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Article Number: 000178071

How to automate Dell EMC Network devices with DevOps tools?

Summary: How to configure, manage and automate Dell EMC Network switches with DevOps Configuration Management Tools (CMT) and open source APIs.

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Article Content

Symptoms

This article provides an overview of Dell EMC Networking integration with industry standard open source DevOps Configuration Management Tools (CMT) and open source scripting APIs to ease configuration and automation of network devices and functions. Click on the partner to expand the integration with Dell EMC Network devices.
 
SLN309898_en_US__1Ansible-Mark-Large-RGB-Black SLN309898_en_US__2Ansible-Wordmark-50-RGB-Black

Ansible is a simple agentless automation framework that can configure systems, deploy software, and orchestrate IT tasks.

Ansible supports network automation as part of its core framework. Starting with Ansible 2.3 and later, the Ansible core supports Dell EMC Networking modules to manage and automate switches running OS6, OS9 and OS10. All modules are currently executed in local connection mode, using CLI and SSH transport.

Additional information
         
    • Managed nodes are the OS10, OS9 and/or OS6 network switch devices. Ansible is not installed on managed nodes. To enable Ansible on the switch:
      • OS10

        1. Create an username and password for Ansible
        2. Configure the Management interface (static/dynamic IP address)
        Note: SSH is enabled in OS10 by default
    • OS9

      1. Create an username and password for Ansilbe
      2. Configure the Management interface (static/dynamic IP address)
      3. Enable the SSH server
      4. Set the maximum connection rate limit
     
    • OS6

      1. Create an username and password for Ansible
      2. Configure the Management interface (static/dynamic IP address)
      3. Enable the SSH server
     
    Dell EMC switches running the OpenSwitch (OPX) Network Operating System can also be automated with Ansible. Refer to OPX wiki and Ansible for OPX for integration information.
    SLN309898_en_US__3Chef-Logo-Large

    Chef is a configuration management tool that can configure infrastructure as code.

    Chef is a powerful automation tool that transforms infrastructure into code, automates how infrastructure is configured, deployed, and managed across your network. To facilitate use of Chef with Dell EMC OS10 switches, the following overview is provided:

    Additional information
       
      • The Chef server acts as a hub for configuration data.

        The Chef server stores cookbooks, the policies that are applied to nodes and metadata that describes each registered node that is being managed by Chef.  Nodes use the Chef client to ask the Chef server for configuration details, such as recipes, templates, and file distributions. Using the OS10 cookbook allows a network administrator to manage a Dell EMC OS10 switch with Chef.  This cookbook bundles a set of Chef resources, sample recipes and installation tools for network management. Follow the Chef knife cookbook site command to install this cookbook.

         

      • The Chef client nodes are machines that are managed by Chef.

        The Chef client is installed on each node (switch) and is used to confirgure the switch to its desired state.  Download and execute the OS10 DevOps Infrastructure Install script on the Dell EMC switch to install the OS10 Devops Ruby Utilities Debian package.  This package allows the execution of any OS10 command and returns the output.

         

      • Documentation:
         
       
      Dell EMC switches running the OpenSwitch (OPX) Network Operating System can also be automated with Chef. Refer to OPX wiki and Chef for OPX for integration information.
      SLN309898_en_US__4Puppet-Logo-Amber-Black-lg

      Puppet is a model-driven, open-source configuration management tool which helps in the concept of infrastructure as code.

      Puppet's integration with Dell EMC Networking let you manage Dell EMC OS10 switches with human-readable code. Dell EMC Networking modules for Puppet are available for dowload from Puppet Forge.  These modules can be used to manage and automate switches running OS10 operating system. The current version of the modules have been tested and verified with Puppet version 5.3 and OS10 version 10.4.0. To facilitate use of Puppet with Dell EMC OS10 switches, the following overview is provided:

      Additional information
         
        • The Puppet master needs to be installed on a standalone server that has contectivity to all the Dell EMC Netwowrking devices to be managed. The OS10 module neeeds to be installed on the Puppet master server.
           
        Dell EMC switches running the OpenSwitch (OPX) Network Operating System can also be automated with Puppet. Refer to OPX wiki and Puppet for OPX for integration information.
        SLN309898_en_US__5SaltStack-Large SLN309898_en_US__6Napalm-Logo

        SaltStack (also referred to as Salt) is a configuration management system, capable of maintaining remote nodes in defined states, executing commands, and query data.

        Salt supports the infrastructure as code approach to deployment and cloud management. Salt execution routines can be written as plain Python modules.

        Network Automation and Programmability Abstraction Layer with Multivendor support (NAPALM) is a Python library that implements a set of functions using a unified API with vendor neutral devices. OS10 switches can be managed and automated using Salt and NAPALM together.

        Additional information
         

        The primary components are the following:

           
          • The Salt master is the central controlled server performing functions such as authenticating minions, sending and receiving requests from connected minions and sending and receiving requests and replies to the 'salt' CLI. The simpliest way to install Salt master is via Salt bootstrap script. Additionally, the Dell EMC Networking OS10 NAPALM driver will need to be installed on the Salt master.
           
          • The Salt minion is installed on each device to be managed by Salt. Upon startup, a minion attempts to connect to the Salt master, then authenticate and then listen for jobs from the master.
             
             
          Dell EMC switches running the OpenSwitch (OPX) Network Operating System can also be automated with Salt. Refer to OPX wiki and Salt for OPX for integration information.

          Cause

          Dell Technologies

          Resolution

          2020 Dell Inc.

          Article Properties

          Last Published Date

          14 Mar 2024

          Version

          11

          Article Type

          Solution

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