The evolution of networks has seen a shift from legacy, proprietary technologies that are hardware-bound to modern, open technologies that are software-driven. Modern networks are being designed and built at a massive scale to support a wide range of applications and services ranging from real-time video, to social media, to augmented reality, and more. Although today's networks are fully capable of running these complex configurations, monitoring the network, and implementing security checks, it is often a tedious task to write manual, CLI-based scripts that are repetitive and subject to human error.
With all the given interdependencies and challenges of today's networks, the expectations for high performance, availability, and reliability of these networks are higher than ever. By automating everyday network tasks like configuration management and device provisioning, network efficiency, and agility of a data center infrastructure can be improved.
Network automation enables software to automatically provision, configure, manage, and monitor network devices with a minimum number of steps and fewer errors. Automation reduces the complexities of network infrastructure, allowing network administrators to focus more on the innovations of their business needs. The entire network can now be remotely managed with minimal human intervention. This software-driven architecture is essential for businesses to lower operational costs and improve time-to-market.
Ansible is a straightforward automation language that is designed to automate IT application infrastructure tasks. Ansible can now be extended to network nodes, enabling network teams to:
- Use a simple, powerful, and agentless automation framework.
- Use a data model (a playbook or role) that easily spans network devices.
- Benefit from a wide variety of community and vendor-generated playbook and role content to help accelerate network automation projects .
With the introduction of Ansible 2.2, Ansible supports Dell Networking modules. These modules can be used to manage and automate Dell Technologies switches running Dell Networking SmartFabric OS10. All modules are run in local connection mode using CLI and SSH transport.
Dell Networking modules have been packaged and distributed through Ansible Galaxy. Ansible Galaxy is a hub for finding, reusing, and sharing the Ansible content. Ansible Galaxy provides prepackaged units in Ansible roles.