I am looking after an example or potential solution how DataMiner IDP can be used to detect a network topology via OSPF (OSFP neighbors) and visualize that one, for example with the DataMiner node-edge component.
Ideally enriched with cost / priority information per link which can be extracted from the OSPF protocol as well.
Any input on the pros and cons in comparison to topology detection via LLDP tables is much welcome as well.
Hi Thomas, it’s an interesting use case to visualize OSFP neighborships using DCF and the node-edge component. And in fact, that would be technically possible.
If the connectors for routers contain the OSFP adjacencies (and some already do), the connectivity discovery script can use these neighborships to discover the connectivity. The OSPF Router ID can be used as a unique identifier (like the Chassis ID when LLDP is used). The connectivity discovery script can also supply interface properties to DataMiner IDP (e.g. with interface cost, priority…) so DataMiner IDP can provision those.
There’s however some important note to make: The OSFP neighborships don’t necessarily correspond to the physical connections (there could be equipment in between) and DCF is typically used for physical connectivity (let’s say, “the cables).
In fact, I’m not convinced you need DCF in this use case: you could probably build a node-edge from the OSPF neighbor tables only. Additionally, you can join this with interface costs, priority… If I were you, I would carefully consider the architecture with DCF.
Even better (imo), if the physical connectivity is in DCF (e.g. discovered with IDP), then the node edge could probably visualize the physical connectivity ánd the OSFP neighborship together, but that would need to be properly vetted.