Config Parsing Helper

[itdependsnetworks]

Environment

• netutils version: 1.1

Proposed Functionality

Provided convinence methods to parse through a standard Ios-like (and potentially others) configurations. The idea being similar to CiscoConfParse in scope, but ideally to provide a few key features.

The ability to navigate nested configuration for a known path:

root_obj.get_path(["router bgp 45000", "address-family ipv4 unicast"])
# Returns 
  neighbor 192.168.1.2 activate
  network 172.17.1.0 mas

The ability to get configurations with parent context:

root_obj.get_path_with_parents(["router bgp 45000", "address-family ipv4 unicast"])
# Returns 
router bgp 45000
 address-family ipv4 unicast
  neighbor 192.168.1.2 activate
  network 172.17.1.0 mas

The ability to get configurations that match:

root_obj.get_multpile_parents(["interface GigabitEthernet.*"])
# Returns 
[ """interface GigabitEthernet0/1/0
 mac-address 00e0.1476.7600
 no ip address
!""", 
"""interface GigabitEthernet0/1/1
 mac-address 00e0.1476.7601
 no ip address
!"""]

The ability to get configurations that contains:

root_obj.get_contained(["interface GigabitEthernet.*"], "channel-group 1")
# Returns 
[ """interface GigabitEthernet0/1/0
 mac-address 00e0.1476.7600
 no ip address
 channel-group 1
!""", 
"""interface GigabitEthernet0/1/1
 mac-address 00e0.1476.7601
 no ip address
 channel-group 1
!"""]

And similar

Use Case

As an operator, I want the ability to find configurations based on various different characteristics. Such that I can quickly make logical choices, populate a SoT, find otherwise difficult to find configurations (offline), and quickly interrogate configurations across a large amount of data, just to name a few.

[jeffkala]

Would the idea be to rework how the parsers work, or for these to be its own logic?

[itdependsnetworks]

I think it should just be adding convenience methods.

[mundruid]

Functions to be added:
def find_blocks():
def find_children():
def find_children_w_parents():
def find_interface_objects():
def find_lineage():
def find_lines():
def find_object_branches():
def find_objects():
def find_objects_dna():
def find_objects_w_all_children():
def find_objects_w_child():
def find_objects_w_missing_children():
def find_objects_w_parents():
def find_objects_wo_child():
def find_parents_w_child():
def find_parents_wo_child():

[itdependsnetworks]

For further clarity, ciscoconfparse uses GPL and intends to keep that license, this is an intention to get similar behaviour without the constructs that come with GPL license.