Software Lifecycle

The Software Lifecycle app, working alongside Nautobot's Software Version model, manages organizationally approved software on devices and inventory. To achieve this, the app uses a Validated Software model, specifying which Software versions are currently approved within the organization and for which devices or inventory items. A Validated Software object can only be created after a Software object has been defined.

Validated Software objects

Validated Software objects are used to check if the software assigned to devices and inventory items is valid/approved.

These objects represent rules defined in an organization during the software approval/qualification process.

Multiple Validated Software objects can be created for the same software. This allows specifying different validity periods and preference settings for different subsets of devices and inventory items.

When creating the validated software the following fields are available. Fields in bold are mandatory.

Field	Description
Software	Software object this Validated Software object is tied to
Valid Since	Start date when the rules defined by this object start applying
Valid Until	End date when the rules defined by this object stop applying
Preferred Version	Whether the Software specified by this Validated Software should be considered a preferred version
Devices -> Devices	Devices whose software will be validated by this Validated Software
Devices -> Device tenants	Devices assigned to these tenants will have software validated by this Validated Software. Only honored when multi_tenant_mode=True; ignored by matching in the default legacy mode (see Multi-tenant mode).
Devices -> Device types	Devices having these device types will have software validated by this Validated Software
Devices -> Device roles	Devices having these device roles will have software validated by this Validated Software
Inventory Items -> Inventory items	Inventory items whose software will be validated by this Validated Software
Object Tags -> Object tags	Devices and Inventory items with these tags will be validated by this Validated Software

Example of a Validated Software object with most fields filled in:

Validated Software assignment rules

Validated Software object can be assigned to:

• devices
• device tenants (honored only when multi_tenant_mode=True — see Multi-tenant mode)
• device types
• device roles
• inventory items
• object tags applied to devices and inventory items

One Validated Software object can be assigned to multiple other objects.

Multi-tenant mode (opt-in)

The app supports two matching modes for ValidatedSoftwareLCM records, controlled by the multi_tenant_mode app setting (see the admin install guide):

multi_tenant_mode	Behavior
False (default)	Legacy mode — ValidatedSoftware records with a device_tenants assignment are excluded; only untenanted records are considered. The device's own tenant is never checked. Matching within those records uses devices, device_types, device_roles, and object_tags. This preserves the pre-tenancy behavior of the app.
True	Multi-tenant mode — the device's tenant must match one of the device_tenants on any tenant-scoped Validated Software record for it to apply. Device type, device role, direct device, and tag assignments continue to work, and can be combined with tenant scoping. No untenanted fallback is provided for devices that belong to a tenant.

Note

The device_tenants field remains editable in the UI and exposed in the API regardless of the setting. In legacy mode it is simply ignored by matching; existing tenant assignments remain in place and become effective if the setting is later switched to True.

Warning

Changing multi_tenant_mode requires a Nautobot service restart for the new value to take effect.

Warning

Enabling multi_tenant_mode without first creating tenant-scoped Validated Software records will cause all tenanted devices to show zero matching validations. Before switching modes, ensure tenant-scoped Validated Software records exist for every tenant whose devices need coverage.

Note

For tenanted devices in multi-tenant mode, tag-based (object_tags) and direct device (devices) assignments are tenant-agnostic — a match via these fields does not require the ValidatedSoftware record to be scoped to the device's tenant. In legacy mode and for non-tenanted devices in multi-tenant mode, only ValidatedSoftware records with no tenant assigned are ever returned, regardless of match path.

Validated Software matching logic

When a device or inventory item has Software assigned app will attempt to find a Validated Software object that is linked to the Software and matches the device/inventory item through assignment resolution.

If at least one Validated Software object, which is currently valid, matching Software and device/inventory item is found, then the Software is marked as valid. Otherwise, it is marked as invalid.

When resolving whether Validated Software is taken into account when validating software on a given device, the following logic applies.

Matching workflow for devices

The following diagram summarizes how a candidate Validated Software record is accepted or rejected for a given device under each mode. The bullet-list subsections below expand on the individual match criteria referenced in the diagram.

flowchart TD
    Start([Device + Validated Software candidate]) --> Flag{multi_tenant_mode?}

    Flag -- "False / legacy" --> LegacyVSTenant{VS has<br/>device_tenants set?}
    LegacyVSTenant -- Yes --> Exclude([Exclude])
    LegacyVSTenant -- No --> LegacyMatch{Match on devices,<br/>device_types,<br/>device_roles,<br/>or object_tags?}
    LegacyMatch -- Yes --> Include([Include in queryset])
    LegacyMatch -- No --> Exclude

    Flag -- True / multi-tenant --> DeviceTenant{Device has<br/>a tenant?}

    DeviceTenant -- No --> UntenantedVS{VS has<br/>device_tenants set?}
    UntenantedVS -- Yes --> Exclude
    UntenantedVS -- No --> LegacyMatch

    DeviceTenant -- Yes --> TenantedVS{VS has<br/>device_tenants set?}
    TenantedVS -- No --> TagOrDirect{Match via<br/>devices or<br/>object_tags?}
    TagOrDirect -- Yes --> Include
    TagOrDirect -- No --> Exclude

    TenantedVS -- Yes --> TenantMatches{Device's tenant<br/>in VS.device_tenants?}
    TenantMatches -- No --> TagOrDirect
    TenantMatches -- Yes --> TenantScopedMatch{Match on device_types,<br/>device_roles,<br/>or tenant-only VS?}
    TenantScopedMatch -- Yes --> Include
    TenantScopedMatch -- No --> TagOrDirect

Key points illustrated by the diagram:

• In legacy mode, ValidatedSoftware records with device_tenants set are excluded before matching; the device's own tenant is never checked.
• In multi-tenant mode, a tenanted device never falls back to untenanted Validated Software via type/role/tenant paths — only direct devices and object_tags matches are tenant-agnostic.
• A non-tenanted device in multi-tenant mode only sees untenanted Validated Software; any record with device_tenants set is filtered out, including via direct assignment and tags.
• For tenanted devices in multi-tenant mode, direct devices and object_tags matches are tenant-agnostic and can match VS records with any (or no) tenant assigned.

For devices — legacy mode (multi_tenant_mode=False)

Validated Software will be used if one, or more, of the following applies:

• Device is explicitly listed in the Validated Software devices attribute.
• Device's device type AND device role match device_types AND device_roles in Validated Software. This applies only if BOTH are set. See the Special cases subsection that follows.
• Device's device type is listed in the Validated Software device_types attribute.
• Device's role is listed in the Validated Software device_roles attribute.
• Device's tags are listed in the Validated Software object_tags attribute.

Only ValidatedSoftware records with no device_tenants set are considered. The device's own tenant has no effect on matching.

For devices — multi-tenant mode (multi_tenant_mode=True)

If the device has a tenant assigned, Validated Software will be used if one, or more, of the following applies:

• Device is explicitly listed in the Validated Software devices attribute.
• The record's device_tenants includes the device's tenant, AND both device_types and device_roles are set and match the device. See the Special cases subsection that follows.
• Device's tenant matches a device_tenants entry AND device_types matches the device's type (when device_types is set but device_roles is not set on the record).
• Device's tenant matches a device_tenants entry AND device_roles matches the device's role (when device_roles is set but device_types is not set on the record).
• Device's tenant matches a device_tenants entry and neither device_types nor device_roles is set on the record (tenant-only record).
• Device's tags are listed in the Validated Software object_tags attribute.

If the device has no tenant assigned, only Validated Software records that have no device_tenants set are considered, and the legacy-mode rules above apply.

For inventory items

Inventory item matching does not take tenancy into account in either mode. Validated Software will be used if one, or more, of the following applies:

• Inventory item is explicitly listed in the Validated Software devices attribute.
• Inventory item's tags are listed in the Validated Software object_tags attribute.

Special cases - device type and device role defined together

When a Validated Software object is assigned to both device type and device role then these are used in conjunction (logical AND). That is, such an object will apply to devices that are assigned both, specified device type AND device role.

This logic is used to allow to specify a subset of the devices of a given type by adding additional constraint in the form of device role.

For example, in the below case Validated Software 4.21M will apply to Device 1 only since Device 2 has a match for device type only.

• Device 1

  • device type: 7150-S64
  • device role: leaf
  • software: 4.21M

• Device 2

  • device type: 7150-S64
  • device role: edge
  • software: 4.21M

• Validated Software - 4.21M:

  • device types: 7150-S64
  • device roles: leaf
  • software: 4.21M

Special cases - device tenant and device type defined together

Only applies when multi_tenant_mode=True.

When a Validated Software object is assigned to both device tenants and device type then these are used in conjunction (logical AND). That is, such an object will apply to devices that are assigned both, specified device tenant AND device type.

This logic is used to allow to specify a subset of the devices of a given type by adding additional constraint in the form of tenant.

For example, in the below case Validated Software 4.21M will apply to Device 1 only since Device 2 has a match for device type only.

• Device 1

  • device type: 7150-S64
  • device tenants: tenant_A
  • software: 4.21M

• Device 2

  • device type: 7150-S64
  • device tenants: tenant_B
  • software: 4.21M

• Validated Software - 4.21M:

  • device types: 7150-S64
  • device tenants: tenant_A
  • software: 4.21M

Behavior when using API to retrieve Validated Software list for devices and inventory items

By default when retrieving a list of Validated Software objects it is possible to filter results by assignments used when the object was created.

To get a list of Validated Software objects that match given device/inventory item matching using the logic described in the previous section, one must specify one of the below parameters:

• For devices: device_name or device_id
• For inventory items: inventory_item_id

API Examples for getting Validated Software matching specific objects

1. Return Validated Software objects taken into account when validating software assigned to device ams-leaf-01.

   GraphQL

   query {
   validated_softwares(device_name: "ams-leaf-01") {
       preferred
       software {
       version
       }
   }
   

   {
       "data": {
           "validated_softwares": [
               {
                   "software": {
                       "version": "4.25.6M"
                   },
                   "preferred": true
               },
               {
                   "software": {
                       "version": "4.23.10M"
                   },
                   "preferred": false
               }
           ]
       }
   }
   

   REST API

   {{NAUTOBOT_URL}}/api/plugins/nautobot-device-lifecycle-mgmt/validated-software/?device_name=ams-edge-01
   

   {
       "count": 2,
       "next": null,
       "previous": null,
       "results": [
           {
               "id": "94aabc58-7654-40b0-9d6a-2a71f6b2449c",
               "url": "https://demo.nautobot.com/api/plugins/nautobot-device-lifecycle-mgmt/validated-software/94aabc58-7654-40b0-9d6a-2a71f6b2449c/",
               "software": {
                   "id": "96dba607-19b2-4875-8d02-a8b4667afd69",
                   "url": "https://demo.nautobot.com/api/plugins/nautobot-device-lifecycle-mgmt/software/96dba607-19b2-4875-8d02-a8b4667afd69/",
                   "device_platform": "835e363f-c922-4540-b0c0-aaeac2a1be15",
                   "version": "4.25.6M",
                   "end_of_support": null,
                   "display": "Arista EOS - 4.25.6M"
               },
               "devices": [],
               "device_types": [
                   "b77ff7f2-c9ac-49f1-a74e-9dc32545ce1e"
               ],
               "device_roles": [],
               "inventory_items": [],
               "object_tags": [
                   "dcde1fc2-8f55-44f7-bc17-155e5e7d944d"
               ],
               "start": "2021-06-15",
               "end": "2023-11-23",
               "preferred": true,
               "valid": true,
               "custom_fields": {},
               "tags": [],
               "display": "Arista EOS - 4.25.6M - Valid since: 2021-06-15"
           },
           {
               "id": "d59231fe-24aa-45ec-b21b-3cdeac6f88a1",
               "url": "https://demo.nautobot.com/api/plugins/nautobot-device-lifecycle-mgmt/validated-software/d59231fe-24aa-45ec-b21b-3cdeac6f88a1/",
               "software": {
                   "id": "1fec053e-8c47-4616-ba8e-76ed5f1ff852",
                   "url": "https://demo.nautobot.com/api/plugins/nautobot-device-lifecycle-mgmt/software/1fec053e-8c47-4616-ba8e-76ed5f1ff852/",
                   "device_platform": "835e363f-c922-4540-b0c0-aaeac2a1be15",
                   "version": "4.23.10M",
                   "end_of_support": null,
                   "display": "Arista EOS - 4.23.10M"
               },
               "devices": [],
               "device_types": [
                   "d84c1995-f70a-4658-b53e-14ee4dad8423"
               ],
               "device_roles": [
                   "033cf40f-f739-4864-b65f-4e612530d59a"
               ],
               "inventory_items": [],
               "object_tags": [],
               "start": "2020-09-15",
               "end": "2022-03-09",
               "preferred": false,
               "valid": true,
               "custom_fields": {},
               "tags": [],
               "display": "Arista EOS - 4.23.10M - Valid since: 2020-09-15"
           }
       ]
   }
   

2. Return Validated Software objects taken into account when validating software assigned to inventory item with id ams-leaf-01.

   GraphQL

   query {
       validated_softwares(inventory_item_id: "33b0c49e-0ee9-409c-b136-f008a3cdf033") {
           software {
               version
           }
           preferred
       }
   }
   

   {
   "data": {
       "validated_softwares": [
       {
           "software": {
           "version": "4.25.6M"
           },
           "preferred": true
       }
       ]
   }
   }
   

   REST API

   {{NAUTOBOT_URL}}/api/plugins/nautobot-device-lifecycle-mgmt/validated-software/?inventory_item_id=33b0c49e-0ee9-409c-b136-f008a3cdf033
   

   {
       "count": 1,
       "next": null,
       "previous": null,
       "results": [
           {
               "id": "94aabc58-7654-40b0-9d6a-2a71f6b2449c",
               "url": "https://demo.nautobot.com/api/plugins/nautobot-device-lifecycle-mgmt/validated-software/94aabc58-7654-40b0-9d6a-2a71f6b2449c/",
               "software": {
                   "id": "96dba607-19b2-4875-8d02-a8b4667afd69",
                   "url": "https://demo.nautobot.com/api/plugins/nautobot-device-lifecycle-mgmt/software/96dba607-19b2-4875-8d02-a8b4667afd69/",
                   "device_platform": "835e363f-c922-4540-b0c0-aaeac2a1be15",
                   "version": "4.25.6M",
                   "end_of_support": null,
                   "display": "Arista EOS - 4.25.6M"
               },
               "devices": [],
               "device_types": [
                   "b77ff7f2-c9ac-49f1-a74e-9dc32545ce1e"
               ],
               "device_roles": [],
               "inventory_items": [],
               "object_tags": [
                   "dcde1fc2-8f55-44f7-bc17-155e5e7d944d"
               ],
               "start": "2021-06-15",
               "end": "2023-11-23",
               "preferred": true,
               "valid": true,
               "custom_fields": {},
               "tags": [],
               "display": "Arista EOS - 4.25.6M - Valid since: 2021-06-15"
           }
       ]
   }
   

Ordering of the Validated Software objects in a list

A given device/inventory item can be matched by multiple Validated Software objects.

If there is more than one Validated Software object matching software assigned to the device/inventory item then the list of Validated Software objects ordered according to the following rules.

Ordering for devices

1. Device is listed in the devices attribute, preferred flag set to True
2. Device's device type AND device role are listed in the device_types and device_roles attributes, preferred flag set to True
3. Device's device type is listed in the device_types attribute, preferred flag set to True
4. Device's device role is listed in the device_roles attribute, preferred flag set to True
5. Device's tag is listed in the object_tags attribute, preferred flag set to True
6. Device is listed in the devices attribute, preferred flag set to False
7. Device's device type AND device role are listed in the device_types and device_roles attributes, preferred flag set to False
8. Device's device type is listed in the device_types attribute, preferred flag set to False
9. Device's device role is listed in the device_roles attribute, preferred flag set to False
10. Device's tag is listed in the object_tags attribute, preferred flag set to False

Ordering for inventory items

1. Inventory item is listed in the inventory_items attribute, preferred flag set to True
2. Inventory item's tag is listed in the object_tags attribute, preferred flag set to True
3. Inventory item is listed in the inventory_items attribute, preferred flag set to False
4. Inventory item's tag is listed in the object_tags attribute, preferred flag set to False

These rules allow preferred and more specific Validated Software objects to be returned first.