Enterprises have been trying to automate their networks for decades, but manual tasks continue to dominate operations. According to Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) research, only 34% of IT organizations have been able to automate more than half of their network provisioning and change management tasks. With so many commercial and open source network automation tools available, why aren’t organizations doing better? These slides—based on the webinar featuring Shamus McGillicuddy (EMA Vice President of Research) and Jason Edelman (Founder and CTO of network automation solution provider Network to Code) —provide guidance on how to set a network automation strategy. You will also get insights on: - Whether a network team should use open source, homegrown, or commercial network automation solutions - How to establish a data-driven source of truth for your network - How to build the right team for enabling your network automation strategy

1. | @ema_research
Build vs. Buy:
Finding the Best Path to
Network Automation
Shamus McGillicuddy
VP of Research, Network Infrastructure Management
Enterprise Management Associates (EMA)
Jason Edelman
Founder and CTO
Network to Code

2. | @ema_research 2
Watch the On-Demand Webinar
• Build vs. Buy: Finding the Best Path to Network Automation
On-Demand Webinar:
https://info.enterprisemanagement.com/finding-the-best-path-to-
network-automation-webinar-ss
• Check out upcoming webinars from EMA here:
https://www.enterprisemanagement.com/freeResearch
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc.

3. | @ema_research
| @ema_research
Featured Speakers Shamus is a Vice President of Research at EMA,
where he leads the network infrastructure and
operations practice. He has nearly two decades of
experience in the IT industry. His research focuses on
all aspects of managing enterprise networks,
including network automation, AIOps-driven network
operations, multi-cloud networking, and WAN
transformation.
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. 3
Shamus McGillicuddy
Vice President of Research
EMA
Jason Edelman
Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Network to Code
Jason is the Founder and CTO of Network to Code.
Observing how DevOps was radically changing the IT
operational models for systems administrators and
developers, Jason saw an opportunity to combine
technologies from the worlds of DevOps and software
development within the networking infrastructure
domain to create holistic network automation
solutions. Prior to NTC, Jason spent a career in
technical sales at Presidio and Cisco. Jason is also a
co-author of O'Reilly's Network Programmability and
Automation book.

4. | @ema_research
Should You Build
or Buy?

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| @ema_research
Build Versus Buy: IT Organizations Usually do Both
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. 5
93% of IT organizations develop
network automation tools in-house
Security/compliance requirements*
Functionality aligned to their networks
Closing gaps in commercial automation tools
Control of technology roadmap
Cost savings
Culture
* Successful network automation initiatives cited this more often
Drivers of homegrown
49%
43%
34%
32%
22%
14%
98% of IT organizations use commercial
network automation tools
Drivers of commercial
Security/compliance requirements
Time to value
Better cross-team visibility into data
Breadth/depth of functionality
Customer support and services
Platform requirements
Strategic vendor relationships
37%
36%
35%
35%
31%
31%
30%

6. | @ema_research
| @ema_research
Open-Source Technology is Key
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. 6
84% of homegrown
automation is based on
open source
Successful automation projects
more likely to use open source
Most popular open-source technology
63% Python libraries (NAPALM, Nemiko, etc.)
44% Agent-based config management (Puppet, Chef, Salt)
30% OpenConfig
30% YANG
25% Ansible

7. | @ema_research
| @ema_research
Perspectives on Build Versus Buy
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. 7
“One solution cannot fit everyone’s needs. When it comes to commercial solutions,
they will say they automate everything to maximize ROI, but it’s not possible.”
Network automation engineer
Fortune 500 retailer
“The sheer size of our operations tended to max out the capabilities of [automation
tools from network infrastructure] vendors. We scaled them out to such a huge
number of configurations that we kind of exceeded the capabilities of the software.”
Network architect
Fortune 100 retailer
“All of our tools are developed internally. We looked at different commercial tools years
ago and they didn’t have what we needed. We have many different designs and
topologies in our network. Commercial stuff wasn’t extensible enough for our needs.”
Network engineer
Fortune 500 cloud provider

8. @networktocode | Confidential 8
Build vs. Buy: What is NTC Seeing?
Focus On Workflows, Not Tools
• Assign IP Address to interface
• Assign VLAN to Layer 2
switchport
• Bounce a switchport
• Verify RF for WiFi clients
• Verify configuration
• Turn up new BGP peer
• Determine location of an IP/MAC
• Open Change Request
• Obtain data required for change
• Generate change commands
• Generate rollback plan
• Backup configuration
• Issue pre-deployment checks
• Issue pre-change commands
• Generate diff before the change
• Verify existing vs. expected state
• Make change (and hope?)
• Issue post-change commands
• Update Change Ticket
• Execute Compliance Checks
• Update Chat / Send alert / Send Email
• Backup configuration
Perception Reality

9. @networktocode | Confidential 9
Build vs. Buy: What is NTC Seeing?
Ensure Maximum Extensibility
• Can you tailor deployments?
• One of the reasons Ansible did so well in
networking.
• Managing Enterprise Governance
• Preparing for change
• Vendor / Platform migrations
• 3rd party tool changes
Example: Nautobot Extensibility allows users to inject menu items, create dropdowns, and
content on nearly any page.

10. @networktocode | Confidential 10
Build vs. Buy: What is NTC Seeing?
Open Source IS Driving Industry Change
% of OSS % of OSS
OSS + NetDevOps is Driving Change
OSS is never 0%

11. | @ema_research
Any Build or Buy
Should Start with a
Source of Truth

12. | @ema_research
| @ema_research
Network Source of Truth
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. 12
What is a source of truth?
Key issue: Can a source of truth
automatically gather data
required to make a change?
Authoritative repository of
network data
• Golden configs
• IP address space
• DNS records
• Device inventories
• Security policies
Centralized or federated
Integrated with automation tools
Provides all data needed to
implement an automated
change

13. | @ema_research
| @ema_research
52% of Network Teams Have Fully Automated Data Gathering by a Source of Truth
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. 13
49% of orgs that manually gather data
say it undermines network automation
Top consequences
1. Data gathering takes too long 56%
2. Lack of change visibility/verification 45%
3. Security vulnerabilities 41%
4. Performance problems 35%
5. Downtime 30%

14. | @ema_research
| @ema_research
Perspectives on Automated Sources of Truth
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. 14
“Today, our data gathering is manual. In an ideal world, it would be a
combination of automated and manual. Automated for standard tasks and
manual for more advanced tasks that need more complex executions.”
Network engineer
$3 billion biotech company
“Our data gathering is somewhat manual. We have a DDI tool, but it’s not fit
for a purpose. It’s always out of date. Our engineers revert to using
spreadsheets for network automation.”
NetDevOps engineer
European government agency
“Our network automation tool holds all the data. It takes a
snapshot of switches every time you make a change.”
Network engineer
Fortune 500 manufacturer

15. @networktocode | Confidential 15
Source of Truth: What is NTC Seeing?
Let’s Level Set on Terminology
● Source of Truth is about intentions
and planning.
● It is about the expected state.
● Source of Truth data drives parts,
labor, and configurability.
vs.

16. @networktocode | Confidential 16
Source of Truth: What is NTC Seeing?
Eliminate Spreadsheets and Text Files
Step 1: Migrate from spreadsheets
YAML is usually the first step
Step 2: Determine the right datastore
For each type of data

17. @networktocode | Confidential 17
Source of Truth: What is NTC Seeing?
Empowering Data-Driven Network Automation
interface Ethernet1
description connects to WAP…
switchport mode access
switch access vlan 5
Network
Design
Designs Generate Data
Data Drives Network Automation
Data Value
Interface Ethernet1
Description connects to WAP…
Mode access
VLAN 5

18. @networktocode | Confidential 18
• Assign IP Address to interface
• Assign VLAN to Layer 2
switchport
• Bounce a switchport
• Verify RF for WiFi clients
• Verify configuration
• Turn up new BGP peer
• Determine location of an IP/MAC
• Open Change Request
• Obtain data required for change
• Generate change commands
• Generate rollback plan
• Backup configuration
• Issue pre-deployment checks
• Issue pre-change commands
• Generate diff before the change
• Verify existing vs. expected state
• Make change (and hope?)
• Issue post-change commands
• Update Change Ticket
• Execute Compliance Checks
• Update Chat / Send alert / Send Email
• Backup configuration
Perception Reality
Source of Truth: What is NTC Seeing?
Empowering Data-Driven Network Automation
• How did you know which IP address to assign?
• How did you know which ASN?
• Which VLAN ID? Are you enforcing VLAN naming
standards? How about interface descriptions?
• Which commands should be ran pre/post?
• How do you know what’s expected?
• Where is that data stored?
• How do you know how many neighbors should be on
the interface?
• Did you perform any configuration analysis before
deploying?
Source of Truth
Data-Driven Networks

19. | @ema_research
Assembling a
Network Automation
Team

20. | @ema_research
| @ema_research
Finding the Right People is Painful
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. 20
Only 13% of orgs find it easy to hire and retain networking experts.
“There are very few people who can put networking
into code. Networking guys know the network really
well, but we’re not Python programmers…the
programmers are great at coding, but they don’t
know networking at all.”
Network architect
Fortune 100 retailer
Most difficult network skills to hire: Security 37% Automation 35%
“When the automation tool comes in, you need an
expert to hand off the tool versus just telling people to
start using it.”
Network engineer
Fortune 100 manufacturer

21. | @ema_research
| @ema_research
Solving the Skills Gap
© 2023 Enterprise Management Associates, Inc. 21
Hire people, not skills
Look for potential inside your org
Invest in training
Build a lab and let people gain experience
Encourage collaboration (developers and network engineers side by side)
“In the beginning, automation was sort of a threat to my job, but I saw an
opportunity. So, I started learning Python, Perl, JSON. I updated my skillset
instead of staying inside my existing skillset and worrying about my job.” Lead network design
Fortune 100 manufacturer
“I look for protentional. We don’t hire for top-tier skills. We’re just
looking for general networking skills.”
Network operations director
Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company

22. @networktocode | Confidential 22
Assembling a Network Automation Team: What is NTC Seeing?
NetDevOps Transformation
• Separate the NetDevOps Functions from the
Automation (Platform) team
• Embrace a shared responsibility model
• Develop both an automation platform and
workflow (service catalog) strategy
• Support the existing staff with the transition
A training class is not enough
Invest in skills, not only tools…prepare for the future.

23. @networktocode | Confidential 23
Mapping Roles to Skills
Network Development Engineer
Skills to use and consume
Network Automation Platform
Network Automation Engineer
Skills to develop and operate
automated workflows
Network Automation Architect
Skills to build and maintain a
Network Automation Platform
Linux
- Basic Linux system operations
- Vim, bash, make
Git
- pull/commit/push/rebase
- GitOps fundamentals
- Basic CI operations
Data modeling, templating and
APIs
- YAML
- Jinja2
- REST, GraphQL, JSON
Software and IaaC
- Basic Python/Go
- Basic Ansible/Terraform
Linux
- More advanced linux system
operations
Software and IaaC
- More advanced Python/Go
- Prepare Ansible/Terraform
playbooks and configurations
Network Automation Tooling
- Libraries: NAPALM, Netmiko,
Nornir, PyATS, gnmic, scrapli,
etc.
- Nautobot
CI/CD Pipelines
- Development of pipelines and
workflows
- Github Actions, Jenkins, etc.
Telemetry and Analytics
- Network collectors
- Development on Telemetry
systems (i.e Prometheus,
Grafana)
Software Development Life
Cycle
- Testing
- Release
- Deployment in multiple
environments
Docker Container solutions
- Build containers
- Deployment in runtime
environments: Kubernetes
Data Management & Source of Truth
- Data Modeling, schemas
- Data Governance and Quality
- Data integration and workflows
Systems and Platforms
- Cost analysis
- Infrastructure and data services (Cloud
native architectures, DBs, queues, caches)
Telemetry and Observability
- Collection, Normalization, Enrichment and
Distribution patterns
- Advanced Analytics to create close-loop
solutions
Workflow Orchestration
- Automated workflows architecture
Assembling a Network Automation Team: What is NTC Seeing?

24. @networktocode | Confidential 24
Mapping Skills to Objectives is Key
* Spreadsheets with commands
* Little to no variables
* Config copy-paste
* No version control
* Backups (Rancid, Oxidize)
* Simple templates (Jinja)
* Hardcoded data
* Basic Python
* Simple Ansible Playbooks
* Partial config generation
* Version control (Git)
* Config copy-paste
* Nautobot Apps
* SSoT Data Sync
* Golden config compliance
* YAML augments SoT data
* Robust Ansible playbooks
* Git integrated with SoT
* Deploying SoT
* Modularizing templates
* YAML files hierarchy
* Ansible AWX/Tower
* APIs (GraphQL, REST)
* Automated config deployment
* Structured data (YAML/JSON)
* More logic in templates (Jinja)
* Advanced Ansible Playbooks
* Partial config generation
* Config copy-paste
* Backups via Ansible/Nornir
* Version control (Git)
XLS TXT YAML YAML
YAML
* Config auto-rendered &
* Config manually applied
* Logic in config generation
* Team collaboration
* Backups version controlled
Skills
Objectives
NTC
Courses
* Repeatable configs
* Implicit standard
* Latest version of backups
* Config auto-rendered
* Config auto-deployed
* Data decoupled from config
* Per vendor/model templates
* Template versioning
* Modern backup solution
* Config auto-rendered
* Capturing intended state
* Dynamic inventory
* Data queried via APIs
* GUI for Ansible - AWX/Tower
* Retire power tools
* Plug-and-play apps
* Data stores synced with SoT
* Actual vs intended config
* Team & outcome-based automation
Beginning
Discovery &
Exploration
Network Automation
Platform
Source of Truth
Abstraction
Tools
* Git Fundamentals
* Automating Networks with Python I
* Introduction to Jinja Templating in
Ansible
* Automating Networks with Ansible I
* Development Environments
* Jinja Templating Deep Dive
* Automating Networks with Ansible II
* Collaborative Workflows with Git &
GitHub
* Introduction to Nornir
* Source of Truth & Nautobot
* Automating Networks w/ Python II
* Extending Ansible
* Network Configuration Testing
with Batfish
* Telemetry Deep Dive
* Building a CI/CD Pipeline
* Creating Nautobot Apps
* Getting Started with Linux and Text
Editors
* Introduction to REST APIs
* Introduction to Data Structures
Assembling a Network Automation Team: What is NTC Seeing?
Example Journey
Config Compliance
Backups Dynamic Reports

25. @networktocode | Confidential 25
Ready to Transform with Network Automation?
About Network to Code
Want to learn more?
Email info@networktocode.com or reach out at networktocode.com/contact/
Network to Code is the only services company in the world laser-focused on transforming
the way organizations build, manage, and operate networks on a day-to-day basis.
We have one of the highest concentration of NetDevOps and Network Automation
Engineers in the world.
Network to Code is also the sponsor of Nautobot. Nautobot is the
leading open source Network Source of Truth for Enterprises
looking to adopt a data-driven approach to network automation.