/pyats-genie

pyATS_genie

Use Cases

  • Network verification tool

Installation

  • Install genie as a whole

    • $ pip3 install genie

  • To upgrade this package manually

    • $ pip3 install --upgrade genie

  • To install alpha/beta versions, add --pre

    • $ pip3 install --pre genie

Genie Commands/Examples

  • Learn about device interfaces and output those files into a 'learn' folder

    • $ genie learn interface --testbed testbed.yaml --device ios-1 --output learn

  • Run a diff against 2 directories/files

    • $ genie diff learn learn2 --output diff1

  • Learn all from Genie and output those files into a 'learn' folder

    • $ genie learn all --testbed testbed.yaml --device ios-1 --output learn

  • Run's a command against testbed file and stores the output

    • $ genie parse "show ip ospf database router" --testbed testbed.yaml --device ios-1 --output quickdemo

Examples

Example 1:

  • Run genie learn and output to folder
  • Make a network change via CLI
  • Run genie learn again and output to different folder
  • Run a diff

Example 2:

  • Create a troubleshooting lab
  • Run genie learn and output to folder
  • Make a routing change to break a network
  • Run genie routing commands to show diffs in routing change

Questions:

  • Is 'testbed' file a default name?
  • How do we store passwords from the testbed file?
    • Store using environment vars on local machine?
    • Read creds from a vault (netbox/hashicorp)
  • Where to start?
    • Genie is part of pyATS. The best place to start is with genie CLI

Advantages of Genie

  • No need for API's - it's all done via the CLI
  • Genie makes data structure output the SAME regardless if the commands run on an IOS-XE/XR or NXOS device which makes it easier for comparisons

Extra Curricular

  • Look into Genie Triggers
    • Example: tries to re-establish BGP peers if they go down

Documentation:

Videos