Network automation
Automate repetitive work
Given the increasing dynamics in the corporate environment, it has now become too cumbersome and time-consuming to carry out recurring work on the network manually. Manual work is error-prone and inevitably leads to inconsistencies in the network. Companies are therefore looking for automation solutions that make daily routine tasks such as adding new customers or services easier and faster. As a result, we find ourselves at a crossroads: as occurred during the industrial revolution when machines and factories increasingly replaced people who traditionally made goods by hand, nowadays engineers who manually configure networks are being increasingly replaced by automated solutions. The network itself is thus transformed from a “production site” created manually to an industrial “factory”, which now configures, tests and manages new customers and services fully automatically. What’s important to remember is that we network engineers aren’t going to disappear – quite the opposite in fact. We control and define what our “factory” does and must be able to understand when and why which changes are brought about at any given moment.
In recent years, onway has become specialised in the use of automation tools such as Python, Ansible and Rundeck. The data structures and APIs required for automation are used in a targeted manner. Based on our customers’ workflows (business processes), the network and controller architectures (e.g. DNA Centre) are integrated into each individual customer-specific corporate IT environment. The “network-as-code” approach has established itself as a sensible working method; it is derived from the already familiar “infrastructure-as-code” approach, which establishes a testable and traceable working method through versioning and CI/CD procedures.
New methods and working tools are needed to master all these new challenges. Above all, however, it needs employees who want to actively shape this route.
We would be happy to show you how we can fundamentally support you to increase the efficiency of your network operation. One thing is for certain: you will also have low-hanging fruits that are ripe for the picking and will allow you to get off to a confident start. Why not make an appointment with one of our specialists?