Search
The Search capabilities in the Forward Enterprise platform let you explore your modeled network interactively — finding configuration data, tracing packet paths, and analyzing policies.
You can use Search to quickly locate any element (device, interface, IP, VLAN, ACL, route, etc.) or to visualize how traffic moves through your network.
Search Types
Forward supports two main types of Search:
| Search Type | Description | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Free Text Search | Searches all collected configuration and state data across devices. Returns matching lines from configs, tables, and inventories. | Quickly finding where an IP address, subnet, VLAN, route or a part of configuration is mentioned anywhere in your network. |
| Path Analysis (Path Search) | Traces traffic paths across the modeled network using the collected configuration and state data. Forward builds a mathematical model of network behavior, indexes all possible paths, and then interprets your query against that index to show routing and policy outcomes. | Troubleshooting connectivity or validating that security and routing policies behave as expected. |
TIP
Use a Free Text Search to find relevant objects first, then use Path Analysis to understand how those objects interact across the network.
Related Tools
Forward Enterprise offers several complementary tools for analyzing and verifying your network:
- Network Query Engine (NQE) — Run structured data queries directly against the network model.
- Verify — Automate intent checks and policy verification.
- Topology Explorer — Visualize and navigate your network model.
Learn More
- Community: Understanding “To” vs. Destination IP
- Community: What to Do When Path Search Returns Unexpected Results