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

# Creating an NDLC
A network development lifecycle can be adopted to help provide a
high-level vision and guidance around network development. A framework
for the branch structure is required. Developers need to perform Git
commits, while frequently checking in their code. 

A common data model
format needs to have the following properties:

-   It is followed uniformly by all developers.

-   It has established naming conventions established.

-   It has standardized templates and developed programmatic code formats.

-   Code includes comments.

A formalized pull request structure, including documentation, testing
requirements, and an overall approval process, is the foundation for
merging code from development into production.

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# Create CI/CD
Create the build (CI) and release (CD) pipeline structure. Small feature
releases and pre-approved changes can be efficiently merged into the master branch. The code change will is delivered automatically when
the next scheduled release occurs. Disruptive changes, larger changes,
and major feature releases should require approvals and be scheduled
in advance especially larger one-time releases. Schedule these changes
outside of the regular release cycle, depending on urgency.

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# Automation and traditional approaches
Many traditional NDLCs directly translate to network automation code
development strategies. The __"Prepare, Plan, Design, Implement, Operate,
Optimize" (PPDIOO)__ methodology from Cisco, for example, nicely fits the
network automation vision laid out in this course. The same lifecycle
approach to network infrastructure should be applied to the new network
automation code. 

The first steps (i.e, preparation, planning, and design) are performed in the text editor. Meanwhile Ansible is used to perform the implement and operate steps. 

Refactoring code is considered the optimization stage of the lifecycle.

Let's take a look at the role of a network development lifecycle in the automation process.

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

Network Development Lifecycle (NDLC)

Creating an NDLC