Configuring NETCONF: Cisco C9800 WLC

As I begin looking into Python and the DevNet materials, I’ve been wanting to utilize my own lab in order for me to run various tests against. I also wanted it to be closer to Wi-Fi, aside from testing against Meraki’s Sandbox.

So to get started, I figured the Cisco C9800-CL would be a good place to start. I’ve been using it to test Wi-Fi 6 and now I can use it to test my Python knowledge.

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Configure NETCONF

First thing we need to do is enable NETCONF-YANG on the C9800-CL. This is very easy to do.

First, let’s see what’s running by running show platform software yang-management process

WLC#show platform software yang-management process
confd            : Not Running
nesd             : Not Running
syncfd           : Not Running
ncsshd           : Not Running
dmiauthd         : Not Running
nginx            : Running
ndbmand          : Not Running
pubd             : Running
gnmib            : Not Running

Ok, NETCONF-YANG is not running. Only nginx and pubd are running. We need all the processes running except for gnmib.

Enabling NETCONF-YANG is simple with this config command: netconf-yang

To do that type in the following commands and verify:

WLC#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
WLC(config)#
WLC(config)#netconf-yang
WLC(config)#exit
WLC#
WLC#
WLC#show platform software yang-management process
confd            : Running
nesd             : Running
syncfd           : Running
ncsshd           : Running
dmiauthd         : Running
nginx            : Running
ndbmand          : Running
pubd             : Running
gnmib            : Not Running

That’s it. Now I have to figure out how to use NETCONF-YANG models 😂