Overview

This project helps initialize a sandbox environment to develop automation solutions for NetScaler ADC 12.0 and NetScaler MAS 12.0 using Nitro API written in Python.

This project creates a Docker environment for sandboxing and can be deployed as a single container to interrogate MPX, VPX, and MAS via a Web based IDE or via a sandbox environemnt to interrogate CPX within the defalt Docker network using docker-compose.

Prerequisits

1. It is assumed you have installed docker on your machine. If you have not installed docker on your machine, pelase refer to docker's official website to get started

2. It is required to have a MPX, VPX, or MAS to send API calls to, otherwise use the docker-compose method to spin up a CPX on the Docker Network to test your code against NITRO API for an all-in-one solution.

Build Docker Image

You can pull the main docker image from DockerHub using the command :

sudo docker pull mayankt/nitro-ide

..or build your own by doing the following:

git clone https://github.com/MayankTahil/nitro-ide.git

sudo docker build -t mayankt/nitro-ide ./nitro-ide

You should see the docker image stored locally using the command sudo docker images

REPOSITORY            TAG         IMAGE ID          CREATED          SIZE
mayankt/nitro-ide    latest     cbd5efd1a833      1 minute ago      982 MB

Run your Docker Image

Simply enter in the following command to run your IDE sandbox environment:

sudo docker run -dt --name=nitro-ide -p 9090:80 -p 9091:8000 -v /GitProjects:/workspace --restart=always mayankt/nitro-ide

Here is the breakdown of the command from above:

• docker run -dt

  • This will run the container detached with a terminal in the background

• --restart=always

  • This will restart the container automatically if it crashes or when docker/host restart.

• -p 9090:80

  • This will expose port 9090 on the host and map it to port 80 on the contianer for access to Cloud 9 IDE

• -p 9091:8000

  • This will expose port 9091 on the host and mapt it to port 8000 on the container for access to git webui which allows for repository managemet via the browser.

• -v /GitProjects:/workspace

  • This is an optional Parameter This will mount the local path on your host at /Gitprojects to the local directory within the container at /workspace. You can replace the local host directory with any full path on your machine where your projects may be stored. You will be able to edit the same files inside the container via the IDE and locally on your machine if you choose.

  If you do not include this parameter, you will working in a ephemeral container which will hold no persistance upon termination. You can run the project without this flag for quick testing and development. Git CLI is already included and the default working directory /workspace comes pre-populated with a NetScaler API tutorial git project to help you get started with some sample code.

• mayankt/nitro-ide:latest

  • This identifies the latest tagged image from dockerhub to use when running the container. You can also check out other image tags as this project further develops and accomidates newer versions of NetScaler API's.

Compose a Sandbox Environment

If you are looking for a self contained sandbox to try out NITRO commands via NetScaler's Python SDK, you can compose an environment on your machine with the following containers on the docker network:

1. Webserver-A
2. Webserver-B
3. NetScaler CPX
4. Nitro-IDE

To use docker-compose enter the following on your host machine:

git clone https://github.com/MayankTahil/nitro-ide.git

cd nitro-ide

sudo docker-compose up -d ./docker-compose.yaml

To tear down the environment, enter the following commands within the nitro-ide folder :

sudo docker compose down ./docker-compose.yaml

Note:

• CPX Express does not have all the same features of a traditional VPX/MPX. For example, NITRO commands to configure NetScaler Gateway will fail along with any attempts to automate GLSB configurations.
• The default username and password for CPX is root/linux for ssh access.
• The default username and password for CPX to authenticate NITRO commands is nsroot/nsroot
• CPX container may take up to 3 minutes to initialize and become ready to accept NITRO commands. Wait until docker logs nitroide_cpx_1 last line shows Starting Monit 5.16 daemon.

Accessing your Sandbox

With this environment, you will have potentially two GUI interfaces to work with.

1. Cloud9 IDE

   • This will be the main text editor and coding environment with Nitro SDKs already pre-installed.

   • Navigate to http://localhost:9090 to interact with the IDE interface.

   

2. Git Web-UI

   • This git extension is a standalone web based user interface for git repositories. It comes with history and tree browsing. You may also use it to commit as it comes with an UI to review local changes and the ability to stage / unstage code. Moreover, git-webui is also a web server where your repository is accessible to other people on the same network.

   • To start a web interface for Git, open your browser and navigate to the Cloud9 interface on port 9090. Within the Clou9 terminal located at the bottom pane (press alt + t if not already open to display the terminal). Within the terminal, navigate to your git repository (i.e. cd /workspace/project) or clone a new project (i.e git clone https://github.com/Citrix-TechSpecialist/NetScalerNITRO /workspace/NetScalerNITRO ; cd /workspace/NetScalerNITRO). Within the directory, type : git webui and your output should look similar to below :

     root@6b74d6ad09dd:/workspace# git clone https://github.com/Citrix-TechSpecialist/NetScalerNITRO.git
     
     >>
     
     Cloning into 'NetScalerNITRO'...
     remote: Counting objects: 39, done.
     remote: Compressing objects: 100% (20/20), done.
     remote: Total 39 (delta 18), reused 39 (delta 18), pack-reused 0
     Unpacking objects: 100% (39/39), done.
     Checking connectivity... done.
     
     >>
     
     root@6b74d6ad09dd:/workspace# cd NetScalerNITRO/
     
     >>
     
     root@6b74d6ad09dd:/workspace/NetScalerNITRO# git webui
     
     Serving at http://localhost:8000
     

   • Now navigate to http://localhost:9091 to interact with the Git UI interface.

   

Getting Started

By now you should have a web IDE via Cloud9 to code in with NITRO SDK pre-installed. You can also start a git management UI for projects in your /workspace directory. Lets begin by pushing some nitro commands down to our target NetScaler to load balance a simple webserver.

Assuming you have provisioned a sandbox environment with docker-compose you should have the following deployed:

• CPX
  • On the sandbox network with an NSIP of 192.168.13.20
  • Ports 10000 through 10050 open and mapped correspondingly with the host machine and port 9080 is mapped to validate CPX's spash page for status validation.
• Two webservers
  • Within the docker sandbox network which is not accessible externally.
• Cloud9 IDE for coding

1. Browse to Cloud9's GUI via the browser at http://localhost:9090 and at the bottom terminal type :

git clone -b cpx-101 https://github.com/Citrix-TechSpecialist/NetScalerNITRO.git

2. Next run the command in the bottom bash terminal:

cd NetScalerNITRO ; python nsAuto.py

You will see the following outputs:

Configuring NS 
Starting to configure...
All done preforming configuration

3. Navigate to http://localhost:10000 to see the exposed load balanced webservers. Refresh your browser to see WebServer-A and WebServer-B round robin.

For more advanced examples of Nitro-API, refer to https://github.com/Citrix-TechSpecialist/NetScalerNITRO.git master branch to configure HA pairs of VPX and MPX devices.