Q&A: How NetBox is finally replacing Excel spreadsheets in the data center
A reliable database is of central importance for the data center organization. We explain why the NetBox open source inventory software is the best choice.
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Whether automation, IT security, disaster recovery or certification: nothing works without a central and resilient inventory. This also includes the management of IP addresses and virtual resources. This and much more is provided by the open-source inventory software NetBox. Daniel Menzel, IT consultant and specialist in high-performance infrastructures, explains how well it works.
What is special about NetBox – compared to other products?
NetBox is not only open source, it also offers a combination of data center infrastructure management (DCIM) and IP address management (IPAM). To put it crudely: I not only know which server has which IP address, but also which rack it is installed in and which cables lead to it. NetBox is multilingual, multi-client capable and written using modern programming languages.
What is the purpose of the NetBox API?
NetBox has an extensive REST API that can be used to read and enter almost anything in a machine-readable format. This means that NetBox can be used not only as pure documentation, but also as a single source of truth for automation – from servers and switches to virtual machines and services.
Is it possible to extend the functional scope of NetBox?
Yes, there are two ways to do this. Firstly, there are the so-called Custom Fields in NetBox. These can be used to store structured information that is not (yet) provided for in the program – for example because it is too specific. There are also a large number of plug-ins that extend the core functions of the NetBox – from BGP sessions and documents to a plug-in for the Proxmox virtualizer.
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Mr. Menzel, thank you very much for your answers. Readers interested in NetBox can find out more about the open-source inventory tool in our upcoming series. The first part will be published tomorrow, February 28.
In the series "Three questions and answers", iX aims to get to the heart of today's IT challenges – regardless of whether it is the user's view in front of the PC, the manager's view or the everyday life of an administrator. Do you have any suggestions from your day-to-day work or that of your users? Whose tips on which topic would you like to read in a nutshell? Then write to us or leave a comment in the forum.
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