Batfish is an open-source tool designed for network configuration analysis that detects errors and ensures the accuracy of both existing and planned configurations. This tool facilitates the seamless and quick evolution of networks, alleviating concerns over potential outages or security vulnerabilities. Initially created by a collaboration of researchers from Microsoft Research, UCLA, and USC, Batfish has since evolved with contributions from numerous developers. Currently, it is maintained by Intentionet, which also provides Batfish Enterprise, a service that enhances and expands upon the fundamental functionalities of Batfish. Users can utilize Batfish to analyze ACLs and firewall rules, while also examining forwarding paths through traceroute and reachability queries. Additionally, it allows for the assessment of network failure impacts and supports testing methodologies akin to Chaos Monkey. The routing tables generated by Batfish can be closely analyzed, and the tool offers rapid control plane analysis through an abstract representation. Notably, Batfish is capable of performing network analysis in a multivendor environment, accommodating devices from Cisco, Arista, and Cumulus. By leveraging its comprehensive capabilities, network administrators can significantly improve their network reliability and performance.
