Actions83
- Bills Actions
- Alerts Actions
- Alert Rules Actions
- ARP Actions
- Devices Actions
- Device Groups Actions
- Inventory Actions
- Locations Actions
- Logs Actions
- Poller Groups Actions
- Ports Actions
- Port Groups Actions
- Routing Actions
- Services Actions
- Switching Actions
Overview
This node integrates with the LibreNMS network monitoring system to retrieve switching-related data. Specifically, the "Get Device FDB" operation fetches the Forwarding Database (FDB) entries for a specified network device. The FDB contains MAC address tables that map MAC addresses to physical ports on switches, which is essential for network management and troubleshooting.
Common scenarios where this node is beneficial include:
- Network administrators auditing or monitoring switch port usage.
- Troubleshooting connectivity issues by identifying which devices are connected to which switch ports.
- Automating network inventory updates based on live switch data.
For example, you can use this node to get all MAC addresses learned by a particular switch and determine their associated ports, helping to quickly locate devices in a large network.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Device | The target device from which to retrieve the FDB. This can be specified as a hostname (FQDN) like switch01.domain.com or a numeric device ID. |
Output
The node outputs JSON data representing the Forwarding Database entries of the specified device. Each entry typically includes details such as MAC addresses, associated VLANs, and the ports they are learned on. This structured output allows further processing or filtering within n8n workflows.
If the device supports it, the node may also provide binary data related to the FDB, but primarily the output is JSON-formatted network switching information.
Dependencies
- Requires an active connection to a LibreNMS instance with API access enabled.
- Needs an API authentication token credential configured in n8n to authorize requests.
- The LibreNMS API base URL and SSL certificate validation settings must be properly set in the node credentials.
Troubleshooting
- Invalid Device Identifier: If the device hostname or ID is incorrect or not found in LibreNMS, the node will fail to retrieve FDB data. Verify the device exists and the identifier is accurate.
- Authentication Errors: Missing or invalid API credentials will cause authorization failures. Ensure the API key/token is valid and has sufficient permissions.
- Network Connectivity Issues: If n8n cannot reach the LibreNMS server due to network restrictions or incorrect URL, the request will fail. Confirm network access and correct API endpoint configuration.
- SSL Certificate Problems: If using self-signed certificates, enable the option to allow unauthorized certificates in the node credentials to avoid SSL errors.