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      ✅ Deployment Checklist: Basking Connector for Cisco Catalyst Center

      1. Preparation

      • Confirm Access to Catalyst Center Logs
        Ensure logs (especially roaming events and device registrations) can be accessed or exported from Cisco Catalyst Center. See our guide on Basking WLAN Controller here for a detailed overview of the data architecture.

      • Provision a Linux Host Machine
        • Ensure network access between the Catalyst Center (or its log-exporting machine) and the Connector host.
        • Ensure network access between the Connector host and Basking servers (*.connect.basking.io)
        • Requirements: 1Gi RAM, x86 Machine (additional architectures may be supported on request)
      • Pre-deployment checklist:
        • Provide Basking with a sample of log output from Cisco Catalyst
        • Receive a Connector binary from Basking
        • Verify the included configuration file
        • Receive ORG_SECRET environment variable and configure it on the Connector host machine
        • Receive a Customer-specific encryption key for shared double-encryption

      3. Log Transmission Setup

      • Enable Logs in Logging Settings in Catalyst Center
        • The Basking Connector requires the following log message types:
          • Roaming
          • Device registration
          • Device deregistration
      • Ensure logs can be sent to the Connector via HTTP/HTTPS
      • Ensure the Submitter can reach basking servers (*.connect.basking.io)
      • [optional] Manual log stream example:
        $> cat latest.log | grep ‘ROAMING|REGISTRATION|DEREGISTRATION’ | curl -XPOST -H 'content-type:text/plain' --data-binary @- http://<connector-host>:8081
      • [optional] Automate with Cron Job
         Add a cron job (e.g., /etc/crontab) to execute the above every 5 minutes:
        */5 * * * * root /opt/basking/send_logs.sh

      4. Deployment Checks

      Connector

      1. Create a configuration file from the provided example:
        $> cp connector.yml.wlc.example connector.yml
      2. Modify the configuration file to your needs (connector.yml)
      3. Ensure the Connector is operational (no data will be sent):
        $> ./connector
        [INFO]: 2025/01/01 00:00:00.314159 listening on port 4431
      4. Ensure the connector is reachable from the log machine:
        $> curl -i basking-connector.my-network.com:4431
        HTTP/1.1 204 No Content

      Submitter

      1. Create a configuration file from the provided example:
        $> cp submitter.yml.example submitter.yml
      2. Modify the configuration file to your needs (submitter.yml)
      3. Ensure the submitter is operational and Basking servers are reachable:
        $> ./submitter
        [INFO]: 2025/01/01 00:00:00.314159 submitting data

      5. Data Auditing & Validation

      Run test logs through the Connector to validate its output (no data will be sent):

      1. Run the Connector in DEBUG mode:
        $> LOG_LEVEL=DEBUG ./connector &
      2. Submit test logs via the Connector:
        $> cat wlc.log | curl -XPOST -H'content-type:text/plain' --data-binary @- localhost:4431
      3. Review console output to verify data extraction and anonymization.

      6. Go-Live

      • Ensure the host machine contains:
        • Connector binary (connector)
        • Submitter (submitter)
        • Connector configuration (connector.yml)
        • Submitter configuration (submitter.yml)
      • Ensure the host machine can be reached by the log emitter
      • Ensure the host machine can reach Basking servers (*.connect.basking.io)
      • Configure ORG_SECRET environment variable on the host machine
      • Inform Basking support for final validation & calibration at team@basking.io