AutoCon and NDOD Together: The TL/DR
This starts with YOU. On 1/18/2024, we held a great panel discussion on NetDevOps Days (NDOD) becoming a part of NAF’s AutoCon events and many of you showed up with great questions and commentary. If you weren’t able to attend, here’s the TL;DR.
The Panelists
Andy Taylor, AWS - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ataylor/
Chris Wade, Itential - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-wade-9100136/
Kris Beevers, NetBox Labs - https://www.linkedin.com/in/beevek/
Chris Grundemann, NAF - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgrundemann/
Scott Robohn, NAF - https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottrobohn/
The Full Video
To view the webinar in total (which we recommend!), you can go here:
https://youtu.be/kgMjmUIZdvI?si=XIe9Y7U6-O7MDkT-
All of our video content is available on our NAF YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@NetworkAutomationForum
The TL;DR
We opened with a discussion on the rationale for NDOD coming into AutoCon - you can read more on that here:
https://networkautomation.forum/blog/netdevops-days-joins-autocon
As we moved into the panel discussion, we covered some great questions and topics from the attendees. There was alot of ground covered and we did our best to summarize here, but the structure below was designed so you can get a true at-a-glance view via the section headings. So if the TL;DR was even TL;DR for you, give it a scan and listen to the full panel as soon as you get a chance.
Here are some of the highlights.
What's creating the groundswell of activity and interest in network automation?
In one sense, the growing interest in Network Automation has been long overdue.
SDN Influence
SDN (Software-Defined Networking) definitely provided interest in network automation and gave it momentum. SDN introduced the idea of separating the control plane from the data plane, laying the groundwork for automation by emphasizing that networks could be programmable and managed more dynamically.
Cloud Adoption and Infrastructure Complexity
The shift towards cloud services and the complexity of modern network infrastructures have made traditional networking methods insufficient. There's no option to log in on the CLI on every device. The need to manage hybrid and multi-cloud environments requires automation to handle the complexity and dynamic nature of these systems.
Increasing Network Criticality, Evolving Network Demands, and Dynamic Apps and Workloads
Customers have made it clear that network automation is more needed than ever. Networks have become increasingly critical to operations in every sector. The rise of DevOps, Infrastructure as Code, and the pandemic all underscored the importance of networks, which now support highly dynamic workloads and require rapid adaptability.
Operational Pressures on Networking Teams
Networking teams face immense pressure to manage more complex networks with fewer resources. Enterprise network teams feel less and less confident in managing their networks, magnifying the growing operational challenges.
The Shift from Tools to Platforms
There is an industry shift from individual networking tools to comprehensive platforms, reflecting a broader strategic approach to network management. This transition facilitates the integration of various functions and promotes efficiency and strategic management.
Are there similarities between network automation today and the early 2000s with automating other applications?
There are definitely similarities between the early 2000s technological advancements and the current state of network automation.
Skill Set and Knowledge Accessibility
Earlier in the 00s, where specific skill sets in programming and scripting were required, acquiring knowledge was a significant challenge. Innovations like OpenFlow and SDN certainly laid the groundwork for the network automation seen today. Now, access to quality knowledge has become easier, making it more feasible for network engineers to learn and adapt to programmability tools like JSON and Python. While getting the info and skills are easier, this still scares many network engineers.
Market Evolution and Maturity
The network domain has witnessed considerable evolution, even market chaos, with a proliferation of startups, strategies, and technological advancements. With many of these changes, network engineers didn’t know how the changes would impact them. However, recent years have seen a level of consolidation and maturity, exemplified by significant market events like acquisitions, creating a more stable environment conducive to building robust network automation solutions.
Distinguishing between Automation and Orchestration
One key example of stabilization, discussed at AutoCon 0, was the need to define and think about automation and orchestration separately and how they fit together. This allows us to look beyond individual automation tasks to how the entire network operates - is orchestrated - as a larger unified system.
Importance of Stability for Automation
The panel noted the necessity of stability and maturity in the network domain to effectively build and operate network automation. The past constant changes in network strategies made it challenging to develop lasting automation solutions. Now, with more stability, there's a better foundation to build upon and continually improve.
For Chris Wade: as the only panel member who presented at all NDOD and AC events, what have you observed?
There is a diversity and variety of strategies within the niche industry of network automation. He emphasized the importance of the community coming together, noting the range of expertise from Infrastructure as Code and platform engineering and training for beginners. Chris appreciated the enthusiasm of early participants and highlighted the need to cater to the entire community's diverse spectrum of maturity and experience. He stressed the importance of fostering collaboration among this diverse group to leverage the full potential of network automation, seeing the diversity of topics, strategies, and levels of expertise as a significant observation and takeaway from the AutoCon and NDOD events.
What creates the catalyst for automation, given that it requires a lot of heavy lifting?
Start small and demonstrate value
Organizations often begin their automation journey by automating small, annoying, but automatable tasks. Success in these initial steps can demonstrate the value of automation to decision-makers and help secure executive-level support and budget for more extensive projects.
Access to Information and Community Support
Access to quality information and community support plays a crucial role in the automation journey. It empowers individuals and teams to learn, share experiences, and collaborate, fostering a sense of community and shared learning.
Reducing Human Error and Standardizing Operations
Automation can significantly reduce human error, which is a leading cause of network outages. By standardizing network configurations and operations through automation, organizations can ensure consistency, reduce errors, and enhance network stability and security.
Gaining Visibility and Confidence
Automation provides senior management with visibility into network operations, showcasing the potential and actual benefits of automation. As organizations start automating more aspects of their network, they gain confidence in the technology, which can lead to broader adoption and more complex automation projects.
Low-Risk Introduction to Automation
Starting with read-only tasks, like auditing and reporting deviations from standard configurations (golden configs), is a low-risk way to introduce automation. It allows teams to familiarize themselves with automation tools and processes without the risk of impacting network operations.
Vendor Solutions vs. In-House Development in Network Automation
Buy vs. Build
Generally, if a vendor solution meets your needs and is affordable, it's preferable to use it instead of reinventing the wheel. Building and maintaining in-house tools require significant effort and resources.
Intended Outcomes and Frameworks
It's crucial to ensure that any solution, whether vendor-based or in-house, leads to the intended outcomes. This means not just performing a task but ensuring it results in the desired state. It's important to have a mechanism for different tools to work together, validating each step and allowing for a heterogeneous environment where different frameworks can integrate seamlessly.
Leveraging Existing Frameworks
Building in-house doesn't mean starting from scratch. Many frameworks are available, and using these can be beneficial. Understanding the specific needs and challenges of your organization is crucial, and often, this clarity comes from engaging in the act of automation itself.
Composable Ecosystem of Tools
No single tool will fit every use case. The market is seeing a shift towards a composable ecosystem of tools, where vendor solutions, open-source tools, and in-house developments work together via integrations to create a cohesive automation architecture.
Vendor Investment for Scale
Vendors typically invest in product development for scalability, not just in terms of technology but also ecosystem scale. They focus on commonalities and try to address the broad needs of the market. While vendor solutions can offer scalability and ease of adoption, they may not fit every unique requirement, which is where in-house solutions or adaptations become necessary.
Balanced Approach
A balanced approach is often the best path forward. Utilizing vendor solutions for their scalability and integrating them with in-house or open-source tools for specific needs can provide a comprehensive automation framework that aligns with an organization's unique requirements and challenges.
On Radical Collaboration in NAF
We (Chris and Scott) are driving the concept of radical collaboration is seen as a core part of the NAF ethos. This is not just a feature; it needs to be an integral part of the community's DNA. Radical collaboration is about creating an ecosystem where everyone, regardless of their role or organization, comes together to share, innovate, and solve problems collectively. This approach is fundamental to driving the network automation industry forward, fostering innovation, and building solutions that are more than the sum of their parts.
Inclusive Collaboration
The call for radical collaboration goes beyond traditional partnerships, urging an inclusive approach where everyone can contribute: vendors, other technology suppliers, individuals doing their scripting or tool integrations, pro services engineering firms, and others. This diversity of input is crucial for innovation and problem-solving.
Building a Vibrant Community
A safe and vibrant community is pivotal. When individuals and organizations come together in a collaborative environment, it fosters creativity and innovation. The collective problem-solving in such a community can lead to remarkable outcomes, far beyond what can be achieved in isolation.
Support and Encouragement
In a collaborative community, individuals feel more comfortable seeking help and sharing their challenges. It becomes easier to ask for support, share knowledge, and learn from one another. This support system not only helps in overcoming hurdles but also elevates everyone's capabilities.
Empowering Through Collaboration
Strong collaboration within the community empowers members, making it easier for them to start new projects, innovate, and implement solutions. It creates a dynamic where asking for help and sharing knowledge becomes a norm, leading to collective growth and learning.
Automation Beyond Deployment and Maintenance
There's recognition of the need for automation in other network aspects like monitoring, incident response, and assurance. The community is leaning towards full-cycle automation, ensuring not just deployment but also validation, observability, and incident response. Tools like Suzy Q for network state time series data, AI for anomaly detection in network telemetry, and many other new tools are becoming more relevant.
Composable Ecosystem and Going Beyond Traditional Networking
Network automation is moving towards a composable ecosystem, integrating various tools from different domains like monitoring, incident response, and assurance. This integration extends beyond traditional network management, leveraging tools from other industries to enrich the observability and operational capabilities of networks.
Transition from Tools to Platforms
There's a shift from using individual tools for specific tasks to adopting comprehensive platforms that offer a holistic approach to network automation. These platforms can address a wider range of tasks and bring together diverse functions, promoting efficiency and a more strategic approach to network operations.
Importance of Low-Risk Automation and Full-Cycle Automation
Starting with low-risk, read-only automation tasks, such as auditing and reporting, is a practical approach. This allows organizations to build confidence and familiarity with automation tools. Moreover, full-cycle automation, ensuring not just the deployment but also the validation of changes, is identified as a crucial goal.
AI and Advanced Analytics
The integration of AI and advanced analytics, such as local Large Language Models (LLMs), is recognized for its potential to analyze extensive network telemetry data. This capability can help identify anomalies and automate incident responses, significantly enhancing the network's security and reliability.
End-to-End Interdisciplinary Approach
An end-to-end approach to network automation is advocated. This involves not just automating individual tasks but ensuring that the entire network's operations are automated, including the interactions between networking, compute, storage, and application delivery to meet business goals effectively.
NAF: What’s Next - Get Involved
AutoCon!
NAF is planning our 2024 AutoCon events, with AutoCon 1 in Europe (targeting May 27-31) and AutoCon 2 in the US (November). More details on AC1 will be coming out over the next several weeks. We can’t wait for it! The Call for Speakers is open - submit your ideas here ASAP:
https://networkautomation.forum/call-for-speakers
We are also seeking additional sponsors for our 2024 events - please let us know your interest here:
https://networkautomation.forum/call-for-sponsors
Projects
AND we’re working on a variety of different projects to help support the network automation community, including the Autonomicon (a glossary of automation terms), local automation-focused gatherings, development of framework details for automation, and more.
You
This also ends with the single common ingredient needed for all these activities and projects: YOU. Please get involved with us via:
Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/networkautoma-prb3593/shared_invite/zt-25rdfdmyf-qYoYgXEEMs7h_aqwC79Abg
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/network-automation-forum/
See you online and see you in Europe for AC1!
