Connexion to SSH device with python and paramiko

Previously, I was using 'pexpect' in order to connect and gather information from a router or a switch.
However, I have often encountered several issues (timeout, SSH key gestion...).

It's why, now I'm using 'paramiko' (a python SSH library).
You will find below an example of the paramiko utilisation.
This script connects to a switch and returns it version.
Don't hesitate to share examples.

import paramiko
import time

username = 'user'
pwd = 'password'
cmd = 'show version \n'
ip_switch = '10.10.20.17'
remote_conn_pre=paramiko.SSHClient()
remote_conn_pre
remote_conn_pre.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.AutoAddPolicy())
remote_conn_pre.connect(ip_switch, username=username, password=pwd)
remote_conn = remote_conn_pre.invoke_shell()
time.sleep(1)
trash = remote_conn.recv(5000)
remote_conn.send(cmd)
time.sleep(2)
output = remote_conn.recv(5000)
chain = output.split()
print chain[9]

Install Netflow collector on Cacti

This tuto explains how to install the flowview plugin on Cacti. I have worked with Cacti 0.8.8b installed on an Ubuntu server.

Install and configure flow-capture

In order to capture netflow traffic, I have used flow-capture. In order to install it on Ubuntu, you can use apt:
apt-get install flow-capture

Once flow-capture is installed, you can configure the flow-capture.conf file:
vim /etc/flow-tools/flow-capture.conf

# Example 1:
# Capture flows from router at 10.1.1.10, listening at port 3000.
# Store flows in /var/netflow/flows/myrouter.
-w /var/netflow/flows/myrouter 0/10.1.1.10/3000

Add the file in dedicated folder:
mkdir /var/netflow/flows/myrouter

Configure a Router in order to export netflow

This configuration is different for each constructor. For example, I have configured an netflow export on a Cisco 4500:

flow record R1
 match ipv4 protocol
 match ipv4 source address
 match ipv4 destination address
 match transport source-port
 match transport destination-port
 collect counter bytes
!
flow exporter CACTI
 destination 10.10.10.10
 export-protocol netflow-v5 => flow-capture is only v5 capable
!
flow monitor M1
 exporter CACTI
 cache entries 1000
 record R1
!
interface Port-channel1
 ip flow monitor M1 input

Install and configure flowview on Cacti

Download the flowview plugin (http://docs.cacti.net/plugin:flowview) and untar it in:
/usr/share/cacti/site/plugins

Go to the Cacti console
Configuration>Plugin Management
And enable Flowview

Configure the path in order to read the netflow file created by flow-capture:
Go to the Cacti console
Configuration>Settings>Misc
Under Flows directory, specified your folder (for example /var/netflow/flows/)