Rancid NCM Features

 

What is Rancid?

Automates retrieval of the configurations and archives them

Functions as:

  • Backup tool 
  • Audit tool 
  • Blame allocation 

The data is stored in a VCS (Version Control System) – supported are:

  • CVS (Concurrent Versions Systems)
  • SVN (SubVersioN) 

                                           

Run (manually or automated)

Lookup list of groups - For each device in each list of groups:

  • Connect to the equipment (telnet, ssh, …)
  • Run ”show” commands – config, inventory, ...
  • Collect, filter/format data
  •  Retrieve the resulting config files
  • CVS check-in the changes
  • Generate a diff from the previous version
  • E-mail the diff to a mail address (individual or group) 

 How does it work?

right-start

   

What can you use it for?

  
  • Track changes in the equipment configuration
  • Track changes in the hardware (S/N, modules) 
  • Track version changes in the OS (IOS, CatOS versions)
  •  Recover from accidental configuration errors

 

  

  • Run traditional filtering commands on your configs (grep, sed, for information)
  • Re-use the automated login tools to build your own batch tools or do interactive login 
  • On large configurations, you can parallelize operations

 Post Processing

right-start

 

Other Applications

  
  • Automated checks (verify configs for strange/ inconsistent setup)
  • Generate a DNS file from the equipment list
  • Use IP address adjacency to produce a graph of your network

 

Altnix Advantage

Rancid NCM Consulting

Altnix provides consulting services for Rancid NCM for network configuration management.  Rancid NCM Consulting includes the following:

  • In-Depth Analysis of your business requirements and scope study
  • Consulting on best practices with Rancid NCM
  • Hardware Sizing Guidelines and choice of physical versus virtual hardware
  • Solution Design Document that can be handed over to engineers for implementation

Rancid Implementation and Deployment 

Altnix will implement Rancid for network configuration management keeping in mind the business requirements. Implementation includes the following:

  • Rancid NCM Installation and Setup
  • Rancid configuration
  • Network Configuration setup for Routers, Switches and Network Devices
  • Device Libraries and Plugins for Non-standard devices
  • Design and Development
  • Testing and UAT sign off after consultation with the customer
  • Production Implementation and Go Live
  • Documentation for future reference

Rancid NCM Customization

Altnix will customize your Rancid installation so that it is a better fit for your business environment.

  • Creating new scripts for different types of network devices, switches, and routers to be used inside Rancid
  • Creating new visualizations and dashboards as per customer needs
  • Creating custom reports and charts as per customer needs
  • Adding new scripts, plug-ins, and components if needed

Third-Party Integration

Altnix will integrate Rancid with other third-party tools to meet several business use cases.

  • Ticketing systems such as IBM Netcool, BMC Remedy, Zendesk, and ((OTRS)) Community Edition
  • ITSM tools such as ((OTRS)) Community Edition, GLPi Network Edition, ServiceNow and HP Universal CMDB
  • Monitoring tools such as OpenNMS, Nagios, Zabbix and Prometheus
  • IT Automation Tools such as Ansible, Jenkins, and StackStorm
  • Visualization Tools such as Cacti, Grafana, and Graphite

24x7 AMC Support Services

Altnix offers 24x7 support services on an AMC or per hour basis for new or existing installations on Rancid NCM. Our team of experts are available round the clock and respond to you within a predefined SLA.

 

Case Studies

 

Knute Weicke

Security Head, IT

Fellowes Inc, USA

  

 

Altnix was an instrumental partner in two phases of our Security ISO needs. The first being a comprehensive developed Service/Ticketing system for our global offices. The second being that of an Asset Management tool that ties all assets into our Ticketing systems to close a gap that we had in that category. They are strong partners in working towards a viable solution for our needs

 

 

The Altnix team was very easy to work with and resolved our needs in a timely manner.  Working with Altnix, allowed us to focus on our core business while they handled the technical components to help streamline our business tools.  We have found a strategic partner in Altnix

  

 

Johnnie Rucker

General Manager

Encore Global Solutions, USA

 

 

White Papers

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