Meraki goes Network Visualization

General
1

Right in time for X-mass you can now create LLDP network topologies for your Cisco Meraki network in checkmk.

To do this you need at least

Here is a basic how to:

  • enable HW/SW inventory in checkmk
  • install and configure the extended Cisco Meraki cloud agent
  • configure the Dynamic host management to add your Cisco Meraki devices to checkmk, let the DCD do it’s magic
  • wait until the HW/SW inventory was running and has found the LLDP neighbours
  • configure and run NVDCT
  • enjoy your LLDP network topology

meraki
meraki2086×997 184 KB

How to configure NVDCT for use with Cisco Meraki:

  • create a copy of ~/local/bin/conf/nvdct.toml
  • in your copy of the config file
    • in [L2_SEED_DEVICES] add your Cisco Meraki seed devices (from where to discover the LLDP topology)
      Note: The names have to be exactly like the are in checkmk
    • in [L2_NEIGHBOUR_REPLACE_REGEX]
      • uncomment # "^Meraki.*\\s-\\s" = ""
      • if you have Meraki devices with spaces in the host name add "\s" = "_"
    • in [SETTINGS]
      • uncomment layers and change it to: layers = ["LLDP"]
      • set the output directory (optional), i.e: output_directory = 'meraki'
      • make the topology the default (optional): default = true

Now run NVDCT

OMD[build]:~$ ~/local/bin/nvdct/nvdct.py -u ~/local/bin/nvdct/conf/your_meraki.toml

Network Visualisation Data Creation Tool (NVDCT)
by thl-cmk[at]outlook[dot]com, version 0.9.2-20241117
see https://thl-cmk.hopto.org/gitlab/checkmk/vendor-independent/nvdct

Start time....: 2024-11-24T12:51:58.11
Source lldp...: Devices/Objects/Connections added 306/1061/1136
Time taken....: 27.457535817/s
End time......: 2024-11-24T12:52:25.11

OMD[build]:~$

Note: If you are updating from an older version of the extended Cisco Meraki cloud agent and/or NVDCT, there where some incompatible changes nessecary to make this work. For the NVDCT see here or in the CHANGELOG. For the extended Cisco Meraki cloud agent these changes are in the

  • Switch Port Status
  • Wireless Ethernet Status

part.

  • The Service name has changed from Port to Interface → do a rediscovery for your Cisco Meraki switches and wireless devices.
  • The Discovery Rule Cisco Meraki Switch Ports needs to be recreated.

As always check the CHANGELOG before updating.

Cheers
Thomas

9 Likes
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@thl-cmk your work is awesome. Thank you for your contributions !!!

1 Like
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what @aeckstein said :wink:

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Really Awesome Thomas!!!

Repeating my self towards the CMK Team :wink:
Its time you guys adapt it and make it default within CMK. Even if not working in the Network Sphere right now - this is gold and something where you can show off.
But with all the third party MKPs, for bigger environments its a nightmare, many of them with simple stuff one would expect is onboard/basic stuff, which need to be maintained and tested before every patch/update.

Request :kissing_closed_eyes:

  • adding missing Meraki features
  • adding missing inventory features

It clearly levels up the game for CMK when it comes to Network Monitoring and Visualization of your Infrastrukture.
And with this there are many many more valuable usecases im sure.

Happy holidays
Cheers

2 Likes
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Very, very nice @thl-cmk !!! :+1:

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Thanks Thomas! Great work as always.
We will definitely work towards simplifying adding the network topology. And I still owe you an improvement to the Meraki integration. No worries. But Andreas got priority with his large Redfish integration :slight_smile:
As we are strongly ramping up our dev team this year, I am confident we will have enough capacity for monitoring integrations.

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