Integrating Streaming Telemetry on Cisco NX-OS with Opensource Tooling

See how to integrate NX-OS with the open source TIG stack, to gain visibility into the state of the network, visualize the data on Grafana, and see how to troubleshoot your network.

Cisco is actively engaged in enhancing programmability, automation, visibility, and telemetry capabilities within the XOS system. Their primary focus revolves around integrating the XOS system with open-source tooling, emphasizing the utilization of APIs and telemetry overview to gather essential data. Two distinct approaches to telemetry are discussed: dial out and dial in, each offering different operational models to cater to customer needs. While the TIG stack, comprising Telegraph, InfluxDB, and Grafana, is commonly employed for visualizing telemetry data, alternative methods for constructing similar dashboards are also explored. The true value of telemetry data lies in its interpretation and its application for DevOps purposes. Use cases for dashboard and telemetry data in daily operations are highlighted, with two examples demonstrating how telemetry data can greatly aid in troubleshooting and issue isolation within a network. Additionally, Grafana, an open-source tool, can establish alerts based on thresholds and state changes, albeit with a steep learning curve for the query aspect.