Smarts NCM: Device Model Name in the Smarts NCM console does not match the model name and information returned back from the Device in command output; How can I make these naming schemes match?

Products

• VMware

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:


How to populate the Model Name in the Smarts Network Configuration Manager (Smarts NCM) console to match the naming scheme returned from the Device

Device Model Name in the Smarts NCM console does not match the model name and information returned back from the Device in command output

Environment

VMware Smart Assurance - NCM

Cause

The Model Name in the Smarts NCM console is populated from the first column (Model Name) of the <vendor>.models file used by Smarts NCM (see Note statement). For example, consider the following entry from a Cisco.models file:

Model Name;                    SysOID;                Driver;                  Model Name Alternate
WS-2912MF-XL;                1.221;                    2;                            CATALYST2912MFXL

Using this example, the Model Name for this model would be populated as WS-2912MF-XL in the Smarts NCM console. It does not matter if the device itself returns a show version that is  CATALYST2912MFXL (the alternate model name in this example), the "Model Name" displayed in the Smarts NCM console will be the model name specified in this first column.

Resolution

If you want the Smarts NCM console to display a different model name than what is originally in the models file, you must manually change the entry in the Model Name column of the models file to the name you want. For example, you could swap the Alternate name to the Model Name column. Or, if an alternate does not exist or is not the desired name, you can add the model name manually to the Model Name column (it would then be recommended to move the original model name to the alternate column).

To properly change the model naming scheme used to populate the Model Name field in the Smarts NCM console, do the following:

1. Before making any changes to <vendor>.models file,you should always copy the model file to the Smarts NCM /custompackage directory, mirroring the same file structure as the vendor/manufacturer /package directory.
   
   IMPORTANT! Putting this file (or the model XML file as described below) in the incorrect location will result in a failure to use the custom model file.

Example
A Cisco.model file would need to be copied into the following directory before you modify it:

<SMARTS NCM_HOME>/custompackage/cisco/

1. Using a plain-text editor, open the <vendor>.models file that was copied to the /custompackage directory structure.
2. Locate the model that is not populating the Smarts NCM console as desired.
3. If the entry in the Model Alternate Name column is the desired name, you can just swap this for what is in the Model Name column, and move the name in the Model Name column to the alternate column. Or, you can add another name to the Model Name column and move the original model name to the Model Name Alternate column.
4. Save and exit the text editor.
5. Regenerate the custom package *.xml file as per the instructions contained in Header of the <vendor>.models file. The location where you generate the custom model XML should match the structure of /package directory.
    

   Example
   Following the Cisco.model example in the preceding step, the CiscoModels.xml would need to be put here:

   <SMARTS NCM_HOME>/custompackage/pkgxml/Cisco

6. Restart the Smarts NCM/Voyence Services.

Additional Information

If you are looking to address the issue of OIDs displaying instead of device names in Smart NCM console, see 88246 .