In version 6.0, a new connector function was introduced. for new connector users, it is recommended to use the new connector function. The connector access has been moved from the +Import function to the system menu.
Connectors automate the secure retrieval of configuration files from firewalls, routers, switches, and network device configuration managers. NP-View Server can host one or more connectors that securely retrieves configuration files at the specified frequency. By default, connectors are accessible through HTTPS on port TCP/8443 of the NP-View server and is isolated for security purposes.
The first time an administrator accesses the connectors, they are required to define a Connector group name and a secure passphrase. The Connector group name will be used to create the encrypted connector file store. Connector information is encrypted at rest and in transit using a passphrase protected PGP key. Only the connector owners know the passphrase and the passphrase is never stored. Once initiated, connectors run in the background collecting network information. If the NP-View server is restarted, the connector owner is required to re-authenticate and restart the connectors. Connector owners can create multiple connector groups and each will require their own login. Once created, the user can select from the list of available connectors when logging in.
The connector page contains five main options.
The buttons from left to right are:
To add a new connector, select “+Add New Connector” button and a list of available connectors is presented. Connector options are: Cloud Providers, Configuration Managers, Direct Devices and Volume Shares
Upon selecting the Connector type to add, the user is requested to fill in connection information. Connector information varies by vendor. The connector configuration for a Palo Alto device is as follows:
The user must enter a Connector name (no spaces), host name, and credentials. The user can then verify the credentials are correct with the “Test credentials” button. The user can setup the polling cycle and provide the workspaces to deliver the resultant information.
Polling Cycles are:
For Configuration Management Systems and file Shares, additional information may be required. The user can retrieve a list of files from the device and filter the results. To include specific files, put them in the include list field. To exclude files, put them in the exclude list field. If both lists are used, include list filter will be applied first and the exclude list filter to the results of the include list filter. If the share is PGP encrypted, a PGP Public key will be required.
Workspaces must be added to the connector for data to be transferred and displayed in the workspace. If workspaces are added after a connector is setup, data will not be sent to the workspace until the next scheduled import and a configuration change is identified. Creating workspaces before connectors facilitates faster visualization of data.
Once the connector is added, a tile is added to the connectors home page.
Connector tiles are sorted by the characters in their names using standard Linux conventions:
From the tile, the user can:
The tile banner will show in three colors:
Click the start / pause button to restart a failed or paused connector, note that a connector may take several minutes to change the banner color.
This error can be caused by two communication scenarios between Linux and Window. Either SMB encryption is enabled on the Server or SPN target name validation level is enabled (or both). To check which of these features is causing the issue, Run PowerShell on the Windows Server as administrator and run the following command:
Get-SmbServerConfiguration
If EncryptData = True, it can be disabled using:
Set-SmbServerConfiguration -EncryptData 0
If SmbServerNameHardeningLevel is set to any value other than the default of 0 run:
Set-SmbServerConfiguration -SmbServerNameHardeningLevel 0
to restore the default.
