A large organization’s network operations leader recently stated simply that speed and stability were the two biggest barriers their network operations team faced, even though the business was demanding speed and the network operations team was responsible for stability, which results in an expectation to provide both successfully.
This tension has increased substantially over the last few years, as organizations have begun to develop applications more quickly than ever, and they are now also expanding into the cloud and supporting users who are working from a variety of locations.
In this article, we will discuss how network automation allows organizations to develop and support their networks at much faster rates without sacrificing the stability of their networks and provide examples of practical strategies that IT leaders can use in today’s network environments to overcome some of the more common challenges they face.
Why speed has become non-negotiable in network operations?
The development of digital service operations is the primary driver for all businesses today. The central role of the broadband network is providing the performance and availability needed by customers using digital applications and businesses using clouds based on digital data.
The following are some of the trends that are creating a need for network operations at higher speeds.
- The first trend is that due to increasing numbers of cloud purchases, customers are now able to quickly set up infrastructure on-demand.
- The second trend is the rise of DevOps methodology, which focuses on producing software in a fast and continuous manner.
- The third trend is user expectations of a seamless service available 24 hours a day. The expectation of customers and employees is that services are always available, and even a small disruption may cause a noticeable impact on a business.
Network operations will change from a traditional environment where operations were being maintained in a static condition to providing ongoing operational support as per Netpicker.
How does network automation change the way we manage our infrastructure?
Network automation takes the management of an organization’s entire infrastructure out of the hands of engineers and puts it into the hands of technology.
Engineers now specify the desired state for every network device, using frameworks and templates.
These specifications are then automatically deployed across the network with no additional input required from an engineer.
Network automation creates a significant reduction in the number of human errors that will occur on the network due to consistent configuration standards.
It also increases the speed of implementation for tasks executed automatically, and it allows for improved error identification and resolution because all changes are tracked and stored in the network data warehouse as per Netpicker.
One of the greatest benefits of network automation is that it allows organizations to establish standardized, repeatable processes that can scale along with the complexity of their networks.
How does automation actually protect the network?
Many people view automation as a means of speeding up daily operations. However, automating your organization’s operations’ true value should be how it allows you to avoid network problems.
- Removal of undetected errors through standardization
- Early discovery of problems through validation
- Confident movement provides speed, not tools alone.
- Continuing real-time network stability through enhanced visibility
What are the challenges in adopting network automation?
The benefits of automation are obvious but require work in order to adopt it.
Many businesses have older technology that does not support automation.
Other companies may experience resistance from employees who have worked with manual processes.
In addition, there are many networks that do not have a standard way of configuring devices, which makes using automation even harder, as per Netpicker.
To overcome these issues, companies should take a phased approach to automation.
Automate repetitive tasks first. Develop templates. Increase visibility into the network, and progressively automate the more intricate procedures from there as per Netpicker.
What are the benefits of network automation for IT professionals?
The old school network automation affects network performance. In turn, this increase in network performance enhances the organization’s ability to meet its business objectives.
Speed to market
Network automation reduces time to get an application or service deployed into production by removing the need for human intervention between making a networking change and an application being authorized for production.
Consistency of performance
Using automated processes and validated configurations increases the probability that a network will function as designed without any accidental outages.
Minimized operating costs
Automated processes create opportunities to reduce the number of non-value-added processes through automation, allowing IT staff to focus on higher-value efforts.
Increased compliance and network security
Automated monitoring and standardized policies create a framework for implementing and maintaining network compliance and security.
Some best practices for successful automation.
- Successful automation organizations always adhere to a few important principles.
- Standardizing processes before automating them so that all network configurations are aligned and have the same properties on all devices across the network.
- Investing in visibility/inventory systems to have knowledge of the infrastructure.
For more information, contact us at Netpicker!