Architecture

AmpCon-DC is built on Ubuntu Linux and incorporates a web GUI and a MySQL database with Python codes built on top of an Ansible engine. Switches and AmpCon-DC communicate with the SSH protocol. AmpCon-DC gets switch stats through gNMI.

Switch Deployment Workflow

AmpCon-DC supports deploying switches with Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP):

1. After you plug in the switch, DHCP automatically provides the switch with an IP address and a script address that is obtained from AmpCon-DC server.

2. The switch automatically runs the script to find the AmpCon-DC server, register with it, and then complete the PicOS installation.

Switch Configuration Workflow

1. The AmpCon-DC server includes a component called the Configuration Manager. Your network team uses it to create a standard configuration to configure switches, along with any region-specific variations. All configurations are tied to specific switches by the switch serial number (or Service Tag) and stored in a database.

2. After registering with the AmpCon-DC server, each switch then downloads its appropriate configurations. At the same time, the switch accesses another AmpCon-DC server component, the License Manager, which accesses the customer’s account on the License Portal to generate a license key and install the license on the switch.

3. The switch runs a script to automatically reboot, apply and validate the new configurations, update its status in the configuration database, and join the network. From your perspective, all these switch configurations happen with the touch of a button in the AmpCon-DC UI. You can use AmpCon-DC to deploy dozens or hundreds of switches to far-flung sites while your network team stays at home and monitors the process centrally.