SDM in LINUX (Wine)

OK leaving CCNP SWITCH aside for a bit, I finely got around to setting up Linux to allow me to run SDM.

I should point out that I am not a great fan of SDM, but I do run the IOS based firewall on one of my small networks. And while I am happy to change the config of policy’s from the command line, it can be hard to visualise what is going on in 600+ lines of code. So I do fall back to it every now and then.

On the above network I have 100% Linux machines, which included those sitting in the management subnet. So up utill now if I wanted to run SDM I had to get out a windows laptop and plug it in, so for a while I have been looking how I could get this up and running.

There is no Linux SDM version but you can install SDM either on the PC or on the router.According to CISCO as long as the web browser has jarva script enabled, then if you use the version installed on the Router it will work. However despite 2 different versions of Firefox, Google Crome, and numerous attempts with Java versions. Trying this way would always hang at the same point on all three of the PC’s I tried it from. I also don’t really like the idea of running SDM from the router, it takes up space and resources and is another thing to go wrong.

So the alternative was to attempt to run SDM from with in Linux. You will read on the web that CISCO SDM is a Java based html applications, and so in theory you can simple copy the install file across from windows to Linux, move a few files around, and then open up your web browser and point it to the “launcher.html” file you will find in the install directory. However my attempt at this again proved unsuccessful. (I am not sure if this was due to the incorrect Java version I did try with a few but SDM is very fussy with Java and Linux is not so happy with multiply Java versions. (see here for instruction s for this method)

So I decided to go the whole hog and experiment with WINE. Wine for those of you who don’t know is a platform that allows you to run native windows application with in LINUX, I like to think of it as a windows emulator, however some purists will tell you this is not quite correct. But what ever it will allow you to run many windows application on LINUX, and while some people may rebel at the idea of that, I am more of the opinion if it works and gets the job done, then I don’t really have a problem.

So setting it all up.

The first thing to do is add the wine repository ( ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa) to you distribution. In Unbuntu this can either be done using the option settings in the graphical package manager software, or by running the following command.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa

Then update the repository cache, (“sudo apt-get update” from the command line).

If you are running the GUI package manager, search for wine and tick the wine1.2 install (at time of writing this is the current stable version, you should pick the latest stable). or from the cli type

sudo apt-get install wine1.2

Wine will now be installed.

You now need to get hold of CISCO SDM, Firefox 3.5 (must be 3.5 this will not work with version 3.6 due to java issues), and a copy of JAVA 6 update 11 (make sure it is this exact version SDM is very very picky).

Once you have downloaded them all, you can simple open them in the GUI, you may get an error saying that they are not executable files. Linux by default will not allow a file to be executed unless it has been set to be allowed. If you get this message simple right click, go to the properties and tick the execute box under the permissions tab. You can also run “sudo chmod +x <filename>” to achieve the same.

You should not be able to run the setup and follow the install exactly as you would under windows. Once you have installed all three, check you can open Firefox. You can find this either up in the application menu under

Wine >> wine applications >> firefox

Or you should have an short cut on the desk top (you may need to make this short cut executable like above).

You will also have a SDM shortcut on the desktop, however this will bring up the WINE IE browser which does not work, so you can’t use this direct.

Instead open up the Firefox you have just installed, and in the address bar type “c:” and hit “return” / click go. This will bring up a folder list for the Wine created windows file system. Open  “programs files” >> cisco systems >> SDM >> common files >> common files. Here you will find a file called Launcher.html which you want to open (I would also suggest add this as a short cut)

And there you are, CISCO SDM will now function as in windows, pop up boxes and all. You can even create a desktop icon that will pass the file above to Firefox if you wish.

Hope that’s of some help to people. If I get it running completely native with out the need for WINE I will be sure to let you know.

DevilWAH

CISCO SDM why oh why oh why!

You would think a company like cisco would be able to produce a management tool that works.

Now I know SDM has issues with different java versions in windows and that in its self seems to be pot luck if it works or not.

But getting it running under Linux, oh my god! every thing sees to be against me here. And the worst thing about it all is how close I can get. I sure its doing this just to tease me.

I have tried old and new Firefox, about 6 versions of JAVA and still no joy. Its time to go home now and no remote access to the firewall so it will have to wait till Tuesday for my next play. So email still not working..

Ah well the weekend ahead, walks with the dogs, and some nice food to look forward to. Oh and of course lots of studying. 😉

Have a great one.

JAVA versions in Linux.

I am still quite a newbie when it comes to Linux, and have a long way to go yet before I could be considered an expert. But slowly I am getting there.

Today to help with setting up the firewall to allow email, I thought it was time I finally got around to installing Java on this PC, and because CISCO SDM express requires an old version this means setting up multiply versions.

Installing the first one is simple enough

$sudo apt-get install java….

(you can do an
$apt-get update
followed by
$apt-cache search java
and this will show you what versions are available for download.)

and after a bit of poking around the second one was simple enough as well, download the bin file from www.JAVA.com and extract it to a directory (this can be any where you want, although the /opt/ one seems to be a common choice) as below. If you want more instructions just click on the instruction link on the site.

$sudo sh ./java-5-4…..

Then cheat and open the java desktop control panel open up the runtime environment settings and add in you new version. (if any Linux masters wan’t to post the guru way to do this please do 🙂 )

And there you have it multiply JAVA installs.

Only one issues now though, Firefox does not support Java below version 6-10, and SDM still does not work! So its on to the next method to get SDM working on Linux.

I will get this email working soon…

Take care all.