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IP Fabric 2.2.8 is released!

IP Fabric 2.2.8 is released!

4 minute read
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IP Fabric 2.2.8 is released!
Updated: October 27, 2023
September 10, 2018
Updated: October 27, 2023
4 mins

Today, we are delighted to announce a new feature loaded release 2.2.8 of our IP Fabric Network Infrastructure Management Platform — Engineering Edition. This release is full of new exciting features and improvements, ranging from a new routing protocol support — EIGRP and RIP, through additional technology verification for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) to improvements for the existing tables and verification checks. We have listened to your feedback closely and implemented major improvements for the diagrams, so that you can display more information both visually and in the related popup windows.


Diagram improvements

Many of you have asked for ability to display additional information directly in the diagrams and we are delivering it today. Now you can display or hide additional network detail without going to the Technology Tables.

Enhanced link labels and styles

There is a number of options to display detailed information for various layers and technologies:

  • Link media — whether it is copper ethernet or fiber optics, you can visualize, what type of the technology is used for the interconnection between devices.
  • IP Subnet used on link and IP addresses assigned to devices.
  • OSPF area to display to which area is the interface assigned.
  • OSPF interface cost to quickly verify the OSPF topology.
  • EIGRP AS number.
1*wfed v43ptcgB69UwiCVqQ
New diagram labels for L3 links, EIGRP and OSPF sessions
  • BGP AS number on each side of the peering relation.
  • Number of received prefixes from BGP peer.
1*RwaTJuSNzq99HP5jLAaFQg
New diagram labels for BGP

These new options, however, created an issue — the diagrams became overloaded with information. Therefore, we created a new straight link style that works better than the default Bezier curves, especially if you need to display more details on multiple parallel links.

1*mJ1E67cehYvQBqN8o3LnCg
Enhanced link labels and style options

Rethinking link style calculation proved very popular, because straight links can represent more information more clearly, especially when displaying multiple paths or protocols.

End to end path lookup with failure indication

One of the awesome features of IP Fabric is its End to End path lookup. It allows you to test whether the traffic will be allowed through the whole infrastructure or not and why. However, in complex networks it was not very easy to find what is wrong with the path as there were only arrows to signify the resulting decision, and no clear indication of the problematic devices. To improve visual interpretation of the path lookup result we implemented highlighting of the devices which are causing a problem or are prohibiting traffic to pass, be it either because of ACL, Zone Based Firewall, Routing or Switching. Forwarding verification result has also been added to the device popup windows to provide detail from routing and switching perspective.

1*Lro5LvnpReeRkubeiC5rDA
End to End path forwarding verification

The path lookup is truly end to end, meaning we do not stop at the first device denying the traffic but finish the path simulation, so that we can highlight all the issues on that particular path.

1*rDLuCn2NVezbqD6uDb7 A
End to End path with problematic devices highlighting

This enables you to prepare all the necessary changes at once, instead of moving hop by hop.


Support for new protocols and other improvements

Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA)

IP Fabric now provides detailed information about configured Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) servers, policies and how they are applied through your network infrastructure. This can be used for validation that all devices are hardened properly, that the users logging in are being properly authenticated and authorized, and that all their activities on the device are logged and accounted for.

1*LztCEU0si38GxpSB1r3m A
Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) verifications

This is an example of how intent-based verification is much more robust than text-based golden config checks. With IP Fabric's platform you can ensure that general AAA rules are followed throughout your network, and that operational state complies with your intent of how the network is supposed to operate, regardless what OS device is running or if the device is HP, Juniper or Cisco.

Addition of routing protocol support for EIGRP and RIP

While we support general routing verifications regardless of the protocol or the route source, with 2.2.8 we’re expanding detailed routing protocol support from BGP and OSPF to EIGRP and RIP. As always, the data is presented in the structured technology tables, the knowledge base, as well as in Diagrams.

1*dYp9 2b4lAIhYqNb7SXNIQ
EIGRP visualization in tables and diagrams

BGP support was also improved, providing out-of-the box information about internal and external peering as well as details on BGP session uptime. This is very helpful for troubleshooting flapping or recently converged BGP sessions.

Other improvements

Last but not least, based on the feedback, we improved out-of-the-box verification reports to be more accurate and useful. In addition, we added DNS resolve support for the Connectivity report, which makes it easier identify the devices that have not been discovered properly.

1*Wkt87hCTGev2Z SsAOT zQ

If you’re interested in learning more about how IP Fabric’s platform can help you with analytics or intended network behavior reporting, contact us through our website, request a demo, follow this blog or sign up for our webinars.

IP Fabric 2.2.8 is released!

Today, we are delighted to announce a new feature loaded release 2.2.8 of our IP Fabric Network Infrastructure Management Platform — Engineering Edition. This release is full of new exciting features and improvements, ranging from a new routing protocol support — EIGRP and RIP, through additional technology verification for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) to improvements for the existing tables and verification checks. We have listened to your feedback closely and implemented major improvements for the diagrams, so that you can display more information both visually and in the related popup windows.


Diagram improvements

Many of you have asked for ability to display additional information directly in the diagrams and we are delivering it today. Now you can display or hide additional network detail without going to the Technology Tables.

Enhanced link labels and styles

There is a number of options to display detailed information for various layers and technologies:

  • Link media — whether it is copper ethernet or fiber optics, you can visualize, what type of the technology is used for the interconnection between devices.
  • IP Subnet used on link and IP addresses assigned to devices.
  • OSPF area to display to which area is the interface assigned.
  • OSPF interface cost to quickly verify the OSPF topology.
  • EIGRP AS number.
1*wfed v43ptcgB69UwiCVqQ
New diagram labels for L3 links, EIGRP and OSPF sessions
  • BGP AS number on each side of the peering relation.
  • Number of received prefixes from BGP peer.
1*RwaTJuSNzq99HP5jLAaFQg
New diagram labels for BGP

These new options, however, created an issue — the diagrams became overloaded with information. Therefore, we created a new straight link style that works better than the default Bezier curves, especially if you need to display more details on multiple parallel links.

1*mJ1E67cehYvQBqN8o3LnCg
Enhanced link labels and style options

Rethinking link style calculation proved very popular, because straight links can represent more information more clearly, especially when displaying multiple paths or protocols.

End to end path lookup with failure indication

One of the awesome features of IP Fabric is its End to End path lookup. It allows you to test whether the traffic will be allowed through the whole infrastructure or not and why. However, in complex networks it was not very easy to find what is wrong with the path as there were only arrows to signify the resulting decision, and no clear indication of the problematic devices. To improve visual interpretation of the path lookup result we implemented highlighting of the devices which are causing a problem or are prohibiting traffic to pass, be it either because of ACL, Zone Based Firewall, Routing or Switching. Forwarding verification result has also been added to the device popup windows to provide detail from routing and switching perspective.

1*Lro5LvnpReeRkubeiC5rDA
End to End path forwarding verification

The path lookup is truly end to end, meaning we do not stop at the first device denying the traffic but finish the path simulation, so that we can highlight all the issues on that particular path.

1*rDLuCn2NVezbqD6uDb7 A
End to End path with problematic devices highlighting

This enables you to prepare all the necessary changes at once, instead of moving hop by hop.


Support for new protocols and other improvements

Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA)

IP Fabric now provides detailed information about configured Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) servers, policies and how they are applied through your network infrastructure. This can be used for validation that all devices are hardened properly, that the users logging in are being properly authenticated and authorized, and that all their activities on the device are logged and accounted for.

1*LztCEU0si38GxpSB1r3m A
Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) verifications

This is an example of how intent-based verification is much more robust than text-based golden config checks. With IP Fabric's platform you can ensure that general AAA rules are followed throughout your network, and that operational state complies with your intent of how the network is supposed to operate, regardless what OS device is running or if the device is HP, Juniper or Cisco.

Addition of routing protocol support for EIGRP and RIP

While we support general routing verifications regardless of the protocol or the route source, with 2.2.8 we’re expanding detailed routing protocol support from BGP and OSPF to EIGRP and RIP. As always, the data is presented in the structured technology tables, the knowledge base, as well as in Diagrams.

1*dYp9 2b4lAIhYqNb7SXNIQ
EIGRP visualization in tables and diagrams

BGP support was also improved, providing out-of-the box information about internal and external peering as well as details on BGP session uptime. This is very helpful for troubleshooting flapping or recently converged BGP sessions.

Other improvements

Last but not least, based on the feedback, we improved out-of-the-box verification reports to be more accurate and useful. In addition, we added DNS resolve support for the Connectivity report, which makes it easier identify the devices that have not been discovered properly.

1*Wkt87hCTGev2Z SsAOT zQ

If you’re interested in learning more about how IP Fabric’s platform can help you with analytics or intended network behavior reporting, contact us through our website, request a demo, follow this blog or sign up for our webinars.

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