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authors: [bsmeding] title: Nautobot Zero to Hero – Part 5: Add Device Config from Jobs tags: ["network automation", "nautobot", "jobs", "configuration management"] toc: true layout: single comments: true draft: true

Nautobot Zero to Hero – Part 5: Add Device Config from Jobs

Sync Device Configurations with Custom Jobs

Use Jobs from the nzth_demo_jobs repository to manage device configurations.

Index

1. Introduction

In this part, we'll sync with the nzth_demo_jobs repository to access pre-built Jobs for managing device configurations. These Jobs will help us collect, store, and manage device configurations in Nautobot.

We'll: 1. Add the nzth_demo_jobs repository to Nautobot 2. Review available Jobs 3. Run Jobs to collect device configurations 4. Verify configurations are stored correctly

Estimated Time: ~1.5 hours

2. Prerequisites

3. Add nzth_demo_jobs Repository

3.1 Add Repository to Nautobot

  1. Navigate to Apps → Git Repositories
  2. Click Add to create a new repository
  3. Configure the repository:
  4. Name: nzth_demo_jobs
  5. Source URL: https://github.com/bsmeding/nzth_demo_jobs.git
  6. Branch: main
  7. Secrets Group: (leave empty for public repo)
  8. Enable Jobs checkbox
  9. Click Save and Sync Now

📸 [Screenshot: Git Repository Configuration]

3.2 Verify Sync

After syncing, verify the Jobs are available: 1. Navigate to Jobs → Jobs 2. You should see Jobs from the nzth_demo_jobs repository

📸 [Screenshot: Available Jobs from Repository]

4. Review Available Jobs

The nzth_demo_jobs repository contains various Jobs for configuration management. Common Jobs include:

4.1 Configuration Collection Jobs

  • Collect Running Config: Retrieves running configuration from devices
  • Collect Startup Config: Retrieves startup configuration from devices
  • Sync Config to Git: Stores configurations in Git repositories

4.2 Configuration Management Jobs

  • Compare Configs: Compares running vs startup configurations
  • Validate Config: Validates device configurations
  • Deploy Config: Deploys configurations to devices

4.3 Review Job Details

Click on a Job to view its details: - Description: What the Job does - Parameters: Required inputs - Code: Review the Job code if needed

📸 [Screenshot: Job Details]

5. Run Configuration Collection Job

5.1 Select a Device

  1. Navigate to Devices → Devices
  2. Select a device you want to collect configuration from
  3. Note the device name and ensure it's reachable

5.2 Run Collection Job

  1. Navigate to Jobs → Jobs
  2. Find a configuration collection Job (e.g., "Collect Running Config")
  3. Click Run Job
  4. Select parameters:
  5. Device: Choose your device
  6. Credentials: Select or enter SSH credentials
  7. Output Format: Choose how to store the config
  8. Click Run Job

📸 [Screenshot: Running Configuration Collection Job]

5.3 Review Job Results

After the Job completes: 1. View the job result 2. Check the output for the collected configuration 3. Verify any errors or warnings

📸 [Screenshot: Job Result with Configuration]

6. Verify Configuration Storage

6.1 Check Device Configurations

  1. Navigate to Devices → Devices
  2. Click on your device
  3. Look for configuration-related fields or tabs
  4. Verify the configuration is stored

6.2 Check Git Repository

If the Job stores configs in Git: 1. Navigate to Apps → Git Repositories 2. Check the repository that stores configurations 3. Verify files were created/updated

6.3 Review Configuration Content

  1. Access the stored configuration
  2. Verify it matches the device's actual configuration
  3. Check formatting and completeness

📸 [Screenshot: Stored Configuration]

7. Wrap-Up

Congratulations! You have successfully: - ✅ Added the nzth_demo_jobs repository to Nautobot - ✅ Synced Jobs from the repository - ✅ Reviewed available configuration management Jobs - ✅ Run Jobs to collect device configurations - ✅ Verified configurations are stored correctly

You now have Jobs available to manage device configurations throughout the series!

8. Next Steps

Now that you can collect device configurations, proceed to Part 6: Enable Golden Config Plugin to: - Install and configure the Golden Config plugin - Fork required repositories - Create golden configurations for devices

Happy automating! 🚀