Netpicker: Compare Configurations Between Devices

Introduction to Netpicker and Its Capabilities

When troubleshooting a connectivity issue on a pair of redundant core routers, the last thing you want to do is manually compare their configurations line by line. A single misconfigured access list or prefix list can cause inconsistent behavior, but finding the discrepancy can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Manually comparing the two show running-config outputs is time-consuming and prone to error. You could spend hours scrolling through thousands of lines of text, trying to spot a single misplaced deny statement or a missing network in a prefix list.

This is where Netpicker’s configuration comparison feature simplifies the task. Netpicker allows you to select any two devices and view their running configurations in a side-by-side, color-coded “diff” view. This visual comparison immediately highlights every addition, deletion, and modification, turning a difficult manual task into a quick and accurate check.

Common use cases for this feature include:

  • Verifying Policy Consistency: Comparing access lists (ACLs) or prefix lists between two routers to ensure routing policies are identical.
  • Troubleshooting: Comparing a working device with a non-working one to quickly identify configuration discrepancies that could be the root cause of a problem.
  • Auditing Redundancy: Auditing the configurations between a primary and a backup device to prevent unexpected issues during a failover.
  • Validating Deployments: Verifying that a newly deployed device has been configured identically to a “golden template” device.

To start comparing configurations with Netpicker, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your Netpicker account.
  2. Navigate to the Backups tab.
  3. Select the two devices you want to compare from the device list.
  4. Click the Compare button.

You will be presented with a side-by-side comparison of the two devices’ running configurations, highlighting any differences.

In Netpicker’s comparison view, the output would look like this: Netpicker output showing differences

This clear and concise output makes it easy to identify configuration differences between devices. Try Netpicker’s configuration comparison feature today and streamline your troubleshooting process.