The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods 1031 TNO048: Ops to Orchestrated: An Architect’s Automation Journey
Oct 31, 2025
Jesse Ford, an automation architect with extensive experience in service provider and enterprise networking, shares insights from his journey in real-world automation. He discusses why he favors Python for its ease of use and effective problem-solving. Jesse dives into evaluating tools like Ansible and Cisco NSO, emphasizing strategic choices for scaling automation. He also highlights how Itential's platform democratizes automation, allowing non-developers to participate. Lastly, he explains automating PCI compliance to save hundreds of hours, showcasing the tangible ROI of automation.
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Bootstrap Automation With A Real Problem
- Jesse described learning automation after a production issue sped up work from weeks to days using Python.
- That success hooked him into an automation career and reinforced disciplined explanations to leadership.
Tool Diversity Beats One-Size Solutions
- No single automation tool fits every use case; assess strengths and gaps across tools.
- Compose a toolset by combining complementary tools rather than expecting one to solve all problems.
Don't Buy The Cadillac Too Soon
- Jesse recounted choosing not to adopt Cisco NSO early because it was too complex for his team's maturity.
- That decision taught him to match tool choices to team capability and business context.