Device templates

Device templates contain device-specific commands that enable NCM to perform actions on the associated device type. For example, one device template could enable NCM to execute scripts and download configuration files from Cisco Pix Firewall 535 devices, while another device template could enable those operations on Juniper devices.

NCM provides a set of device templates to perform actions on common device types. You can create custom device templates to support additional device types. You cannot change the default NCM device templates, but you can copy them to create a custom device template that meets your organization's needs.

NCM uses device templates for the following operations:

• NCM uses device templates when it uploads and downloads configs on a device. The device template must define the commands used to perform those operations on the associated device type.

• The commands defined in a device template can also be included in scripts. To include a device template command in a script, format the command Name as a macro (for example, ${EnterConfigMode}).

  When scripts use device template command macros instead of CLI commands, you can use the same script to perform an operation on different device types that require different CLI commands. For example, the value of EnterConfigMode is config terminal for Cisco IOS devices, but it is configure for Juniper devices. When you use a command macro in a script instead of the actual command, you can use the same script for multiple device types.

  

To learn more about device templates, see the following topics: