Skip to content
/ raritan-massdeploy Public

Utility to create the necessary files for a Raritan mass deployment via USB keys or DHCP+TFTP

License

MIT license
2 stars 0 forks Branches Tags Activity
Star
Notifications You must be signed in to change notification settings

andycranston/raritan-massdeploy

BranchesTags

Folders and files

NameName
Last commit message
Last commit date

Latest commit

 

History

17 Commits
LICENSE
LICENSE
 
 
README.md
README.md
 
 
massdeploy.py
massdeploy.py
 
 
massdeploy.txt
massdeploy.txt
 
 

Repository files navigation

Utility to create the necessary files for a Raritan mass deployment via USB keys or DHCP+TFTP

The massdeploy.py utility creates the files needed for a Raritan mass deployment via USB keys or using the network based DHCP+TFTP method.

By creating and maintaining just one configuration file called:

massdeploy.txt

the massdeploy.py utility generates the following required files:

fwupdate.cfg
config.txt
devices.csv

which can then be copied to one or more USB keys or can be copied to a TFTP server.

Demostration video

This link:

Raritan Mass Deployment Utility in Python 3 demo

is an 8 minute long YouTube video demonstrating the massdeploy.py utility.

Why use massdeploy.py utility instead of the Raritan supplied solution?

Raritan supply the following:

Spreadsheet for firmware update and configuration mass deployment

You load this spreadsheet into Microsoft Excel, ensures Excel macros are enabled, fill in the details on the second and third sheet and click a button to have the macros generate the fwupdate.cfg, config.txt and devices.csv files.

Please take a look at this solution because:

  • It is a great introdution to the Raritan mass deployment methodology.
  • It could be exactly what you need.

If, however, you are interested in a solution that uses one simple configurartion file then read on.

Prerequisites

You will need a Windows or UNIX/Linux environment with a Python 3 interpreter. Almost all modern Linux distributions come bundled with Python 3. For Windows download Python 3 from here:

Python Releases for Windows

The massdeploy.txt file format

When the massdeploy.py utility is run it looks for a file called:

massdeploy.txt

At a high level the content of this file is split into three sections. The first section contains the lines that should go into the fwupdate.cfg file. The second section contains the lines that should go into the devices.csv file and the third and last section contains the lines that go into the config.txt file.

The three sections are separated by a special line that looks like:

%%

As an example here is a basic massdeploy.txt file:

user=admin
password=raritan
log=log.txt
config=config.txt
device_list=devices.csv
%%
PK60861100,00:0d:5d:b6:53:6b,pdu1,192.168.8.20,24
PK60860061,00:0d:5d:c7:48:53,pdu2,192.168.8.21,24
PK60867699,00:0d:5d:9e:c0:45,pdu3,192.168.8.22,24
PK60860023,00:0d:5d:07:6a:85,pdu4,192.168.8.23,24
PK60867390,00:0d:5d:7b:8f:9c,pdu5,192.168.8.24,24
PK60867769,00:0d:5d:23:91:7a,pdu6,192.168.8.25,24
PK60861021,00:0d:5d:89:3a:37,pdu7,192.168.8.26,24
PK60863094,00:0d:5d:03:4c:1b,pdu8,192.168.8.27,24
PK60863926,00:0d:5d:8e:44:2e,pdu9,192.168.8.28,24
PK60867901,00:0d:5d:aa:b7:07,pdu10,192.168.8.29,24
%%
pdu.name=${3}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.enabled=1
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.config_method=static
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.addr=${4}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.prefix_len=${5}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv6.enabled=0

Assume this massdeploy.txt file and the massdeploy.py file have been copied to a directory called c:\massdeploy on a Windows system.

Now open a command prompt window and type:

c:
cd \massdeploy
python massdeploy.py

The following files will now be created:

fwupdate.cfg
config.txt
devices.csv

The fwupdate.cfg file will contain:

user=admin
password=raritan
log=log.txt
config=config.txt
device_list=devices.csv

The config.txt file will contain:

PK60861100,00:0d:5d:b6:53:6b,pdu1,192.168.8.20,24
PK60860061,00:0d:5d:c7:48:53,pdu2,192.168.8.21,24
PK60867699,00:0d:5d:9e:c0:45,pdu3,192.168.8.22,24
PK60860023,00:0d:5d:07:6a:85,pdu4,192.168.8.23,24
PK60867390,00:0d:5d:7b:8f:9c,pdu5,192.168.8.24,24
PK60867769,00:0d:5d:23:91:7a,pdu6,192.168.8.25,24
PK60861021,00:0d:5d:89:3a:37,pdu7,192.168.8.26,24
PK60863094,00:0d:5d:03:4c:1b,pdu8,192.168.8.27,24
PK60863926,00:0d:5d:8e:44:2e,pdu9,192.168.8.28,24
PK60867901,00:0d:5d:aa:b7:07,pdu10,192.168.8.29,24

The devices.csv file will contain:

pdu.name=${3}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.enabled=1
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.config_method=static
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.addr=${4}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.prefix_len=${5}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv6.enabled=0

Using the massdeploy.txt utility in this fashion provides a handy way to keep the configuration details all in one file.

However, there is more...

Comments

Any line in the massdeploy.txt file which begins with the character '#' is treated as a comment and is NOT copied into any of the three configuration files.

So, for example, if the start of the massdeploy.txt file now begins:

#
# massdeploy.txt
#
# version 007 - 16-september-2019
#
# PDUs in data hall 7, first floor
#
user=admin
password=raritan
log=log.txt
config=config.txt
device_list=devices.csv
%%
PK60861100,00:0d:5d:b6:53:6b,pdu1,192.168.8.20,24
PK60860061,00:0d:5d:c7:48:53,pdu2,192.168.8.21,24
PK60867699,00:0d:5d:9e:c0:45,pdu3,192.168.8.22,24
   ...
   ...
   ...

Then those first few lines beginning with the '#' character are ignored by the massdeploy.py utility but remain very helpful in keeping track of things.

Another benefit of the comment system is to temporarily 'comment out' lines. For example if the first PDU has already been configured and you do not want it changed you could edit the massdeploy.txt file like this:

user=admin
password=raritan
log=log.txt
config=config.txt
device_list=devices.csv
%%
# PK60861100,00:0d:5d:b6:53:6b,pdu1,192.168.8.20,24
PK60860061,00:0d:5d:c7:48:53,pdu2,192.168.8.21,24
PK60867699,00:0d:5d:9e:c0:45,pdu3,192.168.8.22,24
   ...
   ...
   ...

Easier ${} substitution

In the third config section of the massdeploy.txt file the ${} substitution technique is used to refer to specific columns in the second device section. In the examples above the substitution ${3} refers to the third column which is the name of the PDU.

This is handy enough but it would be nicer if we could refer to the third column using a notation of ${PDU} making things nice and clear.

Well, the good news is that you can. Look at this:

user=admin
password=raritan
log=log.txt
config=config.txt
device_list=devices.csv
%%
SERIAL     MAC               PDU  IPADDRESS    SUBNET
PK60861100,00:0d:5d:b6:53:6b,pdu1,192.168.8.20,24
PK60860061,00:0d:5d:c7:48:53,pdu2,192.168.8.21,24
PK60867699,00:0d:5d:9e:c0:45,pdu3,192.168.8.22,24
PK60860023,00:0d:5d:07:6a:85,pdu4,192.168.8.23,24
PK60867390,00:0d:5d:7b:8f:9c,pdu5,192.168.8.24,24
PK60867769,00:0d:5d:23:91:7a,pdu6,192.168.8.25,24
PK60861021,00:0d:5d:89:3a:37,pdu7,192.168.8.26,24
PK60863094,00:0d:5d:03:4c:1b,pdu8,192.168.8.27,24
PK60863926,00:0d:5d:8e:44:2e,pdu9,192.168.8.28,24
PK60867901,00:0d:5d:aa:b7:07,pdu10,192.168.8.29,24
%%
pdu.name=${PDU}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.enabled=1
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.config_method=static
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.addr=${IPADDRESS}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.prefix_len=${SUBNET}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv6.enabled=0

Two things have happened here. There is an extra line:

SERIAL     MAC               PDU  IPADDRESS    SUBNET

just before the list of devices which assign names to each of the columns. This then allows the lines in the third config section to use those names like ${IPADDRESS} instead of numbers like ${4} which helps reduce mistakes.

This also has the advantage that if new columns are introduced or the order of existing columns is changed there is no need to change the numbers in the config section.

New @@ macros

While it is obvious what a line like:

pdu.name=${3}

means it might not be so obvious what:

net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.prefix_len=${5}

means.

To make things easier there is the @@ macro. Look at the following third config section:

@@PDUNAME@@=${PDU}
@@IPv4ENABLED@@=1
@@IPv4CONFIG@@=static
@@IPv4ADDRESS@@=${IPADDRESS}
@@IPv4SUBNET@@=${SUBNET}
@@IPv6ENABLED@@=0

If the name between the first @@ and the second @@ is recognised as a built in macro the massdeploy.py utility will change it to the appropriate text.

Summary

So now we have a massdeploy.txt which looks like:

#
# massdeploy.txt
#
# version 007 - 16-september-2019
#
# PDUs in data hall 7, first floor
#
user=admin
password=raritan
log=log.txt
config=config.txt
device_list=devices.csv
%%
SERIAL     MAC               PDU  IPADDRESS    SUBNET
PK60861100,00:0d:5d:b6:53:6b,pdu1,192.168.8.20,24
PK60860061,00:0d:5d:c7:48:53,pdu2,192.168.8.21,24
PK60867699,00:0d:5d:9e:c0:45,pdu3,192.168.8.22,24
PK60860023,00:0d:5d:07:6a:85,pdu4,192.168.8.23,24
PK60867390,00:0d:5d:7b:8f:9c,pdu5,192.168.8.24,24
PK60867769,00:0d:5d:23:91:7a,pdu6,192.168.8.25,24
PK60861021,00:0d:5d:89:3a:37,pdu7,192.168.8.26,24
PK60863094,00:0d:5d:03:4c:1b,pdu8,192.168.8.27,24
PK60863926,00:0d:5d:8e:44:2e,pdu9,192.168.8.28,24
PK60867901,00:0d:5d:aa:b7:07,pdu10,192.168.8.29,24
%%
@@PDUNAME@@=${PDU}
@@IPv4ENABLED@@=1
@@IPv4CONFIG@@=static
@@IPv4ADDRESS@@=${IPADDRESS}
@@IPv4SUBNET@@=${SUBNET}
@@IPv6ENABLED@@=0

When this is processed by the massdeploy.py utilty it produces a fwupdate.cfg containing:

user=admin
password=raritan
log=log.txt
config=config.txt
device_list=devices.csv

A devices.csv file containing:

PK60861100,00:0d:5d:b6:53:6b,pdu1,192.168.8.20,24
PK60860061,00:0d:5d:c7:48:53,pdu2,192.168.8.21,24
PK60867699,00:0d:5d:9e:c0:45,pdu3,192.168.8.22,24
PK60860023,00:0d:5d:07:6a:85,pdu4,192.168.8.23,24
PK60867390,00:0d:5d:7b:8f:9c,pdu5,192.168.8.24,24
PK60867769,00:0d:5d:23:91:7a,pdu6,192.168.8.25,24
PK60861021,00:0d:5d:89:3a:37,pdu7,192.168.8.26,24
PK60863094,00:0d:5d:03:4c:1b,pdu8,192.168.8.27,24
PK60863926,00:0d:5d:8e:44:2e,pdu9,192.168.8.28,24
PK60867901,00:0d:5d:aa:b7:07,pdu10,192.168.8.29,24

A config.txt file containing:

pdu.name=${3}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.enabled=1
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.config_method=static
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.addr=${4}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.prefix_len=${5}
net.interfaces[eth0].ipv6.enabled=0

Built in macros

Near the top of the Python code in the massdeploy.py utility are lines similar to:

macros = {
         'PDUNAME':        'pdu.name',
         'IPv4ENABLED':    'net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.enabled',
         'IPv4CONFIG':     'net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.config_method',
         'IPv4ADDRESS':    'net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.addr',
         'IPv4SUBNET':     'net.interfaces[eth0].ipv4.static.addr_cidr.prefix_len',
         'IPv4GATEWAY':    'net.routing.ipv4.default_gateway_addr',
         'IPv6ENABLED':    'net.interfaces[eth0].ipv6.enabled',
         'DNS1':           'net.dns.server_addrs._e_.0',
         'DNS2':           'net.dns.server_addrs._e_.1',
         'DNS3':           'net.dns.server_addrs._e_.2',
         'BLOCKTIMEOUT':   'security.block_time',
         'FAILEDLOGINS':   'security.max_login_fails',
         }

To add new macros just insert new lines conforming to the existing syntax.

Benefits

Here are the key benefits of the massdeploy.py utility:

  • No need for Excel.
  • Works on Windows and Linux.
  • Comment feature handy to document mass deployments and comment out lines while debugging.
  • Ability to refer to columns by name instead of column number which avoids renumbering issues.
  • Use of @@ macros can keep things plain and simple

To Do List

Think of a clean way to add new @@ built in macros.

If no user= or password= line in the first section either report an error or set defaults of user=admin and password=raritan respectively.

End of README.md

About

Utility to create the necessary files for a Raritan mass deployment via USB keys or DHCP+TFTP

Resources

Readme

License

MIT license
Activity

Stars

2 stars

Watchers

2 watching

Forks

0 forks
Report repository

Releases

No releases published

Packages

 
 
 

Languages