Set up a GNE for TL1 collection

Set up a GNE for TL1 collection

You configure the gateway node (GNE) once. Its connection template carries the TL1 settings and turns on neighbour discovery, so once the GNE collects, the RNEs behind it are found and added automatically. See the overview for how the pieces fit together.

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1. Connection template

The TL1 settings live in a connection template. The connect block selects the tl1 protocol and enables gateway discovery:

connect:
  timeout: 15
  protocol: tl1                 # use the TL1-over-SSH collector
  port: 22000                   # the GNE's SSH port
  sshAuth: password             # SSH transport auth: 'password' or 'none'
  tl1Gateway: "on"              # discover the RNEs behind this GNE
  tl1NeighbourCmd: "RTRV-NBR:ALL"  # neighbour-discovery command

Field	Values	Purpose
protocol	tl1	Routes the device to the TL1-over-SSH collector.
sshAuth	password / none	How the SSH transport authenticates before the in-band ACT-USER login. Must match how the node is configured.
tl1Gateway	on / off	When on, a GNE collection also runs neighbour discovery. Leave off for standalone TL1 nodes.
tl1NeighbourCmd	TL1 command	The command used to list neighbours. Defaults to RTRV-NBR:ALL.

A ready-made Ciena 6500 template is available in the rConfig templates repository:

Ciena 6500 TL1 connection template

Caution

sshAuth must match the node. If the GNE expects an SSH password and the template says none (or the reverse), login fails before the first TL1 command runs. See troubleshooting.

The TL1 connection template fields

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2. Command group

Create a command group, add the TL1 verbs you want to retrieve as commands, and attach the group to the GNE. This is a manual step: the group and its commands do not exist until you create them.

The same command group runs against the GNE and against every RNE behind it, so you define the verb set once. A typical Ciena 6500 set:

RTRV-EQPT::ALL:100;        # shelf and equipment inventory
RTRV-ALM-ALL::ALL:101;     # active alarms
RTRV-COND-ALL::ALL:102;    # standing conditions
RTRV-SW-VER:::103;         # software version
RTRV-SYS:::104;            # system / shelf info

Do not add RTRV-NBR to the group. Neighbour discovery is issued by the collector itself when tl1Gateway is on, not as a per-element command.

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3. Add the GNE device

Add the gateway like any other device under Devices → Add Device, then assign the TL1 template and command group:

• IP / port: the GNE’s reachable management address and SSH port.
• Credentials: the username and password used for both the SSH transport (in password mode) and the TL1 ACT-USER login.
• Connection template: the tl1 template from step 1.
• Command group: the TL1 verb set from step 2.

You do not create any RNE devices. They are discovered on the first collection.

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Next step: Discover and reconcile the RNEs.