You need to find the best network automation tools for your organization. How do you get started?

Start with the end goal. - What is it that you want to automate? Different goals will be achieved efficiently through use of different tools. For example: a) You want to automate pushing of configurations , new OS upgrades etc Ansible will be a good starting point. b)You want to automate the state of the network and ensure that you can track changes, then Terraform is a good plan. - What is the skill level of the team involved? How proficient are they in automation? If tool is seen as "complex" by the network engineers, it will not be used. - How are you going to store secrets/sensitive data like credentials for the automation tools.

Some of the first things to consider are: 1. Understand the requirements - you need to have at least a basic understanding of why you want to use automation tools, and what you want to automate. 2. Check out the options available to you. Ensure that the option you choose gives you the features and functionality you need. 3. Run your automation tool(s), preferably in a lab, and confirm that it does what you need it to do. 4. Once you are satisfied that the tool is the right one for your network, deploy it and configure it to suit your requirements. 5. Ensure that the tool you choose is regularly updated so that you get the best out of it's capabilities.

Ask yourself these questions to assess your needs : 1. What are my top 10 noise making incidents? 2. What are my to 5 performance degraders? 3. Categorize alerting triggered action / fix as manual, semi automated and fully automated. Your aim should be very few in manual. 4. Review last 3 years incidents and find out what took you by surprise / shock (it happens to everyone) and scope it in 5. Your network will change, your networks consumption model will change, hence you need early indicators which can tell you the trends in a very easy to understand manner, tough ask but why do it after castle of built, scope it in now 6. Identify reporting requirements. This is often the selling point & you need to extract every bit of value from this.

Before you start evaluating options, it’s important to assess your organization’s specific requirements. Consider factors such as the size of your organization, your budget, and the specific features you need.

Once you have a clear idea of what you’re looking for, you can start evaluating your options. There are many websites that provide reviews and ratings of network automation tools. You can also check out LinkedIn groups and forums to see what other professionals in your field are using.

Once you’ve narrowed down your options, it’s a good idea to test the software before making a final decision. Many vendors offer free trials or demos that you can use to evaluate the software.

One of the most important part of any tool is how to optimize it after implementation. During implementation phases , there are chances to introduce so many customisation to complete the implementation of as is stage. This will become a headache in future to maintain it . Better take time to consult with different stake holders like network teams about the future plans , how effectively the tool can handle the same, try to maintain minimum customisation and follow standards, the tool should deliver it service maximum independent to External dependecies

After you’ve selected a tool, it’s important to implement it effectively and optimize it for your organization’s specific needs. This may involve training your team on how to use the tool effectively.

Network automation tools are constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest developments. Attend industry events, read blogs and articles, and participate in online forums to stay informed.

One thing many engineers often overlooked is the maintainability of the network automation tool one have worked so hard to implement. The 'hero' culture in our industry allow the superstar engineer to push it out the door, but now the engineer cannot take a vacation, needs to fix every bug, and take in all the new feature requests. I have seen it happen over and over and the tool end up being abandoned or the engineer ended up burning out. Why not get in front of it before it gets to that point? Make sure your have leadership and your teammate's buy-in _before_ you put too much investment in. Take their opinion into consideration will go a long way.

Other factors to consider when evaluating network automation tools include scalability, security, and integration with other tools and systems.