statistics

Use the Server Statistics window to view Management Center Server statistics such as CPU usage. You can also launch Advanced statistics that are useful for troubleshooting purposes.

  1. Select Tools > Server Information from the menu bar. The Server Information window opens.
  2. Click the Server Stats button. The Extreme Management Center Server Statistics window opens.
  3. Click the Advanced button to open the Advanced Statistics window. You must use the Refresh button to display current statistical information in this window.

Related Information

For information on related windows:

 

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