---
title: "Pulsar"
slug: "pulsar"
tags: ["24.09", "Examples", "probe", "pulsar", "restore"]
updated: 2026-04-14T18:08:05Z
published: 2026-04-14T18:08:05Z
canonical: "docs.crossworkassurance.cisco.com/pulsar"
---
> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.crossworkassurance.cisco.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Pulsar
The probes come with a Command Line Interface named *Pulsar*. This allows the user to check the probe state and configure it when needed.
## Connect to the Probe
If this is your first encounter with the probe, you will have to, for the first time only, access the probe physically (just use a screen and keyboard plugged to the probe). Log in with user **admin** and default password **admin**. Once the network address of the probe has been set up, you will be able to access it directly through SSH on port 22, with the same user **admin**.
Note
Pulsar uses three colors to display information:
- **Green** outputs are informational.
- **Yellow** outputs are warnings.
- **Red** outputs are errors.
If needed, you can set the keyboard mapping with the kb < mapping > command. Typing kb displays the list of available mappings.
Pulsar lets you change the administration password through the passwd command. This should be your first command. Typing passwd in the Pulsar shell launches the standard UNIX password-change process.
**Note**: The default admin password will be changed once the Cisco® Crosswork Assurance Sensor Capture is registered by what is contained in the default profile of Cisco Crosswork Assurance. If you have never set the password for admin in the default profile of Crosswork Assurance, the admin account’s password will be disabled.
**CAUTION:** At this point, there is no way to retrieve the password. If you lose or forget the password, the support team can generate a new one. See **Support access through VPN**. You can also restore the probe; see **Restore Probe State.**
If your Sensor Capture comes with a serial port, a console should also be available on it since the 4.1 release. The serial connection should be done at **115200 Bd** with **8 data bits**, **without parity**, with **one stop bit** and **without flow control**.
From a Linux or macOS computer, the following *GNU* Screen command is enough to connect to the serial console, replace /dev/X with your corresponding serial port:
```
screen /dev/X 115200
```
From a Windows computer, *PuTTY* could be used.
## Configure the Probe
Use the config command to set up the probe.
```
capture# config
service:
Enter 1 for all [default]
Enter 2 for dns
Enter 3 for interfaces
Enter 4 for network
Enter 5 for ramen
Enter 6 for support
Your choice?
```
Typing enter will launch the whole interactive configuration process.
**CAUTION:** This command is **mandatory** as it will configure key elements needed for proper operations (DNS servers, hostname, IP address, Proxy settings, NTP, SMTP, etc.).
Some changes in configuration require a reboot of the probe (command: reboot).
## Configure proxy settings
The Sensor Capture supports defining a basic authentication or no authentication https websockets proxy server to use for its connectivity towards the Crosswork Assurance instance. These settings will apply both for the normal management of the sensor as well as for the VPN connection usable by customer support. The parameters available for the proxy are:
- Proxy Host (hostname or IP address of the proxy service)
- Proxy Port (tcp port of the proxy)
- Proxy Method ( basic auth or no auth)
- Proxy Username
- Proxy Password
Example configuration using the "config proxy" command
To show the current proxy settings, use the "proxy" command
## Restore Probe State
You may need to restore the probe’s original configuration.
There are two ways of achieving this. Since these are destructive commands a strong confirmation will be requested.
You may erase data from previous network captures. This preserves configuration settings and GUI user accounts.
```
Capture# reset
logs pcap
...
Stopping services...
Deleting data...
Done.
```
Reset pcap : Delete autopcap and tcpdump files Reset logs : Delete logs files from the sensor
The command reset all will destroy both your configuration and capture database. You will have a fresh new database. Configuration settings, users and captures will be reset to default values.
```
pulsar# reset all
...
Stopping all services...
Resetting...
Creating default settings...
Done.
```
## Formating Data Hard Drive Disks
This is to be used when new data disks are delivered. Any existing data (both Capture Sensor and configuration data) will be lost. Default values will be restored. A reboot is required to perform this operation.
```
PVX# format_data_disk
!! WARNING !! You are about to format the data HD. All data will be erased.
Type 'yes!' to confirm, without quotes: yes!
Datadisk marked to be formatted, please reboot now to execute the formatting.
```
## Listing Running Processes
The process command lists all of the processes running on the appliance as well as their uptime.
```
pulsar# process
distribute RUNNING pid 4546, uptime 8 days, 3:56:33
storage RUNNING pid 4547, uptime 8 days, 3:56:33
junkie RUNNING pid 10892, uptime 2 days, 2:39:19
nevrax RUNNING pid 93442, uptime 2 days, 0:54:49
machine-status RUNNING pid 4542, uptime 8 days, 3:56:33
junkie-dumper RUNNING pid 10859, uptime 2 days, 2:39:25
dumptimer RUNNING pid 6206, uptime 2 days, 2:51:35
low-space-watchdog RUNNING pid 4544, uptime 8 days, 3:56:33
monitor-nevrax RUNNING pid 130617, uptime 1:57:06
notifications RUNNING pid 355, uptime 2 days, 2:58:51
```
You can see in this example that some processes have been restarted recently.
The table below provides a brief explanation of the most important processes:
| Name | Also runs on a capture | Role |
| --- | --- | --- |
| distribute | No | Deploys configuration and collects CSV files on traffic statistics |
| storage | No | Stores new data into the RDBMS and handles data aggregation |
| junkie | Yes | Network sniffer that computes various statistics about the traffic |
| nevrax | No | Web interface |
The followig table references most of our internal processes:
| Name | Also runs on a capture | Role |
| --- | --- | --- |
| machine-status | Yes | Gathers statistics about the probe |
| junkie-dumper | Yes | Part of the sniffer data aggregation process |
| dumptimer | Yes | Part of the sniffer data aggregation process |
| low-space-watchdog | Yes | Monitors the available disk space |
| monitor-nevrax | No | Ensures good resources usage of nevrax |
| notifications | Yes | Web interfaceHandles the notification system |
## More About Pulsar
The help command provides both global and command-specific assistance. Tab-completion is enabled for commands and subcommands such as help, config and show.
*Available commands* 
## Configuration Example
**CAUTION:** As of release 4.1, most of the configuration should always be performed on the **Nodes Management** page of the web interface since the datastore stores the master configurations of its captures! See **How to configure a capture probe**.
Here’s an example of network configuration:
```
Capture-1# config network
[NETWORK] (type '?' for help)
Interface selection:
Enter 1 for eth0
Enter 2 for eth1
Enter 3 for exit network configuration
Your choice? 1
Which configuration would you like to change on eth0?:
Enter 1 for up the interface
Enter 2 for down the interface
Enter 3 for IPv4
Enter 4 for IPv6
Enter 5 for configure another interface
Enter 6 for exit network configuration
Your choice? 3
How do you want to configure the interface?:
Enter 1 for disable IPv4
Enter 2 for static IP
Enter 3 for IP via DHCP [default]
Your choice? 2
IPv4 address: 192.168.1.1
netmask: 255.255.255.0
gateway (type 'empty' to remove): 192.168.1.254
Which configuration would you like to change on eth0?:
Enter 1 for up the interface
Enter 2 for down the interface
Enter 3 for IPv4
Enter 4 for IPv6
Enter 5 for configure another interface
Enter 6 for exit network configuration
Your choice? 6
Configuration summary
[NETWORK]
eth0 (up)
IPv4
mode : dhcp --> static
address : None --> 192.168.1.1
netmask : None --> 255.255.255.0
gateway : None --> 192.168.1.254
IPv6
mode : auto
Capture-1 (uncommitted changes)# commit
System configuration changes have been committed successfully.
Successfully applied the changes to the system.
Network changes will not be effective until next probe reboot.
Reboot now?:
Enter 1 for yes
Enter 2 for no [default]
Your choice? 1
Pulsar is going to reboot the machine...
```
## Support Access Through VPN
The probes come with an already configured, but disabled, VPN connection to allow access for support operations. The VPN address is set by default and should normally not be changed. If you need to, you can change it with the config support command in Pulsar. The VPN service is disabled by default. You can start or stop it at any given moment using the corresponding support start or support stop commands in the *Pulsar* shell. There is also an on/off switch for the VPN in the graphical user interface, see [Sensor Management](/v1/docs/sensor-capture-management) When the VPN connection is enabled, this is visible in the user intrface where a VPN icon will appear next to the sensor. Via the VPN connect, support can log in and manage or troubleshoot the Capture Sensor because they can use super user rights.
**Note**: For the VPN connection of the probe to work properly, you will probably have to configure your network and/or security equipment, including your firewalls. Default DNS Host is vpn.performancevision.com and default port is 443. If VPN access should not be allowed at any point in time, block the above port and FQDN for outgoing traffic in your firewall.
## Support with No Remote Access
In case the probe is not accessible from the Internet, you can use the diag command. It will generate a tarball containing all necessary information for the support team to do diagnostics. Once the tarball is generated, you will have to download the file using FTP with the classical admin account (in the /diag directory) and send it to the support team by email or any file sharing platform (file size can be large).
```
probe# diag
Creating a diagnostic package, could be long...
Download the diagnostic file with a FTP client: DIAG-E2A346A2-55F7-5834-40AE-B1EC5967FB61-20140610131029
```
## What Information to Give to the Support Team
Use the info command. This summarizes all the basic information needed for support assistance, such as state of the probe, IP address of support tunnel and other useful data.
```
probe# info
UUID E2A346A2-55F7-5834-40AE-B1EC5967FB61
Platform vmware
Role Datastore
Release 3.0.9-r1-internal
License Valid license (2015-01-02 00:00:00)
/ usage 42%
Datadisk present? True
/srv usage 27%
Admin interface 192.168.80.119 / 255.255.255.0 - 192.168.80.255
Support interface 10.10.0.5 / 255.255.255.0
Sniffer state RUNNING
Distribute state RUNNING
Storage state RUNNING
GUI state RUNNING
Database state RUNNING
```
## How to Configure User Interface Language
The **User Interface** is available in both English and French. The language is automatically detected based on the default language of the browser used to access the probe. So, to make the user interface apply the desired language, the administrator should check and configure the default language of the browser.
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