Viptela SD-WAN tranformation using Network as Code

[VKrishnaPrasadJarugumilli68048]

Hi,

I am new to Networking technology. I come from ADM experience and developed, delivered large transformation programs over the years. 

I have practical experience in designing DevOps pipelines and executed DevOps teams ; thats like automation everything anything in Application and Infra world.

Viptela provides lots of REST APIs and SD-WAN technology allows programmatic / code-configure control of Network as I learnt recently. 

I have gone thru Cisco DevNet and realized that its possible to introduce NetDevOps in Viptela. 

I am trying to fit in the concepts of my DevOps/tools/process automation experience into Viptela SD-WAN. 

My doubt lies around, if I have to design NetDevOps, my question is - Is it possible that everything can be coded/configured in Viptela without using vManage GUI ? If its possible, thats a big culture change and lots of coding using Ansible (lets say). Is it a good start to configure entire DC and Sites using ansible ?

[Sergiu.Daniluk · Accepted solution]

Hi @VKrishnaPrasadJarugumilli68048 

Welcome to Networking! I hope you will find it interesting (I can assure you it is interesting, especially if you combine it with automation!!)

Now, although Viptela is not a Data Center technology, is hard for me to relate to it. However, I know that SD-WAN, like ACI (which is the SDN solution for DC), was built with the REST API idea in mind. That means you can omit the controller's GUI and configure everything through your favorite REST client (Ansible, Terraform, python etc).

In fact, I am currently doing a Network as Code project, where I am transforming my DC lab in code (Ansible playbooks).

So answer to your question: yes, you can make your Network as Code.

Regards,

Sergiu

P.S. for Viptela related questions you can check this community: https://community.cisco.com/t5/networking/ct-p/4461-network-infrastructure  there is a SD-WAN category

[VKrishnaPrasadJarugumilli68048]

Thank you Sergiu. 

That is promising. I am excited to be in the Networking technology. 

I see lots of automation is awaiting in many areas of the Network. Not only SD-WAN side, I am going to look into SDN-DC, SD-Branch areas automation especially Network as Code. 

I see that you are onto the project already. That motivates for me to channelize my concepts.