Overview
The Vyopta Endpoint Monitoring application service provides additional insight into your organization’s investment in video infrastructure.
This guide is designed to help you install Endpoint Monitoring successfully into your environment. Please follow the subsequent steps in order to complete the installation process.
Note: The Prerequisite for performing any steps in this guide is the completion of the Infrastructure setup steps described in the Tech Insights Deployment Guide - Infrastructure Setup document.
Supported Endpoints
Vyopta Endpoint Monitoring supports almost all current Cisco endpoints and most newer Polycom video endpoints. However, it is always best to have the latest firmware installed on these endpoint devices to ensure maximum compatibility of all monitoring features supported.
For the very latest information on Endpoints supported, please refer to this article:
Endpoint Registration and Selection
There are two methods for adding endpoints for monitoring.
Note: In the subsequent steps, please use the administrator service account you defined for use with the Vyopta Data Collector.
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Automatic Endpoint Assignment from TMS or CUCM Managed Endpoints
- Tech Insights can automatically include endpoints managed by Cisco TelePresence Management Suite (TMS) or Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM). This method is recommended for most customer environments to ensure endpoints are properly loaded. The Vyopta TMS/CUCM synchronization process imports endpoint name and address information on a nightly basis.
- This feature is enabled by default, so you should begin seeing results after the initial import (which can take up to 24 hours. It is recommended that you review the endpoints in TMS/CUCM and the Administration Portal in order to ensure endpoint accuracy. Once the endpoints are loaded you will need to enter the admin credentials for each endpoint in the Administration Portal. This is covered in the latter half of section 1.3 of this guide.
- If you need any assistance with this, please feel free to reach out to your Vyopta Enablement Specialist.
- Please note: Endpoints that are deleted in TMS will continue to appear in the Vyopta Application Portal unless you also Purge them from TMS otherwise they will continue to appear daily, even if you delete them from the Vyopta Application Portal.
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Adding Endpoints Manually -
- This method is suitable for environments that have endpoints that are not managed by Cisco TelePresence Management Suite or Cisco Unified Communications Manager.
- To add endpoints, log into the Administration Portal and click New Endpoint at the bottom of the screen.
- Enter the Name and Host Address for the endpoints. Alias is not required as this will be discovered once the endpoint monitor connects to the system. Login and password only need to be entered if the endpoint is using different credentials than what is specified in the Monitoring Group that it will be assigned to. Click save once all necessary information has been entered.
- Note: Do not add an endpoint to the Public group. Make sure that there are no endpoints added to the Public Group.
Step 1 - Create and manage a Monitoring Group
Creating and assigning Monitoring Groups allows you to segment and manage groups for different application users in your organization. It also allows you to create global endpoint groupings for various reasons such as geographic or business structure. To create an Access Group, perform the following:
- Log into the Administration Portal and select Monitoring Groups.
- Click on the New Monitoring Group icon.
- Provide a name for the Monitoring Group. Example "Endpoint Monitor."
- Enter the name, service account, and if desired a description for the Monitoring Group.
- Next, select Add Endpoints.
- Select the check box for each endpoint that will be added to the Monitoring Group. Once all endpoints have been selected, click Add Selected Endpoints.
- Review you Monitoring Group to ensure all necessary endpoints have been added.
- Once you have all endpoints assigned, click Save.
- On the Monitoring Groups page, click on the lock icon for the newly created group.
- Enter the login credentials for the endpoints in the Monitoring Group and select save.
Do not add any unsupported legacy endpoints to your access groups
as it will cause connectivity issues resulting in errors.
Note: This stores credentials for Endpoint Monitoring and does not reset them on your video endpoints or infrastructure.
Preparation Notes for the Vyopta Endpoint Monitoring Server
Server requirements
Endpoint Monitoring should be installed on the same Server or VM as the Vyopta Data Collector. Endpoint Monitoring will communicate with your video endpoints in your internal environment over SSH/HTTPS (port 22/443 for Cisco) or Telnet (port 24 for Polycom). If a separate server is required, please contact support@vyopta.com for more information.
Supporting Workspace Insights
The Workspace Insights module leans heavily on Endpoint Monitoring to capture both in-call and non-call activity data. Workspace Insights requires V4 or greater of the Endpoint Monitor, and the latestWorkspace Insights compatible build can be downloaded from the Vyopta Admin Portal
Deploying Tech Insights Endpoint Monitoring in your Environment
After completing the preparations for your video environment, you are now ready to begin the deployment using the Vyopta Endpoint Monitor Configuration Utility. This process includes downloading the Tech Insights Endpoint Monitoring software, installation on the server, logging into the Application Management Portal with the service account, and starting the Vyopta Endpoint Monitor Service.
Step 1 - Download and Install Tech Insights Endpoint Monitoring
- Download the latest version of the Vyopta collector from the Administration Portal
- Place the XML and executable files you downloaded in step one to C:\Vyopta.
- Open a command prompt as an admin, navigate to the directory where both files are located and run this command: “vyoptacollector.exe -install”
- Accept the install for Java runtime and any local firewall restrictions if prompted
- Check the install for errors. You should see “Install Completed Successfully”
- Check to see if the “Vyopta Tech Insights Data Collector” service has started. If its not started, please go ahead and start the service as shown below.
- Visit the Administration Portal and verify that the relevant services are green. The user name listed should be the same one as used in the vyoptacollector.xml file
Congratulations! You have now successfully installed and activated Tech Insights Endpoint Monitoring within your Environment. You will now be able to see real-time data for endpoints populate into the Tech Insights Monitoring Module.
Viewing Endpoint Monitor Status
Once Endpoint Monitor has finished loading the initial list of endpoints specified in the access group, you can check the monitoring status of those endpoints. The monitor status is located on the Endpoints tab.
Possible values for Monitoring Status
- Blank Value: The endpoint is not part of the access group used for monitoring.
- “Login Failed”: Incorrect credentials were specified in the Applications Portal.
- “Encryption error”: The endpoint’s codec is using an encryption algorithm that is not supported by Endpoint Monitoring.
- “No credentials”: No credentials were specified in the Applications Portal.
- “Not Responding”: Endpoint Monitoring cannot establish a connection with the endpoint for one of the following reasons:
- The IP address specified in the Applications Portal does not match the IP address of the endpoint.
- SSH is not enabled on the endpoint.
- A firewall or other network issue is blocking connectivity.
- The endpoint cannot respond in a timely fashion.
Inside Endpoint Monitor
Loading of Endpoints
When Endpoint Monitoring loads, it will load the entire list of endpoints specified in the access group assigned to the user account that Endpoint Monitoring is using. Depending on the number of endpoints in this list and the performance characteristics of your network, it may take some time. (A rough rule of thumb: you can expect an initial load rate of roughly 100 to 200 endpoints per hour.)
If Endpoint Monitoring is unable to load an endpoint, it will subsequently try to reload that endpoint every 10 minutes.
Endpoint Monitoring Performance
Performance Characteristics
The operating characteristics for Endpoint Monitoring are highly variable – network topology, bandwidth, endpoint location, endpoint model/type, and utilization are all factors that will affect performance. Endpoint Monitoring attempts to connect to all endpoints that are within a specified access group. Any endpoints in remote locations or in locations with spotty network performance may experience disruptions in connection. Although a best effort is made to reconnect to these endpoints, these disruptions may cause loss of data.
For best results, we recommend initiating your use of Endpoint Monitoring with endpoints with optimal proximity and connectivity to your Vyopta Data Collector server, and then adding endpoints in an organized, incremental fashion thereafter. The recommended threshold for endpoints is 2,000 for a standard server deployment with dual CPUs, with another 1,000 being supported for each additional CPU.
Initial Scale Processing and Network Impact Information
Active Monitoring Performance per Endpoint * CPU: 0.1% of a 2.4 GHz CPU * Bandwidth: 10 - 20 Kb every 10 seconds
Idle Monitoring Performance per Endpoint * CPU: 0.08% of a 2.4 GHz CPU * Bandwidth: 10 - 20 Kb every 60 seconds
Rough Network Impact Estimate given 50 In Call Endpoints * 5% of a 2.4 GHz CPU * 400 - 800 kbps bandwidth
Rough Network Impact Estimate given 50 Idle Endpoints * 4% of a 2.4 GHz CPU * 65 - 130 kbps bandwidth
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