Automating Networks with Ansible the Right Way

By Nick Russo
If you're sick of hand typing configuration commands into your network devices day after day, this course is for you! Learn how to manage your network more intelligently with Ansible using tried-and-true design patterns.
Play course overview
Course info
Level
Intermediate
Updated
Mar 27, 2019
Duration
3h 14m
Table of contents
Course Overview
Course Overview 2m
Reorienting Ansible for Network Applications
How Does Network Automation Differ? 2m Understanding Your MPLS Network 3m Demo: Your First Ansible Playbook 7m Demo: Ansible Preparation 7m World’s Fastest Ansible Refresher 5m Challenge: Add Logging to the Existing Playbook 7m
Building Pretty Good Infrastructure as Code
What Is Infrastructure as Code? 3m Comparison of CLI-based Infrastructure as Code Solutions 1m The Bottom Line: Business Benefits 3m Infrastructure as Code Components 5m Demo: Deploying “ios_vrf” for CLI-based IAC 4m Demo: The Big Problem 3m Demo: Deploying “ios_config” for CLI-based IAC 7m Demo: Deploying “cli_config” for CLI-based IAC 8m
Integrating Custom Filters with Ansible
Bullet-proofing Code with Unit Tests 1m Introduction to Custom Filters 2m How Custom Filters Work 4m Parsing and Regex Basics 3m Demo: Custom Parser for VRF Information 4m Demo: Simplest Possible Custom Filter 4m Demo: Using Ansible for Filter Unit Testing 6m
Constructing Really Good Infrastructure as Code
Fitting the Pieces Together 2m Challenge: Adding Multi-vendor Support 2m Memory Lane: Set Theory Basics 4m Demo: Set Operations in Python 3m Demo: Writing Unit Tests For the Custom Filter 5m Demo: Custom Filter for Route-targeting Presence Determination 4m Demo: The Whole Solution in Action 6m
Introducing Ansible’s “network-engine” Role
What Do Ansible Roles Accomplish? 3m Comparison of Parsing Methods 2m Introducing Ansible’s “network-engine” Role 2m Demo: Parsing Alternative using “command_parser” 5m Demo: Ansible Galaxy Refresher 4m Demo: Refactoring Your Existing Solution 3m
Leaving the CLI Stone Age: Automating with APIs
Introduction to RESTCONF 2m What Problem Does This Solve? 3m Introduction to NETCONF and YANG 4m Comparing the APIs 1m Demo: Collecting Configuration with RESTCONF HTTP GET 5m Demo: Collecting Configuration with NETCONF “get-config” RPC 5m Demo: Changing Configuration with NETCONF “edit-config” RPC 5m Demo: Changing Configuration with RESTCONF HTTP PUT 6m
Writing Production-grade Ansible Playbooks
Surface Basic Problem with Linters 1m Runtime Error Checking with "assert" 1m Simplifying Operations with Makefiles 1m Why Version Control Matters for Network Automation 2m Recommendations for Documentation 1m Demo: Makefiles in Action 4m Demo: Integrating "assert" Into Your Code 3m Module Summary and Final Thoughts 2m Demo: Linting Ansible Code with "ansible-lint" 3m Demo: Linting Python Code with "pylint" 3m Demo: Time Travel with "git" 3m Demo: Working with Markdown 3m
Description
Course info
Level
Intermediate
Updated
Mar 27, 2019
Duration
3h 14m
Description

When it comes to automating networks, it's key to utilize Ansible to ensure effective solutions. In this course, Automating Networks with Ansible the Right Way, you will learn foundational knowledge required to manage networks like a professional through programming. First, you will learn about infrastructure as code, both how it works at a technical level and why it matters at a business level. This includes several SSH/CLI-based implementations, which is likely to work on any network device. Next, you will discover a whole new word of modern APIs, such as NETCONF and RESTCONF, and how Ansible can leverage these technologies to simplify network management. Finally, you will explore how to transform your homemade projects into works of art by building quality into your code using a variety of supplementary tools. When you’re finished with this course, you will have the skills and knowledge of Ansible needed to design, implement, operate, and troubleshoot network-based automation solutions in production.

About the author
Nick Russo
About the author

Nick Russo, CCDE #20160041 and CCIE #42518, is your go-to-guy for all things networking and automation. Nick loves training online and speaking at industry conferences sharing his expertise.

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Section Introduction Transcripts
Section Introduction Transcripts

Course Overview
Hi everyone, my name is Nick Russo, and welcome to my course on Automating Networks with Ansible the Right Way. Join me as we design, implement, operate, and troubleshoot a variety of automation solutions in a complex network. This scenario is straight out of my personal career and contains hard earned tips and tricks from production. You'll master the core principles of Ansible-based network automation, including unique challenges in automating networks versus other IT systems, the concept of infrastructure as code, a wide variety of design options, both CLI and API-based, a bit of Python coding for Ansible customization, and bullet-proofing your playbooks for production use. After completing this course, you'll be skilled in deploying and maintaining Ansible in any type of network. Before beginning this course, I'd recommend the following prerequisite courses, basic Python coding skills will help you follow the Ansible customizations I teach. You'll need basic networking skills, and this CCNA course is a good choice. MPLS expertise is not required, but an introduction to layer 3 VPNs provides additional context. I hope you'll join me on this journey to learn about modern network management with this Automating Networks with Ansible the Right Way course at Pluralsight.

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