Pre-stage configurations with device groups

Note: In the onboarding process: This procedure comes after Link your Smart Account to your organization.

Introduction

Pre-stage your network configuration by creating a device group and configuration template.

Device groups allow you to apply the same configuration template to groups of similar devices. Any device you add to the group will receive the group template. Any changes to that template will apply to all devices in the group. All devices in a group must be the same type of device.

You select a template when you create the group. You can use this reference template as-is, or modify it, as required.

Notes:

• The group-level configuration settings always take precedence over a single-device configuration.
• To allow a setting to be changed for individual devices, select the option Provide setting per device.
• Only fields that have this setting at the group level can be modified for an individual device. See Edit the config for a specific network device.

Create a device group

1. Click Configuration > Groups.
2. Click Create Group.
3. Enter the settings:
   1. Group Name: Enter a meaningful name.
   2. Model: Select the device model, such as the IR1101 or IR1800 series. Each device type has a different set of features that can be configured.
   3. Select base template: Select the configuration that will be applied to all network devices added to the group. This configuration can be used as-is or can be customized later.
      • The default template, such as default-ios, provides basic functionality.
      • The eCVD (Cisco Validated Design) templates provide a form-based user interface that enables you to get your IoT OD deployments up and running. You can also modify the eCVD templates to create more customized templates. See eCVD Template features & settings for more information.
   4. Group Description: (Optional) Describe the devices and config.
4. Verify the settings and click Create. Your new group appears in the list.

Add or remove devices from the group

Devices added to a group use the group's configuration template.

1. Go to the Configuration > Groups tab.
2. Click a Group name and click Edit Group.
3. Click the Configurations tab.
4. To add devices: click Available tab. Select the network devices for the group.
5. To delete devices: click Assigned tab. Select the network devices for the group:
   • Only devices that were previously added to IoT OD are displayed.
   • To add devices to IoT OD, see Add and manage network devices.
6. Click Save.

Configure the group's template settings

Although some templates can be used as-is, you may need to modify the configuration to apply settings to all devices, or for your organization's specific requirements. For example, when using an eCVD template, you can enable Cellular and/or Ethernet, define a specific LAN IP DHCP scope address or excluded range, enter an NTP server address, and other options.

1. Go to the Configuration > Groups tab.

2. Click a Group name and then Edit Group.

3. Click the Configurations tab to display the template configuration.

   IMPORTANT: Do NOT modify the Bootstrap Configuration or the Embedded AP Configuration.

4. Click Form View to display the settings as a GUI form.

By default, the configuration is shown using FreeMarker syntax. Form View allows you to easily apply settings.

5. Select the settings topics in the left column. For example, WAN Uplink or VPN.

   • Enter the settings that will be applied to all devices in the group.
   • To allow a setting to be changed for individual devices, select the option Provide setting per device.

   Only fields that have this setting at the group level can be modified for an individual device. See Edit the config for a specific network device.

6. For example, click WAN Uplink to enter the Access Point Name (APN) for your network devices. This may be required if your deployment uses a private or custom APN that is not automatically recognized by the modem. There may also be cases where a public APN is not in the modem’s default list and would need to be added.

   If the APN name is required, you must also use Ethernet for the initial onboarding. This allows the device to communicate with the IoT OD cloud until the configuration (and APN name) are applied. After the device is added to IoT OD, Ethernet can be disconnected.

7. Click Save.

8. Apply the changes to your devices.

   1. Close the Edit Group window.
   2. In the Group detail page, click Push Config, and click Confirm. Changes to offline devices will be applied when the devices are online.

9. Add devices to IoT OD and map them to the device group. See Add and manage network devices.

Verifying VPN IP Addresses

In device Configuration, you can choose a VPN tunnel for more secure data transfer, choose the

1. Go to Configuration > Groups tab.
2. Click a Group name and then Edit Group.
3. Click the Configurations tab > VPN (in the left menu).
4. Enable Site-to-Site VPN. More menu options appear.
5. Type in the required fields.

Modify the heartbeat and metric interval timings

You can configure the heartbeat interval and periodic metrics interval for IR800, IR1101, and IR1800 series devices. This also helps in determining how long the system will wait before changing the device status to "Down." You can set the heartbeat interval from 1 minute to 15 minutes and the metric interval from 1 minute to 4 days depending on how often you want to wait before the device status changes to "Down."

To update heartbeat and metric interval, complete the following fields:

1. Go to the Configuration > Groups tab.
2. Click a Group name and then Edit Group.
3. Click the Configurations tab.
4. Click the Properties tab.
5. Under Group Properties, click Timer Settings.
6. Adjust the settings appropriately and click Save (you will get a success notification at the bottom of the screen) and then click X to close the screen).
7. Click Refresh and then click Push Config to push the changes to the device.

Note: The device status shows "Down" until it receives a heartbeat.

When the device heartbeat message is missed (due to a connectivity issue or if the device is down) and the device status is not Down in IoT OD, then for the configuration push that is initiated for the device during this time, the operation will show Success.

Enable location tracking

Use Location History to view the location of your GPS-enabled network devices on a map over time. For example, you can see a vehicle's path over a one hour span on a specific day.

See Track device location for details.

Use a CSV file to apply configuration changes

Download a comma-separated values (CSV) file of the group template configuration, update the file with any changes, then upload it to push the new configurations to the devices in the group.

1. Go to the Configuration > Groups tab.
2. Click a Group name and then Edit Group.
3. Click the Properties tab.
4. Under Device Properties, click Download Device Modifier CSV.
5. Open the file in a desktop editor.
6. Enter your configuration changes and save the file in CSV format.
7. Drag and drop the file into the upload field.
8. Click Save.

Edit a device group

You can add or remove devices from a group or modify the configuration template for that group.

Only devices previously added to IoT OD can be selected or de-selected. See Add and manage network devices.

Note: Changes to the template must be pushed to existing devices. Config changes can be done when devices are offline, Changes are pushed when they come back online.

1. Click Configuration > Groups and select a group name.

2. Click Edit.

3. (Optional) Add or remove devices from the group:

   1. Click the Device tab.
   2. Select or deselect the devices in the group.

4. (Optional) Modify the configuration.

   1. Click the Configuration > Configuration tabs. IMPORTANT: Do NOT modify the Bootstrap Configuration or the Embedded AP Configuration.
   2. Modify the configuration as required.
   3. Click Form View to display the settings as a GUI form.

   By default, the configuration is shown using FreeMarker syntax. Form View allows you to easily apply settings.

5. Click Save.

6. Apply the changes to your devices.

   1. Close the Edit Group window.
   2. In the Group detail page, click Push Config, and click Confirm. Changes to offline devices will be applied when the devices are online.

Next step:

To continue onboarding device(s), go to Get Started with Operations Dashboard, Step 4: Device onboarding.