How can you automate network troubleshooting?

1 Define your goals and metrics

The first step to automate network troubleshooting is to define your goals and metrics. What are the network issues that you want to detect and resolve? How do you measure the impact and severity of those issues? How do you prioritize and categorize them? How do you report and communicate them to your stakeholders? By answering these questions, you can establish a clear and consistent framework for your network troubleshooting process, and identify the key indicators and parameters that you need to monitor and analyze.

2 Choose your automation tools

The next step is to choose your automation tools. There are many options available for network automation, ranging from simple scripts and commands to complex frameworks and platforms. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can use different tools for different purposes, such as configuration management, performance monitoring, alerting, testing, debugging, and remediation. Some of the popular tools for network automation include Ansible, Netmiko, Nornir, Napalm, PyATS, and Genie. You can also use native tools provided by your network vendors, such as Cisco DNA Center, Juniper HealthBot, or Aruba Central.

3 Design your automation workflows

The third step is to design your automation workflows. Automation workflows are the sequences of actions and tasks that you want to execute to achieve your network troubleshooting goals. For example, you may want to automate the process of collecting and analyzing network data, generating and sending alerts, running diagnostic tests, applying corrective actions, and verifying the results. You can use various methods and techniques to design your automation workflows, such as flowcharts, pseudocode, or graphical user interfaces. You can also leverage existing templates and modules provided by your automation tools or the network automation community.

4 Implement and test your automation scripts

The fourth step is to implement and test your automation scripts. Automation scripts are the code that you write to execute your automation workflows. You can use various programming languages and frameworks to write your automation scripts, such as Python, YAML, Jinja2, or XML. You can also use different formats and protocols to interact with your network devices and systems, such as CLI, REST API, NETCONF, or gRPC. You should test your automation scripts in a safe and controlled environment, such as a lab or a sandbox, before deploying them to your production network. You should also use version control and documentation tools to manage and maintain your automation scripts.

5 Monitor and optimize your automation results

The fifth step is to monitor and optimize your automation results. Automation results are the outcomes and outputs of your automation scripts. You should track and measure your automation results to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of your network troubleshooting process. You should also use feedback and data to optimize and improve your automation workflows and scripts. You can use various tools and methods to monitor and optimize your automation results, such as dashboards, reports, logs, metrics, alerts, or audits.

6 Learn and share your automation best practices

The sixth and final step is to learn and share your automation best practices. Automation best practices are the guidelines and recommendations that you follow to ensure the quality and security of your network automation. You should learn and share your automation best practices with your peers and colleagues, as well as the network automation community. You can use various resources and platforms to learn and share your automation best practices, such as blogs, podcasts, webinars, courses, books, or forums.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?