May 15, 2023
This Major Chain of Convenience Stores’ (MCCS) requirements included improving efficiencies to perform multiple hardware refreshes at over 900 convenience stores to replace outdated devices and enable new services. In addition, MCCS’s intention was to complete this process efficiently and autonomously by support staff that were not network engineers.
MCCS chose Network to Code to help build their network automation strategy and jump-start their deployment. Network to Code developed automated workflows that could be executed by non–network engineering staff to complete hardware refreshes. With these workflows in place, the execution is done consistently across all store locations resulting in efficient execution across the entire retail environment.
The MCCS team completed the hardware refresh of their convenience store locations in approximately 225 hours with minimal interruption to the business by automating the process built by the Engineering team at MCCS and saving over 3,600 manual hours. The deployments are consistent and based on a data-driven approach to network automation with the intended network state defined inside their Source of Truth (SoT), Nautobot. The solution also embedded validation, providing MCCS further visibility and confidence in the automation.
Leveraging Nautobot as a Source of Truth and Network Automation Platform, Network to Code created nine distinct stages to complete for each site’s conversion. Actions, data collection, and validation elements within each stage ensured that tasks were completed with minimal to zero errors while ensuring maximum uptime for endpoints. While many of the deployments were similar, there was variability between each that automation helped solve with minimal human intervention.
MCCS has been embracing automation for several years now, having the ability to complete network activities consistently throughout the entire network. The current team structure is built upon delivery teams across disciplines of the networking stack—Network, Security, and Systems Delivery; and network automation is currently used across each team. MCCS has since identified numerous systems that can also be automated for quicker, less error-prone results and increased reporting.
Network to Code is a network automation services and solutions provider that helps companies transform the way their networks are deployed, managed, and consumed. Through managed and professional services, Network to Code enables enterprises across all industries and geographies to deploy data-driven network automation based on NetDevOps principles to improve reliability, efficiency, and security while reducing costs.
NTC is the sponsor of Nautobot, an open source Network Source of Truth and Network Automation Platform with a growing ecosystem of integrations and partners. Nautobot is the leading Network Source of Truth for Enterprises looking to adopt a data-driven approach to network automation and a platform that complements any network automation journey.
“Previous effects with Network to Code were successful, and the company culture aligns with MCCS’s. Over time, NTC has proven their high-quality skill set with fast results.”
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