Native or agent-less management is accomplished through remote shell access or through the NX-API. With remote shell access, a configuration management server or master will utilize a push model to deliver a payload in the form of a script through the network. The configuration management scripts are stored on the master.

As an example, a Python script can be used to gather switch information and statistics and return results to the originating server. The script will run in a temporary space on the switch, and any relevant data will be streamed back or compressed and returned through the network.

A major advantage to the remote shell access method is that there is little to no configuration required on the switch device as there are no agents required for installation. A potential drawback is the need to ensure that the security configuration on the switch is kept synchronized, as any change can have a significant impact on the configuration management tool's ability to access the switch.

Ansible is a good example of an agent-less configuration management tool.

Agent-less Models Utilize Standard Device Interfaces like Secure Shell (SSH)