Summary:
- The Nautobot platform centralizes information from various sources to create a single repository for network automation and management.
- Automation technology is straightforward, but the challenges lie in people and processes.
- Nautobot and Network to Code helped Humana streamline network requests, standardize cloud deployments, and provide a consistent location for network interactions.
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Article:
Empowering Network Automation with Nautobot and Network to Code
Network automation is a crucial component of modern IT infrastructure management, and having a centralized platform like Nautobot can make a significant difference. By consolidating data from multiple sources such as management platforms, CMDB, and IP address management tools, Nautobot creates a single source of truth for network automation and management. This ensures that all network-related information is stored in one place, simplifying processes and enabling a true self-service network automation strategy.
While automation technology itself is advanced and widely available, the real challenge lies in the human aspect of implementation. According to Schwen, the CEO of Network to Code, more than half of the work in automation involves people and processes. Establishing a centralized platform like Nautobot allows for consistent onboarding, change requests, and deployment processes across the network infrastructure, making automation more efficient and effective.
Humana, a leading healthcare provider, leveraged Nautobot and Network to Code to enhance their network automation capabilities. By creating a uniform platform for network requests, standardizing cloud deployments, and eliminating the need to consult different teams for network information, Humana was able to streamline their network operations significantly. The centralized platform provided a consistent location for anyone interacting with the network, promoting efficiency and collaboration within the organization.
With Nautobot, network operators can benefit from automated workflows that detect and remediate any discrepancies in device configurations. The platform’s recent release of NautobotGPT, an AI-powered assistant, further accelerates network automation workflows by providing automation tasks as prompts. By utilizing automation prompts, workflow automations can be seamlessly deployed, enhancing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of network automation processes.
In conclusion, Nautobot and Network to Code offer powerful tools and solutions for organizations looking to enhance their network automation capabilities. By centralizing network information, standardizing processes, and leveraging automation technology, businesses can achieve greater efficiency, consistency, and scalability in their network operations.