Netconf

Introduction

Ruby implementation of some Netconf (RFC 6241) capabilities. In addition to the Netconf base capabilities, there is specific support for managing Juniper Infranet Controllers

For examples of use with a Juniper Infranet confoller see the code in the examples/ directory

Examples

Connecting to a device (default port 22)

begin
  n = Netconf::Factory.create(
    :transport => 'ssh',
    :login => 'username',
    :password => 'password',
    :hostname => 'host.example.com' 
  )
rescue Netconf::RPCException => e
  puts "RPCException received:"
  e.errors.each do |error|
    puts "\t#{error.error_message}"
  end
end

Connecting to a device (alternate port)

begin
  n = Netconf::Factory.create(
    :transport => 'ssh',
    :login => 'username',
    :password => 'password',
    :hostname => 'host.example.com',
    :port => 830
  )
rescue Netconf::RPCException => e
  puts "RPCException received:"
  e.errors.each do |error|
    puts "\t#{error.error_message}"
  end
end

Getting the entire config

begin
  n = Netconf::Factory.create(
    :transport => 'ssh',
    :login => 'username',
    :password => 'password',
    :hostname => 'host.example.com',
    :port => 830
  )
  config = n.get_config
rescue Netconf::RPCException => e
  puts "RPCException received:"
  e.errors.each do |error|
    puts "\t#{error.error_message}"
  end
end

Getting a specific block of config

begin
  n = Netconf::Factory.create(
    :transport => 'ssh',
    :login => 'username',
    :password => 'password',
    :hostname => 'host.example.com',
    :port => 830
  )
  filter = <<_EOF
   <t:top xmlns:t="http://example.com/schema/1.2/config">
     <t:interfaces>
       <t:interface t:ifName="eth0"/>
     </t:interfaces>
   </t:top>
  _EOF
  config = n.get_config(filter)
rescue Netconf::RPCException => e
  puts "RPCException received:"
  e.errors.each do |error|
    puts "\t#{error.error_message}"
  end
end

Setting a config value

We use builder to build XML blocks to send to the device. This is very efficient since the xml is being sent to the device (as opposed to being built in memory) as it is being built. It is very easy to send config in an "edit-config" operation using builder, simply supply a block to the edit_config method. When called, the block will be passed an instance of the builder object.

begin
  n = Netconf::Factory.create(
    :transport => 'ssh',
    :login => 'username',
    :password => 'password',
    :hostname => 'host.example.com',
    :port => 830
  )
  n.edit_config('running') do |xml|
    xml.top( 'xmlns' => 'http://example.com/schema/1.2/config') do
      xml.interface do
        xml.name 'Ethernet0/0'
        xml.mtu '1500'
      end
    end
  end
rescue Netconf::RPCException => e
  puts "RPCException received:"
  e.errors.each do |error|
    puts "\t#{error.error_message}"
  end
end

Adding new capabilities

It is also very easy to add new capabilities. Capabilities are added in the form of Ruby modules. Any module that implements a set of capabilities need only have a has_capability? method that will return true for a matching capability in the Netconf hello received for the device. The Ruby Netconf API will iterate all the modules in the capabilities directory and will include them in the Device class if the has_capability? returns true.

module MyCapabilities

  def self.has_capability? capability
    capability =~ /http:\/\/example.net\/router\/2.3\/myfeature/
  end

  def myfeature
    # do whatever you need to do here
  end
end

For more detailed use please see the existing capabilities in lib/netconf/capabilities/