Benefits of network automation make life easier for IT pros

Networks in most organizations continue to grow more complex and challenging to deploy, operate and maintain. New network automation tools use advances in software networking to reduce manual processes in the network and address network complexity.

Network automation is a broad category of tools and processes designed to eliminate manual network tasks, such as provisioning, scripting, implementing change requests, and identifying causes of slowdowns and outages. The benefits of network automation software include the replacement of manual processes via software configuration, zero-touch provisioning, network management and testing capabilities.

Modern networks contain a dizzying array of hardware and software products, including cabling, Ethernet switches, Wi-Fi access points and controllers, routers, application delivery controllers, software-defined WAN and network security gear — most of which is from multiple suppliers. Each network location — i.e., data center, campus or branch — has its own unique architecture and set of products and suppliers. The addition of software-defined networking into this mix has generally increased the complexity.The vast majority of network tasks are still manual, including adds, moves and changes to the network or security. Identifying the cause of application slowdowns, brownouts or outages is akin to finding a needle in the haystack — and it’s often just as time-consuming. Further, topologies and other sources of network information are often located in multiple databases, which makes it challenging for IT personnel to find the real network map.

Benefits of network automation software

Network automation software can provide several benefits to IT organizations. It is designed to reduce or eliminate various repetitive, manual tasks that are often labor-intensive, such as provisioning, configuration changes and policy implementation. Other benefits of network automation software include the following:

  • reduced chance of human errors, which affect network performance and security;
  • rapid provisioning of new services, including centralized zero-touch provisioning at remote locations;
  • ability to locate and identify the root cause of network or security issues; and
  • reduced security risk, as fewer manual processes means fewer configuration or policy errors that can open the network to attack.

Overall, network automation software can improve network availability and make the network easier to deploy and less labor-intensive to operate.

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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871533
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