Feature Request: API for 3rd Party Control Integration
Hi all,
I've posted here before under my personal username, but I am back as a commercial AV integrator and now a Netgear Partner. To rewind a bit, I'm not new to Netgear products and I've recently deployed a M4300, M4200, and M4100 as part of a Dante / NDI system. I'm liking the M4300 line so far and am really looking forward to the M4250 lineup. I've also got countless other switches like GS724/GS728/GS510TP's out in the wild as part of AV systems. I've never had an issue despite even manufacturers telling me "you can't use Netgear for Dante".
Back to the topic.
I would really love to see some sort of API that isn't the CLI for easy control, monitoring, and management of managed switches. The biggest use I would have for this right now is the ability for a Control System (Crestron, Q-SYS) to easily power cycle PoE on specific ports to reboot endpoint devices. This could be a Restful API of sorts, or even basic commands over Telnet.
A few years ago, I comissioned a video over IP solution using Cisco switches. Long story short, the endpoints kept locking up. The Crestron module for these endpoints knew that they were offline. I ended up using serial CLI to traverse through commands and automaticaly rebooting endpoints when that were offline for a specific amount of time. It was a workaround to the manufacturer's problem, but was far more effective than nightly reboots (taking down a whole network) or having a customer replug cables in a rack.
Feedback or monitoring would be useful for providing info such as link up or down status, fan or PSU status, etc.
I haven't tried this approach with a Netgear switch, but the CLI is a bit cumbersome for this since you need to be authenticated, and enable config, etc.
Also, since the M4300 is now certified for many manufactuerers, is it possible for the switch to gather info on devices connected to each port such as hostname, connected device IP, etc. Or, even being able to assign a description to a port or interface. This would be along the lines of what many cloud mangaged systems are doing such as Ubiquiti UniFi.
Re: Feature Request: API for 3rd Party Control Integration
Hi, thanks for being such a great, loyal NTGR customer! It's great to hear that you continue to lobby for us against some push back when you know that we are the best solution.
I will leave the exact details up to Laurent, the PLM for these switches, currently on holiday, but suffice it to say that we have listened to this suggestion for an API and you should stay tuned.
Thanks again for your support and feedback, Keep it coming!
Re: Feature Request: API for 3rd Party Control Integration
Use SNMP - an industry standard protocol. No reason to introduce any whatever other API.... or push the vendors to integrate SNMP management support on the Control System (Crestron, Q-SYS)
