Cisco PnP protocol specification

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• learn-open-pnp-protocol
• network-plug-n-play

DNS Discovery

• Networking device is cabled and powered on. Since the startup configuration in NVRAM is empty, PnP agent is triggered and sends “Cisco PnP” in DHCP Option 60 in DHCP DISCOVER message.
• Since DHCP server is not configured to recognize “Cisco PnP” in Option 60, it ignores Option 60. DHCP server assigns an IP address and sends DHCP offer along with configured domain name and DNS server IP address.
• PnP agent reads domain name and formulates fully qualified PnP server hostname by appending domain name to the string “pnpserver”. If the domain name is “xyz.com”, fully qualified hostname of PnP server would be “pnpserver.xyz.com”. PnP agent resolves “pnpserver.xyz.com” for its IP address with the DNS server received in the DHCP options.

Example DHCP config:

default-lease-time 600;
max-lease-time 7200;
ddns-update-style none;
authoritative;
subnet 172.24.172.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
    range 172.24.172.200 172.24.172.254;
    option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
    option routers 172.24.172.1;
    option domain-name-servers 172.24.172.24;
    option domain-name "zone.lab";
    default-lease-time 600000;
    max-lease-time 720000;
}

Example DNS zone config:

$TTL 5m    ; default TTL for zone
$ORIGIN zone.lab. ; base domain-name
@         IN      SOA   ns1.zone.lab. hostmaster.zone.lab. (
                                2003080800 ; serial number
                                12h        ; refresh
                                15m        ; update retry
                                3w         ; expiry
                                5m         ; minimum
                                )
           IN      NS      ns1.zone.lab.
ns1        IN      A       172.24.172.24
pnpserver  IN      A       172.24.172.24

Work Request

Purpose: Work Request message is initiated by the PnP agent to check with the PnP server for any new work requests.
PnP agent sends this message after discovering the server or when a PnP profile is configured and also at the beginning of every retry.
This is applicable only when the transport protocol is HTTP and HTTPS. Type: info URL: pnp/WORK-REQUEST HTTP method: POST Example:

<pnp xmlns="urn:cisco:pnp" version="1.0" udi="PID:WS-C3750X-24T-E,VID:V04,SN:FDO1703P2EB">
  <info xmlns="urn:cisco:pnp:work-info" correlator="CiscoPnP-1.0-1465-25A1212C">
   <deviceId>
    <udi>PID:WS-C3750X-24T-E,VID:V04,SN:FDO1703P2EB</udi>
    <hostname>Router</hostname>
    <authRequired>true</authRequired>
    <viaProxy>false</viaProxy>
    <securityAdvise>Password in clear text in unsecured transport</securityAdvise>
   </deviceId>
  </info>
</pnp>

Bye

Purpose: Bye message is sent by the PnP server to acknowledge the receipt of PnP response and also signal the end of the transaction.
This is applicable only when the transport protocol is HTTP and HTTPS. Type: info URL: 200 OK for pnp/WORK-RESPONSE HTTP method: POST Example:

<pnp xmlns="urn:cisco:pnp" version="1.0" udi="PID:WS-C3750X-24T-E,VID:V04,SN:FDO1703P2EB">
  <info xmlns="urn:cisco:pnp:work-info" correlator="CiscoPnP-1.0-1465-25A1212C">
        <workInfo>
    <bye/>
   </workInfo>
  </info>
</pnp>

Cisco PnP Schema files

Service	Files	Description
Backoff	pnp_backoff_body.xsd	Request the agent to back off from sending more work-request for a period of time.
	pnp_backoff_svc.xsd
Capability	pnp_capability_body.xsd	Request to query what services are supported by the agent.
	pnp_capability_svc.xsd
Certificate Install	pnp_certificate_install_body.xsd	Request the agent to install a trustpoint or trustpool certificate into the devices.
	pnp_certificate_install_svc.xsd
CLI Config	pnp_cli_config_body.xsd	Request to execute a configuration CLI.
	pnp_cli_config_svc.xsd
CLI Exec	pnp_cli_exec_body.xsd	Request to execute a exec level CLI.
	pnp_cli_exec_svc.xsd
Config Upgrade	pnp_config_upgrade_body.xsd	Upgrade the device’s configuration to a new config.
	pnp_config_upgrade_svc.xsd
Device Authentication	pnp_device_auth_body.xsd	Request to authenticate the device.
	pnp_device_auth_svc.xsd
Device Info	pnp_device_info_body.xsd	Request to obtain device’s profile which includes device UDI, filesytem, hardware info and etc.
	pnp_device_info_svc.xsd
File Transfer	pnp_file_transfer_body.xsd	Request to copy a file.
	pnp_file_transfer_svc.xsd
Image Install	pnp_image_install_body.xsd	Request the agent to install a new image.
	pnp_image_install_svc.xsd
Licensing	pnp_licensing_body.xsd	Request to install and configure new license.
	pnp_licensing_svc.xsd
Redirection	pnp_redirection_body.xsd	Request to redirect PnP Profile to use another PnP server.
	pnp_redirection_svc.xsd
Reload	pnp_reload_body.xsd	Request the agent to reload.
	pnp_reload_svc.xsd
Script	pnp_script_body.xsd	Request to execute a script.
	pnp_script_svc.xsd
SMU	pnp_smu_body.xsd	Request to install a SMU.
	pnp_smu_svc.xsd
Topology	pnp_topology_body.xsd	Request topology of the device.
	pnp_topology_svc.xsd
Work Info	pnp_work_info_body.xsd	Start the request.
	pnp_work_info_svc.xsd