Configuration Management

Golden Rule

NEVER apply configuration without first capturing a baseline. If the change goes wrong, you need to know what to roll back to.

Change Workflow

Phase 1: Pre-Change Baseline

Capture the current state of everything the change might affect.

1A: Save Running Configuration

bash
PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_show_running_config '{"device_name":"R1"}'

Store this output — it is the rollback reference.

1B: Capture Relevant State

Depending on the change type, capture the appropriate state:

For interface changes:

bash
PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_run_show_command '{"device_name":"R1","command":"show ip interface brief"}'

PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_run_show_command '{"device_name":"R1","command":"show interfaces"}'

For routing changes:

bash
PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_run_show_command '{"device_name":"R1","command":"show ip route"}'

PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_run_show_command '{"device_name":"R1","command":"show ip ospf neighbor"}'

PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_run_show_command '{"device_name":"R1","command":"show ip bgp summary"}'

For ACL/security changes:

bash
PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_run_show_command '{"device_name":"R1","command":"show ip access-lists"}'

1C: Connectivity Baseline

Ping critical targets before the change:

bash
PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_ping_from_network_device '{"device_name":"R1","command":"ping 8.8.8.8 repeat 10"}'

Phase 2: Plan the Change

Before applying any config, explicitly state:

1. What config lines will be applied
2. Why each line is needed
3. What the expected effect is
4. What could go wrong (risk assessment)
5. How to verify success
6. How to rollback if it fails

Phase 3: Apply Configuration

bash
PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_configure_device '{"device_name":"R1","config_commands":["interface Loopback99","ip address 99.99.99.99 255.255.255.255","description NetClaw-Managed","no shutdown"]}'

Configuration best practices:

• Apply one logical change at a time (don't batch unrelated changes)
• Do NOT include configure terminal or end — the tool handles this
• DO include exit when changing config context (e.g., exiting an interface)
• Use descriptive descriptions on interfaces and route-maps
• For complex changes (route-maps, ACLs), build the complete object before applying to an interface

Common configuration patterns:

Interface configuration:

json
["interface GigabitEthernet2", "description WAN-Link-to-ISP", "ip address 203.0.113.1 255.255.255.252", "no shutdown"]

OSPF configuration:

json
["router ospf 1", "router-id 1.1.1.1", "network 10.0.0.0 0.0.255.255 area 0", "passive-interface default", "no passive-interface GigabitEthernet1"]

BGP configuration:

json
["router bgp 65001", "neighbor 10.1.1.2 remote-as 65002", "neighbor 10.1.1.2 description ISP-Peer", "address-family ipv4 unicast", "neighbor 10.1.1.2 activate", "neighbor 10.1.1.2 route-map ISP-IN in", "neighbor 10.1.1.2 route-map ISP-OUT out", "exit-address-family"]

ACL configuration:

json
["ip access-list extended MGMT-ACCESS", "permit tcp 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.255 any eq 22", "permit tcp 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.255 any eq 443", "deny ip any any log"]

Route-map configuration:

json
["route-map ISP-IN permit 10", "match ip address prefix-list ALLOWED-IN", "set local-preference 200", "exit", "route-map ISP-IN deny 99"]

Static route:

json
["ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 203.0.113.2 name DEFAULT-TO-ISP"]

NTP configuration:

json
["ntp server 10.0.0.1 prefer", "ntp server 10.0.0.2", "ntp source Loopback0"]

Phase 4: Post-Change Verification

Immediately after applying config, verify:

4A: Check for Errors in Logs

bash
PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_show_logging '{"device_name":"R1"}'

Look for new error messages that appeared after the change timestamp.

4B: Verify the Config Was Applied

bash
PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_show_running_config '{"device_name":"R1"}'

Compare with the pre-change config to confirm only intended changes were made.

4C: Verify Expected State

Re-run the same show commands from Phase 1B and compare:

• Are routing adjacencies still up?
• Are the expected new routes present?
• Are interface states correct?
• Are ACL counters incrementing as expected?

4D: Connectivity Verification

Re-ping all targets from Phase 1C:

bash
PYATS_TESTBED_PATH=$PYATS_TESTBED_PATH python3 $MCP_CALL "${PYATS_PYTHON:-python3} -u $PYATS_MCP_SCRIPT" pyats_ping_from_network_device '{"device_name":"R1","command":"ping 8.8.8.8 repeat 10"}'

Compare success rate and RTT with baseline.

Phase 5: Rollback (If Needed)

If verification fails, roll back by applying the inverse configuration:

To remove added config:

json
["no interface Loopback99"]

To restore changed config: Apply the original configuration lines from the Phase 1A baseline.

For complex rollbacks, apply the entire relevant section from the saved running config.

After rollback, re-verify that the device returned to its baseline state.

Change Documentation

After every change, produce a change report:

Change Report — YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM UTC
Device: R1 (devnetsandboxiosxec8k.cisco.com)
Requestor: [who requested the change]

Change Description:
  Added Loopback99 (99.99.99.99/32) for OSPF router-id migration

Config Applied:
  interface Loopback99
   ip address 99.99.99.99 255.255.255.255
   description OSPF-RID-Migration
   no shutdown

Pre-Change State:
  - Routing table: 47 routes
  - OSPF neighbors: 2 (FULL)
  - Connectivity: 100% to 8.8.8.8

Post-Change State:
  - Routing table: 48 routes (+1 connected 99.99.99.99/32)
  - OSPF neighbors: 2 (FULL) — no change
  - Connectivity: 100% to 8.8.8.8 — no change
  - New log entries: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Loopback99 up/up

Verification: PASSED
Rollback Required: No

Compliance Templates

Minimum Security Baseline (Apply to Every New Device)

json
[
  "service timestamps debug datetime msec localtime",
  "service timestamps log datetime msec localtime",
  "service password-encryption",
  "no ip source-route",
  "no ip http server",
  "ip http secure-server",
  "ip ssh version 2",
  "ip ssh time-out 60",
  "ip ssh authentication-retries 3",
  "login on-failure log",
  "login on-success log",
  "banner login ^ Authorized access only. All activity is monitored. ^"
]

VTY Hardening

json
[
  "line vty 0 4",
  "transport input ssh",
  "exec-timeout 15 0",
  "login local",
  "exit",
  "line vty 5 15",
  "transport input ssh",
  "exec-timeout 15 0",
  "login local"
]

ServiceNow Change Request Integration (MISSION02 Enhancement)

When ServiceNow is available ($SERVICENOW_MCP_SCRIPT is set), every configuration change MUST be gated by an approved Change Request.

Pre-Change: Create CR

Before any config push, create a Change Request:

bash
python3 $MCP_CALL "python3 -u $SERVICENOW_MCP_SCRIPT" create_change_request '{"short_description":"Configure SSH hardening on R1","description":"Apply VTY line hardening: SSH-only transport, exec timeout 15 min, login local. Affects R1 management plane.","category":"Network","priority":"3","risk":"low","impact":"low"}'

Submit for Approval

bash
python3 $MCP_CALL "python3 -u $SERVICENOW_MCP_SCRIPT" submit_change_for_approval '{"change_number":"CHG0012345"}'

Approval Gate

Check if the CR is approved before proceeding:

bash
python3 $MCP_CALL "python3 -u $SERVICENOW_MCP_SCRIPT" get_change_request_details '{"change_number":"CHG0012345"}'

STOP if state is not "Approved". Inform the human and wait.

Pre-Change Check: No Open P1/P2

Verify no open Priority 1 or 2 incidents on affected CIs:

bash
python3 $MCP_CALL "python3 -u $SERVICENOW_MCP_SCRIPT" list_incidents '{"urgency":"1","state":"open"}'

If P1/P2 incidents exist on affected devices, do NOT proceed. Escalate to human.

Post-Change: Close or Escalate CR

If verification passes:

bash
python3 $MCP_CALL "python3 -u $SERVICENOW_MCP_SCRIPT" update_change_request '{"change_number":"CHG0012345","updates":{"state":"closed","close_code":"successful","close_notes":"Change applied and verified. Post-change baseline matches expected state."}}'

If verification fails:

bash
python3 $MCP_CALL "python3 -u $SERVICENOW_MCP_SCRIPT" update_change_request '{"change_number":"CHG0012345","updates":{"state":"review","close_notes":"Post-change verification FAILED. Rollback initiated. Human review required."}}'

Emergency Changes

For emergency changes (network outage, security incident):

1. Notify human immediately
2. Create CR with category "Emergency"
3. Proceed with change (approval gate bypassed)
4. CR must be retroactively approved within 24 hours

GAIT Audit Trail

Record every phase of the change in GAIT:

bash
python3 $MCP_CALL "python3 -u $GAIT_MCP_SCRIPT" gait_record_turn '{"input":{"role":"assistant","content":"Config change on R1: Phase 1 baseline captured. Phase 2 plan approved. Phase 3 config applied. Phase 4 verification PASSED. ServiceNow CR CHG0012345 closed successful.","artifacts":[]}}'

The 5-phase workflow with GAIT creates an immutable record:

1. Baseline → GAIT commit with pre-change state
2. Plan → GAIT commit with change plan and CR number
3. Apply → GAIT commit with exact commands pushed
4. Verify → GAIT commit with post-change state and diff
5. Document → GAIT commit with final summary and CR closure