Example Library

This page turns the repository example set into an operator-facing catalog so teams can quickly choose the right starting point.

Why this page exists

The rauto repository ships with a useful but easy-to-miss set of example files under templates/examples/. For enterprise use, it helps to treat them as a structured library instead of a loose collection of sample files.

Example catalog

File	Type	Best for	Key concepts
cisco-like-command-flow.toml	command flow	Interactive device-side copy flows	prompt matching, runtime vars, wizard-like CLI
linux-scp-with-current-and-peer-command-flow.toml	command flow	Linux-to-Linux SCP using current and peer saved connections	current connection alias, cross-connection lookup
core-vlan-workflow.json	tx workflow	Small structured change on core devices	block-based workflow, rollback policies
fabric-change-workflow.json	tx workflow	More complex multi-block fabric change	larger workflow reuse, operational separation
campus-vlan-orchestration.json	orchestration	Simple staged rollout	stages, jobs, target lists
campus-inventory.json	inventory	Small inventory with defaults and group mapping	defaults, groups, vars
fabric-advanced-orchestration.json	orchestration	Larger staged rollout with richer targeting	parallelism, staged delivery, job separation
fabric-advanced-inventory.json	inventory	More complex grouped inventory	group defaults, target overrides
linux-image-rollout-orchestration.json	orchestration	Multi-stage Linux image rollout	orchestration over Linux targets
linux-image-export-and-transfer-workflow.json	tx workflow	Export and transfer pipeline	workflow composition
linux-image-export-and-transfer-with-password-scp-workflow.json	tx workflow	Export and transfer using password-based SCP	password-driven transfer path
linux-image-load-and-restart-workflow.json	tx workflow	Load a new image and restart service/process	staged Linux change logic
connection-import-template-en.csv	import template	Bulk import saved connections	import headers, operator onboarding
connection-import-template-zh.csv	import template	Chinese-language import onboarding	localized import header reference

Command flow examples

cisco-like-command-flow.toml

Use this when the device drives the interaction.

Typical use cases:

• copy scp:
• copy tftp:
• multi-prompt file import/export
• confirmation-heavy device operations

What it demonstrates:

• prompt regex patterns
• inline {{var}} substitution
• runtime var schema
• mode selection
• reusable flow storage in SQLite

linux-scp-with-current-and-peer-command-flow.toml

Use this when a Linux host needs to reference both the current execution target and another saved connection.

What it demonstrates:

• current_connection_alias
• cross-connection references like {{peer.host}}
• runtime vars that point to another saved connection name
• mixed use of current target and peer credentials

Workflow examples

core-vlan-workflow.json

A good first workflow example when introducing tx-workflow into a team.

Best for:

• change blocks with explicit names
• straightforward rollback policies
• structured but readable JSON

fabric-change-workflow.json

A more advanced workflow for teams that already understand the block model and want a richer pattern for fabric or multi-part changes.

Look here when you need:

• multiple blocks with different rollback semantics
• stronger separation of stages within one target workflow
• a reusable source for enterprise change reviews

Linux image workflows

These workflow files model a realistic application or image rollout pipeline on Linux targets:

• linux-image-export-and-transfer-workflow.json
• linux-image-export-and-transfer-with-password-scp-workflow.json
• linux-image-load-and-restart-workflow.json

These are especially useful when documenting:

• export / package / copy pipelines
• SCP transfer variations
• restart or cutover steps after artifact delivery

Orchestration examples

campus-vlan-orchestration.json

A compact staged rollout example.

Use it to learn:

• stage layout
• serial vs parallel strategy
• action binding to tx_block or tx_workflow
• target selection through saved connections

fabric-advanced-orchestration.json

Use this when the rollout is large enough to need more advanced concurrency and grouping logic.

Typical enterprise scenarios:

• campus or fabric-wide change windows
• phased rollout between core and access layers
• higher parallelism with explicit blast-radius control

linux-image-rollout-orchestration.json

This example is important because it shows that orchestration is not limited to network devices.

Use it to document:

• Linux host batches
• software/image distribution
• staged cutover across multiple machines

Inventory examples

campus-inventory.json

The simplest place to understand inventory structure.

Key ideas:

• global defaults
• group membership
• group vars
• per-target overrides

fabric-advanced-inventory.json

Use this for documenting enterprise inventory modeling.

Key ideas:

• nested defaults
• richer target metadata
• larger grouped topology
• better alignment with staged orchestration

Bulk import templates

connection-import-template-en.csv

connection-import-template-zh.csv

These two files are especially useful for onboarding operators who will not create saved connections one by one.

Recommended documentation use:

• attach them in operational runbooks
• use them for migration from spreadsheets
• standardize connection profile fields before orchestration rollout

Recommended headers:

name,host,username,password,port,enable_password,ssh_security,linux_shell_flavor,device_profile,template_dir

How to choose the right example

If you need…	Start here
one interactive CLI flow	cisco-like-command-flow.toml
Linux peer-to-peer SCP logic	linux-scp-with-current-and-peer-command-flow.toml
one structured rollback-aware change	core-vlan-workflow.json
a richer target-local workflow	fabric-change-workflow.json
a small staged rollout	campus-vlan-orchestration.json
a larger staged rollout	fabric-advanced-orchestration.json
inventory modeling	campus-inventory.json then fabric-advanced-inventory.json
spreadsheet-based connection onboarding	connection-import-template-en.csv / connection-import-template-zh.csv

Documentation best practice

For enterprise-grade docs, do not just reference the file name. For each example, also document:

• what production problem it solves
• what assumptions it makes about inventory and saved connections
• which variables must be supplied at runtime
• what rollback or compensation behavior exists
• whether it is device-side interactive, target-local structured, or fleet-wide orchestration

Related pages

• Templates and Command Flows
• Transactions and Orchestration
• Configuration Reference