Information About Diagnostic Signatures
Diagnostic Signatures Overview
Diagnostic signatures (DS) for the Call Home system provides a flexible framework that allows the defining
of new events and corresponding CLIs that can analyze these events without upgrading the Cisco software.
DSs provide the ability to define more types of events and trigger types than the standard Call Home feature
supports. The DS subsystem downloads and processes files on a device as well as handles callbacks for
diagnostic signature events.
The Diagnostic Signature feature downloads digitally signed signatures that are in the form of files to devices.
DS files are formatted files that collate the knowledge of diagnostic events and provide methods to troubleshoot
these events.
DS files contain XML data to specify the event description, and these files include CLI commands or scripts
to perform required actions. These files are digitally signed by Cisco or a third party to certify their integrity,
reliability, and security.
The structure of a DS file can be one of the following formats:
•
Metadata-based simple signature that specifies the event type and contains other information that can
be used to match the event and perform actions such as collecting information by using the CLI. The
signature can also change configurations on the device as a workaround for certain bugs.
•
Embedded Event Manager (EEM) Tool Command Language (Tcl) script-based signature that specifies
new events in the event register line and additional action in the Tcl script.
•
Combination of both the formats above.
The following basic information is contained in a DS file:
•
ID (unique number): unique key that represents a DS file that can be used to search a DS.
•
Name (ShortDescription): unique description of the DS file that can be used in lists for selection.
•
Description: long description about the signature.
•
Revision: version number, which increments when the DS content is updated.
•
Event & Action: defines the event to be detected and the action to be performed after the event happens.
Diagnostic Signature Downloading
To download the diagnostic signature (DS) file, you require the secure HTTP (HTTPS) protocol. If you have
already configured an email transport method to download files on your device, you must change your assigned
profile transport method to HTTPS to download and use DS.
Cisco software uses a PKI Trustpool Management feature, which is enabled by default on devices, to create
a scheme to provision, store, and manage a pool of certificates from known certification authorities (CAs).
The trustpool feature installs the CA certificate automatically. The CA certificate is required for the
authentication of the destination HTTPS servers.
There are two types of DS update requests to download DS files: regular and forced-download. Regular
download requests DS files that were recently updated. You can trigger a regular download request either by
Cisco CSR 1000v Series Cloud Services Router Software Configuration Guide
258
Configuring Call Home for the Cisco CSR 1000v
Information About Diagnostic Signatures
