Network Refresh Toolkit

Python tooling experiments for making network switch refresh work more repeatable, reviewable, and operator-safe.

This repository is a sanitized portfolio version of practical workflow tools. It uses placeholder hostnames, documentation-only examples, and test-style fixtures instead of private configs, logs, credentials, or environment-specific data.

Most network automation tooling assumes a mature SDN environment or enterprise platform. This toolkit is built for the engineer doing careful hands-on refresh work in environments where that infrastructure doesn't exist yet, where repeatability and operator safety have to come from the tools themselves.

Why This Exists

Network refresh work often combines many small but risky tasks:

• collecting the current running configuration
• identifying uplinks and directly attached neighbors
• preserving switch metadata for a change package
• reviewing generated artifacts before live work
• keeping operators in control of any execution step

The tools represented here focus on turning those repeated tasks into readable artifacts and controlled workflows.

Featured Work

Forward Topology Mapper

Creates a switch-refresh topology sheet from a network snapshot.

The mapper is designed to:

• authenticate through environment variables
• query a read-only network snapshot
• locate a target access switch
• identify upstream gateway/router boundary devices
• parse one-hop CDP/LLDP neighbor output
• enrich switch and neighbor records with management IPs
• produce a Markdown lookup sheet
• produce a large screen-view SVG diagram

Example output:

• Example topology blueprint
• Sample topology map SVG
• Legacy example network map SVG

Forward Config Downloader

Downloads one switch running configuration from a reviewed network snapshot.

The downloader is designed to:

• authenticate through environment variables
• select the latest completed snapshot or a specific snapshot
• locate a switch by hostname
• read paged file-content responses
• write a plain text running-config artifact for operator review

Example output:

• Example running config

Design Principles

• Read-only API access by default.
• No device-side commands for collection tools.
• Credentials are never stored in source, fixtures, logs, or examples.
• Inputs and outputs are explicit.
• Generated artifacts are meant to be reviewed by a network operator.
• Live execution workflows require operator control and visible safety gates.
• Tests and examples use sanitized fixtures only.

Sanitized Example Data

The example topology uses placeholder devices and documentation IP ranges:

• access-sw01.example.net
• core-gw01.example.net
• core-gw02.example.net
• ap-101.example.net
• camera-201.example.net
• phone-301.example.net
• 192.0.2.0/24
• 198.51.100.0/24

These are not production hostnames or addresses.

Repository Layout

network-refresh-toolkit/
  README.md
  PRIVACY.md
  docs/
    example-topology-blueprint.md
    example-network-map.svg
  examples/
    sanitized-topology.json
    example-running-config.txt
  tools/
    forward-topology-mapper/
      README.md
      requirements.txt
      src/
      tests/
    forward-config-downloader/
      README.md
      requirements.txt
      src/
      tests/

What This Demonstrates

This project is meant to show practical network automation judgment:

• parsing semi-structured network command output
• normalizing data into operator-readable artifacts
• building safety boundaries around automation
• documenting assumptions separately from confirmed behavior
• creating useful tooling without exposing private operational material

Status

Sanitized portfolio package. The Forward Topology Mapper and Forward Config Downloader include public sample source and tests. Examples and fixtures use placeholder data only.