Non-UniFi EdgeMax EdgeRouters can be managed with Ubiquiti Network Management System (UNMS) free beta
Here's Ubiquity's announcement:
- Introducing UNMS (beta)
Ubiquiti Network Management SystemWe invite you to use our new free Ubiquiti Network Management System. You can simply configure, monitor, upgrade, and back up your UBNT devices. Add your routers and switches. You can include your wireless equipment and optical GPON devices as well. And why stop there. You can even manage your client APs with ease. Management of all devices in a single application: UNMS™.
Turns out Ubiquiti surprised me today with their full announcement email:
The UniFi® Controller revolutionized enterprise software, and now it’s time for the WISP industry: welcome to UNMS™ (Ubiquiti® Network Management System) for centralized control of Ubiquiti devices across multiple sites worldwide. There are no software, licensing, or support fees – try out the demo or download now
LEARN MORE
- Simple Installation
- Docker-based application with install script and in-app upgrade.
- Install UNMS™ on your server or use any cloud provider.
- There will be a Ubiquiti cloud where you can install UNMS™ with a single click and use your Ubiquiti SSO.
Had I been paying closer attention, UNMS was actually announced in beta form in the forum way back in June 2017:
Welcome to UNMS Beta!
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06-23-2017 09:03 AMUbiquiti Network Management System (Beta)
Today we are releasing a beta version (0.8.0) of our new Ubiquiti Network Management System - UNMS. This is built from the ground up for the WISP industry. UNMS gives you the tools to monitor and configure your UBNT devices from a single software solution. This beta version includes partial support for EdgeRouter, EdgePoint, uFiber (GPON) and airMAX models. See our roadmap below for more details. UNMS can be installed locally using docker on Linux or on a cloud instance like Digital Ocean or Amazon AMI. Please give us your feedback in a new thread.
Requirements
On the main UNMS page, we find details on the Linux requirements:
Minimum System Requirements
Operating System: Ubuntu 16.04+, Debian 8.4+
CPU: 64-bit (x64) processor
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Hard disk: 16 GB available disk space
Windows and Mac OS not supported, use VM instead.
Official cloud solution is not yet provided; however, UNMS™ can be hosted on your own cloud service.
Download
- Server OS - Download Ubuntu 16.04
- Server - Download UNMS for Linux
- Mobile Client - Downloads from the Apple App Store and Google Play
- Web Management UNMS Demo - available online here, which shows the full UNMS experience, without having to install it on Linux first.
I'm just getting started with kicking the tires on the app, and I haven't even gotten the Linux appliance downloaded and configured quite yet. I hope to add my observations to this article, as time permits.
You too can get started right way with the mobile app! I noticed it doesn't require you to have the full UNMS already installed. I was able to use it straight away for some basic management by merely pointing it to my EdgeRouter Lite, seen pictured below. This sort of direct connect didn't work on earlier app versions.
Dec 10 2017 Update
My plan is to create an Ubuntu VM that’s left always running on my VMware ESXI 6.5 U1 SuperServer, to run UNMS. Then I'll be directing my browser to that UNMS instance, and will reconfigure my iOS app to connect through UNMS.
Here's my lab test notes, a work-in-progress:
- Create a VM with 1 vCPUs and 2GB of RAM with the Ubuntu 16.04 ISO mounted
- Install Ubuntu, don't bother with VMware tools, built-in tools are good enough
- Open a Terminal session, install curl (bash, sudo, and netcat are already installed), then elevate yourself to root, here's how:
sudo apt install curl
sudo -inow follow along with the UNMS instructions.
Dec 11 2017 Update
Testing the download and install and configuration of the Ubuntu appliance is continuing to go well. Hoping I can produce a video walk-thru, including the use of the iOS version of the UMobile UBNT app.
I would really love to hear if somebody has gotten UNMS to run on extremely-light-weight Project Photon OS by VMware though, which is a "Container-Optimized Linux Operating System." Ideally an OVA with the UNMS already installed.
I decided to change this article's title from:
Even unmanaged EdgeMax EdgeRouters can be managed with new UNMS (Ubiquiti Network Management System) free beta, no UniFi required!
to clearer and shorter:
Non-UniFi EdgeMax EdgeRouters can be managed with Ubiquiti Network Management System (UNMS) free beta
See also at TinkerTry
