Explore Aruba CX Switches with the AOS-CX Switch Simulator

Aruba is launching the AOS-CX Switch Simulator, and this is the story behind the announcement.

2017年初，我们正准备推出第一个CX交换机，CX 8400.这个新交换机包括一个全新的操作系统AOS-CX。

AOS-CX操作系统围绕四个云原则设计：模块化，弹性，可编程性和弹性。

Modularity- 四个原则，模块化是关键。所有软件系统都是模块化的，因此不同的功能被编程为单个代码序列，然后组合在一起形成整体软件。但是，问题是这些模块是自主的;如何在一个人中影响其他人？答案由这些模块如何互相通信以交换信息来确定。例如，实现不同路由协议的模块如何协作以创建单个路由表？在AOS-CX中，每个模块将其所有数据存储在名为状态数据库的中央存储库中。然后，当另一个模块需要该信息时，它只是从数据库中获取它。

The state database centralizes information from the whole system, ranging from the amount of power provided by the power supplies, the temperature read by the internal probes, all the way to the OSPF neighbors and the current configuration of the different functions.

这种方法称为数据库驱动的架构。

注意：状态数据库是内存中存在的数据结构，因此访问它非常快。

Resiliency—In a database-driven system, as long as the data exists in the database, the state of the module that produces the information does not affect the state of the others. In an extreme example, an AOS-CX module can be restarted without affecting the rest of the system. This is different from legacy operating systems, in which a single failure triggers a full reboot, rendering the whole system unavailable for at least several minutes.

Programmability—AOS-CX offers an application program interface (API) that makes the state database accessible from both inside and outside the system.

• 外部访问：在另一个网络站上运行的应用程序或脚本可以登录CX交换机并与数据库交互以学习和更改交换机中的不同软件和硬件元素的状态。使用API​​，您可以自动化操作，收集数据，并执行不同类型的网络行为和状态分析。
• Internal Access: In addition to the interface to external applications, AOS-CX hosts a Network Analytics Engine (NAE). The NAE is a platform that allows you to install scripts directly on the switch and monitor specific values in the state database, and whenever a certain condition is met, trigger one or more actions: collect information, store up to 12 months of data in a Time Series database to provide monitoring graphs and trend analysis, send a report to an external application, and even change the switch configuration. These scripts are called NAE agents and Aruba offers a variety of them covering multiple monitoring needs.

Elasticity- AOS-CX操作系统在许多不同的交换机系列上运行，独立于其大小，网络位置（分支，校园或数据中心）以及角色（访问，聚合或核心）。

Back to the story...

With such a new and complex system, we realized that if we wanted to succeed, we had to first learn fast, and then enable our own engineers, and partners, at a very quick pace. Quite a challenge!

因此，我们同意我们的软件开发团队以及从头开始开发新的操作系统，将创建一个模拟器。我们打电话给它“ova”。第一个版本在4月左右的手中，我们开始尝试使用AOS-CX，即使我们没有足够的硬件。

My own first steps with CX were on the OVA, and by the time we got our first hardware prototype, I already knew how to use the CLI to configure most of the features, access the REST API and install NAE agents.

我们成功了！

Today, AOS-CX is running everywhere—branches, campus access, aggregation, core, and data centers.

And a part of that success was because of the simulator. At that point, we were using it to enable more and more engineers. We reached a total of over 1,000 attendees in our simulator-based workshops, including Aruba pre- and post-sales specialists and partner engineers in the first 12 months.

As the simulator evolved, it became more user friendly, and we started sharing it with a larger community.

We are now making this network learning tool available to the public.

The AOS-CX Switch Simulator is the virtual machine version of the Aruba CX switch series. At its core, an ASIC simulator performs switching and routing functions with the AOS-CX operating system managing and controlling the device's operation.

与AOS-CX开关模拟器,您可以:

• Create your own virtual learning environment
• 连接不同的网络拓扑
• Configure networking features, technologies, and solutions
• 管理，自动化和监控设备和网络

您可以使用不同的软件平台管理，监控和自动化模拟网络，或创建自己的脚本。

How to access the AOS-CX Switch Simulator

Aruba AOS-CX开关模拟器通过Airheads社区提供。金宝搏188合伙人在新的Network Simulator community home，您将找到详细的信息，基于社区的支持，到下载站点，安装指南，实验室指南等。