Network Automation

with Qapps
Fundamentals

NetBrain Technologies +1 800.605.7964

15 Network Drive education@netbraintech.com
Burlington, MA 01803 www.netbraintech.com
 Training Flow

o Set of slides to provide context

o Demonstration using ITE Workstation
o Workspace: Class – New ITE Lab (Shared)
o Hands-on: 2 Labs
o Q&A

Login to server class.netbraintech.com:80 (NOT trial.netbraintech.com)

 Prepare for Class Exercises

o Requirements for class exercises:

» You must download and install NetBrain ITE Workstation on your local
PC
» Lets you try features in NetBrain’s training lab network over the
Internet
o NetBrain Workstation Download Link:
http://download.netbraintech.com/NetBrain_ITE_setup.zip

Change server to class.netbraintech.com:80

Login to workspace Class – New ITE Lab

Guest Credentials = netbrain123/netbrain123

 Course Agenda
o Class Part I
» Qapp Overview
» Types of Qapps
» How Qapps Work
» Parsers & the Parser Library
» The Qapp Wizard
o Exercise 1 (15 minutes)
o Class Part II
» Creating Alerts
» Defining Visual Alerts
o Exercise 2 (15 minutes)

4 | © Copyright NetBrain®
 QappTM overview
Quick Automation Apps (Qapps) make a Network Engineer more efficient
Used to map, annotate, monitor, and report on network data and devices
Fully customizable and now easier to create with a simple Qapp Wizard
Increase network availability by improving network visibility and MTTR
Qapp is a way to extend the core capabilities of NetBrain based on needs.

Sample App:
Monitor QoS
Health

5 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

 Qapps run on top of Qmaps
Output is displayed atop the dynamic
Qmap

6 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

What can we do with a
Qapp?
 Monitor output of your favorite CLI commands

Locate CRC errors and collisions on Ethernet

interfaces

Track priority queue utilization and alert for drops

Analyze BGP received routes and alert on a

threshold

8 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

 Highlight Device or Interface using config or CLI

Identify devices by software version compliance

Indicate interfaces by speed or media type

Visualize OSPF interface area membership

9 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

 Check against Neighbor or Operational data

Verify routing protocol timer settings between

neighbors

Evaluate neighboring duplex and MTU

configuration

Check application path for consistent queuing

strategy

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 The Possibilities are Limitless

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Types of Qapps
 Monitor Qapps
Run recursively until shut off or Qmap
closed

13 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

 Neighbor Check Qapps

Duplex Mismatch
Detected

Use neighborship information to compare & analyze

14 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1
 CSV Generation Qapp
X:\Program Files
(x86)\NetBrain\Workstation Enterprise
Edition\userData\QappResult

Easily pull desired data and turn it into a .csv file

15 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1
 Mapping Highlight Qapps
Original mapped
Automatically added devices
devices

Can add relevant devices to Qmap

or quickly annotate information
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 How does a Qapp work?

Retrieve data from Live Analyze data in table form, THEN monitor,
Network or benchmark data highlight, draw, or export as specified

17 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

The Parser Library
Qapp Building Blocks
 Qapp Parser Library

170+ built-in parsers

Fully customizable

Build, re-use and share

1000s of attributes
ready for mining and
analysis
19 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1
 What can you parse?
Pull up a sample output and easily define its variables

20 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

The Qapp Wizard
Qapp Building Blocks
 Simplified creation process – 3 easy steps

1. Select a Qapp type

2. Select parser and variables

3. Define desired
output

22 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

 Qapp Wizard Step 1: Select a Qapp Type

Monitor Highlight

Neighbor Check CSV Report

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 Qapp Wizard Step 2a: Select Parser
Type a command and NetBrain shows matching parsers

Or Select a Parser from the list…

24 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

 Qapp Wizard Step 2b: Select Variables
Select variables of interest from any available variables (or edit to add new ones)

Select $intf if the variable is tied to an interface

25 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

 Qapp Wizard Step 3: Set Visual Outputs
Select visualization options and interface key

26 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

 Edit Specifics in the Full Qapp Editor

Click Finish to generate Full Qapp Editor displaying complete Qapp

workflow

27 | NetBrain® Enterprise Edition 6.1

Let’s Build a Qapp!
 Exercise 1: Your First Qapps
Objective:
A. Build a Qapp to monitor CRC errors using the existing Parser Library
B. Build a Qapp to highlight MTU on the map using the existing Parser Library

Steps for A:
1. From the Qapp Ribbon, select Qapp Wizard and choose Monitor Qapp
2. Enter “show interface” and select the parser that works on Cisco IOS Devices
3. Select the $intf, $crc, and other attributes of interest
4. Position the variables as you’d like and specify $intf as the interface name variable
5. Save the Qapp with a meaningful name under “My Files” in the Qapp Center
6. Open “Qapp Monitor Map” from the Map Center
7. Run your newly created Monitor Qapp on this map by clicking on Monitor -> Monitor Qapps from the
floating menu

Steps for B:
1. Launch the Qapp Wizard and select Highlight Map
2. Enter “show interface” and select the parser that works on Cisco IOS Devices
3. Select the $intf and $mtu variables
4. Highlight interface by $mtu and specify $intf as the interface name variable
5. Save the Qapp with a meaningful name under “My Files” in the Qapp Center
6. Open “Qapp Monitor Map” from the Map Center
7. Run your newly created Highlight Qapp on this map by right clicking on the map and choose “Run Qapp”
 Setting Alerts and
Visualization
…customizing Qapps in the Editor
 Creating Alerts

o Step 1: Create an alert in the Canvas Table (Click Add)

 Creating Alerts

o Run Qapp:
» Text will highlight
» Badges will increment
 Changing Interface and Device Color

o Step 1: Once an Alert is created, select “Define Visual Alert”

 Changing Interface and Device Color
o Step 2: Select which alerts impact device/interface color: Color
matches the alert level
 Changing Interface and Device Color

o Run Qapp:
» Text will highlight, Badges will increment
» Interface/Device will change color only for enabled attributes
Let’s see it in Action
 Exercise 2: Adding Alerts
Objective:
A. Edit a Monitor Qapp to add an interface alert based on CRC errors
B. Enable the alert to change the interface color

Steps for A:
1. From the Qapp Center, select your previously created Monitor Qapp
2. Select Edit from the Map Pane and double-click the Canvas
3. Select the “Monitor1” element
4. Click “Add” beside the $crc variable and define alerts
5. Alert 1 results in an Error if CRC delta is larger than 0
6. Alert 2 results in a Warning if CRC does not equal 0
7. Save and Run your Qapp

Steps for B:
1. Edit the same Qapp
2. Select the “Monitor1” element
3. In the lower right of the Element Pane, select “Define Visual Alert”
4. Select $crc under “Change interface color”
5. Save and Run your Qapp
 Thank You and See You Again
Ready to learn more? Check our Live Web Training Catalog for all classes and dates. Course
preview below:

End User Classes: Power User Classes: Administrator Classes:

1. NetBrain for Beginners 1. Network Automation with 1. Setup & Discovery

2. Dynamic Documentation
3. Visual Troubleshooting
4. Automated Change
Management
5. Routing Analysis &
Troubleshooting
Qapp – Fundamentals
2. Workspace Management
2. Network Automation with
Qapp – Building Parsers
3. Network Automation with
Qapp – Customization with
Qapp Editor

Need Help?
Contact us at 781-221-7199 or education@netbraintech.com
 Thank you
Q&A - 30 minutes

NetBrain Technologies +1 800.605.7964

15 Network Drive education@netbraintech.com
Burlington, MA 01803 www.netbraintech.com