Ep 134 - Delving into the Intricacies of Network Automation with Ansible Expert Tony Dubiel

The Art of Network Engineering

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Ready to unravel the intricacies of network automation? We've got an insightful conversation lined up for you that promises to enlighten you on this complex topic. We kick off this episode by chatting about our new diverse content, our exciting podcast merchandise, and my upcoming autumn adventures in Vermont. We also welcome our special guest, Tony Dubiel, the Product Solutions Architect for Ansible Network Automation at Red Hat, who offers an insider's perspective on Ansible Network Automation.
Our discussion unfolds on a journey from route switching to data center and collaboration, emphasizing the worth of a networking background when stepping into collaboration. We delve into the vast array of automation tools, and debate whether network engineers should stick to one tool or embrace different tools for different scenarios. We also tackle the challenges of network automation, the role of abstraction and orchestration tools, and how ITSM and IPAM can make automation more accessible.
We then turn the spotlight on the Ansible Automation Platform, discussing its varied uses and how it's been revamped to be more cloud-native and scalable. We also touch upon the ongoing debate about using a tool like Terraform for immutable and disposable infrastructure, or different tools depending on the situation. Tony shares his thoughts on the evolution of network automation and the advantages of using validated content to lower the barrier to entry. So buckle up and join us on this enlightening journey into the world of network automation with Ansible.
Links to references made throughout the show:
Ansible4Networking Online Meetup Group (join for free)
https://www.meetup.com/ansible4networking/
Self service labs: https://www.redhat.com/en/interactive-labs/ansible
Network Use cases: https://www.ansible.com/use-cases/network-automation
Network Automation Ebook: https://www.redhat.com/en/engage/network-automation-guide-20221202
Network Blogs: https://www.ansible.com/blog/topic/network-automation
Getting Started with Network Automation:
https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/network/getting_started/index.html
https://ansible.com/network-automation

More from Tony:
https://twitter.com/tdubiel
Find everything AONE right here: https://linktr.ee/artofneteng

Chapters

1. Podcast Conversation (00:00:00)

2. Network Engineering, Automation, and Tools (00:12:23)

3. Automation, Abstraction, and Orchestration With Ansible (00:17:38)

4. Ansible Automation Platform (00:24:21)

5. Public Cloud and Networking Automation Tools (00:37:54)

6. Introduction to Network Automation With Ansible (00:42:28)

7. Ansible Command Line and Resource Modules (00:55:07)

8. Evolution of Ansible and Network Automation (01:03:40)