Overview

On this, the final episode of our ongoing Catalyst Middle Automation Collection, our focus is on superior automation strategies which permit us to unravel varied use circumstances inside a community from Catalyst Middle. Throughout this lab, we are going to focus on find out how to modify varied velocity templates to cope with particular use circumstances in order that Catalyst Middle provisioning can allow these use circumstances through automation. This permits you, the community administrator, the flexibility to unravel extra varieties of configuration points from Catalyst Middle and to cope with the dynamics of an enterprise community.

Inside this collection, we cowl the next;

1. PnP Preparation – explains the general Plug and Play arrange steps
2. Onboarding Templates – explains in-depth find out how to deploy Day 0 templates
3. Day N Templates – dives into Day N template constructs with each common and composite templates and use circumstances
4. Software Policys – explores Software Policys and SD-AVC in Catalyst Middle and their use
5. Telemetry – explains find out how to deploy Telemetry for assurance
6. Superior Automation – explores Superior Automation strategies
7. Dynamic Automation – a deployment lab for dynamic automation

What is going to I be taught within the Superior Automation Lab?

That is an enablement sort module inside the Wired Automation lab and it permits prospects to achieve past what they presently perceive by attempting new ideas, actually push the boundaries of automation. Throughout this lab, we are going to cowl varied subjects with regard to template logic to unravel varied use circumstances. We cowl some earlier ideas with an in-depth deal with broadening their capabilities.

The idea of this lab is so that you can rebuild the common templates to solidify your understanding of templates, and so that you could be substitute them into the composite to check with. Totally different strategies for the various use circumstances might be given explaining each the professionals and cons alongside the way in which. Broaden your capabilities with this lab and take your skills to the following degree. You’re solely inhibited by your individual creativeness.

Matters

The assorted subjects we are going to contact on within the lab include the next:

1. Self-deleting EEM scripts
2. Working with Arrays and Strategies in Velocity
3. Utilizing Conditional Statements for Configuration
4. Velocity and Allow versus Interactive mode
5. Assigning port configuration in a stack
6. Autoconf vs Smartports
7. IBNS 2.0 configuration

Use Circumstances

We are going to cowl the Matters above in a variety of use circumstances to point out the aptitude and adaptability of the templating engine inside Catalyst Middle. Whereas we are going to make the most of Velocity language the identical will be achieved within the Jinja2 language.

1. Renaming interfaces
2. Constructing Stacks
3. Assigning port configuration
4. Autoconf port configuration
5. Non SDA IBNS 2.0 port configuration

With that, the lab covers these subjects in-depth;

We are going to achieve a sensible understanding of the steps related to establishing Catalyst Middle and an surroundings to assist complicated, superior, common templates to ship machine configuration throughout these labs. The labs goal to assist engineers in quickly starting utilizing Catalyst Middle automation and assist them work in the direction of a worldwide template technique. Moreover, these labs will give prospects a everlasting place to check out the common and composite templates and embody configurations for varied use circumstances. Lastly, this surroundings will allow engineers to cut back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

Further issues coated within the lab;

Autoconf

In these labs, we are going to use Autoconf which is an answer that can be utilized to handle port configurations for information or voice VLAN, high quality of service (QoS) parameters, storm management, and MAC-based port safety on finish gadgets which might be deployed within the entry layer of a community. Gadget classification is enabled once you allow the Autoconf characteristic utilizing the autoconf allow world configuration mode command. The machine detection acts as an occasion set off, which in flip applies the suitable computerized template to the interface. When the Autoconf characteristic is enabled utilizing the autoconf allow command, the default Autoconf service coverage is utilized to all of the interfaces. For extra details about Autoconf.

Self-Destructing EEM scripts

Self-Destructing EEM scripts are those who delete themselves on termination. Inside the EEM script, it has code that removes the EEM applet from the configuration, after which the configuration is written to NVRAM previous to terminating. The makes use of for such a script are quite a few, and this lab covers one particular use case however an imaginative thoughts can give you many different makes use of for such a characteristic.

IBNS 2.0 Configuration

Whereas not protecting all of the points of IBNS 2.0, we cowl the configuration that we might implement with a purpose to permit for automating host onboarding inside a non-SD-Entry campus community. These ideas whereas not constructed into a proper UI inside Catalyst Middle for legacy networks permit organizations that want to automate their infrastructure the possibility to automate.

The format of the code inside all these sections of the lab is in a straightforward copy-to-paste window permitting you to import them into Catalyst Middle just by pasting them into the editor.

How can I get began?

Inside DCLOUD, a number of sandbox-type labs can be found. These self-contained environments are there to can help you use them as you please throughout the time scheduled. As well as, this permits us a spot to begin training varied ideas with out concern of impacting manufacturing environments.

Because of this, we hope to demystify a few of the complexities of establishing automation and assist information prospects by the caveats. Due to this fact, to assist prospects within the transition towards automation, we have now put collectively a set of small useful labs inside a GitHub repository. On this manner, these self-guided labs present a glimpse into the basics of constructing velocity templates and provide examples that you would be able to obtain and increase from. As well as, the pattern templates and JSON information equipped are for simple import into Catalyst Facilities’ template editor for faster adoption. Lastly, some scripts are ready-made excerpts of code that can help you construct the surroundings to check.

Inside the Wired Automation lab, within the Superior Automation module, we step-by-step delve into superior automation strategies and methods to make the most of them to unravel varied use circumstances. Second, we offer solutions and explanations to most of the questions that come up throughout automation workshops. We hope that you just discover the data each useful and informative.

The place can I take a look at and check out these labs?

DCLOUD Lab Surroundings

To assist prospects succeed with Cisco Catalyst Middle automation, you could make the most of the above labs as they’ve been designed to work inside DCLOUD’s Cisco Enterprise Networks {Hardware} Sandbox Labs in both:

1. Cisco Enterprise Networks {Hardware} Sandbox West DC
2. Cisco Enterprise Networks {Hardware} Sandbox East DC

The DCLOUD labs can help you run these labs and provides an surroundings to attempt the varied code samples. Chances are you’ll select to develop and export your code to be used in manufacturing environments. Additionally, this offers you an surroundings the place you may safely POC/POV strategies and steps with out harming your manufacturing environments. The DCLOUD surroundings additionally negates the necessity for transport gear, lead instances, and licensing points wanted to get shifting quickly. Please do adhere to the perfect practices for the DCLOUD surroundings when utilizing it.

Lab Connectivity

The surroundings permits to be used with a web-based browser shopper for VPN-less connectivity, entry in addition to AnyConnect VPN shopper connectivity for many who choose it. Chances are you’ll select from labs hosted out of our San Jose Services by choosing US West. Select the Cisco Enterprise Community Sandbox. To entry this or another content material, together with demonstrations, labs, and coaching in DCLOUD please work together with your Cisco Account crew or Cisco Companion Account Workforce immediately. Your Account groups will schedule the session and share it so that you can use. As soon as booked observe the information inside GitHub to finish the duties adhering to the perfect practices of the DCLOUD surroundings.

Content material

The Wired Automation labs, Superior Automation module content material is situated throughout the current DNAC-TEMPLATES repository to offer a one-stop-shop for all the mandatory instruments, scripts, templates, and code samples. Inside it are seven labs, which construct upon the tutorials to check the strategies in a lab surroundings. The repository was featured in a earlier submit on Cisco Blogs about Catalyst Middle Templates earlier in Could 2021.

Further Info

Catalyst Middle Template Labs

The beforehand named DNAC Template LABS throughout the DNAC-TEMPLATES GitHub repository goal to information you thru the everyday steps required to allow the varied automation duties delivered by Catalyst Middle. This lab will give examples of templates utilized in Catalyst Middle that we will modify for our use and take a look at on gear throughout the LAB surroundings. Further data throughout the lab gives a well-rounded clarification of Automation strategies with Templates. Lastly, the lab permits for patrons to make use of Catalyst Middle workflows to apply deploying Onboarding, DayN Templates, and Software Coverage automation on each Wired and Wi-fi Platforms.

The aim of this lab is for it to be a sensible information to assist engineers to quickly start utilizing Catalyst Middle automation and assist them work in the direction of a deployment technique. Moreover, this lab will give prospects a everlasting place to check out the configurations for varied use circumstances. Lastly, this surroundings will allow engineers to cut back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

Because of this, you’ll achieve expertise in establishing Plug and Play onboarding and templates and using all options. Moreover, you’ll use superior templating strategies and troubleshooting instruments. These might assist throughout faultfinding to find out what’s failing in a deployment.

Catalyst Middle Labs

Please use this menu to navigate the varied sections of this GitHub repository. Inside the a number of folders are examples and clarification readme information for reference. There at the moment are two units of labs, and these are being frequently expanded upon.

In conclusion, in case you discovered this set of labs and repository useful,

please fill in feedback and suggestions on the way it could possibly be improved.

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