Re: Knowledge tracking tools

[Stephen Stuart <stuart () tech org>]

> I like RCS better than RANCID for config change tracking, although an
> ideal system would probably involve both.

Indeed, an ideal management framework would include:

1. A tool in which to record the desired (past, current, future) state
   of network devices. Bonus points for having a difference engine
   capable of providing the difference between revisions in the form
   of config statements.

2. A tool in which to record the actual state of network devices
   (rancid falls into this category).

3. A tool to reconcile 1 and 2. Bonus points for an ability to
   differentiate planned-but-yet-to-be-applied changes (i.e. the
   current revision in tool 2's repository matches a les-than-current
   revision in tool 1's repository) from unauthorized changes detected
   by tool 2 but not documented in tool 1. More bonus points for
   applying the difference engine described in tool 1 to propose the
   configuration statements necessary to undo unauthorized changes.

Stephen