# Cisco Scan Setup

> Use when the user asks about SCAN, Cisco App Navigator, product catalog, ecosystem intelligence, or splunk-cisco-app-navigator setup in Splunk. Automate Splunk Cisco App Navigator (SCAN) setup and validation. Installs the splunk-cisco-app-navigator app from a local package, verifies the product catalog and Splunkbase lookup, triggers catalog sync from S3, and validates the deployment.

- Skill: `chambear2809/cisco-scan-setup` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add chambear2809/cisco-scan-setup`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/chambear2809/cisco-scan-setup/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: chambear2809 (https://skillmd.com/u/chambear2809)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/chambear2809/cisco-scan-setup

---


# Splunk Cisco App Navigator (SCAN) Setup Automation

## Prerequisites

| Tool or access | Purpose | Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Bash and Python 3 | Run bundled setup and validation helpers | `bash --version && python3 --version` |
| Required product/platform access | Inspect or configure the selected target | Complete the documented preflight |
| Credential files for live modes | Keep secrets out of chat | Verify paths only |

## Workflow Overview

```text
┌───────────┐   ┌───────────────┐   ┌───────────────┐   ┌─────────────────┐
│ Preflight │ → │ Render/review │ → │ Apply/handoff │ → │ Validate evidence │
└───────────┘   └───────────────┘   └───────────────┘   └─────────────────┘
```

## When to Activate

- SCAN, Cisco App Navigator, product catalog, ecosystem intelligence, or splunk-cisco-app-navigator setup in Splunk.
- Preview and review the cisco scan setup workflow before any live apply phase.
- Diagnose failed prerequisites, generated assets, configuration, or validation evidence.

## Scope

Follow the documented read-only or render-first path whenever it is available.
This skill does not imply permission to mutate live systems. Require explicit
apply flags, protected credentials, and operator review for state changes.

## Examples

Inspect the supported setup modes before selecting one:

```bash
bash skills/cisco-scan-setup/scripts/setup.sh --help
```

Expected output: usage, supported modes, and required arguments are displayed
without changing the target environment.

Inspect validation modes before running completion checks:

```bash
bash skills/cisco-scan-setup/scripts/validate.sh --help
```

Expected output: offline, live, and completion options are displayed when the
skill supports them; help exits without mutation.

## Troubleshooting

| Issue | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Preflight fails | A required tool or access path is missing | Resolve it before rendering or applying |
| Rendered assets are incomplete | Required non-secret inputs are absent | Complete intake and render again |
| Apply is blocked | Review, credentials, or explicit acceptance is missing | Use the documented handoff |
| Validation is incomplete | Live evidence is unavailable | Record the gap and keep completion open |

## Shared add-on completion gate

Whenever this workflow installs, configures, or hands off a registry-listed
Splunk app or add-on, follow the
[shared completion gate](../shared/ta_completion_gate.md). Package delivery
alone is not success. Apply every relevant ingest and dashboard check; for a
management-only app, record why ingest is not applicable and validate its
shipped views and saved searches instead.

Automates the **Splunk Cisco App Navigator** (`splunk-cisco-app-navigator`).

SCAN is a management and catalog app, not a data-ingestion TA. It provides a
unified product catalog UI for 93+ Cisco products, ecosystem intelligence
dashboards, and 42+ saved searches for catalog analysis. It does **not** create
indexes, configure data inputs, or require vendor-specific credentials.

## Package Model

**Splunkbase is the public install source; `splunk-ta/` is the local cache
for offline installs and package review.** SCAN is listed on
Splunkbase as app ID `8566`. Use `splunk-app-install` with the Splunkbase ID
when a fresh download or public Cloud install is available:

```bash
bash skills/splunk-app-install/scripts/install_app.sh \
  --source splunkbase --app-id 8566
```

For offline Enterprise installs or private review copies, place the downloaded
package in `splunk-ta/` and run this skill's `setup.sh`; it installs the newest
matching local package. The product repo's `cisco-product-setup` catalog uses
a checked-in normalized fixture of SCAN's public S3 `products.conf`, with the
source timestamp, minimum SCAN version, raw source SHA-256, and fixture SHA-256
recorded in `scan_source.json`. Clean-clone catalog builds therefore do not
depend on an ignored vendor archive or live network access.

For Splunk Cloud (ACS), prefer the Splunkbase install path. Use private app
upload only for pre-vetted local packages. After installation, use this skill
to verify the catalog, run the initial sync, and validate the deployment.

### Package Verification Boundary

The reviewed SCAN baseline is `1.0.30`, which is also the current public
release. That package was downloaded, unpacked, and inspected here, so the
shared installer's default pin needs no review override. Local catalog
generation still does not upgrade or approve the app package: fixture refresh
and package review remain separate controls. When Splunkbase publishes a newer
release, re-check `products.conf`, lookup/sync behavior, saved searches, and
shipped dashboards before advancing the pin.

## Agent Behavior — Credentials

**The agent must NEVER ask for passwords, API keys, or secrets in chat.**

Splunk credentials are read automatically from the project-root `credentials` file
(falls back to `~/.splunk/credentials`). If neither exists, guide the user to create it:

```bash
bash skills/shared/scripts/setup_credentials.sh
```

SCAN requires **no vendor-specific secrets**. The S3 bucket used for catalog sync
(`is4s.s3.amazonaws.com`) is publicly readable. The only credentials needed are
for the Splunk management REST API.

## Environment

Setup and validation use the Splunk search-tier REST API and can run from any
host with network access to the Splunk management port (`8089`). Catalog sync
requires outbound HTTPS to `is4s.s3.amazonaws.com`.

| Item | Value |
|------|-------|
| Search-tier API | `SPLUNK_SEARCH_API_URI` env var (legacy alias: `SPLUNK_URI`) |
| Cloud stack | `SPLUNK_CLOUD_STACK` for Cloud installs (`SPLUNK_PLATFORM` is only an override for hybrid runs) |
| App name | `splunk-cisco-app-navigator` |
| Credentials | Project-root `credentials` file (falls back to `~/.splunk/credentials`) |
| Skill scripts | `skills/cisco-scan-setup/scripts/` (relative to repo root) |

### Remote Splunk Connection

To run against a remote Splunk instance:

```bash
export SPLUNK_SEARCH_API_URI="https://splunk-host:8089"
```

## Splunk Authentication

Scripts read Splunk credentials from the project-root `credentials` file (falls back to `~/.splunk/credentials`) automatically.
No environment variables or command-line password arguments are needed:

```bash
bash skills/cisco-scan-setup/scripts/validate.sh
```

If credentials are not yet configured, run the setup script first:

```bash
bash skills/shared/scripts/setup_credentials.sh
```

## Setup Workflow

SCAN is a catalog app with no indexes, no data inputs, and no account
configuration. Setup is simpler than typical data-ingestion TAs.

### Step 1: Install App

```bash
bash skills/cisco-scan-setup/scripts/setup.sh
```

Installs the app from `splunk-ta/`, verifies it is visible in Splunk Web,
and confirms the product catalog loads via REST.

For Splunk Cloud, install the package as a private app through ACS first,
then run setup.sh for post-install verification.

### Step 2: Initial Catalog Sync (Optional)

To trigger an immediate sync of products.conf and the Splunkbase lookup
from S3 (requires outbound HTTPS to `is4s.s3.amazonaws.com`):

```bash
bash skills/cisco-scan-setup/scripts/setup.sh --sync
```

This runs `| synccatalog dryrun=false` and `| synclookup` via the Splunk
REST API. Without `--sync`, the app's daily scheduled search handles
this automatically.

### Step 3: Validate

```bash
bash skills/cisco-scan-setup/scripts/validate.sh
```

Checks: app installation, app version, product catalog stanza count,
Splunkbase lookup, S3 sync connectivity, saved searches, and scheduled
sync job status.

## Key Components

| Component | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| `products.conf` | Product catalog with 93+ Cisco product stanzas |
| `scan_splunkbase_apps.csv.gz` | Synced Splunkbase ecosystem lookup |
| `synccatalog` | Custom search command: syncs products.conf from S3 |
| `synclookup` | Custom search command: syncs Splunkbase CSV from S3 |
| 42+ saved searches | Catalog analysis, gap analysis, compatibility, migration |
| Ecosystem Intelligence | Dashboard Studio analytics dashboard |

## Dashboard

The **Ecosystem Intelligence** dashboard is a Dashboard Studio view included in
the package. It appears in Splunk Web automatically after installation — no
import or manual activation step is needed.

To access it: **Apps → Splunk Cisco App Navigator → Ecosystem Intelligence**

SCAN does not collect data, so the dashboard visualizes catalog metadata
rather than time-series events. It does not require index configuration or
data input enablement.

If the dashboard appears blank after installation, trigger an initial catalog
sync:

```bash
bash skills/cisco-scan-setup/scripts/setup.sh --sync
```

On **Splunk Cloud**, the dashboard is available immediately after the ACS
private app upload completes.

## Key Learnings / Known Issues

1. **No indexes or inputs**: SCAN is a catalog/management app. It does not
   create indexes, configure data inputs, or ingest data. This makes setup
   significantly simpler than other Cisco TAs.
2. **S3 outbound connectivity**: The `synccatalog` and `synclookup` commands
   require HTTPS access to `is4s.s3.amazonaws.com`. If the search head cannot
   reach S3, catalog sync will fail but the app still functions with its
   shipped default catalog.
3. **synccatalog dryrun is required**: Despite `searchbnf.conf` marking
   `dryrun` as optional, the Python command yields an error event and exits
   early if `dryrun` is omitted, producing no useful output.
   Always pass `dryrun=true` or `dryrun=false` explicitly.
4. **min_app_version gating**: The S3 products.conf may include a
   `min_app_version` header. If the installed app version is below this
   threshold, `synccatalog` skips the update. Upgrade the app first.
5. **SHC replication**: `server.conf` includes `products` in SHC conf
   replication so catalog updates propagate across cluster members.
6. **Lookup replication denied**: `distsearch.conf` excludes the large
   `scan_splunkbase_apps.csv.gz` from search-head replication. Each SHC
   member must run `synclookup` independently (or use the scheduled search).
7. **Splunkbase listing available**: SCAN is Splunkbase app ID `8566`. Keep a
   local package in `splunk-ta/` when you need offline Enterprise installs or
   package review. It is not required for deterministic catalog generation.
8. **Restart behavior**: SCAN does not create indexes, so a restart is
   typically only needed if Splunk requires one after app installation.
9. **Non-atomic sync**: `synccatalog` writes the file before reloading.
   A failure after write but before reload leaves the file updated on disk
   without Splunk seeing the changes. POST to the `_reload` endpoint
   (`/services/configs/conf-products/_reload`) to force Splunk to pick up
   the already-written file. Run `| synccatalog dryrun=true` separately to
   diagnose version state, not to trigger a reload.
10. **cisco-product-setup dependency**: The `cisco-product-setup` skill
    reads the checksum-pinned normalized SCAN public-catalog fixture at
    build-time to generate `catalog.json`. At
    runtime, live SCAN features (installed app detection, data flow
    validation, legacy debt auditing) require the app to be installed.