Network automation is the process of using software to automate network and security provisioning. This includes the configuration, deployment, management, testing, monitoring and scaling of a network, including traditional physical networks, cloud-based, or software-defined networks (SDN).
A large percentage of network changes are still carried out manually, but manual changes are slow, error prone and costly. As companies begin to recognise that the growth of data and devices within their network is starting to outpace their IT capabilities – especially in recent times with the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in remote working – they are acknowledging the need for speed and reliability in how they manage and scale their network.
The first step to Network Automation is a deep analysis of your existing network. This involves multiple actions, such as inventory of existing devices, mapping the existing network and its topology, gathering and logging performance metrics and more. This will allow you to determine how ready your network is for automation and whether some restructuring is required.
Using the data gathered from the analysis, you will now be able to identify the areas of your network that could benefit the most from automation. From here, an automation strategy can be built, starting with the most time-consuming repetitive processes in your network, as these are the ones that will initially free up the most resources. At this stage, optimizations can be made and policies can be built to standardize network deployment.
This will largely depend on the needs of your company and your network. If your network consists mostly of hardware from a single vendor, the vendor’s automation solution may be best for you. Alternatively, a network of mixed vendor hardware could benefit from an open-source solution designed to be vendor agnostic. All related teams should be consulted before tool acquisitions; often, there is considerable overlap between multiple teams’ activities and the tool functionalities. On the other hand, a tool that suits one team might not work for another, therefore a consultation is needed to identify the correct requirements. As a basic list, you may consider the following automation tools:
The list is just a starting point and contains mostly of open-source tools. If you have a network where a large percentage of the hardware is from a single vendor, choosing the vendor’s automation platform could be the best option, as it can allow for better compatibility and deeper integration with old and new devices. Available options to consider are Cisco Prime or Cisco NSO, Paragon from Juniper, or SolarWinds NAM.
With constant improvements and introductions of new tools and features in the world of network automation, the important thing is to realise that there is no one single solution, and with it constantly evolving, if you do not start your automation journey now, you run the risk of getting left behind.
If you would like more information on how Net Reply can help you automate your network, please get in touch via email with or .