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Network Automation 101

Network Automation 101

Shriniwas Shukla's photo
Shriniwas Shukla
·

2 min read

Table of contents

Network automation has become a crucial skill for network engineers to enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and manage complex network environments. In this article, we will explore various software, equipment, and tools that are essential for starting your network automation journey.

Certainly, here are three sections with software, simulators, and tools for network automation:

Section 1: Software and Simulators

In the world of network automation, having the right software and simulators is essential to test and validate your scripts and configurations. Here are some key elements:

  1. Network Simulators:

    • EVE-NG: A popular network emulator that allows you to create complex network topologies and test your automation scripts.

    • GNS3: Another powerful network simulator that lets you build and configure networks virtually.

    • Containerlab :

  2. Code Editors/IDEs:

    • Visual Studio Code (VSCode): A versatile, open-source code editor with extensions for Python and network-related programming.

    • PyCharm: An integrated development environment designed for Python development.

Section 2: Virtualization Tools

To create virtual machines for network automation testing, you'll need virtualization software. Here are the essential tools:

  1. VMware Hypervisor:

    • VMware Workstation: A popular virtualization software for creating and managing virtual machines (VMs) to run various network device images.

  2. VirtualBox:

    • Oracle VirtualBox: An open-source, cross-platform virtualization tool that can also be used to create and manage VMs for network automation purposes.

Section 3: Additional Tools and Resources

In addition to simulators and virtualization tools, consider these additional tools and resources:

  1. Packet Capture and Analysis:

    • Wireshark: A widely used packet analyzer for network troubleshooting and monitoring.

  2. Secrets Management:

    • HashiCorp Vault: A tool for securely managing and controlling access to secrets and sensitive data used in automation.

  3. Collaboration and Documentation:

    • Confluence and Jira: Tools by Atlassian that help with team collaboration and documentation.

    • Notion: A versatile tool for note-taking, documentation, and project management.

  4. Monitoring and Testing:

    • Nagios: A popular open-source monitoring system for network health and performance.

    • PyTest and Robot Framework: Frameworks for automating the testing of your network automation scripts.

  5. Community and Learning:

    • Cisco DevNet: A community and resource center for Cisco network automation.

    • Stack Overflow and GitHub: Online platforms for Q&A, code sharing, and collaboration with the automation community.

These software, simulators, and tools will help you get started with network automation, whether you're creating virtual networks, writing automation scripts, managing virtual machines, or documenting your network configurations and processes. It's a dynamic field, so stay updated and explore additional tools and resources as your automation skills grow.