Hi
I have recently registered on PAUSE and have a module to upload to CPAN;
I need some advice on the Name Space to use.
I work with Ethernet switches & routers and I use Perl scripts to
automate tasks via the CLI (Command Line Interface).
Typically, the CLI of a switch/router can be accessed via any of Telnet,
SSH, or Serial console port.
For many years I used Net::Telnet, but more and more customers now use
SSH instead.
Typically a switch/router will only implement CLI over SSH in an
interactive shell, and Net::SSH2 has no capabilities to handle an
interactive shell like Net::Telnet does.
So I created my own module which presents a single consistent API and
can run over Telnet (using Net::Telnet), SSH (using Net::SSH2) or Serial
Coms port (using either Win32::SerialPort or Device::SerialPort); it
also provides all the necessary methods to deal with an interactive
shell regardless of the underlying connection type.
So if I make a script to automate a task, that script can easily work
across any of Telnet, SSH, or Serial access.
I have written a general module, which can be used against any device
from any vendor and can be re-used to customize the functionality for
specific product families; right now I have named it:
Net::CLI
Since I work with Avaya Data (ex Nortel Enterprise) switches/routers I
also have a customized version which inherits and enhances the Net::CLI
functionality just for these products; right now named:
Net::CLI::AvayaData
The idea is that me or someone else could extend this for other vendors,
e.g. Cisco and others..
Now I read the various perlmodstyle, perlnewmod and pause_namingmodules,
and it seems I should not be using the Net namespace...
The reason I started off with the above naming is that I expect my
module will mostly be used for Telnet/SSH use and most people would
start off looking under Net (where Net::Telnet and Net::SSH2 reside).
So, ok, I can change the namespace not to use Net; so how about this
instead :
CLI
CLI::AvayaData
Now however I'd be using top-level namespace, which I understand is also
discouraged.
Any advice/suggestions/alternatives are welcome.
I have pasted below the draft synopsis for the 2 Modules I have right
now (current naming using Net:: but I can still change that..)
Thanks
Ludovico Stevens
=============================================================================================
NAME
Net::CLI - Command Line Interface I/O via any of Telnet, SSH or Serial port
SYNOPSIS
Telnet access
use Net::CLI;
# Create the object instance for Telnet
$cli = new Net::CLI('TELNET');
# Connect to host
$cli->connect('hostname');
# Perform login
$cli->login( Username => $username,
Password => $password,
);
# Send a command and read the resulting output
$output = $cli->cmd("command");
print $output;
$cli->disconnect;
SSH access
use Net::CLI;
# Create the object instance for SSH
$cli = new Net::CLI('SSH');
# Connect to host - Note that with SSH,
# authentication is part of the connection process
$cli->connect( Host => 'hostname',
Username => $username,
Password => $password,
PublicKey => '.ssh/id_dsa.pub',
PrivateKey => '.ssh/id_dsa',
Passphrase => $passphrase,
);
# Send a command and read the resulting output
$output = $cli->cmd("command");
print $output;
$cli->disconnect;
Serial port access
use Net::CLI;
# Create the object instance for Serial port COM1
$cli = new Net::CLI('COM1');
# Connect to host
$cli->connect( BaudRate => 9600,
Parity => 'none',
DataBits => 8,
StopBits => 1,
Handshake => 'none',
);
# Perform login
$cli->login( Username => $username,
Password => $password,
);
# Send a command and read the resulting output
$output = $cli->cmd("command");
print $output;
$cli->disconnect;
=============================================================================================
NAME
Net::CLI::AvayaData - Interact with CLI (Command Line Interface) of
Avaya (ex Nortel Enterprise) Data products over any of Telnet, SSH or
Serial port
SYNOPSIS
use Net::CLI::AvayaData;
Connecting with Telnet
# Create the object instance for Telnet
$cli = new Net::CLI::AvayaData('TELNET');
# Connect to host
$cli->connect( Host => 'hostname',
Username => $username,
Password => $password,
);
Connecting with SSH - password authentication
# Create the object instance for SSH
$cli = new Net::CLI::AvayaData('SSH');
# Connect to host
$cli->connect( Host => 'hostname',
Username => $username,
Password => $password,
);
Connecting with SSH - publickey authentication
# Create the object instance for SSH
$cli = new Net::CLI::AvayaData('SSH');
# Connect to host
$cli->connect( Host => 'hostname',
PublicKey => '.ssh/id_dsa.pub',
PrivateKey => '.ssh/id_dsa',
Passphrase => $passphrase,
);
Connecting via Serial port
# Create the object instance for Serial port COM1
$cli = new Net::CLI::AvayaData('COM1');
# Connect to host
$cli->connect( BaudRate => 9600,
Parity => 'none',
DataBits => 8,
StopBits => 1,
Handshake => 'none',
);
Sending commands once connected and disconnecting
$cli->enable;
$cli->cmd('config terminal');
$cli->cmd('no banner');
$cli->cmd('exit');
$cli->device_more_paging(0);
$config = $cli->cmd('show running-config');
print $config;
$cli->disconnect;
