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

# Summary 
Getting started can be a daunting undertaking. By breaking down the necessary steps into smaller, more manageable, components, the path leading to network automation can have very few obstacles. 

Start with a thorough network readiness assessment, where any gaps can be identified and addressed before beginning. A comprehensive, well-designed, hierarchical inventory file, in the form of `hosts`, ensures coverage of the network. This offers scalability, modularity, and flexibility when executing playbooks. With safe and simple information gathering and network reconnaissance, the organization can automate network documentation without the possibility of disruption. 

After gaining confidence and skill, the organization can move onto automating tactical changes and orchestration tasks. Once the network has been standardized and brought into compliance with intent, the network configurations can be abstracted into data models and dynamic templates. These will movine towards full network configuration automation. 

Finally, a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline is developed achieving full network automation. Concrete examples of this evolutionary journey are found in the coming chapters. 


Let's summarize what we have covered in the chapter.

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

Summary

Summary