Introduction to μNet

μNet (pronounced "micro-net") is a network configuration management system that helps you document, monitor, and automate your network infrastructure.

What Problems Does μNet Solve?

📋 Network Documentation Chaos

Problem: Network topology scattered across spreadsheets, diagrams, and tribal knowledge
Solution: Centralized device inventory with relationships, locations, and lifecycle tracking

🔍 Configuration Drift

Problem: Devices gradually drift from standards without detection
Solution: Declarative policies that continuously check compliance

🔧 Manual Operations

Problem: Repetitive configuration tasks prone to human error
Solution: Automated actions triggered by policy rules

📊 Lack of Visibility

Problem: Limited insight into device status and performance
Solution: Real-time SNMP monitoring with historical tracking

Core Concepts

Devices & Topology

μNet models your network as Nodes (devices), Links (connections), and Locations (physical sites):

Campus
├── Building A
│   ├── Floor 1
│   │   └── Rack 1
│   │       ├── core-01 (Core Router)
│   │       └── dist-01 (Distribution Switch)
│   └── Floor 2
└── Building B

Policy-Driven Compliance

Define network standards as declarative rules:

# Ensure production devices are monitored
WHEN node.lifecycle == "Production" 
THEN SET custom_data.monitoring_enabled TO true

# Cisco devices should use SNMPv3
WHEN node.vendor == "Cisco"
THEN ASSERT custom_data.snmp_version == "v3"

Real-Time Monitoring

μNet polls your devices via SNMP to collect:

System information (uptime, description, contact)
Interface status and statistics
Performance metrics (CPU, memory, temperature)
Custom vendor-specific data

Key Features

✅ What μNet Does Today (v0.1.0)

Complete Device Management: Add, update, and organize network devices
Topology Mapping: Document connections and physical locations
Policy Engine: Write and evaluate compliance rules
SNMP Monitoring: Real-time device status collection
REST API: Full HTTP API for automation
Rich CLI: Command-line interface with multiple output formats
Data Import/Export: Bulk operations for network data

🚧 In Development

Background SNMP Integration: Automatic device polling and database updates
API Completeness: Full implementation of location/link endpoints
Derived State Tracking: Historical device status and metrics

🔮 Future Planned Features

Configuration Templates: Generate device configs from templates (NOT STARTED)
Historical Analytics: Time-series data and trend analysis (NOT STARTED)
Configuration Push: Deploy generated configs to devices (NOT STARTED)
Advanced Alerting: Notifications for policy violations (NOT STARTED)

Architecture Overview

μNet consists of three main components:

┌─────────────┐    HTTP/JSON    ┌─────────────┐
│  unet-cli   │ ◄──────────────► │ unet-server │
│             │                 │             │
│ • Commands  │                 │ • REST API  │
│ • Local DB  │                 │ • SNMP Poll │
│ • Policies  │                 │ • Policies  │
└─────────────┘                 └─────────────┘
       │                               │
       ▼                               ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              SQLite Database                │
│ • Devices  • Links  • Locations • Status   │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Design Principles: