Common Test

Reference Manual

Version 1.16

Table of Contents

ct_netconfc

Module

ct_netconfc

Module Summary

NETCONF client module.

Description

NETCONF client module.

The NETCONF client is compliant with RFC 4741 NETCONF Configuration Protocol and RFC 4742 Using the NETCONF Configuration Protocol over Secure SHell (SSH).

Connecting to a NETCONF server

NETCONF sessions can either be opened by a single call to open/1,2 or by a call to connect/1,2 followed by one or more calls to session/1,2,3.

The properties of the sessions will be exactly the same, except that when using connect/1,2, you may start multiple sessions over the same SSH connection. Each session is implemented as an SSH channel.

open/1,2 will establish one SSH connection with one SSH channel implementing one NETCONF session. You may start mutiple sessions by calling open/1,2 multiple times, but then a new SSH connection will be established for each session.

For each server to test against, the following entry can be added to a configuration file:

 {server_id(),options()}.

The server_id() or an associated ct:target_name() must then be used in calls to connect/2 or open/2.

If no configuration exists for a server, use connect/1 or open/1 instead, and specify all necessary options in the Options parameter.

Logging

The NETCONF server uses error_logger for logging of NETCONF traffic. A special purpose error handler is implemented in ct_conn_log_h. To use this error handler, add the cth_conn_log hook in the test suite, for example:

 suite() ->
    [{ct_hooks, [{cth_conn_log, [{ct:conn_log_mod(),ct:conn_log_options()}]}]}].

conn_log_mod() is the name of the Common Test module implementing the connection protocol, for example, ct_netconfc.

Hook option log_type specifies the type of logging:

raw

The sent and received NETCONF data is logged to a separate text file "as is" without any formatting. A link to the file is added to the test case HTML log.

pretty

The sent and received NETCONF data is logged to a separate text file with XML data nicely indented. A link to the file is added to the test case HTML log.

html (default)

The sent and received NETCONF traffic is pretty printed directly in the test case HTML log.

silent

NETCONF traffic is not logged.

By default, all NETCONF traffic is logged in one single log file. However, different connections can be logged in separate files. To do this, use hook option hosts and list the names of the servers/connections to be used in the suite. The connections must be named for this to work, that is, they must be opened with open/2.

Option hosts has no effect if log_type is set to html or silent.

The hook options can also be specified in a configuration file with configuration variable ct_conn_log:

For example:

 {ct_conn_log,[{ct_netconfc,[{log_type,pretty},
                             {hosts,[ct:key_or_name()]}]}]}
Note

Hook options specified in a configuration file overwrite the hard-coded hook options in the test suite.

Logging Example 1:

The following ct_hooks statement causes pretty printing of NETCONF traffic to separate logs for the connections named nc_server1 and nc_server2. Any other connections are logged to default NETCONF log.

 suite() ->
    [{ct_hooks, [{cth_conn_log, [{ct_netconfc,[{log_type,pretty}},
                                               {hosts,[nc_server1,nc_server2]}]}
                                ]}]}].

Connections must be opened as follows:

 open(nc_server1,[...]),
 open(nc_server2,[...]).

Logging Example 2:

The following configuration file causes raw logging of all NETCONF traffic in to one single text file:

 {ct_conn_log,[{ct_netconfc,[{log_type,raw}]}]}.

The ct_hooks statement must look as follows:

 suite() ->
    [{ct_hooks, [{cth_conn_log, []}]}].

The same ct_hooks statement without the configuration file would cause HTML logging of all NETCONF connections in to the test case HTML log.

Notifications

The NETCONF client is also compliant with RFC 5277 NETCONF Event Notifications, which defines a mechanism for an asynchronous message notification delivery service for the NETCONF protocol.

Specific functions to support this are create_subscription/1-6 and get_event_streams/1-3.

Default Timeout

Most of the functions in this module have one variant with a Timeout parameter, and one without. If nothing else is specified, the default value infinity is used when the Timeout parameter is not given.

Data Types

error_reason() = term()

Opaque reference for a connection to a NETCONF server or a NETCONF session.

netconf_db() = running | startup | candidate
option() =
    {ssh, host()} |
    {port, inet:port_number()} |
    {user, string()} |
    {password, string()} |
    {user_dir, string()} |
    {timeout, timeout()}

SshConnectOption is any valid option to ssh:connect/3,4. Common options used are user, password and user_dir. The SshConnectOptions are verfied by the SSH application.

Options used for setting up an SSH connection to a NETCONF server.

server_id() = atom()

The identity of a server, specified in a configuration file.

This type is further described in application xmerl.

stream_data() =
    {description, string()} |
    {replaySupport, string()} |
    {replayLogCreationTime, string()} |
    {replayLogAgedTime, string()}

For details about the data format for the string values, see "XML Schema for Event Notifications" in RFC 5277.

stream_name() = string()
xml_content() = [simple_xml() | iolist()]
xml_tag() = atom()
xpath() = {xpath, string()}
xs_datetime() = string()

This date and time identifier has the same format as the XML type dateTime and is compliant with RFC 3339 Date and Time on the Internet Timestamps. The format is as follows:

 [-]CCYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss[.s][Z|(+|-)hh:mm]

Exports

action(Client, Action) -> Result
action(Client, Action, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Action = simple_xml()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {ok, [simple_xml()]} | {error, error_reason()}

Executes an action. If the return type is void, ok is returned instead of {ok,[simple_xml()]}.

close_session(Client) -> Result
close_session(Client, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {error, error_reason()}

Requests graceful termination of the session associated with the client.

When a NETCONF server receives a close-session request, it gracefully closes the session. The server releases any locks and resources associated with the session and gracefully closes any associated connections. Any NETCONF requests received after a close-session request are ignored.

connect(Options) -> Result

Types

Options = options()
Result = {ok, handle()} | {error, error_reason()}

Opens an SSH connection to a NETCONF server.

If the server options are specified in a configuration file, use connect/2 instead.

The opaque handle() reference returned from this function is required as connection identifier when opening sessions over this connection, see session/1,2,3.

Option timeout (milliseconds) is used when setting up the SSH connection. It is not used for any other purposes during the lifetime of the connection.

connect(KeyOrName, ExtraOptions) -> Result

Types

KeyOrName = ct:key_or_name()
ExtraOptions = options()
Result = {ok, handle()} | {error, error_reason()}

Open an SSH connection to a named NETCONF server.

If KeyOrName is a configured server_id() or a target_name() associated with such an Id, then the options for this server are fetched from the configuration file.

Argument ExtraOptions is added to the options found in the configuration file. If the same options are specified, the values from the configuration file overwrite ExtraOptions.

If the server is not specified in a configuration file, use connect/1 instead.

The opaque handle() reference returned from this function can be used as connection identifier when opening sessions over this connection, see session/1,2,3. However, if KeyOrName is a target_name(), that is, if the server is named through a call to ct:require/2 or a require statement in the test suite, then this name can be used instead of handle().

Option timeout (milliseconds) is used when setting up the SSH connection. It is not used for any other purposes during the lifetime of the connection.

copy_config(Client, Target, Source) -> Result
copy_config(Client, Target, Source, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Target = Source = netconf_db()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {error, error_reason()}

Copies configuration data.

Which source and target options that can be issued depends on the capabilities supported by the server. That is, :candidate and/or :startup are required.

create_subscription(Client, Stream, Filter, StartTime, StopTime) ->
                       Result
create_subscription(Client,
                    Stream,
                    Filter,
                    StartTime,
                    StopTime,
                    Timeout) ->
                       Result

Types

Client = client()
Stream = stream_name()
StartTime = StopTime = xs_datetime()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {error, error_reason()}

Creates a subscription for event notifications.

This function sets up a subscription for NETCONF event notifications of the specified stream type, matching the specified filter. The calling process receives notifications as messages of type notification().

Only a subset of the function clauses are show above. The full set of valid combinations of input parameters is as follows:

create_subscription(Client)

create_subscription(Client, Timeout)
create_subscription(Client, Stream)
create_subscription(Client, Filter)

create_subscription(Client, Stream, Timeout)
create_subscription(Client, Filter, Timeout)
create_subscription(Client, Stream, Filter)
create_subscription(Client, StartTime, StopTime)

create_subscription(Client, Stream, Filter, Timeout)
create_subscription(Client, StartTime, StopTime, Timeout)
create_subscription(Client, Stream, StartTime, StopTime)
create_subscription(Client, Filter, StartTime, StopTime)

create_subscription(Client, Stream, StartTime, StopTime, Timeout)
create_subscription(Client, Stream, Filter, StartTime, StopTime)
create_subscription(Client, Stream, Filter, StartTime, StopTime, Timeout)
Stream

Optional parameter that indicates which stream of event is of interest. If not present, events in the default NETCONF stream are sent.

Filter

Optional parameter that indicates which subset of all possible events is of interest. The parameter format is the same as that of the filter parameter in the NETCONF protocol operations. If not present, all events not precluded by other parameters are sent.

StartTime

Optional parameter used to trigger the replay feature and indicate that the replay is to start at the time specified. If StartTime is not present, this is not a replay subscription.

It is not valid to specify start times that are later than the current time. If StartTime is specified earlier than the log can support, the replay begins with the earliest available notification.

This parameter is of type dateTime and compliant to RFC 3339. Implementations must support time zones.

StopTime

Optional parameter used with the optional replay feature to indicate the newest notifications of interest. If StopTime is not present, the notifications continues until the subscription is terminated.

Must be used with and be later than StartTime. Values of StopTime in the future are valid. This parameter is of type dateTime and compliant to RFC 3339. Implementations must support time zones.

For more details about the event notification mechanism, see RFC 5277.

delete_config(Client, Target) -> Result
delete_config(Client, Target, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Target = startup | candidate
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {error, error_reason()}

Deletes configuration data.

The running configuration cannot be deleted and :candidate or :startup must be advertised by the server.

disconnect(Conn) -> ok | {error, error_reason()}

Types

Conn = handle()

Closes the given SSH connection.

If there are open NETCONF sessions on the connection, these will be brutally aborted. To avoid this, close each session with close_session/1,2

edit_config(Client, Target, Config) -> Result
edit_config(Client, Target, Config, OptParams) -> Result
edit_config(Client, Target, Config, Timeout) -> Result
edit_config(Client, Target, Config, OptParams, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Target = netconf_db()
Config = simple_xml()
OptParams = [simple_xml()]
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {error, error_reason()}

Edits configuration data.

By default only the running target is available, unless the server includes :candidate or :startup in its list of capabilities.

OptParams can be used for specifying optional parameters (default-operation, test-option, or error-option) to be added to the edit-config request. The value must be a list containing valid simple XML, for example:

 [{'default-operation', ["none"]},
  {'error-option', ["rollback-on-error"]}]

If OptParams is not given, the default value [] is used.

get(Client, Filter) -> Result
get(Client, Filter, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = {ok, [simple_xml()]} | {error, error_reason()}

Gets data.

This operation returns both configuration and state data from the server.

Filter type xpath can be used only if the server supports :xpath.

get_capabilities(Client) -> Result
get_capabilities(Client, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = [string()] | {error, error_reason()}

Returns the server side capabilities.

The following capability identifiers, defined in RFC 4741 NETCONF Configuration Protocol, can be returned:

  • "urn:ietf:params:netconf:base:1.0"

  • "urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:writable-running:1.0"

  • "urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:candidate:1.0"

  • "urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:confirmed-commit:1.0"

  • "urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:rollback-on-error:1.0"

  • "urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:startup:1.0"

  • "urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:url:1.0"

  • "urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:xpath:1.0"

More identifiers can exist, for example, server-side namespace.

get_config(Client, Source, Filter) -> Result
get_config(Client, Source, Filter, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Source = netconf_db()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = {ok, [simple_xml()]} | {error, error_reason()}

Gets configuration data.

To be able to access another source than running, the server must advertise :candidate and/or :startup.

Filter type xpath can be used only if the server supports :xpath.

get_event_streams(Client) -> Result
get_event_streams(Client, Timeout) -> Result
get_event_streams(Client, Streams) -> Result
get_event_streams(Client, Streams, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Streams = [stream_name()]
Timeout = timeout()
Result = {ok, streams()} | {error, error_reason()}

Sends a request to get the specified event streams.

Streams is a list of stream names. The following filter is sent to the NETCONF server in a get request:

 <netconf xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netmod:notification">
   <streams>
     <stream>
       <name>StreamName1</name>
     </stream>
     <stream>
       <name>StreamName2</name>
     </stream>
     ...
   </streams>
 </netconf>

If Streams is an empty list, all streams are requested by sending the following filter:

 <netconf xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netmod:notification">
   <streams/>
 </netconf>

If more complex filtering is needed, use ct_netconfc:get/2,3 and specify the exact filter according to "XML Schema for Event Notifications" in RFC 5277.

get_session_id(Client) -> Result
get_session_id(Client, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = integer() >= 1 | {error, error_reason()}

Returns the session Id associated with the specified client.

hello(Client) -> Result
hello(Client, Timeout) -> Result
hello(Client, Options, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = handle()
Options = [{capability, [string()]}]
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {error, error_reason()}

Exchanges hello messages with the server.

Adds optional capabilities and sends a hello message to the server and waits for the return.

kill_session(Client, SessionId) -> Result
kill_session(Client, SessionId, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
SessionId = integer() >= 1
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {error, error_reason()}

Forces termination of the session associated with the supplied session Id.

The server side must abort any ongoing operations, release any locks and resources associated with the session, and close any associated connections.

Only if the server is in the confirmed commit phase, the configuration is restored to its state before entering the confirmed commit phase. Otherwise, no configuration rollback is performed.

If the specified SessionId is equal to the current session Id, an error is returned.

lock(Client, Target) -> Result
lock(Client, Target, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Target = netconf_db()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {error, error_reason()}

Locks the configuration target.

Which target parameters that can be used depends on if :candidate and/or :startup are supported by the server. If successfull, the configuration system of the device is unavailable to other clients (NETCONF, CORBA, SNMP, and so on). Locks are intended to be short-lived.

Operation kill_session/2,3 can be used to force the release of a lock owned by another NETCONF session. How this is achieved by the server side is implementation-specific.

only_open(Options) -> Result

Types

Options = options()
Result = {ok, handle()} | {error, error_reason()}

Opens a NETCONF session, but does not send hello.

As open/1, but does not send a hello message.

only_open(KeyOrName, ExtraOptions) -> Result

Types

KeyOrName = ct:key_or_name()
ExtraOptions = options()
Result = {ok, handle()} | {error, error_reason()}

Opens a named NETCONF session, but does not send hello.

As open/2, but does not send a hello message.

open(Options) -> Result

Types

Options = options()
Result = {ok, handle()} | {error, error_reason()}

Opens a NETCONF session and exchanges hello messages.

If the server options are specified in a configuration file, or if a named client is needed for logging purposes (see section Logging in this module), use open/2 instead.

The opaque handle() reference returned from this function is required as client identifier when calling any other function in this module.

Option timeout (milliseconds) is used when setting up the SSH connection and when waiting for the hello message from the server. It is not used for any other purposes during the lifetime of the connection.

open(KeyOrName, ExtraOptions) -> Result

Types

KeyOrName = ct:key_or_name()
ExtraOptions = options()
Result = {ok, handle()} | {error, error_reason()}

Opens a named NETCONF session and exchanges hello messages.

If KeyOrName is a configured server_id() or a target_name() associated with such an Id, then the options for this server are fetched from the configuration file.

Argument ExtraOptions is added to the options found in the configuration file. If the same options are specified, the values from the configuration file overwrite ExtraOptions.

If the server is not specified in a configuration file, use open/1 instead.

The opaque handle() reference returned from this function can be used as client identifier when calling any other function in this module. However, if KeyOrName is a target_name(), that is, if the server is named through a call to ct:require/2 or a require statement in the test suite, then this name can be used instead of handle().

Option timeout (milliseconds) is used when setting up the SSH connection and when waiting for the hello message from the server. It is not used for any other purposes during the lifetime of the connection.

See also ct:require/2.

send(Client, SimpleXml) -> Result
send(Client, SimpleXml, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
SimpleXml = simple_xml()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = simple_xml() | {error, error_reason()}

Sends an XML document to the server.

The specified XML document is sent "as is" to the server. This function can be used for sending XML documents that cannot be expressed by other interface functions in this module.

send_rpc(Client, SimpleXml) -> Result
send_rpc(Client, SimpleXml, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
SimpleXml = simple_xml()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = [simple_xml()] | {error, error_reason()}

Sends a NETCONF rpc request to the server.

The specified XML document is wrapped in a valid NETCONF rpc request and sent to the server. The message-id and namespace attributes are added to element rpc.

This function can be used for sending rpc requests that cannot be expressed by other interface functions in this module.

session(Conn) -> Result
session(Conn, Options) -> Result
session(KeyOrName, Conn) -> Result
session(KeyOrName, Conn, Options) -> Result

Types

Conn = handle()
Options = session_options()
KeyOrName = ct:key_or_name()
Result = {ok, handle()} | {error, error_reason()}
session_options() = [session_option()]
session_option() = {timeout, timeout()}

Opens a NETCONF session as a channel on the given SSH connection, and exchanges hello messages with the server.

The opaque handle() reference returned from this function can be used as client identifier when calling any other function in this module. However, if KeyOrName is used and it is a target_name(), that is, if the server is named through a call to ct:require/2 or a require statement in the test suite, then this name can be used instead of handle().

unlock(Client, Target) -> Result
unlock(Client, Target, Timeout) -> Result

Types

Client = client()
Target = netconf_db()
Timeout = timeout()
Result = ok | {error, error_reason()}

Unlocks the configuration target.

If the client earlier has acquired a lock through lock/2,3, this operation releases the associated lock. To access another target than running, the server must support :candidate and/or :startup.