Why a Network Source of Truth (NSoT) is the Cornerstone of Scalable Network Automation

As modern enterprise networks grow increasingly dynamic, ensuring consistent, real-time network data across devices and systems has become a critical challenge. Enter the Network Source of Truth (NSoT)—a centralized, authoritative database that aligns your network’s intended state with its actual operations. By serving as the foundation of network automation, a Network Source of Truth enables organizations to scale effectively, reduce errors, and achieve operational excellence. Without it, automation efforts lack the stability and precision necessary for success.

The Role of an NSoT in Scalable Network Automation

An NSoT centralizes critical network configuration data, including device inventories, policies, and workflows. It provides a single point of reference for automation processes, ensuring they operate on accurate and consistent data. This eliminates the inefficiencies of manual network management tools like spreadsheets. For example, automating IP allocation, VLAN provisioning, and compliance checks becomes seamless when powered by an NSoT.

Challenges of Legacy Network Management Without an NSoT

Legacy approaches often rely on outdated tools and manual workflows prone to human error. Spreadsheets for network management are insufficient for managing complex, multi-vendor environments. Without a unified source of truth, organizations struggle with configuration drift, where the network’s actual state deviates from its intended state, leading to costly downtime and operational inefficiencies.

Best Practices for Building and Using an NSoT

To leverage an NSoT effectively, follow these best practices:

1. Define Network Business Rules: Begin by identifying critical policies and workflows, such as device provisioning and compliance monitoring.
2. Create Structured Data Models: Use schemas and automation-friendly formats to ensure scalability and consistency.
3. Enable Real-Time Validation: Continuously compare the observed state of the network with the intended state to prevent drift and ensure compliance.

Success Story—Princeton University

Princeton University partnered with Network to Code to automate its network upgrade process, implementing a robust NSoT and integrating with ServiceNow and Ansible to create a self-service form-driven process that transformed its upgrade approach. Previously, upgrading 26 campus buildings required over 1,000 hours of manual effort. By introducing automated workflows powered by an NSoT, the project was completed in under 40 hours—a 95% reduction in manual labor.

The process included:

• Leveraging a self-service form in ServiceNow to initiate automation.
• Populating the NSoT with data for VLAN provisioning and device management.
• Executing deployment tasks via Ansible Tower, ensuring accurate and error-free configurations.

This not only accelerated the upgrade process but also reduced troubleshooting efforts and improved future scalability.

Benefits of a Network Source of Truth for Automation

1. Consistency Across Devices: A unified data source eliminates discrepancies and ensures every device adheres to defined policies.
2. Increased Network Efficiency: Automates repetitive tasks like compliance checks and configuration management, reducing manual effort.
3. Scalability for Multi-Vendor Networks: Easily supports hybrid cloud environments and complex ecosystems.

For Princeton, leveraging an NSoT allowed them to focus on strategic initiatives, such as enhancing telemetry capabilities and centralizing network monitoring operations. These advances underscore how an NSoT fosters innovation and future-proofing.