Automated networking device replacement system

An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

• a processing system;
• and
• a memory system that is coupled to the processing system and that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to provide a fabric services engine that provides a first configuration source and that is configured to:
• identify that a first networking device has been provided in a chassis;
• determine that the first networking device is a replacement for a second networking device in a networking fabric;
• determine, in response to determining that the first networking device is a replacement for the second networking device in the networking fabric, one of a full switch role for the first networking device that configures the first networking device to perform switching operations on data, or a fabric switch role for the first networking device that configures the first networking device to perform pass-through operations with a peer networking device having the full switch role;
• automatically identify, based on the full switch role or the fabric switch role that was determined for the first networking device, at least one fabric-services-based configuration that was provided by a management module to the fabric services engine for provisioning on the second networking device and that was performed on the second networking device;
• automatically perform, in response to identifying the at least one fabric-services-based configuration, the at least one fabric-services-based configuration on the first networking device in order to configure the first networking device with an operating mode, a server configuration, and an uplink configuration that were configured on the second networking device;
• and
• transmit, in response to automatically performing the at least one fabric-services-based configuration on the first networking device, a management-module-based configuration instruction to the management module that provides a second configuration source that is different than the first configuration source provided by the fabric services engine, and that is configured to cause the management module to automatically perform at least one management-module-based configuration on the first networking device that was performed on the second networking device in order to configure the first networking device with at least one Internet Protocol (IP) address and at least one username and password combination that were configured on the second networking device, wherein the networking fabric is configured to resume operation following the performance of the at least one fabric-services-based configuration and the at least one management-module-based configuration on the first networking device.

A method for automated configuration of networking devices, comprising:

• identifying, by a fabric services subsystem that provides a first configuration source, that a first networking device has been provided in a chassis;
• determining, by the fabric services subsystem, that the first networking device is a replacement for a second networking device in a networking fabric;
• determining, by the fabric services subsystem in response to determining that the first networking device is a replacement for the second networking device in the networking fabric, one of a full switch role for the first networking device that configures the first networking device to perform switching operations on data, or a fabric switch role for the first networking device that configures the first networking device to perform pass-through operations with a peer networking device having the full switch role;
• automatically identifying, by the fabric services subsystem based on the full switch role or the fabric switch role that was determined for the first networking device, at least one fabric-services-based configuration that was provided by a management module to the fabric services subsystem for provisioning on the second networking device and that was performed on the second networking device;
• automatically performing, by the fabric services subsystem in response to identifying the at least one fabric-services-based configuration, the at least one fabric-services-based configuration on the first networking device in order to configure the first networking device with an operating mode, a server configuration, and an uplink configuration that were configured on the second networking device;
• and
• transmitting, by the fabric services subsystem in response to automatically performing the at least one fabric-services-based configuration on the first networking device, a management-module-based configuration instruction to the management module that provides a second configuration source that is different than the first configuration source provided by the fabric services subsystem, and that is configured to cause the management module to automatically perform at least one management-module-based configuration on the first networking device that was performed on the second networking device in order to configure the first networking device with at least one Internet Protocol (IP) address and at least one username and password combination that were configured on the second networking device, wherein the networking fabric is configured to resume operation following the performance of the at least one fabric-services-based configuration and the at least one management-module-based configuration on the first networking device.