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Python Programmability provides a Python module that allows users to interact with IOS using CLIs.
Information About Python CLI Module
The Cisco IOS XE devices support Python Version 2.7 in both interactive and non-interactive (script) modes within the Guest Shell. The Python scripting capability gives programmatic access to a device's CLI to perform various tasks and Zero Touch Provisioning or Embedded Event Manager (EEM) actions.
Python run in a virtualized Linux-based environment, Guest Shell. For more information, see the Guest Shell chapter. Cisco provides a Python module that allows user’s Python scripts to run IOS CLI commands on the host device.
When you execute the guestshell run python command on a device, the interactive Python prompt is opened inside the Guest Shell. The Python interactive mode allows users to execute Python functions from the Cisco Python CLI module to configure the device.
Device# guestshell run python
Python 2.7.5 (default, Jun 17 2014, 18:11:42)
[GCC 4.8.2 20140120 (Red Hat 4.8.2-16)] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>
Device#
Python scripts can run in non-interactive mode by providing the Python script name as an argument in the Python command. Python scripts must be accessible from within the Guest Shell. To access Python scripts from the Guest Shell, save the scripts in bootflash/flash that is mounted within the Guest Shell.
The following sample Python script uses different CLI functions to configure and print show commands:
Device# more flash:sample_script.py
import sys
import cli
intf= sys.argv[1:]
intf = ''.join(intf[0])
print "\n\n *** Configuring interface %s with 'configurep' function *** \n\n" %intf
cli.configurep(["interface loopback55","ip address 10.55.55.55 255.255.255.0","no shut","end"])
print "\n\n *** Configuring interface %s with 'configure' function *** \n\n"
cmd='interface %s,logging event link-status ,end' % intf
cli.configure(cmd.split(','))
print "\n\n *** Printing show cmd with 'executep' function *** \n\n"
cli.executep('show ip interface brief')
print "\n\n *** Printing show cmd with 'execute' function *** \n\n"
output= cli.execute('show run interface %s' %intf)
print (output)
print "\n\n *** Configuring interface %s with 'cli' function *** \n\n"
cli.cli('config terminal; interface %s; spanning-tree portfast edge default' %intf)
print "\n\n *** Printing show cmd with 'clip' function *** \n\n"
cli.clip('show run interface %s' %intf)
To run a Python script from the Guest Shell, execute the guestshell run python /flash/script.py command
at the device prompt.
The following example shows how to run a Python script from the Guest Shell:
Device# guestshell run python /flash/sample_script.py loop55
*** Configuring interface loop55 with 'configurep' function ***
Line 1 SUCCESS: interface loopback55
Line 2 SUCCESS: ip address 10.55.55.55 255.255.255.0
Line 3 SUCCESS: no shut
Line 4 SUCCESS: end
*** Configuring interface %s with 'configure' function ***
*** Printing show cmd with 'executep' function ***
Interface IP-Address OK? Method Status Protocol
Vlan1 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down down
GigabitEthernet0/0 192.0.2.1 YES NVRAM up up
GigabitEthernet1/0/1 unassigned YES unset down down
GigabitEthernet1/0/2 unassigned YES unset down down
GigabitEthernet1/0/3 unassigned YES unset down down
:
:
:
Te1/1/4 unassigned YES unset down down
Loopback55 10.55.55.55 YES TFTP up up
Loopback66 unassigned YES manual up up
*** Printing show cmd with 'execute' function ***
Building configuration...
Current configuration : 93 bytes
!
interface Loopback55
ip address 10.55.55.55 255.255.255.0
logging event link-status
end
*** Configuring interface %s with 'cli' function ***
*** Printing show cmd with 'clip' function ***
Building configuration...
Current configuration : 93 bytes
!
interface Loopback55
ip address 10.55.55.55 255.255.255.0
logging event link-status
end
Guest Shell is pre-installed with Python Version 2.7. Guest Shell is a virtualized Linux-based environment, designed to run custom Linux applications, including Python applications for automated control and management of Cisco devices. Platforms with Montavista CGE7 support Python Version 2.7.11, and platforms with CentOS 7 support Python Version 2.7.5.
The following table provides information about Python versions and the supported platforms:
|
Python Version |
Platform |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Python Version 2.7.5 |
All supported platforms except for Cisco Catalyst 3650 Series Switches and Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series Switches. |
||||
|
Python Version 2.7.11 |
|
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|
Python Version 3.6 |
Supported in Cisco IOS XE Amsterdam 17.1.1 and later releases. In Cisco IOS XE Amsterdam 17.1.1 and Cisco IOS XE Amsterdam 17.2.1, Python V2 is the default. However, in Cisco IOS XE Amsterdam 17.3.1 and later releases, Python V3 is the default.
|
Platforms with CentOS 7 support the installation of Redhat Package Manager (RPM) from the open source repository.
The Cisco CLI Python module and EEM module are pre-installed on devices. However, when you update the Python version by using either Yum or prepackaged binaries, the Cisco-provided CLI module must also be updated.
 Note |
When you update to Python Version 3 on a device that already has Python Version 2, both versions of Python exist on the device. Use one of the following IOS commands to run Python:
|
Use one of the following methods to update the Python version:
Standalone tarball installation
PIP install for the CLI module
| Related Topic | Document Title |
|---|---|
|
Guest Shell |
|
|
EEM Python Module |
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
|
The Cisco Support website provides extensive online resources, including documentation and tools for troubleshooting and resolving technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. To receive security and technical information about your products, you can subscribe to various services, such as the Product Alert Tool (accessed from Field Notices), the Cisco Technical Services Newsletter, and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) Feeds. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password. |
The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.
Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.|
Feature Name |
Release |
Feature Information |
|---|---|---|
| CLI Python Module |
Cisco IOS XE Everest 16.5.1a |
Python programmabilty provides a Python module that allows users to interact with IOS using CLIs. In Cisco IOS XE Everest 16.5.1a, this feature was implemented on the following platforms:
In Cisco IOS XE Everest 16.5.1b, this feature was implemented on the following platforms:
|
|
Cisco IOS XE Everest 16.6.2 |
This feature was implemented on Cisco Catalyst 9400 Series Switches. |
|
|
Cisco IOS XE Fuji 16.7.1 |
This feature was implemented on the following platforms:
|
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