Network Automation Platforms – Key Insights for Network Leaders on How to Scale Network Automation

The network is the lifeblood of any organization, carrying the critical data that fuels operations. But managing complex networks manually can be a time-consuming and error-prone process. This is where network automation comes in, offering a powerful solution to streamline network management and free up IT staff for more strategic tasks.

This blog post explores insights and findings from the 2023 Gartner® Market Guide for Network Automation Platforms. You can access the Network Automation Market Guide on our site. The focus of the report is on the role of network automation platforms and how they enable enterprises to automate a significant portion of their network activities. Here are the key takeaways:

• The Opportunity: Currently, over 65% of network activities are done manually. Network automation platforms offer a way to automate these tasks, increasing efficiency and reducing human error.
• Beyond Point Tools: Network automation platforms go beyond single-purpose automation tools and legacy network change and configuration management (NCCM) products. They enable orchestration of workflows across various tools and network domains.
• Ideal for Larger Enterprises: Network automation platforms are well suited for large-scale and technologically advanced enterprises due to their ability to handle complex workflows and diverse network environments.

What Is a Network Automation Platform?

Imagine a central hub that orchestrates and automates network activities across different vendors and domains. That’s the power of a network automation platform. It goes beyond point tools and legacy NCCM products, offering features such as:

• Multi-vendor support: automates tasks across diverse network equipment
• Workflow orchestration: connects disparate automation tools into seamless workflows
• Low-code UI: enables building workflows without complex coding
• Event-driven automation: responds dynamically to network events and incidents.

Benefits of Network Automation Platforms

The benefits of network automation platforms include:

• Reduced manual work: Offload slow and repetitive manual tasks that hinder IT agility and responsiveness. Free up your network team to focus on strategic initiatives.
• Increased agility and scalability: Manually managing a growing network becomes increasingly difficult and unsustainable. Respond faster to business demands with dynamic network changes and provisioning.
• Improved accuracy and security: Manual configuration is prone to errors, which can lead to network outages and security vulnerabilities. Eliminate human error from manual configurations.
• Enhanced compliance: Automate compliance checks and reporting for network configurations.

Traditional network management relies heavily on manual configuration and troubleshooting, leading to several challenges. Network automation platforms deliver their benefits by automating repetitive tasks such as device configuration, provisioning, and troubleshooting. The incredible power of network automation is the reason for Gartner’s prediction that “By 2026, 30% of enterprises will automate over half of their network activities, up from under 10% in 2023.”

Network Source of Truth as a Platform Foundation

The foundation for any successful network automation effort is the Network Source of Truth (NSoT). The NSoT holds the intended state model, providing the proper config details for any new devices, and creating the needed data differential with current state data to identify and correct any anomalous network conditions.

An NSoT eliminates data discrepancies and ensures everyone working on the network has access to the most accurate and up-to-date information. This is crucial for maintaining network stability, security, and efficiency. As Gartner states in its Market Guide report, “We recommend investing in a modern NSOT to scale network automation efforts.”

Most enterprises lack a comprehensive NSoT, relying on a combination of spreadsheets, diagrams, and network management systems. But an accurate and robust NSoT is crucial for scaling network automation beyond 50% of activities. Consider commercially available NSoT platforms such as Nautobot to enhance your automation efforts.

Network to Code: Your Automation Partner

Network to Code (NTC) offers a comprehensive suite of services and software to empower your network automation journey. This includes Nautobot, the only solution that functions as both a Network Source of Truth and a network automation platform. This unique combination offers several advantages:

• Streamlined workflows: Network configuration data stored in Nautobot’s Source of Truth (SoT) can be directly leveraged for automation tasks, eliminating the need for data transfer between separate systems.
• Improved data consistency: Changes made through automation workflows are automatically reflected in the SoT, ensuring complete data synchronization.
• Reduced complexity: By having a single platform for both SoT and automation, organizations can simplify their network management toolset.

As the creator of Nautobot and all of its associated app ecosystem solutions, NTC brings a unique level of expertise to network automation. Our deep knowledge of Nautobot’s architecture and capabilities empowers us to deliver exceptional services to help organizations achieve a high degree of network automation in the least time possible. Key services include:

• Configuration management
• Firewall management
• OS upgrades
• New device planning and deployment
• Device lifecycle management