Hello, Habr!
Recently an article caught my eye where a similar task was solved with primitive means. And although the task is quite typical, I couldnβt find anything similar about it on Habr. I dare to propose my own solution to the esteemed IT community.
This is not the first bicycle for such a task. The first version was implemented several years ago on ansible version 1.x.x. The bicycle was rarely used and therefore constantly rusted. In the sense that the task does not arise as often as versions are updated ansible. And each time when it was necessary to ride, the chain would slip, or the wheel would fall off. However, the first part, generating configs, always works very precisely, fortunately, jinja2 the engine has long been established. But the second part β rolling out configs usually presents surprises. And since I have to roll out the config remotely on fifty devices, some of which are thousands of kilometers away, using this tool felt a bit daunting.
Here I must admit that my uncertainty stems more from my insufficient acquaintance with ansible, than from its shortcomings. And this, by the way, is an important point. ansible β this is a completely separate, distinct area of knowledge with its own DSL (Domain Specific Language), which must be maintained at a confident level. And the fact that ansible develops quite rapidly, without much regard for backward compatibility, does not add confidence.
Therefore, not so long ago, a second version of the bicycle was implemented. This time on python, or rather on a framework written in python and for python called
So β Nornir this is a micro-framework written in python and for python and designed for automation. Just like in the case of ansible, solving tasks here requires proper data preparation, i.e. host inventory and their parameters, while scripts are written not in a separate DSL, but all in the same not very old, yet quite capable Python.
Letβs take a look at what it is with the following live example.
I have a branch network with several dozen offices across the country. In each office, there is a WAN router that terminates several communication channels from different operators. The routing protocol is BGP. WAN routers can be of two types: Cisco ISG or Juniper SRX.
The task is now to configure a dedicated subnet for Video Surveillance on all WAN routers of the branch network on a separate port β announce this subnet in BGP β configure speed limitations on the dedicated port.
First, we need to prepare a couple of templates from which configurations will be generated separately for Cisco and Juniper. We also need to gather data on each point and connection parameters, that is, collect the necessary inventory.
Ready template for Cisco:
$ cat templates/ios/base.j2
class-map match-all VIDEO_SURV
match access-group 111
policy-map VIDEO_SURV
class VIDEO_SURV
police 1500000 conform-action transmit exceed-action drop
interface {{ host.task_data.ifname }}
description VIDEOSURV
ip address 10.10.{{ host.task_data.ipsuffix }}.254 255.255.255.0
service-policy input VIDEO_SURV
router bgp {{ host.task_data.asn }}
network 10.40.{{ host.task_data.ipsuffix }}.0 mask 255.255.255.0
access-list 11 permit 10.10.{{ host.task_data.ipsuffix }}.0 0.0.0.255
access-list 111 permit ip 10.10.{{ host.task_data.ipsuffix }}.0 0.0.0.255 anyTemplate for Juniper:
$ cat templates/junos/base.j2
set interfaces {{ host.task_data.ifname }} unit 0 description "Video surveillance"
set interfaces {{ host.task_data.ifname }} unit 0 family inet filter input limit-in
set interfaces {{ host.task_data.ifname }} unit 0 family inet address 10.10.{{ host.task_data.ipsuffix }}.254/24
set policy-options policy-statement export2bgp term 1 from route-filter 10.10.{{ host.task_data.ipsuffix }}.0/24 exact
set security zones security-zone WAN interfaces {{ host.task_data.ifname }}
set firewall policer policer-1m if-exceeding bandwidth-limit 1m
set firewall policer policer-1m if-exceeding burst-size-limit 187k
set firewall policer policer-1m then discard
set firewall policer policer-1.5m if-exceeding bandwidth-limit 1500000
set firewall policer policer-1.5m if-exceeding burst-size-limit 280k
set firewall policer policer-1.5m then discard
set firewall filter limit-in term 1 then policer policer-1.5m
set firewall filter limit-in term 1 then count limiterThe templates, of course, are not arbitrary. They are essentially diffs between working configurations before and after the task was solved on two specific routers of different models.
From our templates, we see that to solve the task we need two parameters for Juniper and three parameters for Cisco. Here they are:
- ifname
- ipsuffix
- asn
Now we need to specify these parameters for each device, that is, do the same. inventory.
For inventory We will strictly follow the documentation.
That is, we will create a similar file skeleton:
.
βββ config.yaml
βββ inventory
β βββ defaults.yaml
β βββ groups.yaml
β βββ hosts.yamlThe config.yaml file is the standard configuration file for Nornir.
$ cat config.yaml
---
core:
num_workers: 10
inventory:
plugin: nornir.plugins.inventory.simple.SimpleInventory
options:
host_file: "inventory/hosts.yaml"
group_file: "inventory/groups.yaml"
defaults_file: "inventory/defaults.yaml"We will specify the main parameters in the file hosts.yaml, group (in my case, these are logins/passwords) in groups.yaml, then moving this task to the section defaults.yaml we won't specify anything, but three dashes must be written there β indicating that this yaml file is empty.
Here is how hosts.yaml looks:
---
srx-test:
hostname: srx-test
groups:
- juniper
data:
task_data:
ifname: fe-0/0/2
ipsuffix: 111
cisco-test:
hostname: cisco-test
groups:
- cisco
data:
task_data:
ifname: GigabitEthernet0/1/1
ipsuffix: 222
asn: 65111And here is groups.yaml:
---
cisco:
platform: ios
username: admin1
password: cisco1
juniper:
platform: junos
username: admin2
password: juniper2This is what it turned out inventory for our task. When initializing, parameters from the inventory files are mapped to the object model InventoryElement.
Under the spoiler, the schema of the InventoryElement model
print(json.dumps(InventoryElement.schema(), indent=4))
{
"title": "InventoryElement",
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"hostname": {
"title": "Hostname",
"type": "string"
},
"port": {
"title": "Port",
"type": "integer"
},
"username": {
"title": "Username",
"type": "string"
},
"password": {
"title": "Password",
"type": "string"
},
"platform": {
"title": "Platform",
"type": "string"
},
"groups": {
"title": "Groups",
"default": [],
"type": "array",
"items": {
"type": "string"
}
},
"data": {
"title": "Data",
"default": {},
"type": "object"
},
"connection_options": {
"title": "Connection_Options",
"default": {},
"type": "object",
"additionalProperties": {
"$ref": "#\/definitions\/ConnectionOptions"
}
}
},
"definitions": {
"ConnectionOptions": {
"title": "ConnectionOptions",
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"hostname": {
"title": "Hostname",
"type": "string"
},
"port": {
"title": "Port",
"type": "integer"
},
"username": {
"title": "Username",
"type": "string"
},
"password": {
"title": "Password",
"type": "string"
},
"platform": {
"title": "Platform",
"type": "string"
},
"extras": {
"title": "Extras",
"type": "object"
}
}
}
}
}This model may seem a bit confusing, especially at first. The interactive mode is very helpful for understanding. ipython.
$ ipython3
Python 3.6.9 (default, Nov 7 2019, 10:44:02)
Type 'copyright', 'credits' or 'license' for more information
IPython 7.1.1 -- An enhanced Interactive Python. Type '?' for help.
In [1]: from nornir import InitNornir
In [2]: nr = InitNornir(config_file="config.yaml", dry_run=True)
In [3]: nr.inventory.hosts
Out[3]:
{'srx-test': Host: srx-test, 'cisco-test': Host: cisco-test}
In [4]: nr.inventory.hosts['srx-test'].data
Out[4]: {'task_data': {'ifname': 'fe-0/0/2', 'ipsuffix': 111}}
In [5]: nr.inventory.hosts['srx-test']['task_data']
Out[5]: {'ifname': 'fe-0/0/2', 'ipsuffix': 111}
In [6]: nr.inventory.hosts['srx-test'].platform
Out[6]: 'junos'
And finally, we move on to the script itself. I don't have much to be proud of here. I just took a ready example from and used it almost without changes. Here is what the ready working script looks like:
from nornir import InitNornir
from nornir.plugins.tasks import networking, text
from nornir.plugins.functions.text import print_title, print_result
def config_and_deploy(task):
# Transform inventory data to configuration via a template file
r = task.run(task=text.template_file,
name="Base Configuration",
template="base.j2",
path=f"templates/{task.host.platform}")
# Save the compiled configuration into a host variable
task.host["config"] = r.result
# Save the compiled configuration into a file
with open(f"configs/{task.host.hostname}", "w") as f:
f.write(r.result)
# Deploy that configuration to the device using NAPALM
task.run(task=networking.napalm_configure,
name="Loading Configuration on the device",
replace=False,
configuration=task.host["config"])
nr = InitNornir(config_file="config.yaml", dry_run=True) # set dry_run=False, cross your fingers and run again
# run tasks
result = nr.run(task=config_and_deploy)
print_result(result)Please note the parameter dry_run=True in the line initializing the object nr.
Here, just like in ansible the test run implemented, a connection to the router is made, a new modified configuration is prepared, which is then validated by the device (but this is not certain; it depends on device support and the implementation of the driver in NAPALM), but the new configuration is not applied immediately. For production use, it is necessary to remove the parameter dry_run or change its value to False.
When executing the Nornir script, detailed logs are output to the console.
Under the spoiler is the output of the production run on two test routers:
config_and_deploy***************************************************************
* cisco-test ** changed : True *******************************************
vvvv config_and_deploy ** changed : True vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv INFO
---- Base Configuration ** changed : True ------------------------------------- INFO
class-map match-all VIDEO_SURV
match access-group 111
policy-map VIDEO_SURV
class VIDEO_SURV
police 1500000 conform-action transmit exceed-action drop
interface GigabitEthernet0/1/1
description VIDEOSURV
ip address 10.10.222.254 255.255.255.0
service-policy input VIDEO_SURV
router bgp 65001
network 10.10.222.0 mask 255.255.255.0
access-list 11 permit 10.10.222.0 0.0.0.255
access-list 111 permit ip 10.10.222.0 0.0.0.255 any
---- Loading Configuration on the device ** changed : True --------------------- INFO
+class-map match-all VIDEO_SURV
+ match access-group 111
+policy-map VIDEO_SURV
+ class VIDEO_SURV
+interface GigabitEthernet0/1/1
+ description VIDEOSURV
+ ip address 10.10.222.254 255.255.255.0
+ service-policy input VIDEO_SURV
+router bgp 65001
+ network 10.10.222.0 mask 255.255.255.0
+access-list 11 permit 10.10.222.0 0.0.0.255
+access-list 111 permit ip 10.10.222.0 0.0.0.255 any
^^^^ END config_and_deploy ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
* srx-test ** changed : True *******************************************
vvvv config_and_deploy ** changed : True vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv INFO
---- Base Configuration ** changed : True ------------------------------------- INFO
set interfaces fe-0/0/2 unit 0 description "Video surveillance"
set interfaces fe-0/0/2 unit 0 family inet filter input limit-in
set interfaces fe-0/0/2 unit 0 family inet address 10.10.111.254/24
set policy-options policy-statement export2bgp term 1 from route-filter 10.10.111.0/24 exact
set security zones security-zone WAN interfaces fe-0/0/2
set firewall policer policer-1m if-exceeding bandwidth-limit 1m
set firewall policer policer-1m if-exceeding burst-size-limit 187k
set firewall policer policer-1m then discard
set firewall policer policer-1.5m if-exceeding bandwidth-limit 1500000
set firewall policer policer-1.5m if-exceeding burst-size-limit 280k
set firewall policer policer-1.5m then discard
set firewall filter limit-in term 1 then policer policer-1.5m
set firewall filter limit-in term 1 then count limiter
---- Loading Configuration on the device ** changed : True --------------------- INFO
[edit interfaces]
+ fe-0/0/2 {
+ unit 0 {
+ description "Video surveillance";
+ family inet {
+ filter {
+ input limit-in;
+ }
+ address 10.10.111.254/24;
+ }
+ }
+ }
[edit]
+ policy-options {
+ policy-statement export2bgp {
+ term 1 {
+ from {
+ route-filter 10.10.111.0/24 exact;
+ }
+ }
+ }
+ }
[edit security zones]
security-zone test-vpn { ... }
+ security-zone WAN {
+ interfaces {
+ fe-0/0/2.0;
+ }
+ }
[edit]
+ firewall {
+ policer policer-1m {
+ if-exceeding {
+ bandwidth-limit 1m;
+ burst-size-limit 187k;
+ }
+ then discard;
+ }
+ policer policer-1.5m {
+ if-exceeding {
+ bandwidth-limit 1500000;
+ burst-size-limit 280k;
+ }
+ then discard;
+ }
+ filter limit-in {
+ term 1 {
+ then {
+ policer policer-1.5m;
+ count limiter;
+ }
+ }
+ }
+ }
^^^^ END config_and_deploy ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hiding passwords in ansible_vault
At the beginning of the article, I was a bit critical of ansible, but it's not all that bad. I really like their vault It is nice, which is intended for hiding sensitive information from view. And probably many have noticed that all our usernames/passwords for all production routers are displayed in plain sight in the file. gorups.yaml. This is certainly not aesthetically pleasing. Let's protect this data using vault.
We'll move the parameters from groups.yaml to creds.yaml and encrypt it with AES256 using a 20-character password:
$ cd inventory
$ cat creds.yaml
---
cisco:
username: admin1
password: cisco1
juniper:
username: admin2
password: juniper2
$ pwgen 20 -N 1 > vault.passwd
ansible-vault encrypt creds.yaml --vault-password-file vault.passwd
Encryption successful
$ cat creds.yaml
$ANSIBLE_VAULT;1.1;AES256
39656463353437333337356361633737383464383231366233386636333965306662323534626131
3964396534396333363939373539393662623164373539620a346565373439646436356438653965
39643266333639356564663961303535353364383163633232366138643132313530346661316533
6236306435613132610a656163653065633866626639613537326233653765353661613337393839
62376662303061353963383330323164633162386336643832376263343634356230613562643533
30363436343465306638653932366166306562393061323636636163373164613630643965636361
34343936323066393763323633336366366566393236613737326530346234393735306261363239
35663430623934323632616161636330353134393435396632663530373932383532316161353963
31393434653165613432326636616636383665316465623036376631313162646435That's it. Now we just need to teach our Nornir-script to extract and apply this data.
For this, in our script after the initialization line nr = InitNornir(config_file=β¦ we add the following code:
...
nr = InitNornir(config_file="config.yaml", dry_run=True) # set dry_run=False, cross your fingers and run again
# enrich Inventory with the encrypted vault data
from ansible_vault import Vault
vault_password_file="inventory/vault.passwd"
vault_file="inventory/creds.yaml"
with open(vault_password_file, "r") as fp:
password = fp.readline().strip()
vault = Vault(password)
vaultdata = vault.load(open(vault_file).read())
for a in nr.inventory.hosts.keys():
item = nr.inventory.hosts[a]
item.username = vaultdata[item.groups[0]]['username']
item.password = vaultdata[item.groups[0]]['password']
#print("hostname={}, username={}, password={}n".format(item.hostname, item.username, item.password))
# run tasks
...Of course, vault.passwd should not be located next to creds.yaml like in my example. But for experimentation, it will do.
That's all for now. A couple more articles on Cisco + Zabbix are on the way, but that's a bit off-topic from automation. In the near future, I plan to write about RESTCONF in Cisco.
Source: habr.com
