RE: Cisco config checker
The problem we have with this product is the support features. First it was no OSPF only EIGRP, then OSPF but no virtual links. Virtual links would be needed to solve OSPF area connectivity problems that this tool would find. Then it was no BGP, or BGP but no confederations, route reflectors. Now I need multi point GRE tunnels and NHRP. This product could save me a lot of time in a lab with a lot of Cisco boxes connect together You are write a product reflects what some one else thinks you need, a tool kit lets you build what you need. We have suggest to Cisco that if this tool is to be usable it must be in step with the IOS releases and regression tested. A AI prof I know said "the only real model of the real world is the real world" This tool can never tell if the real network will work ---------- From: Alex P. Rudnev[SMTP:alex@Relcom.EU.net] Sent: Monday, January 04, 1999 17:16 To: Lawrence A. Deleski Cc: nanog@merit.edu Subject: Re: Cisco config checker It's good product, but (1) it's expancive, and (2) we do not need product, we does need tools to build our own systems. On Sun, 3 Jan 1999, Lawrence A. Deleski wrote:
Date: Sun, 03 Jan 1999 23:55:04 -0700 From: Lawrence A. Deleski <lad@inficad.com> To: Pete Kruckenberg <pete@kruckenberg.com> Cc: nanog@merit.edu Subject: Re: Cisco config checker
Pete,
Take a look at:
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/rtrmgmt/netsys/index.htm
...for the connectivity tools and ...
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/rtrmgmt/netsys/nt/index.htm
...for the Baseliner tools.
The Netsys Connectivity and Baseliner tools may have the features you're looking for. Verification of Cisco configs is a feature of the tool.
/lad
Is there such a thing as a Cisco config checker, to allow off-line editing of Cisco configs and check them before they're uploaded to the router? Preferrably something that could be used in a Web/Unix environment as a filter.
Pete
Aleksei Roudnev, Network Operations Center, Relcom, Moscow (+7 095) 194-19-95 (Network Operations Center Hot Line),(+7 095) 239-10-10, N 13729 (pager) (+7 095) 196-72-12 (Support), (+7 095) 194-33-28 (Fax)
S.J.Brannon wrote:
We have suggest to Cisco that if this tool is to be usable it must be in step with the IOS releases and regression tested.
IOS has inside a data representation of what it things the configuration is (or should be). It read it in and it can write it back out. It is that internal data structure, as complex and messy as it probably is, having parts of the data scattered in so many modules, that really could represent the delta. Perhaps the only reliable way to do this is to do it inside IOS itself. With a new semantic of a config load that would mean "replace the old config entirely with this config" (as opposed to the existing semantic "merge this config with the old config") and the IOS would do the right thing, this might work. It would be a little bit more black magic, but it would beat having to keep two different IOS config interpreters in sync (the real IOS and the external tools).
This tool can never tell if the real network will work
I don't think this problem will ever be truly solved by any means other than the ones we use now (check it the best you can, have a fallback plan, and go for it at a time of least disruption). -- -- *-----------------------------* Phil Howard KA9WGN * -- -- | Inturnet, Inc. | Director of Internet Services | -- -- | Business Internet Solutions | eng at intur.net | -- -- *-----------------------------* philh at intur.net * --
is (or should be). It read it in and it can write it back out. It is that internal data structure, as complex and messy as it probably is, having parts of the data scattered in so many modules, that really could represent the delta. Perhaps the only reliable way to do this is to do it inside IOS itself. With a new semantic of a config load that would mean "replace the old config entirely with this config" (as opposed to It's difficult to _REPLACE ALL CONFIG_ because it means you should restart a lot of internal programs, but (for example) replace colored
I know, but - if you support doc's, you can support simple config analyser/helper out of IOS. And, btw, what's absent in IOS config is _CONFIG COLORING_ - it would be pretty if I could color any piece of config to it's uniq color and use command like _unload config RED_ -:)... part - why not?
the existing semantic "merge this config with the old config") and the IOS would do the right thing, this might work. It would be a little bit more black magic, but it would beat having to keep two different IOS config interpreters in sync (the real IOS and the external tools).
This tool can never tell if the real network will work
I don't think this problem will ever be truly solved by any means other than the ones we use now (check it the best you can, have a fallback plan, and go for it at a time of least disruption).
-- -- *-----------------------------* Phil Howard KA9WGN * -- -- | Inturnet, Inc. | Director of Internet Services | -- -- | Business Internet Solutions | eng at intur.net | -- -- *-----------------------------* philh at intur.net * --
Aleksei Roudnev, Network Operations Center, Relcom, Moscow (+7 095) 194-19-95 (Network Operations Center Hot Line),(+7 095) 239-10-10, N 13729 (pager) (+7 095) 196-72-12 (Support), (+7 095) 194-33-28 (Fax)
participants (3)
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Alex P. Rudnev -
Phil Howard -
S.J.Brannon