netscaler-state-config

Overview

This script processes a YAML file that contains a NetScaler state and applies it to one or more appliances. It requires the NSNitro and schema modules to be installed. These can be imported via the following commands on most systems:

pip install nsnitro
pip install schema

This has been tested with Python 2.7.9 and NetScaler 10.5. The utility will ensure that the NetScaler state maches the input configuration file. A best practice to begin using this tool to manage your NetScaler would be to use the build.yml sample config file. This file will be populated based on the existing NetScaler configuration. Once a configuration file is populated, ongoing changes to the NetScaler configuration can be maintained and applied by this tool.

When running this utility, a log file and backup YAML file will be created. The log will help track any errors that may have been encountered during processing. The backup YAML file will contain the state of the NetScaler prior to applying the input YAML configuration file.

Usage

The script accepts the filename of a YAML-based configuration ("ns.yml" for example)

python apply_netscaler_state.py <yaml_filename>

The YAML input file is validated to ensure compliance with the schema defined below. Invalid configurations will not be applied.

Output

Log

A log file named with a timestamp is produced in the working directory each time the script is executed.

Backup YAML Configuration

A backup of the previous NetScaler configuration is encoded in YAML and saved during execution. A new file is created during every execution and named with the timestamp.

Supported States

Servers

Server definition for Load Balancing

• Name
• IP Address

Service Groups

Service groups for Load Balancing

• Name
• Protocol
• Server bindings to Service Groups
  • Server Name
  • Port

Load Balancing

Virtual server for Load Balancing

• Name
• Virtual IP Address
• Port
• Protocol
• Service Group Bindings

Content Switching

Virtual server for Content Switching

• Name
• Virtual IP Address
• Port
• Protocol
• Content Switching Policy Bindings
• Default Load Balancing Virtual Server

Content Switching Policies

• Name
• Expression
• Action

Content Switching Actions

• Name
• Target Load Balancing Virtual Server

YAML Schema

The format of the YAML is hierarchical and relates to the logical state of the managed resources. Component relationships are defined using the 'name' key when referring to another component. Referential integrity is validated prior to applying the state.

ns_groups:  #Contains a list of one or more NetScaler groups, each with an independent configuration
  - name: <ns_group_name>
    ns_instance:
     address: <nsip_address or hostname>
     user: <ns_user>
     pass: <ns_password>
    
### Optional ###
    build: 
# If build key is present, the existing configuration is populated from the NetScaler instance above.
# If the configuration is empty other than the ns_instance declaration, the user will be prompted to create
# the configuration from the NetScaler.  If 'n' is selected, an empty configuration will be applied.
# Applying an empty configuration will remove any existing managed resource types from the NetScaler.
    
    service_groups:  # Contains a list of one or more Load Balancing Service Group definitions
      - name: <service_group_name>
        servers:  # Contains one or more servers to include in the service group
        - name: <server_name>  # Reference to Server name contained in Server definition
          port: <port>
        protocol: <protocol_name>  # Service type e.g. HTTP
    
    servers:  # Contains a list of one or more Load Balacing Server definitions
      - name: <server_name>
        ip_address: <ip>

    lbvservers:  # Contains a list of one or more Load Balancing Virtual Server definitions
      - name: <lbvserver_name>
        vip_address: <lbvserver_ip_address>  # Virtual IP Address of lbvserver
        port: <port>
        protocol: <protocol_name>  # Service type e.g. HTTP
        service_group_bindings:  # Contains a list of one or more Service Groups to bind the lbvserver to
          - <service_group_name>  # Reference to Service Group name contained in Service Group definition
      
    csvservers:  # Contains a list of one or more Content Switching Virtual Server definitions
      - name: <csvserver_name>
        vip_address: <csvserver_ip_address>  # Virtual IP Address of csvserver
        port: <port>
        protocol: <protocol_name> # Service type e.g. HTTP
        policy_bindings:  # Contains a list of one or more Content Switching policy bindings
          - name: <cs_policy_name>  # Reference to CS Policy name contained in CS Policy definition
            priority: <priority>  # Integer value of policy binding e.g. 100
        default_lbvserver: <lbvserver_name>  # Reference to LBVServer name contained in LBVServer definition
        
    cs_policies:  # Contains a list of one or more Content Switching Policy definitions
      - name: <cs_policy_name>
        expression: <ns_policy_expression>  # Valid NetScaler policy expression
        action: <cs_action_name>  # Reference to CS Action name contained in CS Action definition
        
    cs_actions:  # Contains a list of one or more Content Switching Action definitions
      - name: <cs_action_name>
        target_lbvserver: <lbvserver_name>  # Reference to LBVServer name contained in LBVServer definition