Goals

• The table below becomes an evolving reference of common capture group names
• Normalize common capture groups across templates (including cross-vendor)

Reasoning

Normalized capture group names enable more predictable structured data across templates where similar data exists.

Example: Imagine the extra programming logic needed to consume structured data when capture groups could have two or more names across several templates or several vendors! Yikes! This is why we seek to normalize.

Considerations

• Some capture groups are a single value and others are lists of values despite containing similar data as one another
  • Example: single IP address vs list of IP addresses
• Normalizing and using standard capture group names will take time, persistence, and patience from the community
• Other than new templates, these normalization changes modify the expected template output and are considered "breaking changes" to be included in version releases

Common Capture Groups

Capture Group	Usage Description
BIA	use this if the template already has MAC_ADDRESS in use for the active MAC address
BUNDLE_NAME	virtual interface name for etherchannel, LACP, LAG, or port-channel interfaces
BUNDLE_PROTOCOL	virtual interface protocol type (LACP, PAgP) for etherchannel or port-channel interfaces
BUNDLE_PROTOCOL_STATE	virtual interface protocol state for etherchannel or port-channel interfaces
BUNDLE_STATUS	virtual interface status for etherchannel, LACP, LAG, or port-channel interfaces
CAPABILITIES	often represents active/operational neighbor capabilities shared via CDP or LLDP
CAPABILITIES_SUPPORTED	often represents supported neighbor capabilities shared via CDP or LLDP
CHASSIS_ID	often represents CDP or LLDP neighbor chassis ID
DESCRIPTION	often used for port or interface descriptions
GATEWAY	gateway address for a subnet
INTERFACE	full word instead of IFACE, INTF, INTFC, etc
IP_ADDRESS	for a single IP address, often IPv4
IP_ADDRESSES	for lists of IPv4 addresses, but in the case of some templates there may be a mix of IP protocol versions
IP_HELPER	for lists DHCP IP helper addresses
IP_VERSION	Internet Protocol (IP) version in the case of multiple versions appearing in output (use where necessary)
IPV6_ADDRESS	for a single IPv6 address
IPV6_ADDRESSES	for lists of IPv6 addresses
IPV6_GATEWAY	for IPv6 gateway address
LOCAL_INTERFACE	often represents local interface or port for CDP or LLDP
LOCAL_IP_ADDRESS	local IP address in the case of First Hop Redundancy Protocols (FHRP)
MAC_ADDRESS	instead of MAC or MACADDR
MEMBER_INTERFACE	list of physical member interface names that are bundled to make an etherchannel, LACP, LAG, or port-channel interface
MEMBER_INTERFACE_STATUS	list of member interface statuses for an etherchannel, LACP, LAG, or port-channel interface
MGMT_ADDRESS	management address, used when data could be an Ethernet MAC address or an IP address (ex: CDP or LLDP templates)
MGMT_IP_ADDRESS	instead of MGMT_IP or MGMT_ADDRESS or MANAGEMENT_IP or REMOTE_MANAGEMENT_ADDRESS
NEIGHBOR_DESCRIPTION	often represents CDP or LLDP neighbor or system name description
NEIGHBOR_ID	for router IDs remote to the system being parsed
NEIGHBOR_INTERFACE	often represents neighbor or remote interface or port for CDP or LLDP
NEIGHBOR_INTERFACE_DESCRIPTION	represents CDP or LLDP neighbor (remote host) interface or port descriptions (Note: see NEIGHBOR_INTERFACE)
NEIGHBOR_NAME	often represents neighbor name for CDP or LLDP
NETMASK	for IPv4 dotted quad masks
NETWORK	for network numbers or subnet address (without the mask or prefix/slash notation); in place of ROUTE
PID	represents Part IDs (PIDs), Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), and in some cases Models or Model Numbers
PLATFORM	often represents CDP or LLDP neighbor's platform or model name/number
PREFIX_LENGTH	instead of PREFIX or CIDR for the numbers of a slash notation or CIDR mask
PROTOCOL	instead of PROTO
ROUTER_ID	for local router IDs (local to the device being parsed)
VLAN_ID	instead of VLAN or TAG
VLAN_NAME	VLAN name or description