Multi-cluster management plane for network devices

1. A method for managing networking devices, comprising:

sending, by a second management system, an import specification to a state hub, wherein the import specification specifies a type of network device state information (NDSI) that the second management system permits to be imported from other management systems;

receiving, from the state hub and by the second management system, an export specification specifying the type of NDSI that a first management system permits to export to other management systems;

establishing, by the second management system and in response to receiving the export specification, a connection with the first management system;

receiving, by the second management system, first NDSI for a first plurality of network devices, wherein the first NDSI is obtained by the first management system, and wherein the first management system manages the first plurality of network devices;

processing, by the second management system, at least the first NDSI to obtain a result, wherein processing at least the first NDSI comprises processing the first NDSI and second NDSI obtained by the second management system for a second plurality of network devices managed by the second management system using a topology visualizer in the second management system, wherein the result is a topology visualization of the first plurality of network devices and the second plurality of network devices; and

initiating performance of a management action based on the result, wherein initiating performance of the management action comprises initiating a display of the topology visualization.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein initiating performance of the management action further comprises initiating a configuration of at least one of the second plurality of network devices, wherein the configuration is based on the result.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating performance of the management action comprises providing the result to the first management system.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein initiating performance of the management action further comprises initiating a configuration of a network appliance, wherein the configuration is based on the result.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein initiating the configuration of the network appliance comprises sending at least a portion of the result to the network appliance via an application programming interface (API) of the network appliance.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the network appliance is a firewall.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the firewall is used by the first plurality of network devices and the second plurality of network devices.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to receiving the first NDSI by the second management system establishing a peering relationship with the state hub by the second management system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first management system is associated with a first vendor and the second management system is associated with a second vendor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of network devices is a router, a switch, or a multi-layer switch.

11. A management system, comprising:

a management system database comprising first network device state information (NDSI) for a first plurality of network devices managed by the management system;

wherein the management system is configured to:

send, by the management system, an import specification to a state hub, wherein the import specification specifies a type of NDSI that the management system permits to be imported from other management systems;

receive, from the state hub and by the management system, an export specification specifying the type of NDSI that a second management system permits to export to other management systems;

establish, by the management system and in response to receiving the export specification, a connection with the second management system;

receive second NDSI for a second plurality of network devices, wherein the second NDSI is obtained by the second management system and wherein the second management system manages the second plurality of network devices;

process, by the management system, at least the second NDSI to obtain a result, wherein processing at least the second NDSI comprises processing the second NDSI and the NDSI using a topology visualizer in the management system, wherein the result is a topology visualization of the first plurality of network devices and the second plurality of network devices; and

initiate performance of a management action on at least one of the first plurality of network devices based on the result, wherein initiating performance of the management action comprises initiating a display of the topology visualization.

12. The management system of claim 11 , wherein initiating performance of the management action comprises providing the result to the second management system.

13. The management system of claim 11 , wherein initiating performance of the management action further comprises initiating a configuration of a network appliance, wherein the configuration is based on the result, wherein initiating the configuration of the network appliance comprising sending at least a portion of the result to the network appliance via an application programming interface (API) of the network appliance.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:

sending, by a second management system, an import specification to a state hub, wherein the import specification specifies a type of network device state information (NDSI) that the second management system permits to be imported from other management systems;

receiving, from the state hub and by the second management system, an export specification specifying the type of NDSI that a first management system permits to export to other management systems;

establishing, by the second management system and in response to receiving the export specification, a connection with the first management system;

receiving, by the second management system, NDSI for a first plurality of network devices, wherein the NDSI is obtained by the first management system and wherein the first management system manages the first plurality of network devices;

processing, by the second management system, at least the NDSI to obtain a result, wherein processing at least the NDSI comprises processing the NDSI and second NDSI obtained by the second management system for a second plurality of network devices managed by the second management system using a topology visualizer in the second management system, wherein the result is a topology visualization of the first plurality of network devices and the second plurality of network devices; and

initiating performance of a management action based on the result, wherein initiating performance of the management action comprises initiating a display of the topology visualization.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 ,

wherein initiating performance of the management action further comprises initiating a configuration of at least one of the second plurality of network devices, wherein the configuration is based on the result.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein initiating performance of the management action comprises providing the result to the first management system.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 ,

wherein initiating performance of the management action further comprises initiating a configuration of a network appliance, wherein the configuration is based on the result.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein initiating the configuration of the network appliance comprises sending at least a portion of the result to the network appliance via an application programming interface (API) of the network appliance.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the network appliance is a firewall.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the firewall is used by the first plurality of network devices and the second plurality of network devices.