User Guide for Cisco Nexus Insights Cloud Connector Application

About Cisco Nexus Insights Cloud Connector

The Cisco Nexus Insights Cloud Connector (Cisco NI Cloud Connector) application is pre-packaged with Cisco Data Center Network Manager (Cisco DCNM). It monitors utilities and provides a secure way for connected devices to send information and receive control instructions from the Cisco Intersight portal. The application enables telemetry data collection and TAC Assist functionalities, which are useful for troubleshooting and working with Cisco TAC.

Installation and Upgrades

Cisco DCNM packages the Cisco NI Cloud Connector app. When upgrading Cisco DCNM, the application may require an explicit upgrade action within the applications tab. Note that version 2.0.30 of the app does not auto-start and requires clustered mode to function.

Setting Up the Device Connector

The Device Connector is the bridge between your local Cisco DCNM platform and the Cisco Intersight Cloud. To set it up:

• Navigate to the Cisco DCNM navigation pane and click Administration.
• Select Device Connector under the Cisco DCNM Server list.
• Click Settings at the far right of the screen.
• Set the Device Connector switch to On (green highlight).
• Choose Allow Control to enable full read/write operations from Cisco Intersight.

Configuring Proxy Settings

If your network requires a proxy for HTTPS connections to svc.intersight.com, you must configure it within the Device Connector settings:

• In the Device Connector settings, click Proxy Configuration.
• Enable the Enable Proxy switch.
• Enter the Proxy Hostname/IP and Proxy Port.
• If authentication is required, enable the Authentication switch and provide your username and password.
• Click Save.

Navigating the Application

The application interface is divided into a Navigation pane and a Work pane. The Navigation pane provides access to:

• Devices: Displays devices by name, serial number, IP address, version, and platform.
• TAC Assist: Allows you to collect logs for specified devices to assist with service requests.

Using TAC Assist

TAC Assist enables the collection of logs for devices in your network, which can be attached to Service Requests (SRs) for analysis.

1. Click TAC Assist in the navigation pane.
2. Click Begin to initiate the log collection process.
3. Select the device(s) for which you want to collect logs.
4. Click Collect Logs.
5. Once collected, you can view the job details and click Upload to send the logs to the Cisco Intersight Cloud.

Enhanced TAC Assist

The Enhanced TAC Assist feature allows Cisco TAC to trigger a log collection request directly for an SR on Cisco DCNM. This process automates the collection and upload of logs without requiring explicit user action.