eos_validate_state - Preview Integration with ANTA¶

Warning

eos_validate_state intergration with ANTA is in preview. Everything is subject to change. If you have any questions, please leverage the GitHub discussions board

Overview¶

eos_validate_state is a role leveraged to validate Arista EOS devices’ operational states.

eos_validate_state role:

Consumes structured EOS configuration file, the same input as the role eos_cli_config_gen. This input is considered the source of truth (the desired state).
Connects to EOS devices to collect operational states (actual state). This requires access to the configured devices.
Compares the actual states against the desired state.
Generates CSV and Markdown reports of the results.

Known limitations¶

Loose mode to ignore playbook errors is no longer supported in ANTA mode.
ANTA mode exclusively supports the newer “list-of-dicts” data models in the structured configuration file input. For further details, consult the AVD 4.x.x porting guides.

Expected changes¶

You should expect faster execution, and if not please report on the GitHub discussions board
Hardware tests are now collapsed.
Some description of tests have been updated to be more precise.
Sorting of the test results is now done per device as opposed to per category.
BGP tests will only run if service_routing_protocols_model is set to multi-agent in the structured configuration file.

Note

Starting from version 4.30.1F, service_routing_protocols_model is preset to multi-agent by default on EOS devices.

How to run eos_validate_state in ANTA mode¶

Install the “anta” Python package (this is not part of the requirements.txt):
```
pip3 install '
anta==0.10.0
'
```

Run eos_validate_state playbook by setting the variable use_anta=true.

This can be set for instance in your group_vars or under the task in your playbook.

If you use_anta=false which is the default, the current version of eos_validate_state leveraging Ansible asserts will be run.

Ansible tags are supported for backwards compatibility until AVD version 5.0.0. To run/skip tests use --tags or --skip-tags.
```
ansible-playbook playbooks/fabric-validate.yaml --tags routing_table
```

You can now run the eos_validate_state role in check_mode. This will produce a report of tests that will be performed without running the tests on your network.
```
ansible-playbook playbooks/fabric-validate.yaml --check
```

You have the option to save the test catalog generate by the role for each device in the intended/test_catalogs folder by setting the variable save_catalog to true.

Test Categories¶

AvdTestHardware (Ansible tags: hardware, platform_information)
- VerifyEnvironmentPower: Validate environment power supplies status.
- VerifyEnvironmentCooling: Validate environment fan status.
- VerifyTemperature: Validate environment temperature.
- VerifyTransceiversManufacturers: Validate transceivers manufacturer.

AvdTestNTP (Ansible tags: ntp)
- VerifyNTP: Validate NTP status.

AvdTestInterfacesState (Ansible tags: interfaces_state)
- VerifyInterfacesStatus: Validate interfaces admin and operational status.
  - Ethernet interfaces
  - Port-channel interfaces
  - Vlan interfaces
  - Loopback interfaces
  - Vxlan1 interface

AvdTestP2PIPReachability (Ansible tags: ip_reachability)
- VerifyReachability: Validate IP reachability for point-to-point l3 ethernet interfaces.

AvdTestInbandReachability (Ansible tags: loopback_reachability, loopback0_reachability, optional)
- VerifyReachability: Validate loopback reachability between devices.

AvdTestLoopback0Reachability (Ansible tags: loopback_reachability, loopback0_reachability)
- VerifyReachability: Validate loopback reachability between devices.

AvdTestLLDPTopology (Ansible tags: lldp_topology)
- VerifyLLDPNeighbors: Validate LLDP topology.

AvdTestMLAG (Ansible tags: mlag)
- VerifyMlagStatus: Validate MLAG status.

AvdTestRoutingTable (Ansible tags: routing_table)
- VerifyRoutingTableEntry: Validate remote Loopback0 address and source interface for Vxlan1 interface are in the routing table.

AvdTestBGP (Ansible tags: bgp_check)
- VerifyBGPSpecificPeers: Validate IP BGP and BGP EVPN sessions state.
- VerifyRoutingProtocolModel: Validate ArBGP is configured and operating.

AvdTestReloadCause (Ansible tags: reload_cause, optional, never)
- VerifyReloadCause: Validate last reload cause. (Optional)

Input variables¶

# Format for path to r/w reports. Sync with default values configured in arista.avd.build_output_folders
root_dir: '{{ inventory_dir }}'

# AVD configurations output
# Main output directory
output_dir_name: 'intended'
output_dir: '{{ root_dir }}/{{ output_dir_name }}'

# Output for test catalog YAML files if save_catalog is set to true
test_catalogs_dir_name: 'test_catalogs'
test_catalogs_dir: '{{ output_dir }}/{{ test_catalogs_dir_name }}'

# Output directory for eos_validate_state reports
eos_validate_state_name: 'reports'
eos_validate_state_dir: '{{ root_dir }}/{{ eos_validate_state_name }}'

# Reports name
eos_validate_state_md_report_path: '{{ eos_validate_state_dir }}/{{ fabric_name }}-state.md'
eos_validate_state_csv_report_path: '{{ eos_validate_state_dir }}/{{ fabric_name }}-state.csv'

# Markdown flavor to support non-text rendering
# Only support default and github
validate_state_markdown_flavor: "default"

# The variable `skipped_tests` can be used for running/skipping tests categories
skipped_tests:
  - category: AvdTestHardware

# You can also decide to skip specific subtests (ANTA test name) for more granularity
skipped_tests:
  - category: AvdTestBGP
    tests:
      - VerifyRoutingProtocolModel
  - category: AvdTestHardware
    tests:
      - VerifyEnvironmentCooling

# Fabric Name, required to match Ansible Group name covering all devices in the Fabric | Required and **must** be an inventory group name.
fabric_name: "all"

# Allow different manufacturers
accepted_xcvr_manufacturers: "{{ validation_role.xcvr_own_manufacturers | arista.avd.default(['Arastra, Inc.', 'Arista Networks']) }}"

# Allow different states for power supplies
accepted_pwr_supply_states: "{{ validation_role.pwr_supply_states | arista.avd.default(['ok']) }}"

# Allow different states for fans
accepted_fan_states: "{{ validation_role.fan_states | arista.avd.default(['ok']) }}"

# Generate CSV results file
validation_report_csv: "{{ validation_role.validation_report_csv | arista.avd.default(true) }}"

# Generate MD results file
validation_report_md: "{{ validation_role.validation_report_md | arista.avd.default(true) }}"

# Print only FAILED tests
only_failed_tests: "{{ validation_role.only_failed_tests | arista.avd.default(false) }}"

# Variable to enable ANTA eos_validate_state
# Defaults to false as ANTA is currently preview
use_anta: false
# Whether or not to save each device test catalog to 'test_catalogs_dir'
# Used only when 'use_anta' is set to true
save_catalog: false
# Which tests to skip when using ANTA.
# If set, Ansible tags are ignored
skipped_tests: []
# Logging level for the ANTA libraries
# Default is warning
logging_level: "WARNING"

Example Playbook¶

---
- name: validate states on EOS devices using ANTA
  hosts: DC1
  gather_facts: false
  tasks:
    - name: validate states on EOS devices
      ansible.builtin.import_role:
        name: arista.avd.eos_validate_state
      vars:
        # To enable ANTA
        use_anta: true
        # To save catalogs
        save_catalog: true

Last update: October 12, 2023