Network Automation
Network automation is something that is in the CCNA v1.1 exam and is 10% of that exam. Network automation covers topics like AI and machine learning, Ansible and Terraform, REST API’s and API’s in general along with JSON. Automation replaces manual processes to improve the speed, efficiency, and helps reduce human error. This is using software to configure and manage the network infrastructure. It can also operate both physical and virtual devices along with helping to test the infrastructure.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
This deals with the differences of generative AI, agentic AI, and machine learning. Generative AI is something that creates something new like new data or images. Agentic AI is more for autonomous actions to achieve something. There is also predictive AI that can predict variances in network baselines over time or something to predict future trends.
Machine learning is something that is used mainly for pattern detection and learning from the data. Machine learning is something that can analyze data flows to detect anomalies and variance from a network baseline. Generative AI can help with creating scripts or generating CLI commands for a given task. Agentic AI is where the AI can remediate issues with the network devices like isolation of an existing system due to an attack.
Ansible and Terraform
Ansible and Terraform both accomplish certain roles in network automation. Terraform is something that is more of infrastructure as code and is used for a desired end-state. Terraform does better at provisioning infrastructure and sets up the containers whereas Ansible is more for setting up the configuration of the network devices or the servers. Terraform works with HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) and Ansible uses YAML mainly for its configurations.
APIs, REST APIs, and JSON
APIs allow the software of one application to work with the software of another application. A REST API is something that is a structured way to talk to an API that acts as more of a style that works over HTTP. JSON is the language that is used to carry the data over the API using a REST API format.
Conclusion
I have the current CCNA v1.1 exam that I passed in December 2024. This exam covers Network Automation, AI/ML, Ansible and Terraform, REST APIs, APIs, and JSON. This information can help on the exam, which was in my opinion one of the exams that took longer to complete out of the time available. There are more technologies associated with network automation like Python, NAPALM and NETCONF APIs.
Network automation can provide enhanced network security, improve compliance, increase visibility and provide faster troubleshooting. This also provides the ability to automate VLAN changes, provide configuration backups and even software updates. Network automation lowers operational costs and provides faster provisioning of network services.