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Onboard Sensors Using UXI App

How to onboard sensors to the UXI dashboard using the UXI App.

Updated this week

The UXI onboarding app is only available for dashboards on the GreenLake Cloud Platform (GLP). For new dashboards, check out the article Getting Started with User Experience Insight on the HPE Greenlake Cloud Platform and for dashboards not yet on GreenLake check out the the process to migrate.

Currently, the Onboarding App only works for Android. A version for iPhone is published, but you may have difficulty with certain sensor models.

Introduction

The most reliable way to onboard your UXI sensors is to plug them into unrestricted ethernet so the sensors can reach the required URLs, download their configuration and begin testing. We also have a model of a sensor with built-in cellular capability, where, depending on coverage, the sensors can use the cellular for initial onboarding. You may run into situations where the sensor can't connect over Ethernet, and cellular isn't working. For these cases, you can use the UXI onboarding app to send the sensor's initial configuration via Bluetooth.

Getting Started

To get started, the following requirements need to be met:

  • Your UXI dashboard must be on the HPE GreenLake Cloud Platform. See how to migrate here.

  • A Bluetooth-enabled HPE Aruba Networking UXI sensor. (Older models UX-F5C and UX-E4C do not have Bluetooth; all other models have Bluetooth)

  • An Android device with Android 11 or better.

  • Bluetooth is enabled on the Android device.

  • Download and install the UXI Onboarding App from Google Play.

Generate an API Token

In order to use the UXI Onboarding app, you will first need an API token from your GreenLake Cloud Workspace.

  1. Log in to the HPE GreenLake Cloud Platform: https://common.cloud.hpe.com/

  2. Navigate to the workspace where UXI is provisioned.

  3. Go to the workspace User Management (Manage Workspace -> Identity & access management -> Users)

    1. Locate the user email you logged in to GreenLake with.

    2. Make sure your user role is UXI Admin or UXI Unrestricted Read Only

  4. Go to Manage Workspace -> Personal API Client and create an API Client.

    1. Personal API client name – enter any name you can use to identify this API key later. You may choose to delete this API key after you are fully done with the provisioning of sensors.

    2. Select the service User Experience Insight

    3. Select Create Personal API Client

    4. Copy the "client_id" and “client_secret", you will need this in the next step.

    5. (Optional QR Code Step) In a future step, you will either need to type the client ID and client secret in the app, or you can use python3 to produce a QR code that you can simply scan with the app later instead of typing. This QR code method is easier if you are assisting people at remote sites.

      Here is an example for creating a QR code:

      Install: pip install “qrcode[pil]” or pip3 install qrcode pillow

      Minimal script (replace the "value" with your API key details):

      import qrcode

      data = '{"client_id": "value", "client_secret": "value"}'# your JSON here

      img = qrcode.make(data)

      img.save("qrcode.png")

Ensure the sensor you want to onboard is configured in your UXI dashboard.

  1. Add the sensor to GreenLake device inventory using the device serial and ethernet MAC address, then associate the sensor with the UXI application.

  2. Then you will see it in your dashboard, move it into the group it belong and make sure networks are assigned to the group.

Once these steps are done, you can use the app to onboard it and send it the configuration for that group.

Using the UXI Onboarding App

Install and launch the UXI Onboarding App. When you first launch the application, you will see three tabs at the bottom: Workspace, Scan and Help.

Adding your Workspace:

  • From the Workspace tab, select Add Workspace.

  • Type in or scan the QR code for your API keys you generated previously. Make sure to include the dashes.

  • Press Save

  • If you have entered the details correctly you will see a message that says you have successfully authenticated.

  • If you have more than one workspace, you can add another following the same processes or you can remove workspaces when they are no longer needed.

Provisioning a sensor:

  • Make sure the sensor is powered on and is showing either of these LEDs:

    • Flashing green and flashing cyan - This indicates the sensor is waiting for configuration.

    • Solid Orange and flashing cyan - This indicates that the sensor is not able to reach our UXI cloud over Ethernet or cellular and can be provisioned via Bluetooth.

    If the sensor LEDs are in any other color, it means the sensor is not ready to be provisioned vua bluetooth.

  • Stand close to the sensor and

  • Open the Scan tab of the app.

  • Allow any requested permissions that come up.

  • Scan for nearby sensors.

    • If your sensor is found in the scan, select it from the list.

    • If you see a sensor but it says "Not Authorized", confirm the sensor you are trying to provision is added to your dashboard and is assigned to a group.

  • The app will automatically connect to the sensor and tell you if there are problems with the ethernet or cellular connectivity.

  • Scroll down to the bottom and select Upload the Config to upload the config to the sensor using the app.

  • The config transfer progress percentage will be displayed.

  • When completed, you will see the message below:

  • Once completed, you may need to wait ~10 minutes for the sensor to onboard. You won't see the status lights change immediately, but the LED will eventually go to solid white if the process completes, and you should see data in the UXI dashboard a few minutes after that.

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