The Dude Infrastructure Question

Hello All!

I have been doing some R&D with The Dude and am trying to understand if I can make it work for our infrastructure. I have searched and searched for a forum or topic that covers what I want The Dude to be able to do, but can not find a spot on article that better describes what I want it to do.

We are a MSP that deploys Mikrotik’s to all of our customer. We have probably 100-150 RouterOS devices deployed at different locations with many different customers. I really do love Mikrotik’s and I this Winbox has worked wonderfully for managing over time. What I would like to setup though, if possible, is one central Dude server that connects to the WAN IP address of all of these Mikrotik’s and allows managing and updating from a central location. Having the benefit of monitoring would be great as well.

With the testing I have done so far I setup a RouterOS VHDX VM. It looks like the way this works though is that it is scanning the local network, which would be great, but a little different than what I am after.

Does anyone see how The Dude would fit what I am trying to obtain? Is there any way to separate all the locations and customers in The Dude? Thoughts?

Hello, nfletcher2!

Dude is a nice tool and we think in near future it will become more powerful.

What I would like to setup though, if possible, is one central Dude server that connects to the WAN IP address of all of these Mikrotik’s and allows managing and updating from a central location.

At the moment you may look at TR-069.
Feature Request : Mass update of configuration
Central management options?
Feature Request TR-069 CPE


Having the benefit of monitoring would be great as well.

Yes, you may monitor all your Mikrotik using Dude.

It seems that at the moment you can’t do a mass-upgrade with Dude:
Feature request RouterBOARD upgrade mechanism
Easy way to mass upgrade firmware?

In earlier Dude versions was another upgrade mechanism and I don’t know if it may be used now:
Multiple RouterOS upgrade through Dude, its possible?
Massive Upgrade of RouterOS


Is there any way to separate all the locations and customers in The Dude? Thoughts?

In Dude you may create Maps and Submaps, this might help you to separate customers and locations.


Thank you!

Fantastic answer, thank you. I was able to add one of the sites in a test dude server and it even looks like on newer versions of RouterOS you don’t even need the Dude server installed on all routers. It is not as automatic as I really wanted but hopefully it will be soon!