Nexus 9k device not displaying configuration and metrics in VCF Operations for Networks

Products

• VCF Operations for Networks

Issue/Introduction

When configuring Cisco Nexus 9000 switches as data sources to collect metrics and inventory, you may be able to successfully add the switch as a new data source but find that metrics and inventory data are not being collected.

You may have followed the tool tip within the GUI when configuration the data source and provided a "read only" user to authenticate to the Nexus 9k device.

The tool tip displays (relevant section):

• Read-only user
  • Operations tor Networks requires "read-only" third party device credentials (passwords) for accessing the SSH data.
    These passwords are added when configuring the 3rd party data provider within the Operations for Networks User Intertace.
• Read-only SNMP user
  Operations tor Networks uses SNMP to collect metrics information from 3rd party devices (switches, routers, firewalls,
  etc). The 3rd party devices must have SNMP enabled and be accessible from Operations for Networks. Depending on
  the exact SNMP version used, ditferent parameters are needed.

Environment

Aria Operations for Networks 6.13.0
Aria Operations for Networks 6.14.0
Aria Operations for Networks 6.14.1

Cause

"Read only" permissions are not sufficient for the Cisco Nexus 9000 device data sources.

Resolution

Per the technical documentation  Add a Cisco Nexus Switch, the "network operator" role must be used:

You must have the following permissions:

• Read-only user: VMware Aria Operations for Networks requires read-only third-party device credentials
  (passwords) to access the SSH data. This user needs to have the Network Operator role. These
  passwords are added when configuring the third-party data provider in VMware Aria Operations for
  Networks user interface.
  
  
• Read-only SNMP user: VMware Aria Operations for Networks uses SNMP to collect metrics
  information from third-party devices (switches, routers, firewalls, and so on). The third-party devices
  must have SNMP enabled and be accessible from VMware Aria Operations for Networks.

Note: if you would like to collect flow data for the Nexus 9k switches, you must deploy a dedicated Collector for NetFlow/sFlow and configure a data source for NetFlow/sFlow as per Add a Physical Flow Collector for NetFlow and sFlow as well configure the device itself to export the flows as per Configuring a Netflow Collector for Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches.