The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods NAN093: Network Automation – There Must Be a Better Way!
Jun 4, 2025
Bart Dorlandt, a veteran in network automation, shares his motto, "There must be a better way!" He emphasizes the importance of focusing on process over tools to improve networking efficiencies. The conversation covers the evolving field of network engineering, the shift from manual tasks to automation, and the significance of mentorship in the community. Bart also discusses leveraging programming languages like Python and the impact of innovative practices on traditional networking, all while fostering a mindset of continuous improvement.
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Early Network Automation with Bash
- Bart started automating by parsing text files with Bash to compare routing tables and BGP network statements.
- This simple automation saved time and improved network configuration accuracy without full automatic management.
Choose Familiar Automation Tools
- Start network automation focusing on the tools your team already uses to maximize learning and impact.
- Stay curious to explore other tools and APIs, but don’t swim upstream against existing team choices.
Inventory Script Saves Months
- Bart wrote a script that retrieved MAC address and ARP data to produce an Excel inventory sheet.
- It drastically reduced manual work from months to seconds and enabled security projects to disable unused ports.