NFV Controller vCPE Deployment and Setup (VMware)

This section explains how to install the Skylight sensor: control on a VMware ESXi Hypervisor so that you can complete the following tasks:

• Launch a Skylight sensor: control instance on the appliance or server running the Hypervisor.
• Configure access to the Skylight sensor: control instance for management.
• Discover the reachable Skylight modules deployed in the network using the discovery instances supported by the controller via one of the network access ports.
• Authorize the reachable Skylight modules that are linked to the Skylight sensor: control instance.
• Use the Skylight sensor: control to configure the Skylight sensor: module or Skylight sensor: SFP compute as remote devices in the controller.
• Monitor the traffic and activity on the linked Skylight modules to ensure connectivity with them is maintained and that network traffic is going through them.
• Activate or configure features supported by the Skylight sensor: control release.

Once you connect the Skylight sensor: control to Skylight modules, you can leverage NFV-based vCPE features to conduct a variety of tests described in the Skylight sensor: control User Manual.

Preparing the NFV Infrastructure Environment

The NFV Infrastructure (NFVI) environment must be prepared prior to installing the controller virtual appliance.

The procedure below describes the installation of VMware ESXi 6.5 to run the Skylight sensor: control instance.

▶ To prepare the NFVI environment

1. Power up the server and enter the BIOS settings; ensure that all the virtualization options are enabled and the server power management profile is set to maximum performance.

2. Boot from an external CD or USB storage medium with the appropriate installer for VMware ESXi. Keep in mind that some server hardware may require a custom VMware installer to support specific hardware (such as RAID controllers), check with your server manufacturer in case of doubts.

3. Complete the VMware ESXi installation per the given instructions.

4. Use the vSphere web client to manage the VMware ESXi server.

Provisioning the Skylight sensor: control using ESXi 6.5+

Use the vSphere client to load the Accedian provided *.ova file and start the Skylight sensor: control virtual machine instance.

▶ To install the module on the server

1. Launch the vSphere web interface.

2. Click the Host ▶ Create/Register VM button and follow the on-screen instructions.

• Choose the Deploy a virtual machine from an OVF or OVA File option.
• Enter the name of your choice.
• Drag & drop the file from your PC onto the designated area or click & navigate to the *.ova file, then select it.
• Set to Thin mode.
  Caution: Do not accept the default setting Thick. You need to make sure the virtual machine is deployed using Thin mode in order to limit the storage to the configured size.
• Click Finish when done.

3. The system will inform you when the installation has completed. The installed Virtual Appliance will appear in the inventory on the left side of the page (the list panel).
   

4. Click the Skylight sensor: control virtual machine instance, ensure the VM is currently shutdown, then choose Edit from the toolbar.
   

5. Review the Memory, CPU and Network parameters. Adjust to your use case if required. For standard module management the default values can be kept as-is. For NFV-PM Uses Cases, it is required to configure with the following parameters:
   a. Virtual Hardware Tab
   i. 4 CPUs
   ii. 8 GB Memory
   iii. Reserve all guest memory
   
   iv. Select 4 cores to dedicate to the Skylight sensor: control for the Scheduling Affinity
   
   v. Navigate to the VM Options, open up the Advanced subsection and set the Latency Sensitivity to High.
   
   vi. Save & Close the Property windows and return to the instance main screen.

   
   b.Module Management and Local PM actuation Use Case
   i. 1 CPU
   ii. Select the CPU core to dedicate to the VCX for the Scheduling Affinity (Value shown here for demonstration purposes).
   Pick a CPU index appropriate for your own deployment. Review and adjust the Memory, CPU and Network parameters for your use-case.
   
   iii. 4 GB Memory
   iv. Reserve all guest memory
   

6. On top of the above configuration, for locally generated PM using Intel I350 chipset hardware timestamping assist, a dedicated network port access needs to be assigned to the Skylight sensor: control virtual machine (PCI-pass through, or direct PCI access).

This can be done by executing the following steps:

a. Under the Host, click the Manage menu entry.
b. In the Hardware tab, select the I350 networks ports you want to enable for pass through and click the toggle pass-through button. Note that some multi-port network adapter cards do not allow passing through single ports. In this case, you need to enable two or more ports to pass through.

c. Restart the VMware Hypervisor to activate the pass-through mechanism.
d. After the restart, the selected ports are available for assigning to Skylight sensor: control Virtual Machines.
e. Stop the Skylight sensor: control Virtual Machine that should make use of direct PCI network access.
f. Navigate to the the Skylight sensor: control virtual machine instance, then select Edit.
g. In the Virtual Hardware tab, click the Add other device button.
h. Select PCI device from the list.

i. Select the port that should be passed through to this virtual machine from the drop-down selector.

j. Repeat these operations if you need more than one PCI device pass-through.
k. Click Save.
l. The new device(s) can be now seen in the Hardware configuration.

7. Power On from the toolbar.
   A green triangle is superimposed on the sensor: control icon to indicate it has been powered on.
8. To open the console to the Skylight sensor: control, select the desired instance and click the Console button.

Login to the Skylight sensor: control virtual machine

▶ To Log in to the Skylight sensor: control virtual machine

1. Log in to the module when prompted.
   The name of the console (displayed in the menu bar of the window) is the same as the VM in the inventory.

2. A default IP address has been assigned to the application’s Management interface. You can use the CLI to assign a different static IP address to the application if needed by entering the following commands:
   login: admin
   password: admin
   interface edit Management dhcp disable
   interface edit Management address < ip address > netmask < netmask > gateway < gateway ip >
   interface show
   

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   Note: Alternatively, you can use the CIDR notation to specify the netmask:

   interface edit Management address < ip address >/< CIDR Mask > gateway < gateway ip >

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• The default username is admin and the password is admin.
• The default IP address is 192.168.1.254.

3. If your Skylight sensor: control virtual machine configuration connects the first virtual port to a VM Network that connects to a valid server NIC, you can access the instance by entering the IP address you assigned into your Web browser address bar.

4. Log in to the Skylight sensor: control’s Management Web interface when the Skylight sensor: control page appears. The default username is admin and the password is admin.

5. Access the System tab for all standard management settings including:

• SNMP trap forwarding
• Remote syslog
• Date and time