Network Automation with Python and Ansible

This course teaches students to blend Python skillsets with Ansible through the lens of automating networks. Automation techniques for the most popular vendors (incl. Cisco, Juniper, Arista) will be subjects of study, however students may request examples from vendors within their own environments. Topics begin with a focus on automating networks with Python. This skill set is then folded into a broadening understanding of automating with Ansible. By the conclusion of this course, Students will have programmatic experience automating enterprise class networks, including writing custom Ansible modules with Python.

Class is a combination of lecture, demonstration, and hands-on labs. Students are invited to share their own relevant Python and Ansible scripts with the instructor to ensure class subjects are as relevant as possible.

Prerequisite(s):

Keyboard proficiency, and some basic understanding of network concepts is the only hard requirement. Students with some previous exposure to Python, any another scripting experience, will take the most from the course. In lieu of any scripting experience, Alta3 Research’s Python Basics course is recommended.

Recommended Prerequisite: Python Basics (5 days)

Audience:

• Network Administrators
• Ansible devs
• Python devs
• Administrators interested in Automation
• Individuals interested in devops, specifically for networking

Outline:

• Critical Python Catch Up & Review
• Overview of Python and Ansible
• Python whitespace rules & best practices
• Conditional expressions
• Relational and Boolean operators
• Lists, Tuples, Dictionaries
• Indexing and slicing
• Built-in functions
• Writing custom functions
• Getting at methods
• Iterating with Loops (for and while)
• Working with files
• Software Control Management (SCM) (Git, Github, Bitbucket, Cloudshare, etc.)
• Getting at RESTful interfaces with Python
• Working with JSON
• Python, Ansible and Paramiko
• Using Paramiko to SSH with keys and passwords
• Python and Network Automation
• RESTful API review
• API keys
• Paramiko Review
• Using Paramiko to SFTP with keys and passwords
• Introduction to Netmiko (automating routers and switches)
• Using Netmiko to send commands to / from network devices
• Working with YAML
• Converting JSON to YAML with Python
• Critical Ansible Catchup & Review
• Ansible keywords
• YAML and JSON for data exchange
• Ansible and YAML
• Ansible Playbook components
• Tying together Python and Ansible – Using Python within Ansible
• Ansible Network Modules
• What is new in Ansible (most current updates / release notes)
• Network Agnostic modules
• Writing network playbooks
• Reviewing the construction of network playbooks
• Writing Ansible playbooks that respond to network failures
• Blending Python and Ansible Skillsets
• Review how to use Python within Ansible
• Calling Python scripts with Ansible
• Jinja2 Templating Engine for Python (and Ansible)
• Using Templates in Ansible playbooks
• Jinja2 filters, looping, and other useful tricks for automating with Ansible
• Playbook tagging for selective runs
• When to use Python and when to use Ansible
• “Big Picture” options for using Python & Ansible within your Network
• Ansible Roles
• Customizing Ansible with Python
• Review – Running Scripts with Ansible
• Prompting for Ansible user input
• Ansible Galaxy & Getting at Roles
• Writing a custom Ansible Module with Python
• Ansible “Engine” vs Ansible “Tower” – marketing hype, capabilities, costs, etc.
• Case Study: Automate your Enterprise Network
• When to use Python and when to use Ansible
• Writing your own Ansible modules in Python
• “Big Picture” options for using Python & Ansible within your Network
• Overview – NETCONF / YANG and what they mean for Python and Ansible
• Molecule – Testing your roles

Labs

1.Using vim

2.Using & Installing Python

3.Making a Github account

4.Data within mixed lists

5.Understanding More about Lists

6.Python Dictionaries

7.Getting dir(obj) help() and pydoc

8.Copying Files and Folders

9.Moving and Renaming Files and Folders

10.IPv4 Testing with if

11.Paramiko – SSH with RSA Keys

12.Paramiko – SFTP with UN and PW

13.Space APIs the Final Frontier

14.More APIs – Final Frontier is Vast

5.Interaction with APIs – NASA 01

16.Interaction with APIs – NASA 02

17.Install GNS3

18.Setup for GNS networking

19.Configure the Switches

20.Running Netmiko

21.Running your first Playbook

22.Debug Module

23.Playbook Prompts

24.register and when

25.EOS Get Config and Archive

26.Agnostic Network Modules

27.Network Playbook Error Handling

28.Network Playbook Precheck

29.Network Playbooks with Roles and Rollbacks

30.Securing Playbooks with Vault

31.Network Playbooks, Set Fact, and Fail

32.Debug, Loops, and YAML Lists

33.Running a script with Ansible

34.Jinja Filters

35.Ansible, Python Methods, and Jinja Filters

36.Ansible and APIs

37.Python and Ansible

38.Writing an Ansible Module with Python

39.AWX Tower

40.Molecule – Testing Roles