Automated open networking software vendor Pica8 announces Nymble-- an automation framework add-on for the PICOS Linux-based network operating system (NOS) for open, white box and brite box switches.
Nymble runs as a containerised virtual machine in either a private or public cloud, and uses the open-sources Ansible AWX web UI to run a large library of Ansible "Playbooks" for enterprise networking services. It operates through English-language commands, and allows users to activate dozens of switches at the push of a button to run inventory, turn up VLANs and MLAG and perform health checks of all PoE devices in an enterprise access network.
As an intelligent system, Nymble does not blindly overwrite switch NOS for a code update if it finds the update is already running on a particular switch. It is also agentless, meaning it requires no additional software to be loaded onto white box switches or servers. Included in all commercial versions of PICOS, Nymble consists of 4 components, the Configuration Manager, Image Manager, License Manager and Automation Manager.
The Configuration Manager is a GUI-based utility allowing PICOS users to define a standard (or "golden") configuration for deployment across all access and campus switches in a network, along with any required regional or site-specific variations. Image Manager allows users to upload and maintain multiple PICOS image files for each switch model on the network.
License Manager remotely performs initial license installs and automatic updates to licenses nearing expiration, and generates a full inventory report of all installed switches in the network. Finally, Automation Manager fully automates the process of switch/network discovery, code updating, configuration and license installation, and switch activation.
The Nymble automation framework is available now, and is included in all versions of PICOS.
