Add an Auto-Deploy Unit Entry

The PolicyCenter auto-deployment feature lets you define individual network identities for many unconfigured units and then send that information out from one central location to all the unconfigured units connected to your network. Before you can configure a PacketShaper via the auto-deployment feature, however, you must first define its network identity by creating an entry for that unit in the PolicyCenter auto-deployment table.

Important: If you send auto-deploy messages to an entire subnet with a single unconfigured unit, only that one unconfigured unit will see the auto-deploy message. If, however, a subnet of your network has multiple unconfigured units, more than one unit may try to configure itself with a single auto-deployment message, causing instability or duplicate IP addresses in those units. Avoid this problem by removing from that subnet all but one unconfigured unit.

 Tutorial: Auto-Deploy PacketShapers with PolicyCenter (requires Flash player)

To add an Auto-deploy Unit entry:

1. Click the auto-deploy tab in the PolicyCenter browser interface.
   
   
2. (Optional) Disable the PolicyCenter auto-deployment server. This gives you additional time to confirm your unit entry settings and make any required changes to the entry before you reenable the server and allow it to send the entry information to an unconfigured unit. If you do not disable the server, the current unit entry information will be sent at the beginning of the next auto-deployment server interval.
3. Click the add button. The add auto-deploy unit entry window opens.  show screen
   
   
4. Enter the required values:
   
   
• IP Address—the IP address that will be given to the unit. Each unit entry must have a unique IP address.
  
  
• Netmask—the subnet mask of the unit.
  
  
• Unit Name—the name for the unconfigured unit. The name can be 20 characters long, including a-z, A-Z, -,_, and . (period). Spaces are not allowed in the unit name. A unit name can only be set on units running PacketWise version 7.2.0 and later. Auto-deployed units running PacketWise 7.1.0 /7.1.1 will display a unit name based upon the unit's serial number.
  
  
• Gateway—the unit's gateway address
  
  
• Target Host IP —The IP address of a host that sits behind the unit to be configured. PolicyCenter sends the auto-deploy message directly to the specified address, thereby ensuring that the unconfigured unit sees the auto-deploy message and avoiding the potential problem of a router not forwarding the packets sent to the subnet. If no target is specified, the auto-deploy message will be sent to the subnet of the unconfigured unit. (See Auto-Deployment Setup—Configuring Network Routers for important details on auto-configuring units without a target host IP.)
  
  
• Unit Auto-deployment —If set to on (the default value) the new unit entry values will be sent in an RSVP message at the next auto-deployment server interval once the auto-deployment server is enabled. If set to off, the unit entry will be saved in the auto-deploy units table, but no message will be sent. Note that if the auto-deployment server is not enabled, no RSVP messages will be sent, even though the unit auto-deployment has been enabled for individual unit entries.
  
  
5. Enter any optional values. Although a unit can be successfully auto-deployed with just the minimal unit entry described above, Packeteer recommends you include the following additional information in each unit entry:
   
   
   • DNS Server and Domain —The DNS server and domain name for the unit. If you specify both a DNS server and domain name for a unit, that unit can subscribe to PolicyCenter using the DNS name of the PolicyCenter server rather than the server's IP address. This recommended practice a recommended procedure which allows for easier recovery in the event of server failure by allowing you to migrate the directory server to a different computer without affecting any of the units. If units are subscribed to PolicyCenter using the server’s IP address, migrating PolicyCenter to a different server may require you to access each unit, unsubscribe it, then resubscribe the unit to the new IP address.
     
     
   • Configuration Path—Click the Configuration Path drop-down list and select a PolicyCenter configuration, or type the path of an existing PolicyCenter configuration for the unit, e.g., /West_Sales/Los_Angeles. When you specify a PolicyCenter configuration in the unit entry, the unit will automatically assign itself to that configuration when it subscribes to PolicyCenter. If no configuration is specified, the unit will be assigned to a blank configuration that is named after the unit's serial number and is located at the root of the PolicyCenter configuration tree.

     Notes: If you assign an unconfigured unit to a PolicyCenter configuration that is invalid or does not exist, the unit will display errors on the PolicyCenter configurations page. You can remove these errors by reassigning the unit to a valid PolicyCenter configuration.

     PolicyCenter configurations are case-insensitive. However, if a PolicyCenter configuration has an uppercase name and the auto-deployment unit entry specifies the same configuration name in lower case, PolicyCenter might show two configurations with the same name in both upper and lower case. When a new unit is auto-deployed, it will try to resolve its specified configuration name with the one present in PolicyCenter. If the unit is unable to do so, it will forcefully assign itself to the specified configuration. Even though PolicyCenter will display two configuration names, one in upper case name and one in lower case, they are the same configuration. Modifying one configuration will modify the other as well.
     

6. Click OK to save your new auto-deploy unit entry.
   
   
7. Once your unit entry is complete and ready to be sent to an unconfigured unit, reenable the PolicyCenter auto-deployment server if you disabled it prior to creating your unit entry.

You can edit a unit entry for an unconfigured unit at any time. Note, however, that once the unit has been auto-deployed, changes to the unit entry will not affect the unit's configuration.

See also:

Connect Unconfigured Units to the Network

Configure Network Routers for Auto-deployment

Edit an Auto-deploy Unit Entry

Delete an Auto-deploy Unit Entry