Network automation

Network automation replaces logging in to devices one at a time with changes that are written once, reviewed and applied consistently. For teams running dozens or hundreds of switches, routers and firewalls, it reduces typing errors, makes changes repeatable and leaves a record of what changed and why.

The tools here cover different layers. NetBox is a source of truth: a documented model of devices, racks, cables, IP addresses and VLANs that automation reads from. Ansible pushes configuration to devices from playbooks and is the most common starting point. Itential and Gluware orchestrate larger workflows with approvals and multi-vendor support, and Gluware focuses on teams that want automation without writing code. Forward Networks builds a model of the whole network so you can search configs and check that a change will not break a path before you make it.

AI features are starting to appear as assistants that write playbooks or explain configurations. Review generated changes the same way you would review a colleague's, and test them in a lab or on a non-critical device first.

Before choosing, start with one repetitive task, such as config backups, VLAN changes or OS upgrades, and automate that well. Check which device vendors each tool supports, how changes are approved and rolled back, and whether your team is comfortable working with code and version control.

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5 AI IT operations tools in network automation

Ansible

by Red Hat

Open source automation that pushes configuration to network devices and servers from readable playbooks, with Red Hat support plans.

  • Free plan or free tier
  • Open source
  • Self-hosted option

NetBox

by NetBox Labs

Open source source of truth for networks: devices, racks, cables, IP addresses and VLANs, with a hosted edition available.

  • Free plan or free tier
  • Open source
  • Self-hosted option

Itential

Network automation and orchestration platform that links existing scripts, tools and approvals into end-to-end workflows.

  • Developer API

Gluware

Intelligent network automation for config management, audits and OS upgrades across multi-vendor networks, without writing code.

Forward Networks

Builds a digital twin of the network to search configs, check policies and verify paths before and after changes.

  • Developer API

Version control is the habit that makes automation safe. Keeping playbooks, templates and source of truth data in a Git repository means every change has an author, a review and a way back. It also lets you test changes automatically against a lab or a model of the network before they reach production devices.

Data quality decides how far automation can go. If the source of truth says a switch has a VLAN it does not, generated configs will be wrong. Plan to clean up and import existing data, reconcile it against the live network on a schedule, and make updating the record part of every change.

Skills and ownership matter as much as tools. Automation tends to start with one enthusiastic engineer, and it stalls when that person leaves or gets busy. Share the work across the team, document how playbooks are run, and agree who reviews changes. Training time spent on Git, YAML and basic Python usually pays back quickly. Start reporting the time saved on routine changes so the effort stays funded.

Questions about network automation

Do we need to learn to code for network automation?

Some code helps. Ansible playbooks are written in YAML and many teams use Python. Gluware and some orchestration platforms offer low-code options for teams that prefer not to write code.

What is a network source of truth?

It is the authoritative record of what the network should look like: devices, connections, addresses and settings. Tools like NetBox hold that record, and automation compares it with the live network or uses it to generate configurations.

Is Ansible free?

Ansible itself is open source and free to use. Red Hat sells a supported platform with extra features such as a web interface, access controls and certified content.

How do we start without risking an outage?

Start with read-only tasks such as backing up configs and collecting facts. Move to changes in a lab or on non-critical devices, keep changes small and reversible, and use version control for every playbook.

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