Validating Network State

We can also automate checking the results. Using the eos_command to ping the loopback addresses of each switch, and then using the assert module we can make sure we have full reachability.

Create a new playbook

Check out the following playbook:

We can simply ping each loopback address

- name: CHECK CONNECTIVITY
  hosts: network
  tasks:
    - name: Test reachability from all devices to all devices
      eos_command:
        commands:
          - "ping 172.16.0.1"
          - "ping 172.16.0.2"
          - "ping 172.16.0.3"
          - "ping 172.16.0.4"
      register: ping_result

Then we want to check the results using the assert module. Remember that since we issued 4 commands, we will have a list of 4 results. Our list will be numbered from stdout[0] through stdout[3] since computers start counting from 0.

    - name: assert test results
      assert:
        that:
          - "'172.16.0.1' in ping_result.stdout[0]"
          - "' 0% packet loss' in ping_result.stdout[0]"
          - "'172.16.0.2' in ping_result.stdout[1]"
          - "' 0% packet loss' in ping_result.stdout[1]"
          - "'172.16.0.3' in ping_result.stdout[2]"
          - "' 0% packet loss' in ping_result.stdout[2]"
          - "'172.16.0.4' in ping_result.stdout[3]"
          - "' 0% packet loss' in ping_result.stdout[3]"

Combine the code stanzas above, and create a playbook called validate.yml.

To run the playbook use the ansible-playbook command.

[vagrant@ansible linklight]$ ansible-playbook validate.yml

The full playbook is provided here validate.yml

[vagrant@ansible linklight]$ ansible-playbook assert.yml

PLAY [network] *******************************************************************************************************************************************************************

TASK [Test reachability from all devices to all devices] *************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [spine02]
ok: [leaf01]
ok: [spine01]
ok: [leaf02]

TASK [assert test results] *******************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [leaf01] => {
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "All assertions passed"
}
ok: [leaf02] => {
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "All assertions passed"
}
ok: [spine02] => {
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "All assertions passed"
}
ok: [spine01] => {
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "All assertions passed"
}

PLAY RECAP ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
leaf01                     : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0
leaf02                     : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0
spine01                    : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0
spine02                    : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0

Complete

You have completed Exercise 03.

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