[rancid] wrangling configs with RANCID (right for non-Cisco vendors?)

[Rogelio]

Apologies is this has been answered before (just joined the litstserv
today and am still wrapping my mind around RANCID).

Can RANCID work on non-standard equipment, particularly ones that DO
NOT allow you to output something nice and "scriptable" (e.g. Cisco's
"show running-config"). A horrid networking appliance got shoved down
our NOC's throat, and it does not output a config that is easily
copy/paste-able. Because this appliance is extremely important, we're
looking to keep track of (and alert on) config changes.

(If not RANCID, any other suggestions?)

[Ryan West]

A lot of non cisco devices are supported, what type of device are you trying to backup?

Sent from handheld

Post by Rogelio
Apologies is this has been answered before (just joined the litstserv
today and am still wrapping my mind around RANCID).
Can RANCID work on non-standard equipment, particularly ones that DO
NOT allow you to output something nice and "scriptable" (e.g. Cisco's
"show running-config"). A horrid networking appliance got shoved down
our NOC's throat, and it does not output a config that is easily
copy/paste-able. Because this appliance is extremely important, we're
looking to keep track of (and alert on) config changes.
(If not RANCID, any other suggestions?)
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Rancid-discuss mailing list
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[Rogelio]

Post by Ryan West
A lot of non cisco devices are supported, what type of device are you trying to backup?

D-Link and BelAir wireless devices are some of what we have to
monitor. Many more weird ones are on the Horizon.

Does RANCID allow you to monitor devices that don't easily output
their config? (Some of these devices make you go into each directory
and type out a command that gives the status, but not in a format that
is copy/pastable)

[andrew.brennan+]

As long as the devices have a CLI, you should be able to run scripts
against them using Expect (and autoexpect). Modify that script such that
you have variables for IP and prompts, etc. and you can monitor most any
product. It won't be pretty, but it's doable.

Post by Rogelio

Post by Ryan West
A lot of non cisco devices are supported, what type of device are you trying to backup?

D-Link and BelAir wireless devices are some of what we have to
monitor. Many more weird ones are on the Horizon.
Does RANCID allow you to monitor devices that don't easily output
their config? (Some of these devices make you go into each directory
and type out a command that gives the status, but not in a format that
is copy/pastable)
_______________________________________________
Rancid-discuss mailing list
http://www.shrubbery.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/rancid-discuss

[john heasley]

Post by Rogelio

Post by Ryan West
A lot of non cisco devices are supported, what type of device are you trying to backup?

D-Link and BelAir wireless devices are some of what we have to
monitor. Many more weird ones are on the Horizon.
Does RANCID allow you to monitor devices that don't easily output
their config? (Some of these devices make you go into each directory
and type out a command that gives the status, but not in a format that
is copy/pastable)

none are currently supported. as mentioned in a recent thread, its possible
that a script could, for example, tftp a config from a device, copy that
config to (or compile multiple tftp'd files int) router.db_devicename.raw,
then treat the like rancid does for the NOPIPE option (see rancid.conf(5)).

[Jethro R Binks]

Post by john heasley

Post by Rogelio

Post by Ryan West
A lot of non cisco devices are supported, what type of device are you trying to backup?

D-Link and BelAir wireless devices are some of what we have to
monitor. Many more weird ones are on the Horizon.
Does RANCID allow you to monitor devices that don't easily output
their config? (Some of these devices make you go into each directory
and type out a command that gives the status, but not in a format that
is copy/pastable)

none are currently supported. as mentioned in a recent thread, its
possible that a script could, for example, tftp a config from a device,
copy that config to (or compile multiple tftp'd files int)
router.db_devicename.raw, then treat the like rancid does for the NOPIPE
option (see rancid.conf(5)).

Michael Stefaniuc wrote "wrancid" which allowed you to use an arbitrary
script to obtain "a config", for rancid to work against. I updated and
tweaked it a bit, see the following for more details:

http://sites.google.com/site/jrbinks/code/rancid/wraprancid

but beware: I haven't tested this in a long time, don't actually use it
day to day currently, and don't remember that much about it :).

Jethro.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jethro R Binks, Computing Officer
Information Services, The University Of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, number SC015263.

[Martin Barry]

$quoted_author = "Jethro R Binks" ;

Post by Jethro R Binks
Michael Stefaniuc wrote "wrancid" which allowed you to use an arbitrary
script to obtain "a config", for rancid to work against. I updated and
http://sites.google.com/site/jrbinks/code/rancid/wraprancid
but beware: I haven't tested this in a long time, don't actually use it
day to day currently, and don't remember that much about it :).

And the reverse is true here. Recently implemented to TFTP configuration off
both a VPN3000 and some Linksys switches.

Give it a try and feel free to ask any questions...

cheers
Marty