Improve operations and agility in any data center, campus, LAN, or WAN Today, the best way to stay in control of your network is to address devices programmatically and automate network interactions. In this book, Cisco experts Ryan Tischer and Jason Gooley show you how to do just that. You’ll learn how to use programmability and automation to solve business problems, reduce costs, promote agility and innovation, handle accelerating complexity, and add value in any data center, campus, LAN, or WAN. The authors show you how to create production solutions that run on or interact with Nexus NX-OS-based switches, Cisco ACI, Campus, and WAN technologies.You’ll learn how to use advanced Cisco tools together with industry-standard languages and platforms, including Python, JSON, and Linux. The authors demonstrate how to support dynamic application environments, tighten links between apps and infrastructure, and make DevOps work better. This book will be an indispensable resource for network and cloud designers, architects, DevOps engineers, security specialists, and every professional who wants to build or operate high-efficiency networks. Drive more value through programmability and automation, freeing resources for high-value innovation Move beyond error-prone, box-by-box network management Bridge management gaps arising from current operational models Write NX-OS software to run on, access, or extend your Nexus switch Master Cisco’s powerful on-box automation and operation tools Manage complex WANs with NetConf/Yang, ConfD, and Cisco SDN Controller Interact with and enhance Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Build self-service catalogs to accelerate application delivery Find resources for deepening your expertise in network automation

"Today, the best way to stay in control of your network is to address devices programmatically and automate network interactions. In this book, Cisco experts Ryan Tischer and Jason Gooley show you how to do just that. You'll learn how to use programmability and automation to solve business problems, reduce costs, promote agility and innovation, handle accelerating complexity, and add value in any data center, campus, LAN, or WAN."--

Like sysadmins before them, network engineers are finding that they cannot do their work manually anymore. As the field faces new protocols, technologies, delivery models, and a pressing need for businesses to be more agile and flexible, network automation is becoming essential. This practical guide shows network engineers how to use a range of technologies and tools—including Linux, Python, JSON, and XML—to automate their systems through code. Network programming and automation will help you simplify tasks involved in configuring, managing, and operating network equipment, topologies, services, and connectivity. Through the course of the book, you’ll learn the basic skills and tools you need to make this critical transition. This book covers: Python programming basics: data types, conditionals, loops, functions, classes, and modules Linux fundamentals to provide the foundation you need on your network automation journey Data formats and models: JSON, XML, YAML, and YANG for networking Jinja templating and its applicability for creating network device configurations The role of application programming interfaces (APIs) in network automation Source control with Git to manage code changes during the automation process How Ansible, Salt, and StackStorm open source automation tools can be used to automate network devices Key tools and technologies required for a Continuous Integration (CI) pipeline in network operations

Modernize and optimize network management with APIs and automation Legacy network management approaches don't scale adequately and can't be automated well. This guide will help meet tomorrow's challenges by adopting network programmability based on Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Using these techniques, you can improve efficiency, reliability, and flexibility; simplify implementation of high-value technologies; automate routine administrative and security tasks; and deploy services far more rapidly. Four expert authors help you transition from a legacy mindset to one based on solving problems with software. They explore today's emerging network programmability and automation ecosystem; introduce each leading programmable interface; and review the protocols, tools, techniques, and technologies that underlie network programmability. You'll master key concepts through hands-on examples you can run using Linux, Python, Cisco DevNet sandboxes, and other easily accessible tools. This guide is for all network architects, engineers, operations, and software professionals who want to integrate programmability into their networks. It offers valuable background for Cisco DevNet certification—and skills you can use with any platform, whether you have software development experience or not. Master core concepts and explore the network programmability stack Manage network software and run automation scripts in Linux environments Solve real problems with Python and its Napalm and Nornir automation frameworks Make the most of the HTTP protocol, REST architectural framework, and SSH Encode your data with XML, JSON, or YAML Understand and build data models using YANG that offer a foundation for model-based network programming Leverage modern network management protocols, from gRPC and gNMI to NETCONF and RESTCONF Meet stringent service provider KPIs in large-scale, fast-changing networks Program Cisco devices running IOS XE, IOS XR, and NX-OS as well as Meraki, DNA Center, and Webex platforms Program non-Cisco platforms such as Cumulus Linux and Arista EOS Go from “zero to hero” with Ansible network automation Plan your next steps with more advanced tools and technologies

Network automation is one of the hottest topics in Information Technology today. This revolutionary book aims to illustrate the transformative journey towards full enterprise network automation. This book outlines the tools, technologies and processes required to fully automate an enterprise network. Automated network configuration management is more than converting your network configurations to code. The benefits of source control, version control, automated builds, automated testing and automated releases are realized in the world of networking using well established software development practices. The next-generation network administrative toolkit is introduced including Microsoft Team Foundation Server, Microsoft Visual Studio Code, Git, Linux, and the Ansible framework. Not only will these new technologies be covered at length, a new and continuously integrated / continuously delivered pipeline is also introduced. Starting with safe, simple, non-intrusive, non-disruptive information gathering organizations can ease into network automation while building a dynamic library of documentation and on-demand utilities for network operations. Once comfortable with the new ecosystem, administrators can begin making fully automated, orchestrated, and tactical changes to the network. The next evolutionary leap occurs when fully automated network configuration management is implemented. Important information from the network running-configurations is abstracted into data models in a human readable format. Device configurations are dynamically templated creating a scalable, intent-based, source of truth. Much like in the world of software development, full automation of the network using a CI/CD pipeline can be realized. Automated builds, automated testing and automated scheduled releases are orchestrated and executed when changes are approved and checked into the central repository. This book is unlike any on the market today as it includes multiple Ansible playbooks, sample YAML data models and Jinja2 templates for network devices, and a whole new methodology and approach to enterprise network administration and management. The CLI no longer cuts it. Readers should take away from this book a new approach to enterprise network management and administration as well as the full knowledge and understanding of how to use TFS, VS Code, Git, and Ansible to create an automation ecosystem. Readers should have some basic understanding of modern network design, operation, and configuration. No prior programming or software development experience is required. John Capobianco has over 20 years of IT experience and is currently a Technical Advisor for the Canadian House of Commons. A graduate of St. Lawrence College's Computer Programmer Analyst program, John is also a former Professor at St. Lawrence College in the Computer Networking and Technical Support (CNTS) program. John has achieved CCNP, CCDP, CCNA: Data Center, MCITP: EA/SA, CompTIA A+ / Network+, and ITIL Foundation certifications. Having discovered a new way to interface with the network John felt compelled to share this new methodology in hopes of revolutionizing the industry and bringing network automation to the world.

* Covers low-level networking in Python —essential for writing a new networked application protocol. * Many working examples demonstrate concepts in action -- and can be used as starting points for new projects. * Networked application security is demystified. * Exhibits and explains multitasking network servers using several models, including forking, threading, and non-blocking sockets. * Features extensive coverage of Web and E-mail. Describes Python's database APIs.

Become well-versed with network programmability by solving the most commonly encountered problems using Python 3 and open-source packages Key FeaturesExplore different Python packages to automate your infrastructureLeverage AWS APIs and the Python library Boto3 to administer your public cloud network efficientlyGet started with infrastructure automation by enhancing your network programming knowledgeBook Description Network automation offers a powerful new way of changing your infrastructure network. Gone are the days of manually logging on to different devices to type the same configuration commands over and over again. With this book, you'll find out how you can automate your network infrastructure using Python. You'll get started on your network automation journey with a hands-on introduction to the network programming basics to complement your infrastructure knowledge. You'll learn how to tackle different aspects of network automation using Python programming and a variety of open source libraries. In the book, you'll learn everything from templating, testing, and deploying your configuration on a device-by-device basis to using high-level REST APIs to manage your cloud-based infrastructure. Finally, you'll see how to automate network security with Cisco's Firepower APIs. By the end of this Python network programming book, you'll have not only gained a holistic overview of the different methods to automate the configuration and maintenance of network devices, but also learned how to automate simple to complex networking tasks and overcome common network programming challenges. What you will learnProgrammatically connect to network devices using SSH (secure shell) to execute commandsCreate complex configuration templates using PythonManage multi-vendor or multi-device environments using network controller APIs or unified interfacesUse model-driven programmability to retrieve and change device configurationsDiscover how to automate post modification network infrastructure testsAutomate your network security using Python and Firepower APIsWho this book is for This book is for network engineers who want to make the most of Python to automate their infrastructure. A basic understanding of Python programming and common networking principles is necessary.