Network Switch

When working with a lab full of HPE ProCurve/Aruba switches (or you just want to know who is who in a stack of switches) the chassislocate CLI command comes in really handy by either blinking or holding solid the blue locator light. See the screenshots below for a little more info.

This is how your folder should look once updated

This is how your folder should look once updated

Following from Automated backup for your network switches with WinSCP and PowerShell you can take things one step further and with a little more PowerShell its possible to get email reports on any changes between switch configs.

This kind of setup would be useful for any sized organisation who have a need to ensure changes are logged or want to ensure that no one has maliciously changed a configuration.

Make sure you edit lines 6-8 with your SMTP details

Make sure you edit lines 6-8 with your SMTP details

The setup is simple, just as with the automated backup these will need to be extracted to your C:\Network Switch Backup folder which should look something like the screenshot to the right once done.

I’ve also included an updated .cmd file which calls the Backup Network Switches.ps1 script and then the Compare Configs.ps1 script in turn.

  Network Switch Change Log (1.6 KiB, 1,707 hits)

There is plenty of description within the PowerShell file; even a little error handling as well! Be sure to edit lines 6-8 with your SMTP settings.

Procurve 5406R zl2Although it may not be the most glamorous side of IT every sysadmin will appreciate the value of a rock solid backup system. All too often though these systems do not extend down to the ’embedded’ systems like network switches and firewalls.

However with a little WinSCP (and its fantastic .NET assembly automation package) and PowerShell combined its pretty easy to cook up something that is 100% less of the cost of any management solution.

This guide shows how to setup the backup of a HP ProCurve switch (I’ve tested it with the ProCurve 8200 series, 5400 series the 2920s, a 2626 and a 2530 all of which were running the most recent firmware) although it should be a simple matter of changing the relevant paths to make it work with other manufacturers kit (e.g. Cisco).

1Download Source Files

First up grab the source files from the link below and extract the contents to C:\Network Switch Backup (you can use any other path but will just need to update the paths inside the PowerShell) you should then have a folder which contains a .cmd file, a .ps1, a sample .csv and a sub folder called Backups.

  Network Switch Backup (1.7 KiB, 5,794 hits)

Getting your Switch ready and filling out the CSV

Each switch will now need ip ssh and ip ssh filetransfer running on it through the CLI (if its not already setup); be sure to set a manager password (if you haven’t done so already!) as well. In addition you will need to find the Server host key fingerprint for each switch; the screen shots below show one way of doing this.

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