SSH Nexus

Advanced SSH automation hub with intelligent connection management and network device support. Built with ❤️ by Sarryaz
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Overview

This node enables advanced SSH automation specifically tailored for network devices such as Cisco IOS, Aruba OS, Juniper, HP ProCurve, Dell PowerConnect, MikroTik, and generic devices. The "Get Interfaces" operation retrieves the status and configuration details of network interfaces on a remote device via an SSH connection.

Typical use cases include:

  • Network administrators automating interface status checks across multiple devices.
  • Integrations where interface data is needed for monitoring or reporting.
  • Automated workflows that trigger based on interface states or configurations.

For example, you can use this node to connect to a Cisco router and fetch all interface statuses to monitor link health or bandwidth usage.

Properties

Name Meaning
Configuration Mode Choose how to configure the SSH connection:
- Use Credentials: Use stored SSH credentials (recommended for security).
- Dynamic Parameters: Use dynamic parameters from previous nodes or environment variables.
Dynamic Host Hostname or IP address of the network device (required if using Dynamic Parameters mode). Supports expressions and environment variables.
Dynamic Port SSH port number (default 22). Supports expressions and environment variables.
Dynamic Username Username for SSH login (required if using Dynamic Parameters mode). Supports expressions and environment variables.
Dynamic Password Password for SSH login. Supports expressions and environment variables.
Dynamic Private Key Private key content for SSH authentication. Supports expressions and environment variables.
Advanced Options Collection of optional settings:
- Command Timeout (ms): Max time to wait for command completion (default 30000 ms).
- Output Parsing: How to process command output; options include Smart Parse, JSON Only, Table Format, Raw Text, or No Parsing.
- Continue on Error: Whether to continue processing remaining items if some commands fail.
- Cipher Override: Override cipher selection for SSH connection.
- Try Fallback Ciphers: Automatically try alternative ciphers if primary ones fail.
- Retry Delay (ms): Delay between connection retry attempts.
- Verbose Logging: Enable detailed logging for debugging.
- Line Ending Style: Choose line ending style (CRLF or LF) for command execution.
- Device Type: Select the type of network device for optimized command handling (e.g., Cisco IOS, Aruba OS, Juniper, etc.).

Output

The node outputs a JSON object containing the interface information retrieved from the network device. The structure includes:

  • raw: Raw text output from the device command.
  • lines: Array of non-empty lines from the raw output.
  • wordCount: Number of words in the output.
  • stderr: Any error output from the command (usually empty if successful).
  • exitCode: Exit code of the command (0 indicates success).
  • deviceType: The selected device type used for parsing.
  • parseOutput: The chosen output parsing method.

If output parsing is enabled (e.g., Smart Parse or JSON), the output will be structured accordingly to facilitate easier consumption in workflows.

No binary data is produced by this operation.

Dependencies

  • Requires an SSH connection to the target network device.
  • Needs either stored SSH credentials or dynamic SSH parameters (host, username, password/private key).
  • Uses the node-ssh library for SSH communication.
  • Relies on internal utilities for parsing output and managing SSH connection options.
  • For best results, ensure the network device supports standard CLI commands for interface display.

Troubleshooting

  • Connection Failures: Ensure SSH credentials or dynamic parameters are correct and the device is reachable on the specified port.
  • Invalid Host Format: Hostnames must only contain letters, numbers, dots, and hyphens.
  • Port Number Errors: Port must be between 1 and 65535.
  • Timeouts: Increase the Command Timeout in Advanced Options if commands take longer to execute.
  • Parsing Issues: If output parsing fails or produces unexpected results, try changing the Output Parsing option (e.g., switch to Raw Text).
  • Cipher Mismatch: If connection fails due to cipher issues, try enabling fallback ciphers or override cipher selection in Advanced Options.
  • Enable Mode Password: Some devices require entering privileged mode; ensure the enable password is set if needed.
  • Line Ending Problems: Incorrect line endings may cause command execution issues; adjust Line Ending Style accordingly.

Common error messages usually indicate invalid parameters, SSH connection problems, or command execution failures. Review the error message details and verify your input properties and network accessibility.

Links and References

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