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

ansibleFinal1.tar.gz

gitjob

CIPhosts

CIPhosts-copy

gather_info

gather_important_facts

facts_to_md

facts_to_csv_html

tools

frr01

frr02

first_gather_important_facts

​​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

# Steps to organize repository
The organization of the repository includes a combination of necessary
Ansible framework files and folders, as well as user-defined files and
folders. Create a repository that scales, is easily navigated, and
supports the Ansible framework. Build a
folder structure that's best suited to the reflects the environment being automated.


Build the structure using empty folders and empty placeholder files that
suit the environment. Build a repository suitable for an enterprise
campus environment consisting of Cisco Catalyst devices running IOS, and
an enterprise data center consisting of Cisco Nexus devices running
NX-OS. Remember there are many Ansible modules available from other
vendors, if not running a Cisco network.

> **Important Note:** Git will not track or provide version control
for empty folders. When creating each folder in the repository, create an
empty file called `.gitignore`. This ensures the folder structure ends
up in the repository. If this file is not created and the folder is left
empty, the folder will not end up in the repository until a file is
present. Once files are added to these folders, the `.gitignore` file
can be deleted.


Create the base folder structure with `hosts`, and a `README.md` file, so that the repository looks like the following:
```bash
    .
    |-- configuration
    |-- documentation
    |-- filter_plugins
    |-- group_vars
    |-- host_vars
    |-- playbooks
    |-- tasks
    |-- templates
    |-- README.md
     -- hosts
```


Let's learn about the folder structure of our repository and the steps involved in its organization.

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

Organization of the Repository

Steps to organize repository