Ansible Network Automation Overview

1. Introduction

Ansible is an open-source automation tool that automates software provisioning, configuration management, and application deployment. Specifically, Ansible is widely used in network automation to manage a variety of networking devices and configurations.

2. What is Ansible?

Ansible is a powerful automation tool that follows a simple model of infrastructure as code. It uses YAML syntax for its playbooks and does not require an agent on the target machines, making it easy to manage configurations across numerous devices.

3. Network Automation

Network automation refers to the process of automating network configurations, management, and provisioning. It helps in reducing manual tasks and errors, improving efficiency, and enabling continuous integration and delivery.

4. How Ansible Works

Ansible uses a push-based model where it pushes configurations to target devices over SSH (or WinRM for Windows). This model simplifies the deployment process and allows for real-time updates.

5. Ansible Network Modules

Ansible provides a variety of modules specifically designed for network devices. These modules allow you to interact with different network hardware and software.

Commonly Used Network Modules

• ios_config: For managing Cisco IOS devices.
• ios_command: To run commands on Cisco IOS devices.
• nxos_config: For managing Cisco Nexus devices.
• eos_config: For managing Arista devices.

Example of a Simple Playbook

- name: Configure Cisco IOS device
  hosts: routers
  gather_facts: no
  tasks:
    - name: Ensure a specific configuration is present
      ios_config:
        lines:
          - ip route 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.1
  

6. Best Practices

When using Ansible for network automation, consider the following best practices:

• Use version control for your playbooks.
• Test playbooks in a staging environment before production.
• Use descriptive names for your playbooks and tasks.
• Document your code for better maintainability.

7. FAQ