Multicaster - Network Device & Multicast Management System

A comprehensive web application for managing network devices, multicast usage, IP allocations, and switch port configurations across company facilities.

Features

Core Functionality

• Branch Management: Organize network infrastructure by company branches/facilities
• Switch Management: Track network switches with detailed port configurations
• Device Management: Manage connected devices with automatic IP and port allocation
• Port Management: Support for 10G, 25G, 50G, and 100G ports with breakout capabilities
• IP Address Management: Automatic allocation and tracking of multicast and unicast IPs
• User Management: Role-based access control with local and LDAP authentication

Advanced Features

• Port Breakout: Break 100G ports into 4x25G ports dynamically
• Automatic Allocation: Smart IP and port assignment for new devices
• LDAP Integration: Azure Entra ID authentication support
• Role-Based Access: Admin, Manager, Operator, and Viewer roles
• Real-time Dashboard: Overview of network utilization and recent activities
• Future API Ready: Structure prepared for switch API integration

Architecture

Backend (Flask)

• Framework: Flask with SQLAlchemy ORM
• Database: PostgreSQL (SQLite for development)
• Authentication: JWT tokens with LDAP/Local support
• API: RESTful API with comprehensive endpoints

Frontend (React)

• Framework: React 18 with Material-UI
• State Management: React Query for server state
• Routing: React Router v6
• Styling: Material-UI with custom theming

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8+
• Node.js 16+
• PostgreSQL (optional, SQLite works for development)

Backend Setup

1. Install Dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Configure Environment

   cp config.env.example .env
   # Edit .env with your configuration

3. Initialize Database

   python init_db.py

4. Start Backend Server

   python app.py

Frontend Setup

1. Install Dependencies

   npm install

2. Start Development Server

   npm start

3. Access Application

   • Open http://localhost:3000
   • Backend API: http://localhost:5000

Default Credentials

The application comes with sample users for testing:

• Admin: admin / admin123
• Manager: manager / manager123
• Operator: operator / operator123
• Viewer: viewer / viewer123

User Roles

Admin

• Full system access
• User management
• System configuration
• All CRUD operations

Manager

• Branch and switch management
• Advanced device operations
• IP allocation oversight
• Team member management

Operator

• Device management
• Port configuration
• Basic IP allocation
• Daily operations

Viewer

• Read-only access
• Dashboard viewing
• Report generation
• Status monitoring

API Endpoints

Authentication

• POST /auth/login - User authentication
• GET /auth/me - Current user info
• POST /auth/logout - User logout

Branches

• GET /api/branches - List branches
• POST /api/branches - Create branch
• GET /api/branches/{id} - Get branch details
• PUT /api/branches/{id} - Update branch
• DELETE /api/branches/{id} - Delete branch

Switches

• GET /api/branches/{id}/switches - List switches in branch
• POST /api/switches - Create switch
• GET /api/switches/{id} - Get switch details
• PUT /api/switches/{id} - Update switch
• DELETE /api/switches/{id} - Delete switch

Devices

• GET /api/devices - List devices (with filters)
• POST /api/devices - Create device with auto-allocation
• GET /api/devices/{id} - Get device details
• PUT /api/devices/{id} - Update device
• DELETE /api/devices/{id} - Delete device

Ports

• GET /api/switches/{id}/ports - List ports
• POST /api/ports/{id}/breakout - Breakout 100G port
• POST /api/ports/{id}/restore - Restore breakout port

IP Management

• GET /api/branches/{id}/ips - List IP allocations
• GET /api/branches/{id}/ports - List all ports in branch

Database Schema

Key Tables

• users: User accounts and authentication
• branches: Company facilities/locations
• switches: Network switches in branches
• switch_ports: Individual switch ports
• devices: Connected network devices
• device_ips: IP addresses assigned to devices
• device_connections: Device-to-port connections
• ip_allocations: IP address allocation tracking

Configuration

Environment Variables

# Flask Configuration
SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:pass@localhost/multicaster

# LDAP Configuration (Azure Entra ID)
LDAP_SERVER=ldaps://your-domain.onmicrosoft.com
LDAP_BASE_DN=DC=your-domain,DC=onmicrosoft,DC=com
LDAP_BIND_DN=CN=bind-user,OU=Users,DC=your-domain,DC=onmicrosoft,DC=com
LDAP_BIND_PASSWORD=bind-password

# JWT Configuration
JWT_SECRET_KEY=your-jwt-secret
JWT_ACCESS_TOKEN_EXPIRES=3600

Development

Adding New Features

1. Update database models in models.py
2. Create API endpoints in api.py
3. Add frontend components in src/components/
4. Update routing in src/App.js

Database Migrations

flask db init
flask db migrate -m "Description"
flask db upgrade

Future Enhancements

Planned Features

• Switch API Integration: Direct communication with managed switches
• Real-time Monitoring: Live port status and device health
• Network Topology: Visual network mapping
• Automated Discovery: Auto-detection of devices and connections
• Performance Analytics: Network utilization trends
• Alert System: Notifications for issues and thresholds

API Integration Structure

The application is designed to support future integration with switch APIs:

• Centralized API credentials management
• Async job processing for bulk operations
• Real-time data synchronization
• Health monitoring and alerting

Support

For issues and feature requests, please refer to the application documentation or contact your system administrator.

License

Internal company use only. All rights reserved.