Cisco Model-Driven Telemetry and MariaDB Integration

Input and output integration overview

<p>The Cisco Model-Driven Telemetry (MDT) plugin facilitates the collection of telemetry data from Cisco networking platforms, utilizing gRPC and TCP transport mechanisms. This plugin is essential for users looking to implement advanced telemetry solutions for better insights and operational efficiency.</p>

<p>This plugin writes metrics from Telegraf directly into MariaDB using parameterized SQL INSERT statements, offering a flexible way to store metrics in structured, relational tables.</p>

Integration details

Cisco Model-Driven Telemetry

<p>Cisco model-driven telemetry (MDT) is designed to provide a robust means of consuming telemetry data from various Cisco platforms, including IOS XR, IOS XE, and NX-OS. This plugin focuses on the efficient transport of telemetry data using either TCP or gRPC protocols, offering flexibility based on the network environment and requirements. The gRPC transport is particularly advantageous as it supports TLS for enhanced security through encryption and authentication. The plugin is compatible with a range of software versions on Cisco devices, enabling organizations to leverage telemetry capabilities across their network operations. It is especially useful for network monitoring and analytics, as it enables real-time data collection directly from Cisco devices, enhancing visibility into network performance, resource utilization, and operational metrics.</p>

MariaDB

<p>The SQL output plugin in Telegraf enables direct writing of metrics into SQL-compatible databases like MariaDB by executing parameterized SQL statements. With support for the MySQL driver, the plugin seamlessly integrates with MariaDB for reliable, structured metric storage. This setup is ideal for users who prefer SQL-based analytics or want to store metrics alongside business data for unified querying. MariaDB is a community-developed, enterprise-grade fork of MySQL that emphasizes performance, security, and openness. The plugin supports inserting time series metrics into custom schemas, enabling flexible analytics and integrations with BI tools like Metabase or Grafana using SQL connectors.</p>

Configuration

Cisco Model-Driven Telemetry

MariaDB

Input and output integration examples

Cisco Model-Driven Telemetry

<ol> <li> <p><strong>Real-Time Network Monitoring</strong>: Utilize the Cisco MDT plugin to collect network performance metrics from Cisco routers and switches. By feeding telemetry data into a visualization tool, network operators can observe traffic trends, bandwidth usage, and error rates in real-time. This proactive monitoring allows teams to swiftly address issues before they affect network performance, resulting in a more reliable service.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Automated Anomaly Detection</strong>: Integrate Cisco MDT with machine learning algorithms to create an automated anomaly detection system. By continuously analyzing telemetry data, the system can identify deviations from typical operational patterns, providing alerts for unusual conditions that may signify network problems or security threats, which can aid in maintaining operational integrity.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Dynamic Configuration Management</strong>: Leveraging the telemetry data collected from Cisco devices, organizations can implement dynamic configuration management solutions that automatically adjust network settings based on current performance indicators. For instance, if the telemetry indicates high utilization on certain links, the system could dynamically route traffic to underutilized paths, optimizing resource usage.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Enhanced Reporting and Analytics</strong>: Use the Cisco MDT plugin to feed detailed telemetry data into analytics platforms, enabling comprehensive reporting on network health and performance. Historical and real-time analysis can guide decision-making and strategic planning, helping organizations to allocate resources more effectively and understand their network’s operational landscape better.</p> </li> </ol>

MariaDB

<ol> <li> <p><strong>Business Intelligence Integration</strong>: Store application performance metrics directly into MariaDB and connect it to BI tools like Metabase or Apache Superset. This setup allows blending of operational data with business KPIs for unified dashboards, enhancing visibility across departments.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Compliance Reporting with Historical Metrics</strong>: Use this plugin to log metrics into MariaDB for audit and compliance use cases. The relational model enables precise querying of past performance indicators with timestamped entries, supporting regulatory documentation.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Custom Alerting Based on SQL Logic</strong>: Insert metrics into MariaDB and use custom SQL queries to define alert thresholds or conditions. Combined with cron jobs or scheduled scripts, this enables advanced alerting workflows not possible with traditional metric platforms.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>IoT Sensor Metrics Storage</strong>: Collect sensor data from IoT devices via Telegraf and store it in MariaDB using a normalized schema. This approach is cost-effective and integrates well with existing SQL-based systems for real-time or historical analysis.</p> </li> </ol>

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