Gain insights into automating network reconnaissance, orchestrating repetitive changes, and transforming network configuration management. Discover CI/CD pipeline migration for full network automation.

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​​Network automation begins with automating network reconnaissance. This is accomplished by gathering important information from network devices while building a library of dynamic on-demand utilities and generating living documentation. Starting small, the course exhibits the simplicity and elegance of network automation.

Next, you will learn how to automate larger changes that require a high number of repetitive steps. These changes will be executed serially in a specific orchestrated order, making them perfect for an automated solution. After gaining comfort with the new tools, you can fully transform network configuration management to an automated, intent-based, self-documenting system.

The final step is learning how to migrate to a continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline, thereby fully automating the network.

Automate Your Network

# Extracting information
The goal is to transform the network from a series of interconnected but
unrelated and independently configured devices to a holistic
application-like system. Start by collecting relevant data from the
existing network. Abstract meaningful data from the configurations and
then convert it into a model. The network should follow a
standard core, distribution, and access layer architecture. A solid IP
address plan should already exist, and the network should adhere to some basic standards. If the network is built on these
foundations, converting it to code is quite simple.

We should note that if the network is chaotic in nature and lacks basic standards, it may be easier to start from scratch and approach it as a greenfield. Standards and conventions can be enforced using
automation. Start by developing models and templates and address the
lack of standards on the network as a starting point. Remember
garbage-in, garbage-out.

# Meaningful data
If the network is relatively standardized, collect the
running-configurations from the core, a distribution switch, and an
access switch. Try to find devices that represent a standard deployment
that can be modeled after and templated from. Extract and separate the
important information from the configuration commands. The important information will become variables that go into data models, and the configuration commands will go into templates. Meaningful data can
include:

-   Standard global configuration information such as AAA information, QoS policies, SNMP information, Logging information, NTP information, and Archive information.

-   Hostname

-   VLAN information

-   SVI information

-   VRF information

-   Routing (OSPF, EIGRP, static routes) information

-   Default gateway

-   Access control lists

-   Physical and virtual interface standards such as VLAN, IP Address, Voice VLAN, STP toolkit settings, Power over Ethernet (PoE) settings, QoS settings, 802.1x or port security settings, and Trunk or access port settings.


Let's take a look at how to create a holistic application-like system from independently configured network devices.

Introduction

What Is Network Automation?

Why Automate the Network?

How to Automate the Network

Where to Start with Network Automation

Repository Structure

Network Reconnaissance

Tactical Playbooks

Data Models and Dynamic Templates

Dynamic Intent-Based Documentation

Configuration Management

Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery

Conclusion

Converting Configurations to Code

Extracting information