Parse Device Output
This topic describes the benefits of using parsed output for network automation, and provides an example of how a parser works.
Device output can vary widely between different devices and for different show commands.
A parser converts device output into a Python dictionary, which stores the device data as a set of key-value pairs. This process harmonizes the data structure for different types of communication interfaces, including CLI, REST, NETCONF, and others.
The pyATS Library parsers create standardized output for commands, which means
that you can write and run reusable automation scripts. In the pyATS ecosystem,
parsers are typically written using the genie.metaparser module.
For more information about the genie.metaparser package, see the topic Metaparser Package.
The following example shows device output before it’s parsed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Port VRF Status IP Address Speed MTU
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ethernet VLAN Type Mode Status Reason Speed Port
Interface Ch #
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eth1/1 1 eth routed up none 1000(D) --
Eth1/2 -- eth routed up none 1000(D) --
Eth1/3 -- eth routed up none 1000(D) --
And this is the output after it’s parsed into a Python dictionary.
# parsed_output
# -------------
{'Eth1/1': {'Ethernet Interface': 'Eth1/1',
'Mode': 'routed',
'Port': '--',
'Reason': 'none',
'Speed': '1000(D)',
'Status': 'up',
'Type': 'eth',
'VLAN': '1'},
'Eth1/2': {'Ethernet Interface': 'Eth1/2',
'Mode': 'routed',
'Port': '--',
'Reason': 'none',
'Speed': '1000(D)',
'Status': 'up',
'Type': 'eth',
'VLAN': '--'},
'Eth1/3': {'Ethernet Interface': 'Eth1/3',
'Mode': 'routed',
'Port': '--',
'Reason': 'none',
'Speed': '1000(D)',
'Status': 'up',
'Type': 'eth',
'VLAN': '--'}}
Although the “before” example is human readable in this case, the output structure is not useful for automation. The “after” example, by contrast, is a useful dictionary that you can easily interact with in your automation script.
Available Parsers
The pyATS Library provides a parser for most of the Cisco-specific show commands. You can see a complete list on the parser website.
Tip
Once you have the parsed, structured data, you can:
Easily search for specific key-value pairs.
Verify if the operational state is as expected.
Compare two output dictionaries to see if anything has changed.
Take any action that you need to - the possibilities are virtually limitless!
Parsing Examples
In the section Device Connection, you learned how the system connects to devices. Once you connect to a device, you can run show commands and parse the output.
Attention
Before you try these examples, make sure that you download and extract the zip file that contains the mock data and Python script.
Using Command Line
You can use the library command line Parse functionality to parse the output from a specified show command. Check the parser website for a list of available parsers that you can use.
In your virtual environment, change to the directory that contains the mock YAML file:
(pyats) $ cd mock
Run the parser:
(pyats) $ pyats parse "show version" --testbed-file mock.yaml --devices uut
Result: The system returns the version information as a series of key-value pairs:
{ "platform": { "hardware": { "bootflash": "3184776 kB", "chassis": "NX-OSv", "cpu": "QEMU Virtual CPU version 2.5", "device_name": "nx-osv-1", "memory": "3064740 kB", "model": "NX-OSv", "processor_board_id": "TM00010000B", "rp": "NX-OSv Supervisor Module", "slots": "None" }, "kernel_uptime": { "days": 6, "hours": 1, "minutes": 12, "seconds": 30 }, "name": "Nexus", "os": "NX-OS", "software": { "kickstart_compile_time": "1/11/2016 16:00:00 [02/11/2016 10:30:12]", "kickstart_image_file": "bootflash:///titanium-d1-kickstart.7.3.0.D1.1.bin", "kickstart_version": "7.3(0)D1(1)", "system_compile_time": "1/11/2016 16:00:00 [02/11/2016 13:08:11]", "system_image_file": "bootflash:///titanium-d1.7.3.0.D1.1.bin", "system_version": "7.3(0)D1(1)" } } }
In Python Interactive Shell
The following example shows you how to parse output from the show inventory command, using a mock device.
In your virtual environment, change to the directory that contains the mock YAML file:
(pyats) $ cd mock
Open the Python interpreter:
(pyats) $ python
Load the
testbedAPI, create your testbed and device objects, and connect to the device:>>> from genie.testbed import load >>> tb = load('mock.yaml') >>> dev = tb.devices['nx-osv-1'] >>> dev.connect()
Result: The system connects to the device and displays the connection details. Once you’re connected, you can run show commands and parse the output.
Parse the output from the
show inventorycommand and store the Python dictionary in a variable:>>> p1 = dev.parse('show inventory')
Result: The system returns the inventory information as a series of key-value pairs:
[2019-08-20 16:05:58,388] +++ nx-osv-1: executing command 'show inventory' +++ show inventory NAME: "Chassis", DESCR: "NX-OSv Chassis " PID: N7K-C7018 , VID: V00 , SN: TB00010000B NAME: "Slot 1", DESCR: "NX-OSv Supervisor Module" PID: N7K-SUP1 , VID: V00 , SN: TM00010000B NAME: "Slot 2", DESCR: "NX-OSv Ethernet Module" PID: N7K-F248XP-25 , VID: V00 , SN: TM00010000C NAME: "Slot 3", DESCR: "NX-OSv Ethernet Module" PID: N7K-F248XP-25 , VID: V00 , SN: TM00010000D NAME: "Slot 4", DESCR: "NX-OSv Ethernet Module" PID: N7K-F248XP-25 , VID: V00 , SN: TM00010000E NAME: "Slot 33", DESCR: "NX-OSv Chassis Power Supply" PID: , VID: V00 , SN: NAME: "Slot 35", DESCR: "NX-OSv Chassis Fan Module" PID: , VID: V00 , SN: switch#
Now that you have the parsed output stored as a Python dictionary in the variable
p1, you can use the structured data as you wish. For example, you can display a user-friendly message and the serial number for Slot 1:>>> print('My serial for slot1 is: ' + p1['name']['Slot 1']['serial_number'])
Result: The system prints the message and data on-screen:
My serial for slot1 is: TM00010000B
To exit the Python interpreter:
>>> exit()
Optionally, if you already have the output from the device, then you can pass it into the parse method even if the device is not connected:
output = """ NAME: "1", DESCR: "WS-C3560CX-12PC-S" PID: WS-C3560CX-12PC-S , VID: V03 , SN: FOC2419L9KY """ dev.parse('show inventory', output=output)Result: The
.parse()method will return the parsed structure (a dictionary) that you can navigate to find the values you are looking for:{'slot': {'1': {'rp': {'WS-C3560CX-12PC-S': {'name': '1', 'descr': 'WS-C3560CX-12PC-S', 'pid': 'WS-C3560CX-12PC-S', 'vid': 'V03', 'sn': 'FOC2419L9KY'}}}}}
In a Python Script
This example shows you how easy it is to put all of your statements into a single script that you can run from your virtual environment.
Open
new_script.pyin a text editor.Result: You can see all of the commands that connect to a device and parse the output.
In your virtual environment, change to the directory where you extracted the zip file:
(pyats) $ cd mock
Run the script:
(pyats) $ python3 new_script.py
Result: The system displays the device output before and after it’s parsed, and prints the user-friendly message on-screen:
[2019-08-20 16:48:19,466] +++ nx-osv-1 logfile /tmp/nx-osv-1-cli-20190820T164819462.log +++ [2019-08-20 16:48:19,467] +++ Unicon plugin nxos +++ /mnt/c/Users/kacann/Documents/development/pyats/lib/python3.6/site-packages/unicon/bases/routers/connection.py:93: DeprecationWarning: Arguments 'username', 'enable_password','tacacs_password' and 'line_password' are now deprecated and replaced by 'credentials'. category = DeprecationWarning) Trying mock_device ... Connected to mock_device. Escape character is '^]'. [2019-08-20 16:48:23,447] +++ connection to spawn: mock_device_cli --os nxos --mock_data_dir mock_data --state connect, id: 139915288871992 +++ [2019-08-20 16:48:23,451] connection to nx-osv-1 switch# [2019-08-20 16:48:24,059] +++ initializing handle +++ [2019-08-20 16:48:24,070] +++ nx-osv-1: executing command 'term length 0' +++ term length 0 switch# [2019-08-20 16:48:24,077] +++ nx-osv-1: executing command 'term width 511' +++ term width 511 switch# [2019-08-20 16:48:24,085] +++ nx-osv-1: executing command 'terminal session-timeout 0' +++ terminal session-timeout 0 switch# [2019-08-20 16:48:24,089] +++ nx-osv-1: config +++ config term switch(config)#no logging console switch(config)#line console switch(config)#exec-timeout 0 switch(config)#terminal width 511 switch(config)#end switch# [2019-08-20 16:48:25,013] +++ nx-osv-1: executing command 'show inventory' +++ show inventory NAME: "Chassis", DESCR: "NX-OSv Chassis " PID: N7K-C7018 , VID: V00 , SN: TB00010000B NAME: "Slot 1", DESCR: "NX-OSv Supervisor Module" PID: N7K-SUP1 , VID: V00 , SN: TM00010000B NAME: "Slot 2", DESCR: "NX-OSv Ethernet Module" PID: N7K-F248XP-25 , VID: V00 , SN: TM00010000C NAME: "Slot 3", DESCR: "NX-OSv Ethernet Module" PID: N7K-F248XP-25 , VID: V00 , SN: TM00010000D NAME: "Slot 4", DESCR: "NX-OSv Ethernet Module" PID: N7K-F248XP-25 , VID: V00 , SN: TM00010000E NAME: "Slot 33", DESCR: "NX-OSv Chassis Power Supply" PID: , VID: V00 , SN: NAME: "Slot 35", DESCR: "NX-OSv Chassis Fan Module" PID: , VID: V00 , SN: switch# My serial for slot1 is:TM00010000B
See also…