Day: June 27, 2026

Posted on

NetClaw + IP Fabric: Network Assurance Meets AI-Powered Automation

NetClaw + IP Fabric: Network Assurance Meets AI-Powered Automation

I’m thrilled to announce a new integration that brings IP Fabric’s powerful network assurance capabilities directly into NetClaw through the official IP Fabric MCP Server. This integration represents a collaboration nearly a decade in the making.

A Partnership Built on Trust

This integration was developed in collaboration with Daren Fulwell, Field CTO at IP Fabric, and myself. Our professional partnership spans almost a decade, and this feature represents the culmination of countless conversations about how AI can transform network operations.

What is IP Fabric?

IP Fabric is a network assurance platform that automatically discovers, models, and analyzes network infrastructure. It provides:

  • Automated Discovery – No agents required, IP Fabric discovers your entire network
  • Mathematical Verification – Intent-based validation ensures your network matches your design
  • End-to-End Path Analysis – Trace any path through your network with visual diagrams
  • Historical Snapshots – Compare network state over time for drift detection

What’s New in NetClaw?

The IP Fabric MCP integration adds 10 new tools to NetClaw’s arsenal:

Health Assessment

  • ipf_network_health_assess – Comprehensive network health overview including snapshot freshness, intent verification, device issues, and routing stability

Path Analysis

  • ipf_pathlookup_unicast – Trace forwarding path between any two IPs
  • ipf_pathlookup_host-to-gateway – Trace host to its default gateway
  • ipf_pathlookup_multicast – Trace multicast distribution paths

Visual Diagrams (PNG)

  • ipf_png_pathlookup_unicast – Unicast path as visual diagram
  • ipf_png_pathlookup_host-to-gateway – Host-to-gateway path diagram
  • ipf_png_pathlookup_multicast – Multicast path diagram

API Discovery

  • ipf_api_endpoint_search – Find API endpoints using natural language
  • ipf_api_endpoint_details – Get endpoint parameters and response schema
  • api_invoke – Execute arbitrary API calls

Natural Language Queries

With this integration, you can ask NetClaw questions like:

/ipfabric check network health
/ipfabric show path from 10.0.1.5 to 10.0.2.10 with diagram
/ipfabric show BGP neighbors not in Established state
/ipfabric are there any intent violations
/ipfabric show all Cisco devices in site HQ

NetClaw translates your intent into the appropriate IP Fabric API calls and presents the results in a human-readable format.

Getting Started

For New NetClaw Users

During installation, simply answer "y" when prompted:

./scripts/install.sh
# ...
Enable IP Fabric Integration? [y/N] y

For Existing Users

Run the dedicated enablement script:

./scripts/ipfabric-enable.sh

The script will:

  1. Check prerequisites (Node.js, npx)
  2. Prompt for your IP Fabric credentials
  3. Test connectivity
  4. Configure the MCP server automatically

Cross-Platform Composition

One of the most powerful aspects of this integration is how IP Fabric data can be combined with other NetClaw skills:

  • IP Fabric + SuzieQ – Compare live state with historical analysis
  • IP Fabric + Batfish – Validate live paths against config analysis
  • IP Fabric + Check Point – Correlate network paths with security policies
  • IP Fabric + CML/GNS3 – Compare production topology with lab environments

Technical Details

The IP Fabric MCP Server is built directly into IP Fabric appliances (v6.0+). NetClaw connects via the mcp-remote proxy over HTTPS, requiring only two environment variables:

  • IPFABRIC_HOST – Your IP Fabric appliance URL
  • IPFABRIC_API_TOKEN – API token with RBAC permissions

All queries execute against IP Fabric’s snapshot model, defaulting to the most recent completed snapshot ($last).

What’s Next?

This integration is just the beginning. As IP Fabric continues to enhance their MCP Server capabilities, NetClaw will automatically gain access to new features. We’re also exploring deeper integrations for:

  • Real-time intent violation alerting
  • Automated remediation workflows with ServiceNow
  • Comparative analysis across multiple snapshots

Documentation

Full documentation is available:

Thank You

A huge thank you to Daren Fulwell and the entire IP Fabric team for their collaboration on this integration. The future of network automation is AI-powered, and partnerships like this make it possible.

NetClaw is an open-source AI-powered network automation platform. Learn more at github.com/automateyournetwork/netclaw.

Proudly powered by WordPress