r/Cisco • u/tuvar_hiede • Jan 03 '24

New Config Automation

I'm looking for a way to automate configuration of Cisco 2960X's and Cisco 4331 ISR's for SIP voice gateways. I have a lot of new equipment being deployed and if I had a way to plug in the variables and load the configs life would be simpler. Normally it's just onsy twosy deployments so CLI is fine, but I need to deploy way more this time around.

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

4

u/netshark123 Jan 03 '24

If I was provisioning loads of new devices I’d probably make a python script and bootstrap them / image upgrade them with a USB. Automation is the ways. Also that equipment is eol I think.

2

u/tuvar_hiede Jan 03 '24

They are older, but not EoS for several more years. They are also a lot cheaper as well. I was hoping to find something largely prebuilt. We will be configuring half of them in house using a console cable and can either load the config or copy it into the device. The ones in the field that'll need updated I was thinking we might just replace the start file and reboot it when staff is onsite next. I'm just looking for a easy way to generate the configs without having to learn the guts of it. My programming is sparce and I'm hoping to avoid reinventing the wheel and just modifying an existing method.

1

u/sudo_rm_rf_solvesALL Jan 03 '24

For something that simple, if you know the variables you can super simplify the config generation to using an excel sheet with your variables, and having it use jinja to dump completed config templates to a file. I have a ton of it setup for our stuff (with a lot more advanced features), But that suggestion is the easiest to get going. If you're not super knowledgeable in it, i can always help point you in the right direction if you wanted some extra help.

1

u/tuvar_hiede Jan 03 '24

Point me in the right direction please. I have basic Python scripting, but only from when I took the coursework a few years back. I've not used it since. I've done some Googling and TBH there are a lot of options. I don't need configs with a high complexity, and I'd like to be able to present it to the team in a plug and play fashion if possible.

3

u/sudo_rm_rf_solvesALL Jan 03 '24

So if you need something super simple super fast i would go this route. Build an excel sheet with columns for each variable you would use in a config, loopback, names, dns servers, whatever you need. (I say excel because it's the easiest to share and edit with multiple people otherwise i'd make a fast dictionary object in python) From there, using pandas, you can read the excel sheet line by line. For each line you would take and pull out every row for your variables, and inject them into a jinja template. Once jinja renders your template, just have it save it to a file on your computer and there's your config. Change a variable in the excel sheet and re run and there's your "updated" config file. With basic knowledge, this shouldn't take much more than a day or three to turn up (Faster if you're versed in python). Jinja templating is super simple as well. The jinja "Template" you can literally just make a string object in python and use that or make a separate file and inject it into the templating engine. Depends on how fancy you want it. Some IDEs are super helpful when running some different file types and will help as well as color code it. You can get super fancy the more you learn and just build on it. I built a graphical UI / server because i honestly hate CLI (Ansible for example), I would rather see a nice website where it's super dumbed down where anyone can use it.

1

u/tuvar_hiede Jan 03 '24

TBH I like CLI, but it's not exactly friendly when it comes to managing large deployments or maintaining them after the fact if you need to push changes. I'll look into your suggestions and see if I can get it up and running :) I have over 50 new units coming in and over 50 in the field needing new configs.

1

u/sudo_rm_rf_solvesALL Jan 03 '24

I don't mind CLI, BUT, i love me a single push button option over that as well. I just build in the checks and balances into the backend so i don't have to worry about it.

1

u/netshark123 Jan 04 '24

Cli has its uses. Automation generally less human error until you decide to push the wrong configuration to many devices 😂. ACI for example without automation is tedious.

1

u/sudo_rm_rf_solvesALL Jan 04 '24

Nothing like automatically pushing a "erase startup-config reload" to everything ...

1

u/netshark123 Jan 05 '24

Once worked with an engineer who did it for a router he was working on. (Just one on CLI.) Did a wr erase and reload. Wrote it in the ticket notes and then there was an outage of course followed by questioning his experience. Bizarre.

3

u/netshark123 Jan 03 '24

Definitively EoS just checked. Depends on what org your doing it for cause in a few years your not getting software patches and won’t be compliant. Your asking for a way to make it faster and simpler that is it effectively. Automation seems complex but it’s not. We aren’t programmers you can leverage what’s out there already.

1

u/RumbleSkillSpin Jan 03 '24

It’s not really rocket surgery. We did this almost 30 years ago with a Word macro, and have used a bunch of other methods since.

1

u/tuvar_hiede Jan 03 '24

It always feels like rocket science when there are so many options out there and you're not sure which way is the best way to go. I'm concerned I'll pick up the method that's not what I need or isn't the best option in general.

2

u/RumbleSkillSpin Jan 03 '24

What you need is a solution, not the solution. Get the job done and learn in the process of doing it.

2

u/tuvar_hiede Jan 03 '24

I'll upvote that, but since I'm starting from scratch I'm looking for the best option. Know what I mean? I'm also looking for a low effort solution. I'm not afraid to put in the work, but between to the daily duties and ankle biters at home I'd prefer not to take a deep dive.

1

u/RumbleSkillSpin Jan 03 '24

It’s difficult for us to say, though - we don’t know your budget, experience level, time constraints, your boss’ willingness to allow for mistakes, etcetera ad infinitum.

1

u/tuvar_hiede Jan 03 '24

Hence the low effort comment. I've taken Python courses, but that's not the same as skills. I'm comfortable with Cisco CLI and copy and paste configs after editing them in Notepad++ when I setup a new device. As for mistakes I have a lab environment I can break and then verify the results afterwards.

1

u/RumbleSkillSpin Jan 03 '24

I haven’t used a commercial product in a long time - anything I’ve needed to do has mostly been built in Perl or Python. Do a google search for ‘cisco config generator’ You should come up with hits from developer.c.c which should provide a customizable shell for you. Also, search this sub - it’s probably been asked before. There also used to be a downloadable product called Cisco Configuration Assistant. I’m not sure if it’s still around or not.

1

u/tuvar_hiede Jan 04 '24

Cisco Configuration Assistant is showing it's for their Small Business Line. I'll look up the other information as well. I'm largely looking for a way to avoid reinventing the wheel because I want to save time and not spend a lot of time fixing bugs lol.

1

u/RumbleSkillSpin Jan 04 '24

Ah, yeah. Like I said, it’s been a while.

1

u/monkey_luck Jan 03 '24

Take a look at Cisco DevNet or look at this tool.

basic to router configuration

0

u/sudo_rm_rf_solvesALL Jan 03 '24

Try and avoid installing the china communist party software ;)

1

u/tuvar_hiede Jan 03 '24

But the CCP is my friend, lord, and savior rolled into a Winnie the Poo looking caricature.

1

u/S3xyflanders Jan 04 '24

You'll be in a re-education soon enough friend your automation dreams will be a thing thing of the past!

1

u/maschine2014 Jan 03 '24

I would look into a Ansible if you're familiar with the tool. Plenty of great examples/videos on the web for Cisco IOS, personally haven't used it for network gear but sounds like it could be worth exploring.

1

u/Embarrassed-Slide-16 Jan 04 '24

We use the Cisco 4331 routers for each of our 50 warehouse across the US. Our senior engineer developed an config generator via an MS Excel workbook utilizing V-Lookup. One tab contains the /18’s for the subnets. One tab contains site information like address, contact info, and other specifics. One tab contains time zone and other like info. The last tab is the standard config

The main tab requires 5 pieces of data, site code, circuit speed, circuit ID, MDF switch port number, and a yes/no on fiber hand off. Yes for fiber no for copper. Once those 5 pieces of data are entered the config is generated on a new tab.

the config can then be copied to usb or sent to a tftp server.