NetBox - Source of Truth

This repository builds on concepts and workflows from a previous Automated Enterprise Network I designed, which simulated a high-availability automated infrastructure. The device interface data used for netbox is pulled from my Network Automation Platform used to manage and configure live devices.

Why Netbox?

NetBox acts as the Source of Truth (SoT) - a centralized, API-first database that ensures the intended state of the network is documented before it is deployed. I used NetBox as the intended state, defining what the network should be.
Official NetBox Repository: https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox

By using NetBox as an SoT I have enabled:

• Automated Bootstrap: Programmatic creation of the entire network hierarchy (Regions, Sites, Roles, etc.) using pynetbox.
• Idempotent Data Sync: Custom get_or_create logic ensures scripts can be re-run safely without duplicating data or breaking existing relationships.
• L2/L3 Relational Mapping: Automatically linking IP Prefixes to VLANs and physical interfaces to document the full stack from Layer 1 to Layer 3.
• Granular Interface State: Mapping complex port configurations (802.1Q Trunks, Native VLANs, and Access modes) through device specific YAML definitions.

Data Flow & Execution

To maintain database integrity and satisfy object dependencies, the synchronization follows a strict order:

csv_upload.py (Global Reference Data)

• Bootstraps the foundation: Regions → Sites → Manufacturers → Device Roles → Device Types → Module Types → Devices → ...
  
• Defines the logical IPAM space: VLANs and IP Prefixes.
  

sync_interfaces.py (Physical Mapping)

• Parses data/devices/interfaces/*.yaml
  
• Sets interface modes (Access/Trunk) and assigns VLAN memberships.
  

sync_ips.py (L3 Binding)

• Assigns management and gateway IPs to the specific interfaces defined in the previous step.

netbox-sot/
├── data/
│   ├── csv/             # Bulk definitions for global objects
│   └── devices/         # Per-device YAML interface and port-maps
├── modules/             # API Client (pynetbox), Config, and Logging utilities
└── scripts/             # Execution scripts for data synchronization

TechStack
Netbox, Docker, Python, YAML