Azure CLI: Default-Values for config-Session
In most cases, at least some parameters for a set of CLI-Commands remain the same. Setting those as „default“ saves time and reduces human error. For example, specify your location and ressource-group exactly one time and never repeat it:Read More →
OVF/OVA-Properties
When deploying Virtual-Machines by OVF/OVA-Files in automated manner, eg. using PowerShell of Terraform, it’s crucial to set all individual deployment parameters using the provisioning system. Discover the available Properties using PowerShell OFV-Tool Using PowerShell Create a vCenter-Connection Retrieve the OVF-Config-Object Display all contained Properties („=Keys“) Deployment-Option? Using OVF-Tool OVFTOOL.EXE, provided by VMware (Download OVFTOOL) allows to inspect existing OVA/OFV-Files, too.Read More →
Provision a Cisco CSR1000V-Router as Virtual-Box-VM with sliptreamed Configuration, wait until it’s up and open an Putty-SSH-Connection
The existing Windows-Comman-Script has been enhanced so it now waits until the Router-VM is up got an IP-Address assigned using DHCP. For Demonstration-Purposes an SSH-Connection will be established. The public-key of my laptop-ssh-client is part of the slipstreamed Router-Configuration. Deploy a Router-VM with hostname „CSY“. Establish an SSH-Connection to the discovered Router-IP: Have a look to the startup-config used: This is the „CMD“-Script used:Read More →
WaitForCDPNeighbor.py enhanced: Wait for CDP Hostname with usable connected IP-Address.
The following version adds a „-c“ option: „Connected IP-Address“-Check. the script exits, when the Router-VM is up and running and has an usable IP-Address The Script still checks all CDP-Packets received at the specified Interface: If the Sender has the correct „Hostname“ it reads the CDP-Management-IP-Address announced. This IP-Address has to be within the IP-Range of any connected IP-Network at the specified Interface. So it’ll be possible to establish a SSH-Session to the router-VM.Read More →
Python Scapy: Wait for CDP-Neighbor
After provisioning a new Cisco CSR1000V-Router this script waits until the router is fully deployed got it’s Management-IP-Address assigned via DHCP. and returns this Management IP-Address. Prepare First, install „netaddr“-package. needed to check, if the management-IP of the CDP-Neighbor is in the correct IP-Subnet the „wait-for-CDP“-Script Obviously far to much hard-coded stuff, just as an example 😉 waiting for a CDP-Neighbor to appear with the following properties: hostname „CSR-A“ an IP-Address within the network „192.168.56.0 /24“ at the interface VirtualBox Host-Only-Network Provision a new CSR1000V Router named „CSR-A“ Run the „wait-for-CDP-Neighbor“-Script In a second CMD-Box, and… Be patient, of course. Or store the returned IP-AddressRead More →
Scripted provisioning of a Cisco CSR1000V as VirtualBox-Guest: Slipstream initial startup-config
To enable immediate remote-access to brandnew deployed virtual Cisco CSR1000V-Routers by scripts, ansible etc. it’s necessary to predeploy the startup-config at least with public-rsa-keys etc. Prepare Download and install the nice tool http://CDBurnerXP. This will install a companion cli-tool cdbxpcmd.exe along with the GUI-Version. It’ll be used to prepare an ISO-„CDROM“ containing the prepared „startup-config“-file. Prepare Prepare an IOS-XE Configuration file… Modify the existing script These commands create the ISO-File in the %LOC%-Path. Mount this ISO to the VM The contained config-file will get automatically applied when the router boots the first time. Run the VM the config-file gets applied access the router This dependsRead More →
Scripted provisioning of a Cisco CSR1000V as VirtualBox-Guest
In a lab environment it might be handy to quickly rollout new (virtual) routers without much manual intervention. The following script creates a VirtualBox-VM and boots it up. Prepare Install VirtualBox and have a CSR1000V-ISO-File ready. Execute The Inventory populates: Use it After another reboot the serial console can be accessed by a windows pipe: The pipe provides access to the serial-console:Read More →
COT – Common OVF-Tool – Import of VCenter HTTPS Certificate
Background: Python-Requests wants to verify https-certificates, which makes sense to me. – but my VCenter uses a self-signed Certificate Don’t think about ignoring certificate errors 😉 Prerequisites Download the certificate from the VCenter: Install the certificate: Now Python.requests validates the vCenter: Add the Export to ~/.bashrc at the end of the fileRead More →