Automating Networks with Ansible Online Training

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UPDATED: November 4, 2020

Intermediate

This Automating Networks with Ansible training covers how to automate complex multi-tier IT environments with Ansible, an open-source IT configuration management, deployment, and orchestration tool. Ansible is one of the most powerful answers to installing software, changing configurations, administering services, and managing servers by hand. After this training, not only will you be automating your networks with Ansible, but you'll see productivity gains.

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What you'll learn

Write clear, efficient and effective YAML playbooks for network automation
Managing entire systems, networks and storages without setting up management infrastructures
Navigating the hundreds of modules Ansible provides for managing infrastructure, networks and OSs
Streamlining the process of booting and kick-starting bare-metal servers, or creating virtual instances from templates

FAQs

What is network automation and how does it work?

Network automation is a broad term that applies to many different processes that relate to configuration, management, provisioning, and operation of network devices, systems or applications done automatically through code. Network automation is largely made possible with scripting, programming and specialized tools which perform repetitive tasks, like device configuration, traffic monitoring, and troubleshooting. The aim of network automation is to avoid and prevent manual intervention as much as possible.

What is a network automation tool and what are the best ones?

A network automation tool is software that streamlines and automates tasks related to configuring, managing or operating network devices and systems. Network automation tools are sometimes 'homegrown' apps that perform checks and updates particular to a certain network. Or they can be commercially available applications and suites of tools that have scripting, orchestration and API integration features. Ansible, Puppet, Chef, and Terraform are some of the best network automation tools.

What are some of the different types of network automation?

The different types of network automation often refer to the different types of tasks necessary for maintaining a network. One type is configuration automation, which ensures consistency in the configuration of devices like routers and switches. Another type is provisioning automation, which enables faster deployment and better scalability by streamlining the provisioning of services like VLANs or VPNs. Another type is monitoring automation which automatically observes network performance and health alerts.

What makes Ansible especially good at network automation?

Ansible is especially good for network automation thanks to its simplicity, agentless architecture, and extensive library of pre-built modules for specific network devices. Ansible uses SSH to communicate with devices, which is how it eliminates the need for installing agents. YAML is the name of Ansible's declarative language, and it's liked by the network automation and engineering community for its easy-to-understand syntax and how well it facilitates config management across diverse environments.

Is this network automation course associated with any certifications?

No, this course isn't designed with any industry certifications in mind. Rather than focus on exam objectives or test preparation, this course is more interested in providing you with real-world experience and hands-on practice with provisioning network resources, writing good YAML playbooks, and navigating the modules for infrastructure management.

Who is this for?

This is considered foundational-level Ansible training, which means it was designed for DevOps professionals with three to five years of experience with network automation tools.

What our learners say

CBT Nuggets fits into my day-to-day amazingly.
John M. | IT Manager
This is the gold standard of video training. You always hear in grade school or college that the best teachers are the ones who are passionate in their field. The CBT Nuggets team are extremely passionate and get you motivated for the material.
Michael J. | IS&T Major Incident Manager
The more I put into learning, the more skills I’m going to have — and the better I’m going to be technically.
Knox Hutchinson | CBT Nuggets trainer since 2018

Study plan

Download the free Automating Networks with Ansible study plan to complete this course in about 18 hours.

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