HolistIX usage

We integrate HolistIX into IXP Manager. The main interface to interact with the HolistIX specific interface is called Miru. To access Miru click on Miru at the bottom of the left sidebar.

Note

If Miru is not located in the please ensure that you have followed the steps in installing Miru.

Miru

Switches

When you first open up Miru, it will populate the graph sidebar with the active switches configured in IXP Manager.

A switch object contains all the information related to it, including hostname, IP address, model, switch name, core ports available, as well as all the members connected to that switch.

Each switch object also contains the information of each member that is connected to it, including port connected to, VLAN information, IPv4/6 addresses, and MAC addresses.

To add a new switch to your topology, you can either drag a switch to onto the diagram, or you can double click it and it will appear on the diagram.

Core Links

To establish a connection between two switches, hover over your source switch, click and drag the arrow to the destination switch to connect to.

Miru will look for core ports on both switches and assign them to the link. If you want to change the ports used for the link, right click on the link, click Edit Switch Ports and then change the ports.

Continue to draw your network topology so that it reflects your network.

Note

Miru will auto update the details of members within the topology when changes are found within IXP Manager. However, the config will only be generated and deployed after the verification process is initiated.

The topology within Miru only needs to be redrawn if there are changes in how the switches are interconnected.

Verification (Athos)

To generate the network configuration and run Athos, at the top left of the diagram open File and then Start Athos.

This starts the automated process of generating config files and starting the Athos network emulator. Athos will run test the network topology that is specified on the diagram.

Once completed, you will be presented with the option to download configs and logs.

Deployment (Cerberus)

If the Cerberus API is configured in IXP Manager’s custom config, you will have the option to Deploy to production. This will send the config to Cerberus which will apply the config to the current running network.

If you want to have a closer look at the configuration that Cerberus is currently using in the network, you can retrieve this within Miru. Go to File and then Download Cerberus config.

Cerberus also has a rollback feature if any issues arise when a new configuration was deployed. This allows Cerberus to rollback to the previously used configuration from within Miru. To activate this go to File and then Rollback Cerberus Config.