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This documentation is organized by AI with reference to actual code. AI can make mistakes — please verify against the source code when in doubt.

Multi-Vendor Network Device Support

Overview

GNS3-Copilot supports network devices from multiple vendors through Netmiko and Nornir integration. The system includes a custom Netmiko driver for Huawei devices in GNS3 emulation environments and supports dynamic device type detection.

Supported Vendors

Vendor	Device Type	Protocol	Status
Cisco	`cisco_ios_telnet`	Telnet	✅ Tested
Huawei	`gns3_huawei_telnet_ce`	Telnet	✅ Tested (Custom Driver)
Ruijie (锐捷)	`gns3_ruijie_telnet`	Telnet	✅ Tested (Custom Driver)
VPCS	`gns3_vpcs_telnet`	Telnet	✅ Tested (Custom Driver, Simulator)

Custom VPCS Driver (`VPCSTelnet`)

Problem Statement

VPCS (Virtual PC Simulator) is a lightweight virtual PC simulator used in GNS3 lab environments. Unlike network devices (routers/switches), VPCS devices:

No authentication - Direct console access without username/password
Simple command interface - No configuration modes
Simple prompt pattern - PC1>, PC2>, etc.

Solution: Lightweight Custom Driver

graph TD
    A[BaseConnection<br/>Netmiko base class] --> B[VPCSTelnet<br/>Custom GNS3 driver]
    B --> C[No authentication]
    B --> D[Simple prompt: PC\d+]
    B --> E[No config mode]
    B --> F[ANSI stripping]

Why Not Use Standard Telnet Driver?

Standard drivers attempt authentication (times out)
No support for VPCS-specific prompt patterns (PC\d+>)
No need for configuration mode handling

VPCSTelnet Implementation

Location

gns3server/agent/gns3_copilot/utils/custom_netmiko/vpcs_telnet.py

Key Features

1. No Authentication

def telnet_login(self, pri_prompt_terminator=r"PC\d+>", ...):
    # Send returns until VPCS prompt detected
    for i in range(max_loops):
        self.write_channel(self.RETURN)
        output = self.read_channel()

        if re.search(pri_prompt_terminator, output):
            return output  # Success - VPCS prompt detected

2. Simple Prompt Recognition

PC1> ip 10.10.0.12/24 10.10.0.254
PC1> ping 10.10.0.254

3. No Configuration Mode

def check_config_mode(self) -> bool:
    return False  # VPCS has no config mode


def config_mode(self) -> str:
    return ""  # No config mode to enter


def exit_config_mode(self) -> str:
    return ""  # No config mode to exit

4. No Paging

def disable_paging(self) -> str:
    return ""  # VPCS doesn't use paging

5. Custom send_command VPCS overrides send_command with non-standard defaults:

strip_prompt=False, strip_command=False, normalize=False — VPCS output doesn't need standard Netmiko processing
Uses _strip_ansi_codes() to clean terminal escape sequences from VPCS output

6. ANSI Escape Code Stripping VPCS output often contains ANSI terminal codes. The _strip_ansi_codes() method strips bold, underline, reset, and color codes before returning output to callers.

VPCS Tool Usage

The VPCS driver is used by the execute_vpcs_commands tool:

File: gns3server/agent/gns3_copilot/tools_v2/vpcs_tools_netmiko.py

VPCS Connection Parameters:

VPCS devices use additional Netmiko parameters for reliable connections:

Parameter	Value	Reason
`fast_cli`	`False`	VPCS is slow, disable fast CLI mode
`global_delay_factor`	`2.0`	Double the delay between commands

"connection_options": {
    "netmiko": {
        "extras": {
            "device_type": "gns3_vpcs_telnet",
            "fast_cli": False,
            "global_delay_factor": 2.0,
        }
    }
}

VPCS Built-in Template Configuration

✨ Automatic Tags - No Manual Configuration Required

VPCS nodes created from the built-in template automatically include the necessary tags:

Tag	Value	Purpose
`device_type`	`gns3_vpcs_telnet`	Netmiko driver selection

Built-in Template Definition:

File: gns3server/services/templates.py

The VPCS built-in template includes "tags": ["device_type:gns3_vpcs_telnet"], which is automatically applied to all VPCS nodes created from the template.

User Benefits:

✅ No manual tagging required — Tags are applied automatically when creating VPCS nodes
✅ Automatic driver selection — Copilot tools automatically use the correct Netmiko driver
✅ Consistent behavior — All VPCS nodes from the built-in template work identically
✅ Zero configuration — Users don't need to understand device_type tags

How It Works:

User creates a VPCS node from the built-in "VPCS" template
Node automatically inherits the tag: device_type:gns3_vpcs_telnet
Copilot tools read the tag and select the appropriate VPCS Netmiko driver
Commands execute using the VPCS-optimized driver (no authentication, simple prompts)

Supported VPCS Commands

Command	Description	Example
`ip`	Configure/show IP address	`ip 10.10.0.12/24 10.10.0.254`
`ping`	Test connectivity	`ping 10.10.0.254`
`arp`	Display ARP table	`arp`
`show ip`	Show IP configuration	`show ip`
`version`	Show VPCS version	`version`
`save`	Save configuration	`save`
`load`	Load configuration	`load`

Architecture Benefits

Unified Tool Architecture:

✅ Uses Nornir for connection management (same as network device tools)
✅ Uses Netmiko for command execution (consistent with other tools)
✅ Follows same patterns as config_tools_nornir.py and display_tools_nornir.py
✅ Simplified codebase - no need for separate telnetlib3 implementation

Migration from telnetlib3:

Aspect	Old (telnetlib3)	New (Netmiko + Nornir)
Library	telnetlib3	Netmiko
Framework	Manual threading	Nornir
Code Lines	~490 lines	~580 lines (with better structure)
Consistency	Unique implementation	Same as other tools
Maintenance	Separate code path	Unified architecture

Custom Huawei Driver (`GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE`)

Problem Statement

GNS3-emulated Huawei devices connect via console without requiring authentication. Standard Netmiko drivers attempt username/password authentication, causing connection timeouts.

Standard Driver Behavior:

Telnet Connection → Wait for username prompt → Send username → Wait for password → Send password → Access
                    ^ Times out after 20 seconds

GNS3 Huawei Device:

Telnet Connection → Direct access to command line (no login prompts)
                    <HUAWEI>

Solution: Custom Driver Architecture

graph TD
    A[BaseConnection] --> B[CiscoBaseConnection]
    B --> C[HuaweiBase<br/>VRP support, system-view,<br/>prompt patterns, paging]
    C --> D[GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE<br/>Overrides telnet_login only]
    D --> E[Skip authentication]
    D --> F[Auto-commit before exit]
    D --> G[y/n auto-confirm]

Why Inherit from HuaweiBase?

✅ Built-in VRP (Versatile Routing Platform) command handling
✅ Huawei-specific configuration mode (system-view)
✅ Huawei prompt patterns (<...>, [...])
✅ Huawei paging disable (screen-length 0 temporary)
✅ Minimal code changes - only override authentication

GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE Implementation

Location

gns3server/agent/gns3_copilot/utils/custom_netmiko/huawei_ce.py

Package Structure:

custom_netmiko/
├── __init__.py              # Package initialization, auto-registers all drivers
├── huawei_ce.py             # Huawei CloudEngine custom driver
├── README.md                # Driver development guide
└── tests/                   # Unit tests
    ├── __init__.py
    └── test_huawei_ce.py    # Huawei CE driver tests

Key Features

Skip Authentication
- Directly detect Huawei prompt patterns
- No username/password prompts
- Connection ready in < 1 second

VRP Prompt Recognition

User view:    <HUAWEI>
System view:  [HUAWEI]
Interface:    [HUAWEI-GigabitEthernet0/0/1]

Automatic Confirmation Handling
- Detects and responds to [y/n] prompts
- Example: return command asks "Return to user view? [y/n]:"
- Automatically sends y to confirm
Proper Output Collection
- Uses Netmiko's read_channel_timing() for reliable output
- Waits for command completion (2s no new data = done)
- 30-second absolute timeout prevents hanging
Auto-Commit Before Exit
- Automatically sends commit command before exiting config mode
- Prevents "Uncommitted configurations [Y/N/C]" prompt
- Ensures configuration changes are saved

Limitations

Why Not Use the Standard huawei_telnet Driver?

The standard Netmiko Huawei driver (huawei_telnet) has known issues in GNS3 emulation environments
This is the primary reason the custom gns3_huawei_telnet_ce driver was developed
The custom driver is designed for GNS3 devices without authentication
If your GNS3 Huawei device has been configured with authentication, remove it for GNS3 testing to use the custom driver

When to Use:

Scenario	Recommendation
GNS3 Huawei device	Always use `gns3_huawei_telnet_ce`
GNS3 device has auth configured	Remove auth, then use `gns3_huawei_telnet_ce`

Method Overrides

1. telnet_login - Skip Authentication

def telnet_login(self, pri_prompt_terminator=r"<\S+>|>\s*$",
                alt_prompt_terminator=r"\[\S+\]", ...) -> str:
    # Clear buffer
    self.read_channel()

    # Send returns until prompt detected
    for i in range(max_loops):
        self.write_channel(self.RETURN)
        output = self.read_channel()

        # Check for Huawei prompts
        if re.search(pri_prompt_terminator, output):
            return output  # Success!

    return output  # Best effort

2. send_config_set - Configuration Commands

def send_config_set(self, config_commands, **kwargs) -> str:
    # Enter config mode
    output += self.config_mode(config_command="system-view")

    # Send all commands
    for cmd in config_commands:
        self.write_channel(f"{cmd}{self.RETURN}")
        time.sleep(delay_factor * 0.05)

    # Collect output using Netmiko standard method
    output += self.read_channel_timing(read_timeout=30, last_read=2.0)

    # Auto-commit before exit (prevents [Y/N/C] prompt)
    self.write_channel(f"commit{self.RETURN}")
    time.sleep(0.5 * self.global_delay_factor)
    output += self.read_channel()

    # Exit config mode
    output += self.exit_config_mode()

    return output

3. exit_config_mode - Handle Confirmation

def exit_config_mode(self, exit_config="return", pattern=r"<\S+>|>\s*$") -> str:
    self.write_channel(f"return{self.RETURN}")

    # Look for confirmation prompt
    for _ in range(20):
        new_output = self.read_channel()

        if re.search(r"\[y/n\]", new_output):
            self.write_channel(f"y{self.RETURN}")  # Auto-confirm

        if re.search(pattern, new_output):
            return output  # Back to user view

    return output

Device Type Registration

The custom driver must be registered with Netmiko's global mappings:

def register_custom_device_type() -> None:
    import importlib

    sd = importlib.import_module("netmiko.ssh_dispatcher")

    # Register in CLASS_MAPPER (for ConnectHandler)
    sd.CLASS_MAPPER["gns3_huawei_telnet_ce"] = GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE
    sd.CLASS_MAPPER["huawei_ce"] = GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE

    # Register in CLASS_MAPPER_BASE (for base class definitions)
    sd.CLASS_MAPPER_BASE["gns3_huawei_telnet_ce"] = GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE
    sd.CLASS_MAPPER_BASE["huawei_ce"] = GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE

    # CRITICAL: Rebuild static lists
    sd.platforms = list(sd.CLASS_MAPPER.keys())
    sd.platforms.sort()
    sd.telnet_platforms = [x for x in sd.platforms if "telnet" in x]

Important: Static List Problem

ssh_dispatcher.platforms is computed at module import time
Modifying CLASS_MAPPER doesn't automatically update platforms
Must manually rebuild the list after registration

Auto-Registration

# Automatically runs on module import
try:
    register_custom_device_type()
except Exception as e:
    logger.warning(f"Failed to register custom device type: {e}")

Custom Ruijie Driver (`RuijieTelnetEnhanced`)

Problem Statement

Ruijie (锐捷) network devices exhibit Cisco-like command syntax but have interactive prompts during configuration that can cause standard Netmiko drivers to fail.

Common Issue - OSPF Router-ID:

Router(config-router)#router-id 10.0.0.1
Change router-id and update OSPF process! [yes/no]:

Standard Netmiko's send_config_set() waits for a prompt pattern, but the [yes/no]: prompt doesn't match the expected config mode pattern, causing:

ReadTimeout: Netmiko times out waiting for the prompt
Command Failure: Subsequent commands are not executed
Device Lockup: Console remains in the waiting state

Solution: Hybrid Strategy with Interactive Prompt Handling

graph TD
    A[BaseConnection] --> B[CiscoBaseConnection]
    B --> C[RuijieOSBase<br/>Netmiko built-in]
    C --> D[RuijieTelnetEnhanced<br/>Interactive prompt handling]
    D --> E[Preprocessing<br/>Insert yes after known commands]
    D --> F[Batch send<br/>Fast path 2-3s]
    D --> G[Fallback one-by-one<br/>Slow but reliable ~10s]

Why Hybrid Strategy?

Preprocessing: Automatically insert yes after known interactive commands
Fast Path: Batch send for most commands (2-3 seconds for 13 commands)
Fallback: One-by-one send with real-time detection (reliable but slower)

RuijieTelnetEnhanced Implementation

Location

gns3server/agent/gns3_copilot/utils/custom_netmiko/ruijie_telnet.py

Key Features

1. Preprocessing - Known Interactive Commands

INTERACTIVE_PATTERNS = [
    re.compile(r"^router-id\s+", re.IGNORECASE),  # OSPF/EIGRP/BGP router-id
    re.compile(r"^erase\s+", re.IGNORECASE),  # erase startup-config
    re.compile(r"^delete\s+", re.IGNORECASE),  # delete files
    re.compile(r"^format\s+", re.IGNORECASE),  # format filesystem
    re.compile(r"^reload\b", re.IGNORECASE),  # reload/reboot
    re.compile(r"^boot\s+system\s+", re.IGNORECASE),  # change boot image
]

2. Hybrid Send Strategy

flowchart TD
    A[Input Configuration Commands] --> B[Preprocessing]
    B --> B1[Detect interactive commands]
    B1 --> B2[Insert 'yes' after them]
    B2 --> C[Try Batch Send - Fast]
    C --> C1[Write all commands rapidly]
    C1 --> C2[Read output once, last_read=2.0s]
    C2 --> D{Success?}
    D -->|Yes| E[Return output]
    D -->|No| F[Fallback: One-by-One]
    F --> F1[Send each command individually]
    F1 --> F2[Detect prompts after each]
    F2 --> F3[Send 'yes' when needed, last_read=0.5s]
    F3 --> E

3. Batch Send Performance

13 commands with 1 interactive command
Fast path: ~2-3 seconds (includes device processing time)
Fallback: ~10 seconds (if batch fails)

4. Real-time Detection (Fallback)

# After each command
new_output = self.read_channel_timing(read_timeout=10, last_read=0.5)

# Check for [yes/no] prompt
if re.search(r"\[yes/no\]", new_output, re.IGNORECASE):
    self.write_channel(f"yes{self.RETURN}")
    output += self.read_channel_timing(read_timeout=30, last_read=0.5)

GNS3 Node Tag Configuration

For Ruijie devices in GNS3:

device_type:gns3_ruijie_telnet

Example Usage:

from netmiko import ConnectHandler
from gns3server.agent.gns3_copilot.utils import custom_netmiko

device = {
    "device_type": "gns3_ruijie_telnet",
    "host": "127.0.0.1",
    "port": 5000,
}

with ConnectHandler(**device) as conn:
    # These commands include router-id (interactive)
    config = [
        "router ospf 1",
        "router-id 10.0.0.1",  # Triggers [yes/no] prompt
        "network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0",
    ]
    # Automatically handles the [yes/no] prompt
    output = conn.send_config_set(config)

Limitations

Interactive Command Coverage:

Covered: router-id, erase, delete, format, reload, boot system
Not Covered: Unknown or vendor-specific interactive prompts
Fallback: If batch fails, falls back to one-by-one with real-time detection

When to Use:

Scenario	Use Driver
GNS3 Ruijie (known interactive commands)	`gns3_ruijie_telnet` (batch + auto-fallback)
GNS3 Ruijie (unknown interactive prompts)	`gns3_ruijie_telnet` (auto-fallback to one-by-one)

Dynamic Device Type Detection

GNS3 Node Tags

Device type is extracted from GNS3 node tags:

device_type:gns3_huawei_telnet_ce    → Netmiko driver selection

Tag Examples:

Vendor	Device Type Tag	Template Source
Cisco IOS	`device_type:cisco_ios_telnet`	User appliance
Huawei CE	`device_type:gns3_huawei_telnet_ce`	User appliance
Ruijie	`device_type:gns3_ruijie_telnet`	User appliance
VPCS	`device_type:gns3_vpcs_telnet`	Built-in ✅

VPCS Built-in Template:

VPCS has a built-in template with pre-configured device_type tag
The tag is automatically applied when creating VPCS nodes
No manual configuration required — works out of the box
Other devices require users to import appliances and configure tags manually

Nornir Best Practice: Host-Level Connection Configuration

The system uses Nornir's configuration priority (host > group > defaults) to handle multi-vendor environments efficiently:

# From get_gns3_device_port.py
hosts_data[device_name] = {
    "port": console_port,
    "groups": ["network_devices"],  # All devices share one group
    "connection_options": {
        "netmiko": {
            "extras": {"device_type": device_type}  # Device-specific driver
        }
    },
}

Why Host-Level connection_options?

✅ Each device has its own device_type (host-level config)
✅ All devices share common settings via group inheritance (hostname, timeout)
✅ No need to dynamically create multiple groups for each device type
✅ Cleaner code structure — single generic group for all devices
✅ Follows Nornir best practice: "configuration proximity"

Configuration Priority:

graph TD
    A["Host Level<br/>connection_options.device_type<br/>(gns3_huawei_telnet_ce, cisco_ios_telnet, etc.)"]
    B["Group Level<br/>hostname=127.0.0.1, timeout=120<br/>username, password"]
    C["Defaults Level<br/>data.location=gns3"]
    A -->|overrides| B
    B -->|overrides| C

Aspect	Old: Dynamic Groups	New: Host-Level Config
Group count	One per vendor type	Single `network_devices` group
Device type location	Group `connection_options`	Host `connection_options`
Complexity	Dynamic group creation logic	No dynamic group logic

Architecture Evolution

Problem: Multi-Vendor Device Support

Initial Challenge:

graph TD
    A[Topology: Cisco R1 + Huawei SW1 + Juniper SRX] --> B[Need: Different Netmiko drivers per device]
    B --> C[Question: How to configure Nornir for multiple device types?]

Solution Evolution

Approach	Strategy	Issue
❌ Approach 1	Single group with first device's `device_type`	All devices use wrong driver
❌ Approach 2	Dynamic groups per vendor (`huawei_telnet`, `cisco_telnet`, ...)	Complex logic, code duplication, not Nornir best practice
✅ Approach 3 (Current)	Host-level `connection_options` + single generic group	Clean, follows Nornir host > group > defaults priority

See get_gns3_device_port.py:get_device_ports_from_topology() for the current implementation.

Configuration Priority Demonstration

graph TD
    A["Host Level (highest)<br/>device_type: gns3_huawei_telnet_ce"]
    B["Group Level (middle)<br/>hostname: 127.0.0.1, timeout: 120"]
    C["Defaults Level (lowest)<br/>data.location: gns3"]
    A -->|overrides| B -->|overrides| C
    D[Result] --> D1["Each device uses its own device_type"]
    D --> D2["All share hostname, timeout from group"]
    D --> D3["All share data.location from defaults"]

Usage Examples

Direct Netmiko Usage

Custom driver auto-registers on import. No username/password needed for GNS3 devices.

Device Type	`device_type`	Auth	Notes
Huawei CE	`gns3_huawei_telnet_ce`	None	Custom driver, skip auth
Ruijie	`gns3_ruijie_telnet`	None	Custom driver, interactive prompts handled
VPCS	`gns3_vpcs_telnet`	None	Custom driver, no config mode
Cisco IOS	`cisco_ios_telnet`	Required	Standard Netmiko driver

GNS3 Copilot Tool Usage

Tools: tools_v2/display_tools_nornir.py, tools_v2/config_tools_nornir.py, tools_v2/vpcs_tools_netmiko.py

Each tool reads node tags to determine device_type, builds host-level Nornir inventory, and dispatches commands to the appropriate Netmiko driver. Multi-vendor topologies are handled transparently — each device uses its own driver.

Module Structure

gns3server/agent/gns3_copilot/
├── utils/
│   ├── custom_netmiko/            # Custom Netmiko drivers package
│   │   ├── __init__.py             # Auto-registers all drivers on import
│   │   ├── huawei_ce.py            # Huawei CloudEngine driver
│   │   ├── ruijie_telnet.py        # Ruijie enhanced driver
│   │   ├── vpcs_telnet.py          # VPCS simulator driver
│   │   ├── README.md               # Driver development guide
│   │   └── tests/                  # Unit tests (52 total)
│   │       ├── __init__.py
│   │       ├── test_huawei_ce.py   # Huawei CE driver tests (9)
│   │       ├── test_ruijie_telnet.py # Ruijie driver tests (15)
│   │       └── test_vpcs_telnet.py   # VPCS driver tests (28)
│   └── get_gns3_device_port.py     # Device port extraction
│       └── get_device_ports_from_topology()  # Extract ports + device_type from tags
├── tools_v2/
│   ├── display_tools_nornir.py     # Multi-vendor display commands
│   ├── config_tools_nornir.py      # Multi-vendor config commands
│   │   └── _expand_multiline_commands()   # Expand banner commands
│   └── vpcs_tools_netmiko.py      # VPCS commands using Nornir + Netmiko
│       └── VPCSCommands           # VPCS tool class

Key Architectural Changes (2026-03-14):

❌ Removed: vpcs_tools_telnetlib3.py - Replaced with Netmiko implementation
✅ Added: vpcs_telnet.py - Custom VPCS driver for Netmiko
✅ Added: vpcs_tools_netmiko.py - VPCS tool using Nornir + Netmiko
✅ Simplified: Unified tool architecture - all tools use Nornir + Netmiko
✅ Updated: Module structure - all tools follow same pattern

Key Architectural Changes (2026-03-13):

❌ Removed: _get_nornir_groups_config() - No longer needed
❌ Removed: _get_nornir_group() - No longer needed
✅ Simplified: _initialize_nornir() - Uses single generic group
✅ Updated: get_gns3_device_port.py() - Returns host-level connection_options
✅ Added: ruijie_telnet.py - Custom Ruijie driver with interactive prompt handling
✅ Added: _expand_multiline_commands() - Auto-expands banner and multi-line commands
✅ Added: device_type tag validation with error feedback (inline in _run)

Unit Testing

Test Coverage

Test files located at: gns3server/agent/gns3_copilot/utils/custom_netmiko/tests/

Total: 52 tests across 3 test files

Test File	Tests	Coverage Focus
`test_huawei_ce.py`	9	Registration, inheritance, VRP methods, mock connection
`test_ruijie_telnet.py`	15	Registration, interactive patterns, preprocessing, batch/fallback
`test_vpcs_telnet.py`	28	Registration, login, command sending, ANSI stripping, config mode

Huawei CE Tests (`TestHuaweiTelnetCEDriver` + `TestHuaweiTelnetCEIntegration`)

Device type registration in CLASS_MAPPER
Inheritance from HuaweiBase
VRP-specific methods (config_mode, check_config_mode, exit_config_mode)
Prompt pattern constants
Mock telnet connection

Ruijie Tests (`TestRuijieTelnetEnhancedDriver` + `TestRuijieTelnetEnhancedIntegration`)

Device type registration
Inheritance from RuijieOSBase
Interactive pattern matching (router-id, erase, delete, etc.)
Preprocessing of interactive commands
Batch and fallback send strategies

VPCS Tests (`TestVPCSTelnetDriver` + 5 more test classes)

Device type registration
Inheritance from BaseConnection
No-auth login with PC\d+> prompt
send_command / send_command_timing overrides
ANSI escape code stripping (8 dedicated tests)
Config mode always returns empty/false

Running Tests:

source venv/bin/activate
python -m pytest gns3server/agent/gns3_copilot/utils/custom_netmiko/tests/

Current Test Status: ✅ All 52 tests passing

Custom Netmiko README - Driver development guide
Node Control Tools - Device lifecycle management
Command Security - Command filtering and validation
Chat API - Session management and SSE

References

Implementation Date: 2026-03-12

Last Updated: 2026-04-20 (Documentation review: fixed VPCS template tags, updated test coverage, added Mermaid diagrams, removed code bloat)

Status: ✅ Implemented - Custom drivers for Huawei, Ruijie, and VPCS; multi-vendor support with Cisco IOS, Huawei, Ruijie, and VPCS tested

Architecture: Nornir best practice - host-level connection_options with single generic group

Unit Tests: ✅ 52/52 passing (9 Huawei + 15 Ruijie + 28 VPCS)

Changelog:

2026-03-14: Added VPCS support and unified tool architecture
- Implemented VPCSTelnet custom Netmiko driver for VPCS simulator
- Replaced vpcs_tools_telnetlib3.py with vpcs_tools_netmiko.py
- Unified all tools to use Nornir + Netmiko architecture
- Removed dependency on telnetlib3 for VPCS devices
- Improved code consistency and maintainability
2026-03-13 (Evening): Added Ruijie enhanced driver and interactive command handling
- Implemented RuijieTelnetEnhanced with hybrid batch/fallback strategy
- Added automatic yes insertion for known interactive commands (router-id, erase, etc.)
- Achieves ~2-3 seconds for 13 commands (vs 10+ seconds for one-by-one)
- Auto-fallback to real-time detection for unknown interactive prompts
- Registered gns3_ruijie_telnet device type
2026-03-13 (Afternoon): Enhanced configuration safety and command handling
- Added AAA/password configuration prohibition in system prompts
- Implemented multi-line command expansion (_expand_multiline_commands())
- Added device_type tag validation with error feedback
- Prevents execution of commands that could lock users out of devices
- Properly handles banner and other multi-line configuration commands
2026-03-13 (Morning): Refactored to use host-level connection_options instead of dynamic groups
- Removed _get_nornir_groups_config() and _get_nornir_group() helper functions
- Simplified _initialize_nornir() to use single generic group
- Updated get_gns3_device_port.py() to return host-level configuration
2026-03-12: Initial implementation with custom Huawei driver

28 KiB Raw Blame History

Multi-Vendor Network Device Support

Overview

Supported Vendors

Custom VPCS Driver (VPCSTelnet)

Problem Statement

Solution: Lightweight Custom Driver

VPCSTelnet Implementation

Location

Key Features

VPCS Tool Usage

VPCS Built-in Template Configuration

Supported VPCS Commands

Architecture Benefits

Custom Huawei Driver (GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE)

Problem Statement

Solution: Custom Driver Architecture

GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE Implementation

Location

Key Features

Limitations

Method Overrides

Device Type Registration

Custom Ruijie Driver (RuijieTelnetEnhanced)

Problem Statement

Solution: Hybrid Strategy with Interactive Prompt Handling

RuijieTelnetEnhanced Implementation

Location

Key Features

GNS3 Node Tag Configuration

Limitations

Dynamic Device Type Detection

GNS3 Node Tags

Nornir Best Practice: Host-Level Connection Configuration

Architecture Evolution

Problem: Multi-Vendor Device Support

Solution Evolution

Configuration Priority Demonstration

Usage Examples

Direct Netmiko Usage

GNS3 Copilot Tool Usage

Module Structure

Unit Testing

Test Coverage

Huawei CE Tests (TestHuaweiTelnetCEDriver + TestHuaweiTelnetCEIntegration)

Ruijie Tests (TestRuijieTelnetEnhancedDriver + TestRuijieTelnetEnhancedIntegration)

VPCS Tests (TestVPCSTelnetDriver + 5 more test classes)

Related Documentation

References

28 KiB

Raw Blame History

Custom VPCS Driver (`VPCSTelnet`)

Custom Huawei Driver (`GNS3HuaweiTelnetCE`)

Custom Ruijie Driver (`RuijieTelnetEnhanced`)

Huawei CE Tests (`TestHuaweiTelnetCEDriver` + `TestHuaweiTelnetCEIntegration`)

Ruijie Tests (`TestRuijieTelnetEnhancedDriver` + `TestRuijieTelnetEnhancedIntegration`)

VPCS Tests (`TestVPCSTelnetDriver` + 5 more test classes)