Cisco CCNP Enterprise 300-415 ENSDWI – Router Deployment

10. What are Device Configuration Template

Let us discuss more about the template. So, what are the configurational template? More precisely the device configuration template devices say define all device configuration parameter, enforce device configuration consistency compliance across entire networks. So what these things is that okay, if you are managing everything from the we manage, then you can and maintain the standardization and you can maintain the common type of template. And that’s the term called a standardization to all the branches. Either it’s type one, type two, type three branch means you can categorize which type of branch you have and which type of feature that particular branch needed. According to that, you can create the template, you can say that standard type of template for that particular location and branch and then you can push so that’s why we have the configuration consistency and the compliance across the network allow high degree of device configuration customizes.

That’s true. We have that feature that you can create variable. We have the feature that we can do the customization of each and every entity inside the running template. It’s not only that we are creating new template and the running template that is attached with a device there also we can do the customization simple bulk device configuration provisioning using variables. It’s very easy. So first time you will find that okay, it’s a bit difficult to create the template, but once you have all the object, you can reuse the template. You can push that single template to n number of devices with slight differences. So those are the power and feature we have and finally everything is managed by the we manage with the GUI mode. Even we can have the CLI template as well.

But by the end of day your we manage is GUI. So we can manage everything with the GUI mode. Now, I told you that we can create the variables. So in feature template we’ll see that I log into the device, I will show you that in feature template you’ll find that while you’re creating the template, small objects for different features like OMP, security, VPN, zero interface, et cetera. At that time you have option that you leave that inside template, you have configuration. So leave those things as a default. Or you set some global number 400, 500 so that will be set for all the devices in that particular template or with referred to that template.

Or you can create variables if you are using the device specific thing. This default will be blue color take this global will be green color globe. This device will be wireless type of router. So let me log to the device and let me show you this thing first. So I am inside the V manage dashboard. Let me go to the dashboard first. You can go to the configuration and you can go to the template. Now, here you can clearly see that you have device and then you can create the template. You have feature. So if I go and click to the create template you can see again you have template device template from feature template or from CLI template. CLI template means simply you can put CLI numbers, CLI value, whatever show run is there.

Now, when we are talking about the template from the feature template and say for example which type of device you want to use in my case I have V edge cloud. Now if you go for example if you go to AAA and I’ll give the name of this template say test and test AAA. Now if you see here this blue color that I was referring this blue color is default, default, default.

If I scroll down you can see this green color globe is global. You can go and put global value and then if you want to define the variable then you’ll get wireless router type of icon. So if I go and click here, you see this is the fixed value. If I go and fix some value here it will be fixed. I can’t change it. This is devices specific means it is a variable and again if you want to do some sort of cheating you can go here and you type your hint. So not only that it will be variable means while you push this template it will ask you hint for me whatever number if you put the same thing while pushing the template it will show you a hint for me. This is the number.

This is the IP. This is the site you are looking for. And then the default is default. So these values we have actually let me go back. All right, now we have two type. Of template. I told you that we have CLI template. We have templates from features. We are going to use both the templates to bring up our configuration or to understand more about the configuration. Now, what is the method? That we manage is using to communicate with the Smart and the S devices. So they are doing NETCONF to configure itself or to push the configuration to other devices. Configuration template are defined for a specific device model, not for Vborn so we have long list of devices nowadays that from we manage you can push the configuration with help of NETCONF protocol now what’s the impact you have?

You can see here that local changes are not allowed so once this device is managed via we manage either CLI or the feature template mode whatever mode it is if you log into this device, if you do any local change it will throw an error it will tell no, you can’t do any local change. If you want to do any local change, go to edit that template and then you push and then you can do the change. So here you can see the local changes are disallowed because we manage has a higher preference. Local changes are allowed. Local change allowed.

Confirmation of one commit is required. So local changes are not allowed by any means. If you want to do any change either change the template or detach the template from the we manage to the local change that is only option. So let me show you that what type of log error message you will get if you try to do the local change. So here I logged into one of the device. If I go to VPN, zero interface gigi shut down. Commit. This interface is actually not there anyway.

Let me go. Out but you can see that it is throwing an error and I should see that what interfaces are here present. So we’ll go and check show interface and description. So let’s see one and two is there. So we’ll go to the interface VPN zero gigi zero one if I do shut down and if I do commit and quit if this device is managed via we manage it will give this error system is managed via we manage. This device is being managed where we manage configuration through CLI is not allowed because this is disallowed. So we’ll do one thing we stop here and next section we will attach means we are going to create our own. Template. With help of that template, we’ll create the template and then we’ll attach your device and we’ll see that how behind the scene it is working.

11. Feature Template Creation Part01

All right, so let’s do the configuration with help of feature template. So before doing the configuration I should know that what’s the IP address and what’s the other parameters. So let me go to the configuration and template and say I want to do the configuration for this branch, for example, branch one V edge one and at the moment I can see it is not managed via V manage. So I want to manage via my feature template. Before that I need the configuration of that particular device. So let me go to the configuration and devices, let me go and select the V edge list and from there I will go and check branch one V edge one. I want his running configuration because from that running configuration I can figure out what’s the IP address and the other parameters that I want to use in the feature template. Because in SDWAN fabric, one important thing we have that we need to do the planning before doing any configuration, before doing anything you should plan that how you want to do it.

So here you can see that I can go to the system and then the host name and the GPS and the admin tech. So first of all, system white configuration in short then we have AAA configuration, then I have this admin and the password logging BFT OMP so so many features I have, so I will mark all the feature one by one. So first of all I want to create the feature template for system small template. Then I’ll go create feature template for OMP. Then for example, logging in the feature template, if you go and see, we’ll find there in the alphabetical order but any order which we can go and create. I’ll create the feature template for VPN zero, VPN interfaces and all these small feature templates I will go and add inside the device feature template that is for branch one VH one correct.

So before doing this operation, let’s try to figure out, let’s try to understand that what exact configuration we have. So I should know that what’s the DNS, what’s the IP address over the MPLS interface? Say for example in my template I don’t want to use QS, so I’ll remove this QS. Then in my example, just for sake of simplicity, I just wanted to deploy the or create the feature template having only one interface going towards MPLS and then I should have VPN five one two for management. So you should have VPN zero minimum configuration is VPN zero and VPN five one two for your correct deployed or for your running deployed system or configuration.

So apart from these things and the mandatory system configuration, I’ll go and remove other stuff. So I’ll go here and I’ll remove this configuration that is related to internet. So let me go and remove and then I don’t want to use tlock extension at the moment so I will go and remove that’s why I will go and remove the tlock extension I p in my configuration I don’t want to use at the moment the service side VPN. So I’ll go and remove VPN 1020 and 40 configuration, but I want VPN five one two configuration. Apart from that I have some local configured policies, for example the QS policy. So those things also I don’t want at the moment. So I’ll go and remove all those things.

So now I have the policy and I should have some baseline policy say like app visibility and the QS related smallest stuff like cloud QS. All right. So now this is my configuration. This particular configuration I am going to use in my device configuration for branch one V edge one. And once I go and push the configuration, you can go and check the changes as well. So if I go back to the CLI, let me log in to the CLI and here if I go and check show control connection at the moment you will see that this particular device. So let me go and type show control connection first how many control plane connection it has. So it has four connection with Vs smart and one connection with Vanage over MPLS. And if I go and show you show interface description how many interfaces he has, he has three interface in VPN zero and rest of the interfaces are in service side VPN.

After deployment you will find that we have only one interface because I’m going to use only one gig e zero and one interface in the management VPN. Rest of the configuration also will be the list that I’m going to use. So let’s go back and do this configuration. So for that you should go here to the template. And now we have two options. Either I can go and click here create template and say for example create template, I can choose the device now one by one I can go to these templates, I can create the feature template from here. So what I am telling that two way we have, either you can go log into the device feature template and from there you can create a small feature template, small feature template like this here.

Also you can go and create a small template. That’s the one way. The other way that you go to the feature template itself, create all the small templates first and then call inside this and that is actually the logical way that we should create a small feature template first and then we should call inside the main template. So let’s do in the other way. Let me go and click cancel here I’ll go to the feature and I’ll create a smaller small feature template for my cloud edge router starting from AAA banner and all those. So let’s just stop here and in the next section we’ll create this small feature template.

12. Feature Template Creation Part02

All right, let’s continue. So for AAA, I don’t want to change much thing inside the AAA configuration, but I’ll give the name as test new and test say AAA new. If you know all the configurations, the CLI more precisely CLI configuration of AAA, then what are the things you have to give? Give the authentication the local database parameter, radius, taches parameter. At the moment I don’t have all those things. So I’ll click save and that’s very much my template related to AAA. Again I’ll go here to the cloud. I don’t want to create any archive banner, I want to create so we’ll go ahead and create say test banner, test banner and I want to create login banner. Now you can see I am giving the global parameter so it will not ask me that what you want to create means is it a variable. So for example, one banner I’ll give as a variable, it will ask you and one of the emotive message of the day I will give as a fixed value, that is the global value. So do not log in. All right, let’s click saver. So now we can see that how quickly I have created two feature. Then I’ll go and create feature for BFT. Again, if you know that how BFT is working, what are the parameters we have with the bi directional forward detection? Say BFT collecting information per terminal or it’s a multiplier or Paul interval.

If those things you know, you go and put those value. Otherwise you can leave this as default, sorry, otherwise you can leave this as default and click save. So now we are increasing the templates, more precisely we are increasing the feature template and in this section if you see template type is non default. So obviously whatever template that we are creating, those are coming under the category of non-default. So you have non default and default template. Since we are creating the non-default template and I am giving some common name, test is my prefix if I want to go search my template. So whatever test template I have created just now you can see those templates. If you want to edit, you can go to the more button or menu button. You can go click edit. You can edit it, but at the moment I don’t want to edit. Let’s go and continue our work. BGP I don’t have bridge; I don’t have DHCP ICMP logging. I’ll go and create on logging as well. Here also.

I’ll give it. AA. Sorry. Not AAA. This is the logging say logging. So your name also should be as per your corporate policy or as per your organization. At the moment I am giving any random name, but it should be say even if you are following the nomenclature for that particular organization, you can follow the nomineeclature for the templates as well. And nice thing about this template that in feature, if you want you can edit and reuse also multigast NTP OMP. So for example for OMP also I will create test overlay management protocol test OMP. What is the basic configuration by default, whatever default configuration or whatever variable related configurations are there, those are good value. But if you want to change as per your policy, you can go and change. There is no problem. So now you can see that our template is populating and we are creating new new templates. So I’m not using OSPF PM security, I will use default security SNMP. I will use some default SNMP. Then the system let’s go and create system wide template. So I’ll go ahead and give say a test system. That’s the name of my template test and system. Now you will see that you have multiple options here. So if this particular template is going to use by various devices, the site ID I mark as a variable.

So by default it is variable system IP I mark as a variable because different devices has different system IP overlay ID leave it hostname different different devices has different different hostname. That’s why so it will ask these things oh, you are looking for hostname, you have to put this and then we’ll see that what options we have to put those values while we are going to assign the template to the devices tracker. If you want to track any vanfacing Nat interfaces advanced then you have the DTLs port hopping DNS. So much options you have route consistency, idle timeout, eco friendly mode, say some of the terms. Suppose if you are seeing gateway tracking and I don’t know what gateway tracking is doing, you simply copy this term go to the SDWAN site put there.

So let me show you that how you can do this. I have copied that thing. I came here to SDWAN Hyphen docsisco. com and then I can go and search this particular feature. So what is gateway tracking? And then you will get nice document related to tracking and all that. So this is the way that you can go and check if any of the parameters you don’t know, you can go and verify what this particular feature is doing inside the template. All right, so we can click save. So our system wide template is also built. Then again I will go and create the VPN template. So we’ll go scroll down, we’ll go to VPN. See you have VPN option and then you have VPN interface option.

So we’ll go here inside VPN. First of all I will create the template related to VPN zero what configuration I have inside the VPN zero. Let me show you that. So if I scroll down down here it is. So first of all we will create the template for VPN zero and these values we are going to put. Then I will create the template for VPN interface. Okay? So let’s go and create that. And what’s the DNS IP? Let me copy primary and second D IP. So I’ll copy this primary and I will edit the secondary. So we are here. This is nothing but test VPN zero. This is name is test VPN zero. What VPN is this? I’ll put the global value global is green color globe then name ACMP, key ring, TCP optimization off by default what’s the primary DNS?

I’ll go and put global value because the DNS things will not change, it will be constant and common for all the devices. So I will go and give primary and secondary DNS. Then it is asking about the vBond DNS. So we have the vBond DNS the name of that I should give the name and the IP. So let’s give the name and then we’ll give the IP for that. Let’s go back and check what’s the IP we have. And if you have multiple IP addresses you can use the comma separation and you can provide that. So we’ll go back here, we’ll put this and then we have 21 add this.

So now our DNS configuration is done. We have saved that. Then you have OMP configuration IPV four configuration. Yes, I have a static route pointing towards this particular gateway address. So we’ll go here and we’ll add the IPV four route. Go here and just scroll down. You can give the prefix and what’s the gateway? We should go there and add the next stop. This is the next stop. You should click add here first. You should click add here second. So this will be added then IPV six. I don’t have services, I don’t have GRE I don’t have so I will click save. So now you can see that we have successfully added our VPN zero configuration or template. Now I will go and create the template for VPN interface. So let’s go and create for that also. And I should know and I should put the correct values related to the interfaces and the other parameters. So let me show you that. So this is VPN zero and then interface MPLS. Yes, the same name I will go and use here and then shut down. Yes, it is shut down by default. I should go here and click no shut down. First of all, what’s the interface name? So we should give the correct interface name that is gig e zero. So here you can see the interface name. I’ll go there and then I’ll give the interface name gig e zero. If you want you can give the description, otherwise you can go here. And now it’s optional. You want to give the variable for this particular IP because maybe this template will be used for different different devices in the same site or in the same branch. So here I’ll give the cheat sheet that this is MPLS IP.

So this is MPLS IP put correct IP like that. So what’s the use case of that? We’ll see then that particular interface is tunneled interface. So I should go ahead and click tunnel interface click on once you click on you will get other options. So inside tunnel what type of configuration we have? Let’s go and see. So tunnel interface encapsulation IPsec preference 200 color is MPLS restrict and the default value so we should go ahead and give the color as a MPLS. Still if you want to make this variable you can create it. Restrict is off by default. I’ll make this on restrict simply means if two different side has same type of color and if restrict is on they will form the tunnel. So MPLS only other side is MPLS, it will form the tunnel. If restrict is off then MPLS can form the IPsec channel with internet or other colors. All right so we are very much done at this point.

Likewise we’ll scroll down and we have to put the IPsec preference as well. So here if you scroll it carefully you will get some advanced options as well. So let me go down here and I’m looking for that. So let me click tunnel and inside tunnel if I scroll it slowly so I can’t see that advance option let’s scroll down here we have here we have the advance option. So in the advance option you can see the IPsec is by default on and what preference you want to put. Say for example 200 IPsec weight is one by default. Rest of the things are okay, let’s see here rest of the things are 100% okay so what we can do now we can go back here and we can click save. So ARP I don’t want advanced, I don’t want I’ll click save. So we are very much done. The only things that we have to create now is two more templates. One is for VPN five one two and then one is for VPN five one two interface.

So we will go here and then we’ll give the name as a test. Say VPN five one two test VPN five one two. Watch the VPN. This is five one two and what’s the configuration? Static route configuration I have for this. So let me scroll down the routing configuration is static route pointing towards this gateway. So we’ll go here, I’ll go ahead and click IP before put the gateway and the route let me scroll a little bit down we’ll go and put and then I will give the next hop. Give this next hop added once, add it twice, click save wow. So we are creating all the template. Let me go and create the last template that is nothing but the VPN interface related to VPN five one two.

All right so we’ll go ahead and type just say VPN five one two interface and the same thing I should copy and paste yes and then shut down is no. What’s the interface? We should give the correct interface name and the IP for that interface. So let me copy the IP. But suppose if you are using the DHCP, you can go and you use the DHCP server. Means you have to give the option. So let me show you the option. This dynamic if you are using IP via the DSP. Otherwise, in our case, we are using some static IP. So I’ll use this globe. That means it is fixed. If I do not use this globe, I should go and use this. Wireless router. And I should give something here that this is for management interface. All right? So we are almost done because apart from that, we don’t have tunnel, we don’t have Nat. We are a PS. We can click. Save. And we have all the necessary templates created. We can stop here. And then the next section, I will go and show you that how you can attach, first of all, how you can call these templates and then you can attach to the device.

13. Apply Feature Template

All right, so let’s continue here. First of all, let me show you that what type of templates we have created. We have this long list of templates. Now I want to use this template inside the device configuration. So I’ll go click device and then create template from feature template. What’s the device model? That is the VH cloud code. And this is say for example test for branch one v edge one template. And then now we have done all the hard work. Simply I have to go here and call all the templates that I have created. Suppose if you want to add any new feature, you can go click here, it will come here, you can add it. Otherwise if you don’t want leave it, simply click here to the drop down. Use this template. Click here to drop down use this. If you have the template that you have created, you can call it. Suppose if you haven’t created this and if you have existing template, you can use it.

Otherwise you can leave this as a factory default as well. If you know that what is the configuration inside the factory default? Okay, I can go and give the test that we have created then VPN interface that we have created for MPLS interface in our example we are taking only one interface. So we’ll choose that and see in VPN five one two I don’t have interface so I should go here, click add the interface and then you can go to the test VPN five one two that we have created. We are not taking any service VPN. But yes, in the banner we have created the test banner policy. We are not using any policy at the moment to leave it SNMP I can click none.

There’s no problem on that. Click create. So now we have successfully created the template. You can see in the bottom this name of the template which is the description. This is the feature template for VH cloud. It is using eleven features that we have put on that it is not attached with any device at the moment. Just why we have zero here. So what I want let’s go here in the more section click attach the device and we want to attach with branch one VH one click attach. So once you are here, you can see now that it is asking for this value which we have created as a variable.

Now if these values you have in your Excel sheet, in your local drive or somewhere, you can upload it first option, second option you download this file. This will be excel file. Once you download this file in that Excel, put those values and then upload it. That is the second option. Okay, you have third option that if you know that values you can simply click here and put it. Click here and put it you can use it. A final option. You can click here and click Edit Device Template and it will ask you all those things. So remember we have given this login banner. Ask me.

This is a cheat sheet. I am telling them what exact value I want. You tell me. So, for example, do not log in without permission. So log in without permission. Now, one by one we’ll see we’ll give all the values. So what’s the hostname? Hostname is a branch one and V edge one test we’ll give some different name then what’s the system? IP so ten 30 one that should be correct what’s the site ID? 300 what’s the IP for the MPLS interface? So let’s go and check the MPLS IP that we have at the moment so I’ll scroll up and I want MPLS IP that is this IP for the MPLS interface I’ll go and put the IP for the MPLS then what’s the management interface IP? Because those things we have created as a variable so it is asking at all the steps because we have created one generic type of template. Put it update it once you update, you can go next and you can select this device. The nice thing that Viptila has given that they have given this config difference option you can see the conflict difference side by side so whatever the configuration are not here, it is not present whatever difference in the configuration it will clearly highlight you. It will mark you. So these are the configuration which is missing these are the lines which are missing side by side all the configuration we can verify again one nice protection mechanism that Cisco Viptella has given is the config rollback timer. This rollback timer is by default five minutes.

So what does it mean? Suppose if you are pushing this configuration and if this configuration after pushing this configuration your V manage and your V edge your devices with we manage they are not able to communicate then it will roll back the configuration. And the rollback timer by default is five minutes that you can increase or decrease. Okay, so leave this as default. You save it if anything wrong. Say what is happening. Sometimes you are doing some remote configuration due to some issue, some routing issue, some interface shut down? No shut down issue. You completely lose the site access and then you have to call to the remote location. Some engineer will go there or you have to send some engineer there and fix the issue.

Suppose if anything is wrong in configuration and control data plane will not communicate. Then within five minutes, it will roll back. That’s the rollback timer we have. All right, so click next. Now, the job has been scheduled on the top you can see this is one and if each and everything will be correct so first of all, it is validating the configuration, the validation is successful. Now with help of net conf mechanism. My we manage is pushing the configuration to the V edge device and all those messages exchange and everything we can see from here. If anything will be wrong in progress bar it will give. You a red signal, but it has pushed the configuration. Let’s go back, log into the device and verify. I have my branch device here. If I press Enter, the host name will change.

Say the test now, if I go and check show interface description. I have only this interface and these interface is operational. If I go and check control connection now, I have control only over the MPLS again. If I go back to the dashboard configuration and template. Then now you will see that this particular device is attached with one template. And if you go here and click Attach devices, you will get the detail about okay. Not here. If you go here to the more and click Show attach devices. Then you will see that okay, this is the chassis number. This is the host name and this is attached here even if you want to verify. Furthermore, you can go to configuration and devices. And here also, if you scroll it, you’ll see that branch one VH one test managed by the we manage with this particular template. So this is the way that we can create the feature template and attached to the device and we can do the basic verification.

14. CLI Template with Variables

Now the next thing we have to do is to build the CLI template. So let’s go and build the CLI template for that. Also we should go to the vantage and from we manage we can go and create the CLI template. So you can go to the configuration and then template here you will see that you have option to click the CLI template you can go and take that. So now which particular model you want to create the CLI template? That is the cloud. This is for example CLI template for branch one VH one. Or maybe I want to make it a generic template for all the devices in the branch one. So that also it will work two form we have here. First of all simply I can go and give the CLI configuration. So I can go and copy paste. So I have in my notepad the CLI configuration is there. I will copy that and I’ll come back. I will paste here. That’s the one option. Other option I can go and call that particular file where I have saved that text file and automatically it will come and populate here. Now in this particular template let’s see this template. Okay so this is a template the same type of configuration that we have for VPN five one two and then VPN zero ETCA. Now I want to push this template.

So before pushing this template what I will do I will give some wrong word. So for example ABC here in the bottom and then I will add this. Just wanted to show you that if you create wrong template then how the we manage will react while you push this template to the actual device. So we’ll go and push this template. Now what I have to do here, I’ll go here and click attach devices there I have device that system IP is ten 30 one that is the branch one VH one. Let’s try to push that template. So because we have given some wrong code, if I see this message you’ll find somewhere in the bottom it will throw an error. Validation is in progress but it got failure. Why? Because some unknown command, some unknown command he found. And what was the unknown command? If I scroll it down it will tell you see ABC is something that the device is not able to understand. So that’s why he has thrown that error. So next what we will do that we’ll go back to the template and we’ll edit this template. So you can go ahead and click edit whatever wrong configuration are there you go and remove those wrong configuration and then give the correct configuration and then update this template. And again we are going to repeat this template to the device.

So we’ll go ahead attach the devices select the device so it is coming up select the device and you can push this template again if you want to see the differences you can go and check the differences side by side differences and you can verify it.

So we’ll wait for a time when we’ll get this successful message, if everything is okay, good and working, we’ll find that it will push the template and device will come back online and this time again if you go back, we’ll find that the counter will increase here to one. So if I refresh this at the moment it hasn’t pushed the template, but if it pushed the template, we’ll see that the counter will become one. If any failure is there, that means it will not work. I can go to the jobs on the top and I can see that still any job is there. Push CLI template success.

So I am getting successful message there I should see one here, see the counter become one here from zero to one. Now that means this particular template is managed via the CLI template. If I go back and see in the V manage dashboard and the devices you’ll see here that I have branch one VH one and this is managed via we manage. But we have this template, CLI branch one VH one generic that is connected with this particular device. Now if I go back to the device and if I go and check show control connection so it is running via the CLI template and we have the control connection from my S device to the we manage device. Now, what I can do here again, I can go back to the template and I want to do some changes. Now, what is the best practice while you are doing the changes?

And it’s a very important point that whenever you want to do any change in your existing running template so whatever template that is running in that template, if you want to do any change so what you do first? Of all, you create the copy so create the copy of the running template, whatever running template you have, and then do the change in the copy template. And then attach this copy template to the device. And while you are creating this copy template, give some proper name, give the change ticket name, the date and purpose while you are changing this due to some security feature, due to some routing, due to some other requirement. So you should justify your changes. So what you can do here, you can go and click copy and here template name generic for testing, say for example and then the change management number and the date you should give like this.

So in future you will understand in that day I have done this change and I have the description about that change, what’s the justification about that change? So now you can go to the edit section and now here you see the same template. We have this particular template. I want to create variables. So how you can create the variable in the CLI template that’s actually very easy and straightforward. You go select the name, click Create Variable and then give the name of the variable. So this is host name. Click Create Variable and now you can see your variable has been created. Select this Site ID and then you want to create variable for site ID.

You go here and say Site ID variable. So now you have your site ID variable. Likewise, whatever things that you are thinking, that okay, these are the things I need to create as a variable. So in future I need to change the value parameters dynamically. So I can go there, select that and I can create the variable. This is a MPLS interface IP. So once you create all these variables, then what will happen? You click Update because this is not attached with anything. And then I want to attach this variable CLI template with the device. So the same process you can follow. You can go ahead to branch one VH one, push this and attach this and then you can see it will ask you again. You can use the same process.

You can download this Excel file. So from this download button you download this then put those values, whatever is missing in that. Say for example host name, site ID, MPLS Interface IP and then upload that automatically. All these fields will be filled. The other option we have that we can go and click Edit here. So let’s go and click Edit here. Once I click Edit here then it will prompt okay, what’s the host name? So for example, branch one VH one variable and then what’s the site ID? Site ID is 300. What’s the MPLS IP. So we’ll give the MPLS IP whatever we have.

Let me go and check that. What is the interface? MPLS IP. We have interface. Giggy So the IP is 172 1632. I’ll go there and put this value here in the field and then update it. Click next if you want to see the difference. You can go and see the difference now. It has been scheduled. If I go back here and if everything is correct we know that if everything is correct and working, then the name you can see the name has been changed. So this is the way that we can create the CLI template with variables. Next section we will just go us more about what is the use case, why we need to create the variables.

15. Template Creation Planning

So far we have studied how we can create the feature template CLI template, feature template with variable CLI template with variable now let’s discuss little bit that why we need to create the variables, why we need to create the generic template. So what we can do, first of all we can classify your branch site, maybe you are using some tlock extension, maybe you have dual connected, maybe you have VRP, maybe you have OSP of running single site has single ISP connection. So you can categorize what type of branch you have for those type of branches, whatever location are you can create same type of variable for all those same type of location. Then you may have site who is dually connect, dual broadband or dual internet connected. So for that also you can create a template.

Maybe you may have site who has dual MPLS connected so for that also you can create the template or you can create variables for the IP and the interface name and you can use the same template for dual internet or for dual MPLS. Then you can have site a small site where you have internet and backup as a 4G LTE or for that site also you can go and create the template. So first thing that we should classify the sites into category then we can define the configuration feature. So what features you are using?

Here I am using OSPF, here I am not using OSPF here I am using primary and secondary link. So you need to define that what features are associated to that particular site. Then according to the features, according to the site, according to the variable so you have to define hostname as a variable system, IP as a variable site ID as a variable, MPLS, IP as a variable, internet IP as a variable, gateway as a variable.

So if you count out and if you work out on the templates and the variables, you will find that mostly 15 to 20 variables you need or you are changing 15 to 20 values in different generic templates, in different template and variables. So if you plan out and figure out properly, then you can put all these 15 to 20 values in the Excel sheet and while you are uploading the template with the Excel, you simply put these 1520 values and then you don’t need to create different template. Same ten to 15 template can manage say for example thousand to 2000 devices. So you can see your configuration consistency is there you are doing this standardization and you are reducing the amount of configuration that you need to put inside your database or inside your V manage device. So planning, preparation, designing is the key in all the SD solution nowadays.