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New in 26.1, Forward now supports Dark Mode across the entire application, providing a consistent, high-contrast experience in all major areas of the product, including dashboards, topology views, and the NQE/code editor.  Users can choose between Light Mode, Dark Mode, or an Auto setting that follows their operating system theme. This preference is saved at the user level, so your experience stays consistent across sessions and devices. The latest release also improves text contrast to enhance readability in low-light environments. Dark Mode is useful in several common operating scenarios: Network Operations Centers (NOCs)Large wall displays running Forward dashboards for long periods benefit from Dark Mode by reducing glare and eye strain, making KPIs, alerts, and topology changes easier to monitor around the clock. Low-light or “dark office” environmentsFor teams working evening shifts, on-call rotations, or in dimly lit rooms, Dark Mode provides a more comfortable viewing experienc

 If you’ve worked in networking long enough, you’ve probably taken down production at least once. I know I have. That’s why I believe in introducing a little controlled chaos—not to be reckless, but to build resilience and make sure we never walk out of a change window with a broken network. Most of my career has been on the data center side, with years of Cisco and CLI habits that never really go away. I’ve always relied on baselining, validation, and proving intent before and after every change. Now I’m applying that same mindset to AWS networking, where you can’t just SSH into a box and run your favorite show commands, but the need for confidence in how the network will behave is just as critical. 1. Get your bearings with a real network viewBefore I touch anything, I need situational awareness. In the data center, that meant topology diagrams, routing tables, and a mental model of how packets actually flow. In the cloud, if you don’t deliberately build that picture, you’re flying b

Curious about AWS but not sure where to start? In this step-by-step walkthrough, I’ll show how to set up your own AWS Free Tier account, configure billing safeguards, and follow best practices for security and user management. Whether you’re preparing for certifications or just experimenting with cloud services, this guide will help you get started with confidence.   Cloud infrastructure has become essential in today’s IT landscape, and gaining hands-on experience with AWS (Amazon Web Services) is a valuable step for any engineer. The AWS Free Tier allows you to experiment with building, using, and tearing down AWS services at little to no cost—an excellent way to learn without breaking the budget.In this article, I’ll walk you through: Why you might want to create an AWS Free Tier account How to set one up safely Best practices for billing, security, and user management How to clean up or close your account when you’re done  Why Use AWS Free Tier?Creating your own AWS Free Tier

The CISA advisory AA25‑239A details a sophisticated espionage campaign attributed to Chinese state-sponsored actors, collectively referred to as Salt Typhoon. Why Does Salt Typhoon Matter?These actors are targeting vulnerable network infrastructure — including routers and switches — to gain initial access, persist in the environment, move laterally, and exfiltrate sensitive data. In an earlier post we described how to counter initial access from Salt Typhoon actors. In this post we will look closer at one of  key tactics in this campaign, which involves abuse of the GuestShell feature available on certain Cisco platforms. What is GuestShell?GuestShell is a containerized Linux environment embedded within certain Cisco devices (e.g., IOS XE). It allows administrators — or, in the wrong hands, attackers — to run Linux commands and applications directly on the device.  Since the activity within a virtual container is monitored less closely than native operations on switches and routers, cu

We wanted to call your attention to an upcoming NQE API change that was announced in the 25.12 release notes. This post provides additional detail and guidance to help you proactively update affected API integrations ahead of the change. What’s Changing In release 26.3, the default value of the itemFormat parameter for NQE API responses will change:Current default: LEGACY Future default: JSONThis applies to the following API endpoints:POST /api/nqe POST /api/nqe-diffs/{before}/{after}If your automation depends on the current behavior, we strongly recommend opting into itemFormat: "JSON" now so you can validate and adjust ahead of the default switch.  If you need to continue using the legacy behavior after 26.3, you must explicitly specify "itemFormat": "LEGACY" in each request. Who Is Affected Most NQE queries will not be impacted.This change only affects queries that return complex columns — specifically:Columns whose values are records / objects Or collections of objects embedded as

I have raised a support case for this as well, but I was wondering if anyone had seen it when you see different behavior when running a query in the library versus verify.I have created a query to display the vxlan address table, and when run in Verify the result shows 0 however when executed int he library it produces the complete list of passed entries as expected.The Query will always pass and has been added to verify so we can do a diff check on the VXLAN Address table during changes as requested by the engineers.Has anyone else experienced this, or got any suggestions on how to address this.Results from execution in Verify:Results from execution in Library (Sanitized): Code from Script:/** * @intent Display the Mac Address List for VXLAN * @description Will display the VXLAN mac address list and set the violation to false. */import "library/Arista Library";foreach device in network.deviceswhere device.platform.os == OS.ARISTA_EOSlet vxlanTables = vxlanTable(device)foreach item in

Here is a useful combination of a custom command and an NQE query to show the state of all OSPF neighbors.OSPF data is not collected by default in Forward Enterprise, so we add the custom command "sh ip ospf neighbor"Output data for this command from one device looks like this:Command: sh ip ospf neighborNeighbor ID     Pri   State           Dead Time   Address         Interface10.200.30.42      0   FULL/  -        00:00:35    10.45.6.1    GigE1/0/010.200.30.42      0   FULL/  -        00:00:32    10.45.6.2    GigE1/0/110.200.30.42      0   FULL/  -        00:00:35    10.45.6.3    GigE1/0/210.200.30.42      0   FULL/  -        00:00:31    10.45.6.4    GigE1/0/310.10.10.200      1   FULL/BDR        00:00:03    10.45.6.5    Vlan200This NQE query will list the OSPF neighbors from all devices by parsing the data from the custom command./** * @intent Show OSPF neighbors on all devices collected with custom command 'sh ip ospf neighbor' * @description Show OSPF neighbors on all devices colle

Just putting this up in case anyone has a similar requirement.  When we collect ‘show running-config’ from an F5, much of the SNMP configuration is left out.  If you need this info you need to define a custom collection group and issue the command show running-config all-properties to get the additional lines of config.Once you have collected this new information, you can match on a pattern like this: f5SnmpLocationPattern = ```sys snmp  sys-location {location:string}```; 

Manually auditing DNS configuration across a large network is slow, tedious, and error-prone. Engineers are often forced to comb through thousands of lines of device configuration to confirm that every router, firewall, and switch is pointing to the correct name servers. By the time the audit is complete, parts of the network may already be out of compliance again. With Forward Networks’ Network Query Engine (NQE), this kind of validation can be automated and continuously enforced using a simple, declarative query that evaluates the entire network model at once. Why this mattersDNS is a foundational service. A single misconfigured device can: Break application connectivity Bypass security monitoring by resolving through an untrusted resolver Violate regulatory or internal policy that mandates use of controlled DNS infrastructure  What this NQE checksThis query verifies that every monitored device is configured with the approved internal DNS servers—and only those servers.In this ex

Using the MLAG_INTERFACE_STATE output that is already provided we will check the interface state in relation to all MLAG configured interfaces, this will warn if their is less than 24 hours since the last state change.To violate the following must occur.The state is not “active-full”The Oper State of the interfaces on the local and remote device is not “up/up”The configuration state is not “ena/ena”/** * @intent Report on the MLAG Interface State * @description Using the show mlag interface detail command which is in commandType MLAG_INTERFACE_STATE * the data is retrieved by calling mlagTable within the arista library. This will violate if the interface * state does not match the expected results. */ //show mlag interfaces detail.mlagInterfaces = ``` local/remote mlag state local remote oper config last change changes-------

This query takes the rather limited show mlag config-sanity command from an arista switch and generates a violation if it does not match the output below.switch#show mlag config-sanityNo global configuration inconsistencies found.No per interface configuration inconsistencies found.The query identifies each line of the output and then creates two variables globalConfig  and interfaceConfig, interfaceConfig is identified by check if interface exists in the line. I am only expecting two lines therefore both variables once set won’t be added to.   Watch this space if this changes I will update the query.As in my previous queries I have included the extract that is in my “Arista Library” into the query for simplicity.Finally there maybe a better way to do this as I had some fun and games getting this one to work so any feedback is gratefully appreciated./** * @intent Mlag Config Sanity Checks * @description Using the Arista Library we will check the configuration Sanity, there are only two

This NQE uses the show mlag detail command which all that it should be in command.type of MLAG_STATE it did not appear so I added it as a custom command and will violate if the following occur:What I alert on:Mlag state is not AcitveNegotiate Status is not connectedPeer Config is not ConsistentPeer Link and/or local interface are not upIf both the local and peer device are both primary or both secondary admittedly the latter may be impossible but though of capturing it just in case Peer Link is error disabled.If the Agent is not showing as ruinning.What we warn on:We will also Warn on the following:If there any ports disabled, Inactive or Active PartialIf the number of port disabled, inactive or Active partial is the same as the total number of ports configured. /** * @intent Check the MLAG status * @description Using the AristaMLAGDetail function in the Arista Library check to verify the status is as expected * * This query also uses the violationProcessing function from the Utilitie

Using the “show vxlan config-sanity detail” command as a custom command we have a built a query that enables you to verify your vxlan configuration based on the “Result” field being anything other than “OK”, if you wish to accept warnings then simply adjust the relevant if statement in the “AristaVxLanSanity” section of this script./** * @intent Report on the Sanity of VXLAN configuration * @description Using the AristaVxlanSanity module of the Arista Library we will report any vxlan * configuration failures by category per device using the default assumptions of the Module * from the library */AristaVxlanSanity(device: Device) =foreach command in device.outputs.commands where command.commandText == "show vxlan config-sanity detail" //Retrieve only the command show vxlan config-sanity detail let deviceName = device.name let vxlanResponse = command.response let parsed = parseConfigBlocks(OS.UNKNOWN, vxlanResponse) foreach line in parsed foreach child in line.children

I’m curious to hear how different teams are using Forward Networks in their day-to-day workflows. Whether it’s for network visibility, change validation, security analysis, or troubleshooting, I’d love to learn what’s working best for you. Which features do you rely on the most? Have you integrated Forward Networks into your change management or automation processes? Any tips or lessons learned that could help others in the community? Looking forward to hearing real-world experiences and best practices from the community.

Hello,I am trying to create the NQE query, where i want to see the outputs of show module, show platform, depending upon the platform command might be different and then from those outputs i want to see the modules which are in down state.

Any time someone tells me they’re manually reviewing ACLs for compliance, I know they’re fighting a losing battle. That approach might work on a small network, but once you’re dealing with thousands—or tens of thousands—of devices, manual validation simply doesn’t scale. This came up recently in a conversation on specific ACL compliance requirement across an environment. They weren’t looking for advanced analytics or a flashy dashboard. They needed a reliable way to ensure their access control lists consistently met two basic security rules, everywhere, all the time. The compliance problem The first requirement was that every deny statement in an ACL must log. From a security and compliance standpoint, a deny that isn’t logged is effectively invisible. Traffic may be blocked, but without a log entry there’s no audit trail and no way to prove enforcement. The second requirement was that every ACL include an explicit deny-all statement. Most platforms apply an implicit deny at the end of

   Understanding how your network evolves is crucial, especially for spotting configuration changes and potential vulnerabilities. Forward Enterprise makes this process intuitive—even if many snapshots aren’t fully processed. Let’s walk through how to reveal changes and vulnerabilities without processing every snapshot. Step 1: Go to a processed snapshot in your network inventory.   Step 2: Find and select the device you’re interested in. Open its device card and view its configuration. This shows the current state, but you can also check its history to see all changes over time.   Step 3: Review the configuration history to spot changes. Look for when lines were added or modified. For example, if the text “foo” was added recently, you’ll see exactly when that change happened. The history view highlights both recent and older changes, including when the entire configuration was first introduced.   Step 4: To examine specific lines, highlight them in the config, right-click, and choose

Hi Team, Could you help me to understand how Forward Networks model the host ?

  The new ordered collections feature streamlines how you pull, organize, and present data from your inventory. It helps you quickly surface results—like the top 10 most vulnerable devices—organized the way you want, so you can act faster and share clearer insights with your team.Let’s walk through what ordered collections can do, when they’re most useful, and how to use the new syntax to save time and reduce manual filtering. Introduction: Why Ordered Collections MatterBefore ordered collections, finding and organizing your top results (say, the most vulnerable devices) meant extra filtering and sorting. Reports could show too many results, scattered by category, forcing you to click around or explain sorting steps to others. Now, ordered collections make it easy to: Limit results to exactly what you want (like the top 10) Sort by multiple criteria, such as vulnerability count and operating system Use familiar, flexible SQL-like syntax Handle both ordered (list) and unord

Where My Network Survey Lessons Really Began: High-Security Environments I’ve spent years surveying some of the most complex, layered, and mission-critical networks in high-security environments. One of the most impactful experiences came from supporting the Air Force’s Base Infrastructure Management (BIM) initiative—a massive effort to modernize, standardize, and truly understand the state of base-area network (BAN).These networks weren’t designed once; they were designed over time—by different teams, different contractors, and different mission owners. Every environment had its own personality, its own quirks, and its own technical ghosts. And when BIM kicked off, it quickly became clear that the Air Force needed a repeatable way to actually see what they had before they could improve it.Traditional approaches—flying in engineers to open comms closets and manually log into devices—took weeks and still left blind spots. We needed a better, faster, more reliable way to uncover the trut

One of the greatest strengths of using a digital twin is being able to separate the routing and firewall behavior of a particular traffic flow.For example, suppose we have a web application that is not functioning properly because traffic from the Internet cannot reach a public virtual-ip that is mapped to private IP on a top-of-rack switch on port 80.We enter this path search in the Forward Network Search bar.We can see immediately that the traffic is being blocked on an edge firewall (atl-edge-fw01). However, we don’t know what would happen to the traffic if it is permitted through this firewall and continues along its path.Are all the routing protocols properly configured to deliver the traffic to its destination? Is there another firewall in the path that would block the traffic?We can answer these questions by using permit-all mode.By enabling permit-mode, we pose the hypothetical question “what happens to the traffic if it is permitted through all the security rules in the path?”

In support of ongoing federal cybersecurity and supply-chain risk management initiatives, Forward Networks has developed a streamlined detection workflow for identifying devices manufactured by Huawei, ZTE, TP-Link or any other network device of concern that are within an enterprise or government environment.This proactive measure aligns with Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidance and the Federal Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) implementation goals outlined in OMB Memorandum M-22-09. This capability helps agencies rapidly locate unapproved or unmanaged devices—enhancing visibility, compliance, and operational integrity across complex network infrastructures. What’s Going OnBecause consumer network devices (routers, access points, and embedded network interface components) are widely deployed in home and small-office settings, they may appear in larger networks without full discovery or oversight. These “commercial off-the-shelf” (COTS) components can bypass stan

The default number of results returned for an NQE query executed from the API is 1000 (returned as a list assigned to the key “items”)You can increase the limit to 10,000 items. For retrieving results of more than 10,000 items, you will need to use the limit and offset parameters as part of your script, and concatenate the results of multiple API calls within the script.Below is a simple script in Python that concatenates successive chunks of 10,000 items into a single output:import requestsdef nqe_query_with_offset(): my_result = [] limit= 10000 offset = 0 network_id = "101" url = "https://fwd.app/api/nqe?networkId=" + network_id total_extracted = False while total_extracted == False: payload ={"queryId": "FQ_ac651cb2901b067fe7dbfb511613ab44776d8029", "queryOptions": { "limit": limit, "offset": offset}} print(payload) headers = { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'Authorization': 'Basic #KEY#'} response = requests.request("POST", url,

It always starts the same way. A team decides it’s time to get serious about network automation. They want to move fast, be resilient, eliminate toil, and reduce outages. Everyone’s on board. There’s talk of Python scripts, intent-based networking, even AI-powered predictions. But then someone finally asks the most basic question: “Do we actually know what IPs are in use?” Cue the awkward silence. Someone eventually mutters, “We’ve got a spreadsheet.”Honestly, I get it. I’ve been there. Most of us have. If you’ve got a few dozen devices and a small team, tracking IP allocations in Excel or Google Sheets might be enough. But once your environment scales—even modestly—that house of cards starts to wobble. Multiple admins start making updates. File shares go down. Local versions get out of sync. And suddenly, nobody knows what’s actually live in the network.Before you even think about automation, you need a reliable source of truth for your IPs. That’s where proper IP Address Management (