Flask Network Configuration Service

This project provides a Flask application for managing network device configurations, packaged as a Windows service using Waitress for production deployment.

WANRING: cisco_driver.py is using an hardcoded line == "voice translation-rule 2" - ToDo: manage all translation rules or a user selected subset

Installation

Prerequisites

• Windows 10/11 or Windows Server
• Python 3.11.14 (or compatible 3.11+ version)
• Administrator privileges

Installation Steps

1. Install Python dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Install the Windows service:

   python service_wrapper.py install

   Or use the batch file:

   install_service.bat

3. Start the service:

   net start FlaskNetConfigService

Usage

After installation, the service will run automatically on system startup. You can access the application at:

http://localhost:5000

Service Management

• Start service: net start FlaskNetConfigService
• Stop service: net stop FlaskNetConfigService
• Restart service: net stop FlaskNetConfigService && net start FlaskNetConfigService
• Uninstall service: python service_wrapper.py uninstall or uninstall_service.bat

Configuration

The service runs with the following configuration:

• Host: 0.0.0.0 (accessible from all network interfaces)
• Port: 5000
• Threads: 4 (for handling concurrent requests)
• Production server: Waitress (recommended for production)

Development

For development purposes, you can still run the Flask app directly:

python app.py

Troubleshooting

• Service fails to start: Check the Windows Event Log for detailed error messages
• Port conflicts: Ensure port 5000 is not being used by another application
• Database issues: The service automatically initializes the database on startup

Building as Executable (Alternative)

If you prefer an executable file instead of a Windows service, you can use PyInstaller:

1. Install PyInstaller:

   pip install pyinstaller

2. Create the executable:

   pyinstaller --onefile --windowed service_wrapper.py

3. The executable will be created in the dist/ directory

Notes

• The service runs with the same permissions as the user who installed it
• Database files are stored in the application directory
• Logs are written to the Windows Event Log

On older windows 2008 R2 Server, beter Use NSSM: The most reliable way to run Python venv scripts as services is using NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager). Command: nssm install FlaskNetConfigService "D:\path\to.venv\Scripts\python.exe" "D:\path\to\service_wrapper.py" "debug"