# NetBox Reports

A NetBox report is a mechanism for validating the integrity of data within NetBox. Running a report allows the user to verify that the objects defined within NetBox meet certain arbitrary conditions. For example, you can write reports to check that:

* All top-of-rack switches have a console connection
* Every router has a loopback interface with an IP address assigned
* Each interface description conforms to a standard format
* Every site has a minimum set of VLANs defined
* All IP addresses have a parent prefix

...and so on. Reports are completely customizable, so there's practically no limit to what you can test for.

## Writing Reports

Reports must be saved as files in the [`REPORTS_ROOT`](../configuration/optional-settings/#reports_root) path (which defaults to `netbox/reports/`). Each file created within this path is considered a separate module. Each module holds one or more reports (Python classes), each of which performs a certain function. The logic of each report is broken into discrete test methods, each of which applies a small portion of the logic comprising the overall test.

!!! warning
    The reports path includes a file named `__init__.py`, which registers the path as a Python module. Do not delete this file.

For example, we can create a module named `devices.py` to hold all of our reports which pertain to devices in NetBox. Within that module, we might define several reports. Each report is defined as a Python class inheriting from `extras.reports.Report`.

```
from extras.reports import Report

class DeviceConnectionsReport(Report):
    description = "Validate the minimum physical connections for each device"

class DeviceIPsReport(Report):
    description = "Check that every device has a primary IP address assigned"
```

Within each report class, we'll create a number of test methods to execute our report's logic. In DeviceConnectionsReport, for instance, we want to ensure that every live device has a console connection, an out-of-band management connection, and two power connections.

```
from dcim.constants import CONNECTION_STATUS_PLANNED, STATUS_ACTIVE
from dcim.models import ConsolePort, Device, PowerPort
from extras.reports import Report


class DeviceConnectionsReport(Report):
    description = "Validate the minimum physical connections for each device"

    def test_console_connection(self):

        # Check that every console port for every active device has a connection defined.
        for console_port in ConsolePort.objects.select_related('device').filter(device__status=STATUS_ACTIVE):
            if console_port.cs_port is None:
                self.log_failure(
                    console_port.device,
                    "No console connection defined for {}".format(console_port.name)
                )
            elif console_port.connection_status == CONNECTION_STATUS_PLANNED:
                self.log_warning(
                    console_port.device,
                    "Console connection for {} marked as planned".format(console_port.name)
                )
            else:
                self.log_success(console_port.device)

    def test_power_connections(self):

        # Check that every active device has at least two connected power supplies.
        for device in Device.objects.filter(status=STATUS_ACTIVE):
            connected_ports = 0
            for power_port in PowerPort.objects.filter(device=device):
                if power_port.power_outlet is not None:
                    connected_ports += 1
                    if power_port.connection_status == CONNECTION_STATUS_PLANNED:
                        self.log_warning(
                            device,
                            "Power connection for {} marked as planned".format(power_port.name)
                        )
            if connected_ports < 2:
                self.log_failure(
                    device,
                    "{} connected power supplies found (2 needed)".format(connected_ports)
                )
            else:
                self.log_success(device)
```

As you can see, reports are completely customizable. Validation logic can be as simple or as complex as needed.

!!! warning
    Reports should never alter data: If you find yourself using the `create()`, `save()`, `update()`, or `delete()` methods on objects within reports, stop and re-evaluate what you're trying to accomplish. Note that there are no safeguards against the accidental alteration or destruction of data.

The following methods are available to log results within a report:

* log(message)
* log_success(object, message=None)
* log_info(object, message)
* log_warning(object, message)
* log_failure(object, message)

The recording of one or more failure messages will automatically flag a report as failed. It is advised to log a success for each object that is evaluated so that the results will reflect how many objects are being reported on. (The inclusion of a log message is optional for successes.) Messages recorded with `log()` will appear in a report's results but are not associated with a particular object or status.

Once you have created a report, it will appear in the reports list. Initially, reports will have no results associated with them. To generate results, run the report.

## Running Reports

### Via the Web UI

Reports can be run via the web UI by navigating to the report and clicking the "run report" button at top right. Note that a user must have permission to create ReportResults in order to run reports. (Permissions can be assigned through the admin UI.)

Once a report has been run, its associated results will be included in the report view.

### Via the API

To run a report via the API, simply issue a POST request to its `run` endpoint. Reports are identified by their module and class name.

```
    POST /api/extras/reports/<module>.<name>/run/
```

Our example report above would be called as:

```
    POST /api/extras/reports/devices.DeviceConnectionsReport/run/
```

### Via the CLI

Reports can be run on the CLI by invoking the management command:

```
python3 manage.py runreport <module>
```

One or more report modules may be specified.
