Network automation without any programming?

[dlots]

I just had my end of year review, one requests from it was something along the lines of "We like all the automation work you do, but a lot of the people on the team aren't comfortable with programming.  Can you look around to find other methods of automation?".

So... anyone know of a good way to automate large amounts of network stuff without any programming?  PS I don't think we want to pay much of anything.

PS lighting the data-cent on fire to trigger the automated fail-over once it's burned to the ground doesn't count.

[dlots]

So far a quick googling for
Cisco dark rights
Cisco Voodoo
Cisco Magic
Cisco Black Mass
Have all all giving less than encouraging results.

[dlots]

How many Cisco devices do you think the Devil will configure for 2 goats and 1 chicken?

[wintermute000]

Get a new job... Even commercial orchestrations require scripting.
So they also tell their wintel admins to not bother with power shell?

[that1guy15]

No not really. Either a) buy an application/software that automates stuff or b) built it yourself. Not much else of a choice.

Here is how I would approach this.

His concern is the team is not comfortable with programming. So they dont want to write code. My guess is they wouldnt mind running code to return results and data or do some specific task. So you need to have people build code and scripts in a manor that others can easily work with them.

This calls for a web front-end or application. These anit-programming users can go to a webGUI and click, click, clicky to get the results they want.

This is what I have been doing with the automation tools Im building up now. There are several frameworks out there but "Flask" is hands down the easiest and its native to python. Once the team starts picking up on the tool and liking it some will get eager to get involved.

[deanwebb]

Don't call it programming. Call it scripting. Get a Linux box going, and you can pull canned scripts off the Interwebs and modify them for your use. It's not that hard. I hate programming, but scripting is kinda fun. Yes, there's programming involved in scripting, but there's also programming involved in doing switch configs by hand. Just call it scripting, and maybe your crew will take to the idea.

[dlots]

The programs I send out are actually SUPER user friendly
the ones you run from a command prompt you just run, it prompts you for a username, then a password, then the IP address to go to.

I just recently made a GUI front end that's litterly a box that asks for a username/password/IP, and a single checkbox to set an optional command.

Even the "nasty" ones I don't send out all the IPs the program will check are stored in a .txt file.

[deanwebb]

There you go. That's automation without programming.

[dlots]

Yep, but these were the same programs he was complaining about :-(

[wintermute000]

that's why I said what I said (and that's how I interpreted your comments i.e. they don't even want to run scripts).
negative environments are no good. Its like a toothache - there is no way around it, just go see the dentist ASAP.

the fish rots from the head, with mgt attitude like that, I would run a million miles

[that1guy15]

Im not sure jumping ship and running is the only approach right now. Dlots got positive feedback and encouragement from his manager and he wants more. It just sounds like he is trying to accommodate the teammates who dont want to break out of their comfort zone or find the easy way. Im sure he is like most network leaders out there. They dont know how to adapt their current team and talent to the shift. Or they just dont understand it at all like your teamates.

I dont think you need to change your team or even try, that is your bosses job. Your job is to continue to innovate and deliver what you are doing. I'd go back to your boss with the answer of "Programming or spend lots of money for someone to do it for us" But give him a solution to keep you moving forward or even 100% focused on building out the automation.

The more you prove yourself and show value/ROI in your automation the more pressure your boss will feel to make it happen across the team. Those that will want on board will and those that wont. Well thats your bosses job to worry about.

If that dosent work or you are not getting the support of your boss well then you built the experience and buffed your resume. So move on to a better gig.

[wintermute000]

fair points. I think I got triggered from a few bad experiences

To the immediate question at hand, the orchestrators I have seen have all required some basic level of scripting proficiency (Cisco NSO / TAIL-F, Arista Cloudvision). If you're talking the usual trinity (chef/ansible/puppet) then GLWT.....

There's nothing that is programming free unless you're basically talking about traditional NMS like Solarwinds or Prime doing batch changes/templating.

You can explore APIC-EM , it has some functionality but not a lot right now, esp if API = bad. It definitely draws kickass diagrams with VRF/VLAN layers. And its also free

I'd love to see your colleagues faces after being exposed to ACI.....

TBH I really don't see how they can defend your point re: you've made it super easy for them already. What kind of network engineer is still burying their head in the sand in 2017? Might as well refuse to work on Ford model Ts because you prefer moulding horseshoes.

[icecream-guy]

eternal network change freeze?

really, why not just write a GUI front end with some forms fields to populate?
user fills out the forms, clicks submit and a custom script is generated.

They can print it and then use the fax machine to propagate the script to all needed network devices (I made this part up)

[LynK]

Here are my two votes:

Cisco Prime

Solarwinds Network Configuration Manager

[dlots]

Honestly I plan to just keep doing what I have been doing.  He's been my boss for 8 months and I think I have talked to him less than an hour, and that includes the 1/2 hour meeting yesterday, and apparently he had no clue what my work load has been for those 8 months.