feat(VMware): add option overwrite_host_interface_type

module/sources/vmware/config.py

@@ -553,6 +553,12 @@ def __init__(self):
                          description="""define if the name of the device interface discovered overwrites the
                          interface name in NetBox. The interface will only be matched by identical MAC address""",
                          default_value=True),
+            ConfigOption("overwrite_host_interface_type",
+                         bool,
+                         description="""define if the type of a host interface derived from its link speed
+                         overwrites a physical interface type in NetBox. Set to False if a source which knows the
+                         hardware (i.e. check_redfish) sets the type of the host interfaces""",
+                         default_value=True),
             ConfigOption("overwrite_vm_interface_name",
                          bool,
                          description="""define if the name of the VM interface discovered overwrites the

module/sources/vmware/connection.py

@@ -1894,6 +1894,16 @@ def add_device_vm_to_inventory(self, object_type, object_data, pnic_data=None, v
                 if object_type == NBVM and self.settings.overwrite_vm_interface_name is False:
                     del int_data["name"]
 
+                # vCenter derives the pNIC type from the current link speed only. Keep a physical type
+                # set by a source which knows the hardware (i.e. check_redfish) if configured.
+                if object_type == NBDevice and self.settings.overwrite_host_interface_type is False:
+                    current_type = grab(nic_object_dict.get(int_name), "data.type")
+                    # NetBox returns choice fields as {"value": ..., "label": ...}
+                    if isinstance(current_type, dict):
+                        current_type = current_type.get("value")
+                    if current_type not in [None, "virtual", "bridge", "lag", "other"]:
+                        int_data.pop("type", None)
+
             # add/update interface with retrieved data
             nic_object, ip_address_objects = self.add_update_interface(nic_object_dict.get(int_name), device_vm_object,
                                                                        int_data, nic_ips.get(int_name, list()),

settings-example.ini

@@ -518,6 +518,11 @@ password = super-secret
 ; NetBox. The interface will only be matched by identical MAC address
 ;overwrite_device_interface_name = True
 
+; define if the type of a host interface derived from its link speed overwrites a physical
+; interface type in NetBox. Set to False if a source which knows the hardware (i.e.
+; check_redfish) sets the type of the host interfaces
+;overwrite_host_interface_type = True
+
 ; define if the name of the VM interface discovered overwrites the interface name in
 ; NetBox. The interface will only be matched by identical MAC address
 ;overwrite_vm_interface_name = True

tests/test_vmware_host_nic_type.py

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#  Copyright (c) 2020 - 2026 netbox-sync team. All rights reserved.
+#
+#  netbox-sync.py
+#
+#  This work is licensed under the terms of the MIT license.
+#  For a copy, see file LICENSE.txt included in this
+#  repository or visit: <https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT>.
+
+"""
+vCenter only knows the current link speed of a host pNIC, so the interface type it derives
+is a guess. With 'overwrite_host_interface_type = False' a physical type already in NetBox
+(i.e. an SFP+ port set by the check_redfish source, running at 1G or without link) is kept.
+Otherwise both sources overwrite each other's type. By default vCenter still sets the type.
+"""
+import pytest
+
+from module.netbox.object_classes import NBDevice, NBInterface
+from module.sources import instantiate_sources
+
+KEEP_TYPE = "\noverwrite_host_interface_type = False\n"
+
+
+def first_sync(vcsim, inventory, load_config, settings):
+    load_config(settings)
+    first_run = instantiate_sources()[0]
+    inventory.resolve_relations()
+    first_run.apply()
+
+    interfaces = [i for i in inventory.get_all_items(NBInterface)
+                  if i.data.get("type") not in [None, "virtual", "other"]]
+    if not interfaces:
+        pytest.skip(f"vcsim dump '{vcsim.name}' has no physical host interfaces")
+
+    # the second run finds the objects of the first one in NetBox
+    for nb_id, this_object in enumerate(inventory.get_all_items(NBInterface) + inventory.get_all_items(NBDevice),
+                                        start=1):
+        this_object.nb_id = nb_id
+        this_object.is_new = False
+        this_object.updated_items = list()
+        this_object.unset_items = list()
+
+    return {interface: interface.data.get("type") for interface in interfaces}
+
+
+def second_sync(inventory, load_config, settings, nic_type):
+    for interface in inventory.get_all_items(NBInterface):
+        if interface.data.get("type") not in [None, "virtual"]:
+            # the shape NetBox hands back for a choice field
+            interface.data["type"] = {"value": nic_type, "label": nic_type}
+
+    inventory.source_list = []
+    load_config(settings)
+    second_run = instantiate_sources()[0]
+    inventory.resolve_relations()
+    second_run.apply()
+
+
+def type_value(interface):
+    nic_type = interface.data.get("type")
+    return nic_type.get("value") if isinstance(nic_type, dict) else nic_type
+
+
+def test_physical_type_is_kept(vcsim, inventory, load_config, vmware_settings):
+    discovered = first_sync(vcsim, inventory, load_config, vmware_settings + KEEP_TYPE)
+
+    second_sync(inventory, load_config, vmware_settings + KEEP_TYPE, "10gbase-x-sfpp")
+
+    for interface in discovered:
+        assert type_value(interface) == "10gbase-x-sfpp", \
+            f"type of '{interface.get_display_name()}' was overwritten from the link speed"
+
+
+def test_type_other_is_still_updated(vcsim, inventory, load_config, vmware_settings):
+    discovered = first_sync(vcsim, inventory, load_config, vmware_settings + KEEP_TYPE)
+
+    second_sync(inventory, load_config, vmware_settings + KEEP_TYPE, "other")
+
+    for interface, discovered_type in discovered.items():
+        assert type_value(interface) == discovered_type, \
+            f"type 'other' of '{interface.get_display_name()}' was not updated"
+
+
+def test_type_is_overwritten_by_default(vcsim, inventory, load_config, vmware_settings):
+    """vCenter-only setups still get a wrong type corrected"""
+    discovered = first_sync(vcsim, inventory, load_config, vmware_settings)
+
+    second_sync(inventory, load_config, vmware_settings, "400gbase-x-qsfpdd")
+
+    for interface, discovered_type in discovered.items():
+        if discovered_type == "400gbase-x-qsfpdd":
+            continue
+        assert type_value(interface) == discovered_type, \
+            f"type of '{interface.get_display_name()}' was not set from the link speed"