Fundamental building blocks of network automation

In the ever-evolving landscape of information technology, the complexity and scale of network infrastructures continue to grow exponentially. To meet the demands of modern businesses and users, network automation has emerged as a powerful solution. By automating repetitive tasks, streamlining configurations, and optimizing network management, organizations can achieve higher efficiency, greater reliability, and enhanced agility in their network operations.

Consider the simple example shown in Figure 8.1:

Figure 8.1 – Basic spine/leaf diagram

Let’s assume that we have what’s shown in the preceding diagram and we need data to be configured on the switches for downstream servers to run an application:

• Switch 01:
  • Loopback IP: 192.168.0.1
  • Loopback mask: /32
  • Interface GigabitEthernet 1/0/1 IP: 192.168.10.1
  • Interface GigabitEthernet 1/0/1 mask: /24
• Switch 02:
  • Loopback IP: 192.168...