Network Automation
Today,
network operation teams still perform hundreds of manual tasks every day.
Although they know about the benefits of automation, most of them don’t know
how to start.
Embracing
automating in the network is not so easy; it brings new challenges:
1. Network
engineers need to learn some coding/scripting.
2. There
are still no new automation standards or regulations.
3. Traditional
networking vendors have disparate configuration commands
4. There
is a lack of APIs and documentation
5. The
network has multiple points of configuration
Although
99% of network engineers are foreigners to software development and programming
languages, they will inevitably start to see their importance, especially
around tools like Python, Chef, and Ansible.
Automating
the network also deviates from some regulatory standards and compliance.
Existing networking designs are not automation-friendly.
Any new
automated configuration can fail existing regulatory compliance.
Without
standards, all networking vendors can have different configuration commands,
which makes it even more difficult.
Automation
is a disruptive technology.
A
software bug caused a major outage in Google in June 2019,
which happened due to a runaway automation process.
Google,
of course, is the king of disruptive innovation.Google knows that there will
always be bugs in any new technology.And, still, humans are far more prone to
error than automated machines, when putting the config into devices.
So why use Network
Automation Tools
Automation
is the process of removing the human factor from the equation of workflows or
processes.
For the
network, labor-intensive tasks can be automated— such as configuration,
monitoring, backups, security, etc.
Using
the right automation tool can save companies lots of money in the process.
A
significant number of network operations can also be automated.
In fact
there is a new term for NetOps (or NetOps 2.0), which refers to the new approach
of networking that uses the same tools and techniques used by DevOps.
With
advanced automation, network engineers will likely need to be working closely
with software developers to create new networking solutions.
Some
examples of how NetOps can benefit from automation tools:
§ Configure
equipment automatically – Workstations,
distribution, access, and core equipment can be configured without human
interaction.
§ Test
the state of the network – Automated validation and
testing tasks can be deployed on the network. Testing connections, new
protocols, stress tests, the software can all be performed by AI.
§ Compliance
checks – Automation software can perform daily checks on network
configurations to fulfill a set of compliance and regulation standards.
§ Other
routinely tasks – Network automation tools can also schedule
automatic network config backups and scans.
Here's the Best Network
Automation Tools & Software of 2020:
Below
are ten of the best network automation tools, some are free, and others are
paid.
Commercial
automation software is usually not cheap, but they offer sophisticated high-end
technology for automating workflows and tasks.
Open-source,
free tools, on the other hand, have the fantastic benefit of being free and
having a community supporting them, but they usually take advanced skills to
master.
1. Solarwinds Network
Automation Manager
SolarWinds Network Automation Manager (NAM)
is an integrated network automation tool designed for highly scalable or
enterprise networks.
It
provides full automation and management from a unified web-based console.
The NAM
includes components of various network automation tools and operations
management software for all your network deployments.
It
includes some features of the Network Performance Monitor (NPM), Netflow
Traffic Analyzer (NTA), User Device Tracker (UDT), Network Configuration
Manager (NCM), IP Address Manager (IPAM), VoIP & Network Quality Manager
(VNQM), and SolarWinds High Availability.
The
network engineer can configure certain network automation functions on NAM and
let the tool monitor the availability, faults, and performance for all nodes
and paths in your network.
Key Features:
§ Analyze
traffic and bandwidth and find hogs
§ Monitor
and backup network devices automatically
§ Deploy
network configurations in bulk
§ Automatic
subnet discovery and IP scanning
§ Monitor
network performance
Price:
30 Day
Free Trial! Download Below to Get Started!
Download:
Get the
fully functional Free trial of Network Automation Manager for 30 Days.
2. ManageEngine Network
Configuration Manager (NCM)
Network Configuration Management (NCM) by
ManageEngine is one of the most comprehensive software for network
configuration, change, and compliance management.
It
supports multi-vendor networks with products from Cisco, NetGear, Fortinet,
Juniper, HP, and more.
NCM can
help you automate the management of the entire lifecycle of network device
configurations.
You can
automate daily monotonous configuration tasks in bulk. Instead of going one by
one, which generally would take a long time, you can apply a new configuration
or changes to multiple devices.
You can
also schedule automatic configuration backups that might be useful in case of
rollbacks.
Features:
§ Automate
new or edit configuration in bulk
§ Network
automation using Configlets
§ Configuration
backups
§ Configuration
change notifications and rollback actions
Price:
The
price for a perpetual NCM license starts at $595 (for up to ten devices).
Download:
a free
trial of ManageEngine NCM for 30 days and start
automating the network configuration management.
3. Ansible (Tower)
Ansible by
RedHat, the simple automation framework, is definitely at the core of a lot of
new networking DevOp solutions.
It
automates the configuration of servers and provides native support for legacy
and open network infrastructure.
Ansible
is an open-source project built by the community.
It is
available for Linux/Unix-like OS and Windows.
To
automatically configure servers, Ansible uses playbooks, which are ordered
units of scripts (written in YAML) that define how a server should work and
behave through the Ansible automation tool.
Ansible Tower is the enterprise web-based
GUI tool that makes Ansible easy to use.
The
software is designed to be the central platform for all automation tasks.
Ansible
Tower helps network teams manage complex deployments.
Features:
§ Leverage
the current network CLI commands to automate over 45 different networking
vendors, between switches, routers, load balancers, and firewalls
§ Provide
automation for software-based controllers (SDN)
§ Automate
interconnection of hybrid and multi-clouds
Price:
Ansible
is a free, open-source IT automation system (GitHub
Ansible Project).
For the
enterprise-based Ansible Tower, the pricing is based on the number of nodes
that you manage.
It
comes in two editions:
§ Standard
§ Premium
For
more information on pricing, request
a quote.
Download:
Get open-source
Ansible through GitHub Ansible Project, or download a free
trial of Ansible Tower for a limited time.
4. Netmiko
Netmiko is an open-source Python library
based on the Paramiko SSH library.
It
allows easier management and connection of network devices through SSH.
Netmiko
improves the library of Paramiko by including support to a wide range of
networking vendors and platforms, such as Arista EOS, Cisco ASA, HP Comware7,
Juniper Junos, Linux, and more.
The
tool simplifies and automates the logging to a network device through SSH and
executes commands.
Key Features:
§ Establish
an SSH connection to network devices
§ Execute
“show” commands and retrieve the results
§ Execute
configuration commands
§ Netmiko
supports a wide range of vendors and platforms
Price:
Free
and open-source.
Download:
Get
Netmiko from the Github library.
5. NAPALM
NAPALM (Network
Automation and Programmability Abstraction Layer with Multivendor support) is a
Python library that can interact with different network devices via a unified
API.
The
software is cross-platform and open-source.
It uses
different technologies to connect to the network devices, execute
configurations, and retrieves the output data.
It can
support different networking operating systems such as Arista EOS, Cisco IOS,
Cisco IOS-XR, Cisco NX-OS, and Juniper JunOS.
Key Features:
§ Connection
to single or multiple devices
§ Execute
commands automatically. Replace, merge, and compare configurations
§ Discards
or rollbacks configuration
§ Retrieve
and audit information
NAPALM
collaborates with the most popular automation frameworks, such as Ansible,
Salt, and Stackstorm.
Price:
Free
and open-source.
Download:
Get
NAPALM free from the GitHub’s project library.
6. Truesight Network
Automation
TrueSight,
formerly known as BladeLogic, is now part of the BMC product portfolio.
TruSight
is an APM with AIOps (Artificial Intelligence Operations) capabilities.
It is
designed to improve the performance and security of hybrid-cloud environments
at a cost-efficient price.
TrueSight
provides scalable and automated network configuration management capabilities.
The
software gives full control of the entire configuration across the network,
from systems, routers, and firewalls.
It can
also be programmed to automatically keep track of changes in configuration and
apply rollback in case of failure.
Key Features:
§ Service-aware
analytics
§ Auto-scans
and auto-backups
§ Automatic
audits and security compliance checks
§ Patch
and image update automation
§ Capacity
Optimization
Price:
Request
a price quote.
Download:
No free
trial available.
7. VMware NSX – Network
Automation
Network Automation with VMware NSX allows
you to automate the provision and management of your network and security.
The
software was designed to improve the speed of the application’s lifecycle by
leveraging automation.
It uses
virtualized networking functions (VNFs) to move your network from hardware to
software.
Now,
all your routers, switches, firewalls and more, can be deployed within a single
box that runs all VNFs.
With
Vmware NSX developers and network, admins can now run networking and security
as code.
Running
VMWare NSX’ VNFs together with a cloud platform like vRealize Cloud Automation can automate
network and security deployments with the help of templates and blueprints.
You can
automate the network services that are provisioned and managed through VMs,
containerized cloud-native applications, or microservices.
Features:
§ Automate
native networking and security functions for containers and microservices
§ Supports
integration with PCF, PKS, Kubernetes, and Red Hat OpenShift
§ Automatic
compliance checks
Price:
For
information on pricing, contact VMware sales.
Download:
Sign up
for a free VMWare NSX here.
8. Apstra OS
Apstra OS (AOS)
is referred to as a self-operating network, which automates the lifecycle of
leaf-spine network switching.
AOS
supports multiple switches hardware vendors (Cisco, Juniper, Arista, and more)
and operating systems (EOS, Junos, NX-OS, and more).
Apstra
comes with a single console to automate your network.
It
decouples the network (software) from the underlying physical and virtual
infrastructure.
It
works at the management plan to control switches or other devices through their
open APIs.
ApstraOS
ensures that network elements such as protocols, design, cabling, etc. work
continuously.
With
AOS, you can create, edit, or remove leaf-spine devices, instantly across
different network vendors.
AOS
also comes with closed-loop real-time validation and advanced data analytics.
Features:
§ Automated
L3 design and deployment with intra-rack virtual networks
§ Operational
analytics. Intent-Based Analytics (IBA)
§ Built-in
Telemetry
§ NSX-T
and vSphere Integration
Price:
Apstra
comes in three different editions, Enterprise Edition, Standard Edition,
Advanced Telemetry Edition.
For
more information on pricing, request
a quote.
Download:
Request
a Demo here.
9. NetBrain Automation
NetBrain is
an adaptive network automation platform.
It uses
a single-pane-of-glass that shows all network data through mapping and
visualization.
The
software also comes with a powerful search engine that allows you to look through
all your network elements.
NetBrain
performs an in-depth automatic network discovery to collect data from all
network devices.
It
decodes multi-vendor networks and builds a digital representation of the
network.
The
software creates a dynamic map to be used as a UI to all devices and to
configure automation tasks.
The
software improves the device map experience by adding CLI automation and data
from third-party network vendors through API.
Features:
§ Automatic
network device inventorying
§ Single-pane-of-glass
and dynamic maps
§ View
device’s CLI at the map-level
§ Automate
workflows with Executable Runbooks
Price:
Contact
NetBrain to request a quote.
Download:
10. AppViewX Automation +
AppViewX is
a low-code automation platform designed for NetOps and SecOps.
It
comes with a big library of workflows and tasks that can be instantly used for
automation.
The
software keeps track of the state of each automation, verifies the results,
provides insights, and remediates failures automatically.
The
AppViewX Automation + allows application delivery and network security
automation on the platform.
It
helps network engineers with low scripting skills to automate and orchestrate
the network infrastructure through easy visual workflows.
With
automation +, you can automate the entire lifecycle of your network devices and
security services.
The
tool supports multiple networking and security vendors.
Features:
§ Automate
network and business workflows
§ Manage
roles for automation services
§ Trigger
automated workflows based on context awareness
§ Run
automated workflows in hybrid clouds, SDN, and hardware environments
Price:
Download:
Get
the AppViewX Automation + Enterprise free
trial for 30 days and start automating and orchestrating your infrastructure.
Thanks !!