aruba-cx-system

Aruba CX System Discovery

Discover HPE Aruba CX switch system information, firmware versions, and VSF (Virtual Switching Framework) topology through natural language. View switch inventory, software versions, and cluster membership.

When to Use

Inventorying Aruba CX switches (hostname, model, serial number)
Checking switch software versions and uptime
Auditing firmware versions across the switching fabric
Understanding VSF cluster topology and member roles
Planning firmware upgrades (ISSU)
Verifying VSF commander/standby/member assignments

MCP Server

Server: aruba-cx-mcp (community MCP from slientnight)
Command: python3 -u mcp-servers/aruba-cx-mcp/aruba_cx_mcp_server.py (stdio transport)
Auth: REST API via ARUBA_CX_TARGETS (JSON array) or ARUBA_CX_CONFIG (file path)
Timeout: ARUBA_CX_TIMEOUT (default: 30 seconds)

Available Tools

Tool	Parameters	What It Does
`get_system_info`	target	Get hostname, model, serial number, software version, uptime
`get_firmware_info`	target	Get primary/secondary firmware versions, boot image, ISSU capability
`get_vsf_topology`	target	Get VSF cluster members with roles, serial numbers, status

Workflow Examples

System Information Discovery

# Get system info for a switch
"Show me the system information for core-sw-1"

# Check switch details
"What model is core-sw-1?"

# View software version
"What software version is running on core-sw-1?"

# Check uptime
"How long has core-sw-1 been running?"

Firmware Audit

# Get firmware versions
"Show the firmware versions for core-sw-1"

# Check primary and secondary images
"What firmware images are on core-sw-1?"

# Verify ISSU capability
"Is core-sw-1 capable of ISSU upgrades?"

# Plan upgrades
"Which switches need firmware upgrades?"

VSF Topology Discovery

# View VSF cluster
"Show the VSF topology for core-sw-1"

# Check cluster membership
"What switches are in the VSF cluster with core-sw-1?"

# Identify commander
"Which switch is the VSF commander?"

# View member roles
"Show me the VSF member roles and serial numbers"

Integration with Other Skills

aruba-cx-interfaces: After discovering systems, check interface status
aruba-cx-switching: View VLANs configured on discovered switches
aruba-cx-config: Review running configuration on discovered switches

Response Examples

System Info Response

{
  "hostname": "core-sw-1",
  "model": "Aruba 6300M",
  "serial_number": "SG1234567890",
  "software_version": "10.13.1000",
  "uptime": 8640000,
  "boot_time": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"
}

Firmware Info Response

{
  "primary_version": "10.13.1000",
  "secondary_version": "10.12.0030",
  "boot_image": "primary",
  "issu_capable": true,
  "last_upgrade": "2026-03-01T00:00:00Z"
}

VSF Topology Response

{
  "enabled": true,
  "domain_id": 1,
  "members": [
    {
      "member_id": 1,
      "role": "commander",
      "serial_number": "SG1234567890",
      "model": "6300M",
      "status": "ready",
      "priority": 255
    },
    {
      "member_id": 2,
      "role": "standby",
      "serial_number": "SG0987654321",
      "model": "6300M",
      "status": "ready",
      "priority": 128
    }
  ]
}

Error Handling

Error Code	Meaning	Resolution
AUTH_FAILED	Invalid credentials	Verify username/password in ARUBA_CX_TARGETS
CONN_TIMEOUT	Switch unreachable	Check network connectivity and ARUBA_CX_TIMEOUT
TARGET_NOT_FOUND	Unknown switch name	Verify target name matches ARUBA_CX_TARGETS configuration
VSF_NOT_CONFIGURED	VSF not enabled	Switch is standalone - VSF topology not applicable
API_VERSION_MISMATCH	Unsupported API version	Update api_version in target config (default: v10.13)

Notes

Read-only operations - no ServiceNow CR gating required
All operations logged to GAIT audit trail
Switches must run AOS-CX 10.x or later with REST API enabled
Default API version is v10.13 - adjust in target config if needed
VSF topology returns "not configured" for standalone switches