Wired Intelligent Edge (Campus Switching and Routing)

Problem:

• We had two switches Switch-PFR1 and Switch-PFR2 in template group on Aruba Central.
• These switches were Up and In-sync on central.

• Both these switches had same config (except hostname and ip address)
• All the ports were part of VLAN 1.
• Requirement was to have port 1/1/2 of Switch-PFR2 to be part of VLAN 100.
• However port 1/1/2 of Switch-PFR1 would need to be part of VLAN 1.

Template :

#This template is imported from device "Switch-PFR1" with serial "SG07KN501D"

!
!Version ArubaOS-CX FL.10.06.0120
!export-password: default
hostname %_sys_hostname%
user admin group administrators password plaintext *****
ntp enable
!
!
!
!
ssh server vrf default
ssh server vrf mgmt
vsf member 1 
    type jl666a
vlan 1,100
spanning-tree
interface mgmt
    no shutdown
    ip dhcp
interface 1/1/1
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 1
interface 1/1/2
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 1
interface 1/1/3
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 1
interface 1/1/4
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 1

Switch-PFR1 Truncated Config :

Switch-PFR1# sh running-config
Current configuration:
!
!Version ArubaOS-CX FL.10.06.0120
!export-password: default
hostname Switch-PFR1
user admin group administrators password ciphertext AQBapa54LU8IuF38JPo3XMsO0pPskObnPlWLfJf5+CmgKOlEYgAAAEHGhhVbCiC2j8/XyqHEz5glvCOyVWmTq2O732DbO7YFTEGqvEIeizuu1K8FJCx51gMXjpMsEN1ZJvjQGQ6dTeAv1ewMvMCs8Kf+CeoL05cONOXfBMgsHMXzeaZKpL/6gsQU
ntp enable
!
!
!
!
ssh server vrf default
ssh server vrf mgmt
vsf member 1
    type jl666a
vlan 1,100
spanning-tree
interface mgmt
    no shutdown
    ip dhcp
interface 1/1/1
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 1
interface 1/1/2
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 1

Switch-PFR2 Truncated Config :

Switch-PFR2# sh running-config
Current configuration:
!
!Version ArubaOS-CX FL.10.06.0120
!export-password: default
hostname Switch-PFR2
user admin group administrators password ciphertext AQBapWBG9gMpFfHfkzSWm2JcGCyZ6cOq4djFaMi79zDPpK1mYgAAAD8zPmCStR6LYXfbfYu0oKMk1FnwCkUMZhnfVcTraEYVF5IjDiP6qOkSrhb/9NUugCd8BW9mNp2qlr2u4UuBaGT7R3bOJMb1ifVMhfEI/Yvg/T7ufc2Z1SZblNi3ZCMSSZKY
ntp enable
!
!
!
!
ssh server vrf default
ssh server vrf mgmt
vsf member 1
    type jl666a
vlan 1,100
spanning-tree
interface mgmt
    no shutdown
    ip dhcp
interface 1/1/1
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 1
interface 1/1/2
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 1

• If we made changes directly on the template on port 1/1/2, the config would be pushed to both the switches and port 1/1/2 would be part of VLAN 100.

• This can be solved using two methods.

1. Using If else statement in the template.

2. Using a variable in the template.

Method 1 : Using If else statement in the template.

• We can identify switches based on hostname and write following condition.
• If hostname is equal to Switch-PFR2 than 1/1/2 port would be part of VLAN 100, else port 1/1/2 would be part of VLAN 1.

%if _sys_hostname=Switch-PFR2%
interface 1/1/2
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 100
%else%
interface 1/1/2
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access 1
%endif%

Verification :

• After making the changes we could see that port 1/1/2 of Switch-PFR1 is part of VLAN 1 and port 1/1/2 of Switch-PFR2 is part of VLAN 100.

Method 2 : Using a variable in the template.

• We download the variable file.

Devices > Switches > Config > Variables > Download Variables

• An excel file would get downloaded.
• Edit the excel file and create a new variable. Here I will call the variable as var
• Assign values to all the switch for that variable. I have assigned value as 1 for Switch-PFR1 and value 100 for Switch-PFR2.
• Here the values indicate the vlan id.
• Change modified filed values to Y from N.

• Upload it to central by clicking on Upload Variables File.
• Once it is successfully uploaded you should see the following prompt and the variable should be displayed as shown below/

​

• Then we call this variable under interface 1/1/2 in the template as shown below.

interface 1/1/2
    no shutdown
    no routing
    vlan access %var%

Verification :

• After making the changes we could see that port 1/1/2 of Switch-PFR1 is part of VLAN 1 and port 1/1/2 of Switch-PFR2 is part of VLAN 100.