The Manual Toil of Traditional Network Management
For many years, network management has been a highly manual and time-consuming process. Network engineers have had to rely on command-line interfaces (CLIs) to configure, manage, and troubleshoot network devices. This approach is not only inefficient, but it is also prone to human error. A simple typo can lead to a network outage that can have a significant impact on the business.
What is Network Infrastructure Automation?
Network infrastructure automation is the use of software to automate the configuration, management, and operation of network infrastructure. It involves using tools and techniques to programmatically provision, configure, and manage network devices, rather than doing it manually.
Key Technologies and Tools
Several technologies and tools are driving the adoption of network infrastructure automation:
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC): IaC is the practice of managing and provisioning infrastructure through code, rather than through manual processes. Tools like Terraform and Ansible allow network engineers to define their network infrastructure in a declarative way, and then automatically provision and configure it.
- Software-Defined Networking (SDN): SDN separates the control plane from the data plane, which allows for centralized control and automation of the network. SDN controllers provide a single point of control for the entire network, and they expose APIs that can be used to programmatically manage the network.
- Network Automation Platforms: A growing number of network automation platforms are available to help organizations automate their network infrastructure. These platforms provide a range of features, including device discovery, configuration management, and compliance checking.
Benefits of Network Infrastructure Automation
Network infrastructure automation can provide a number of benefits, including:
- Increased Agility: Automation allows network engineers to provision and configure network resources much more quickly than they could manually. This allows the business to be more agile and responsive to changing needs.
- Improved Reliability: Automation helps to reduce the risk of human error, which can lead to network outages.
- Increased Efficiency: Automation frees up network engineers from repetitive manual tasks, so they can focus on more strategic initiatives.
- Enhanced Security: Automation can be used to enforce security policies and ensure that the network is compliant with industry regulations.
Conclusion
Network infrastructure automation is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity. In order to keep up with the demands of the modern business, organizations must embrace automation to build more agile, reliable, and secure networks. By leveraging the power of IaC, SDN, and other automation technologies, network engineers can transform themselves from manual operators to strategic enablers of the business.