Python for Network Automation

Course Code: 6006

Overview
Schedule classes
What you'll learn
Outline
Prerequisites
Who should attend

Overview

This course helps participants sharpen their networking skill set by learning to script solutions to tedious and complex tasks. During the course, participants will learn how to use Python to interact with APIs, opening Telnet and SSH sessions, work with files and popular data structures, automate filling out web forms and how to interact with switches and routers across the most popular network vendors.

The course is a combination of lectures, demonstrations and hands-on labs. Participants are invited to share their own relevant Python and Ansible scripts with the instructor to ensure class subjects are as relevant as possible.

Schedule Classes

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Course Delivery

This course is available in the following formats:

Live Classroom
Duration: 5 days

Live Virtual Classroom
Duration: 5 days

What You'll learn

Automate front end interfaces
Interact with APIs
Open Telnet and SSH sessions
Read and write data out of popular file types (including Excel)
Transform data between popular data structures like JSON and YAML
Interact with switches and routers across most popular network vendors using multiple Python libraries

Outline

Module 1: Reviewing Python essentials

Version Controlling Code
Up and running with Python (installing on various platforms)
Lists
Dictionaries
File Input and Output
Functions
Methods
Review of the Standard Library
Using pip and pypi.org

Module 2: Python and Data translation

JSON
- Reading from files
- Reading from API
YAML
- Reading from files
CSV
- Reading from files
Excel
- Using pyexcel library
- Using pandas library

Module 3: Python and RESTful APIs

RESTful APIs decoded
Reading attachments
API keying
Passing credentials securely
Standard Library Solution
3rd party library solutions

Module 4: Automating SMTP and Extended SMTP (Email)

SMTP
Extended SMTP
Automating Email solutions
Setting headers and creating a body
Attachments
Google Gmail considerations
Microsoft considerations

Module 5: Completing Webforms with Python

Web Scraping
Automating front-ends with code
Selenium for Automation
Completing webforms
Filling in data with data from open files
How to select ‘buttons’
How to make ‘clicks’

Module 6: Python and Telnet

RFC 854 – Telnet Protocol
Standard Library Solution

Module 7: Python and SSH

Standard Library Solution
Paramiko
- SSH Agents
- Key exchange and authorization
- Securing dealing with passwords
- Configuration
- SFTP
Passing commands and capturing responses
Parsing remote logs

Module 8: Automating Switches and Routers with Python

Netmiko
Push / Pull Configuration
Retrieve information about devices
Manage the devices configuration
Connecting and Running a Command on a Networking Device
Enable & Global Config Mode
Configure a Networking Device from a File
Configuration Backup using Netmiko
VLAN & VXLAN management
BGP & OSPF Management
Solutions for HSRP, VRRP, and GLBP

Module 9: Automating Networks with Python NAPALM

Installation
Tutorials
Validating deployments
Supported Devices
Command Line Tool
NetworkDriver
YANG
napalm-logs
Integrations

Module 10: Python and Network Captures

Wireshark
TCPDump
Decoding network captures with Python
*.pcap files
*.pcap-ng files
Parsing network captures
Regular Expression Library

Module 11: Optimizations and Security

Multiprocessing and Multithreading
Examples of running in parallel
Cost and Benefit Considerations
Secure hashes and digests
MD5, SHA, and OpenSSL Options
Encrypting content
Considerations for credentials
Securely passing input

Module 12: Overview of Ansible (optional)

Multiprocessing and Multithreading
Examples of running in parallel
Cost and Benefit Considerations
Secure hashes and digests
MD5, SHA, and OpenSSL Options
Encrypting content
Considerations for credentials
Securely passing input

Prerequisites

Participants need to have keyboard proficiency and some basic understanding of network concepts. Participants would find it benefit from having prior exposure to Python or any other scripting experience.