Trendy networks require extra dynamic modifications than conventional networks, and the answer to constructing these dynamic capabilities is community automation, which implies the job of community engineers is altering.
Traditionally, community reconfigurations required guide work that may require community downtime whereas modifications have been made. Community automation has the potential to mitigate this downtime by re-routing community visitors or scheduling the downtime for off-peak hours.
To satisfy the challenges of this modification, historically skilled community engineers might profit from certifications in automation. Engineers want methods to attenuate the time-consuming, error-prone guide modifications that ever-changing workloads demand.
Cisco and Juniper Networks provide certs particular to automation, and people are described on this article. Different distributors, together with VMWare, AWS, and Microsoft Azure, have certifications that validate intently associated abilities.
Enterprises search community automation abilities
The primary main use case for community automation is DevOps workflows. Given the extremely dynamic nature of the fashionable utility stack there are eventualities the place adjusting the underlying community for scalability or availability provides worth to the application-hosting structure.
Secondly, multi-site company networks historically use WAN connections and site-to-site VPNs to construct cohesive networks. This mannequin will be enhanced by leveraging software-defined WAN (SD-WAN), which may dynamically swap amongst WAN connections, optimizing the selection primarily based on connection pace, value, and reliability.
Third, with community {hardware} forming a important a part of enterprise infrastructure, system updates and configuration modifications can imply scheduling downtime. Community automation has the potential to mitigate downtime by re-routing visitors round gadgets being up to date or scheduling downtime for off-peak hours.
Applied sciences reminiscent of containerization and virtualized workloads are rising, and the dynamic nature of the applying service stack advantages from a community that’s equally dynamic. Moreover, information facilities that host multi-tenant or hybrid workloads might have trade or safety necessities for separating information belonging to completely different clients and even branches inside the identical firm. The answer to constructing these dynamic capabilities is community automation.
What are network-automation abilities?
New abilities that community engineers want to satisfy the challenges of community automation embody the power to create insurance policies and rule units that may implement configuration changes on the fly. These insurance policies can have an effect on VLANs, subnets, and routing, amongst different elements. The job of automation engineer should keep in mind that whereas core ideas and protocols nonetheless pertain, elements of each the {hardware} and the automation system are extremely vendor particular.
That stated, there are some commonalities amongst these methods. Most community automation platforms contain constructing out insurance policies which drive configuration modifications primarily based on sure circumstances being met. This necessitates community automation engineers to know infrastructure-as-code ideas in addition to widespread information codecs like JSON, XML, and YAML.
Scripting abilities, notably utilizing Python, may also be extremely helpful in each designing automation insurance policies and in testing them to make sure consistency and reliability. A agency grasp of utility programming interfaces (API) can also be priceless since many automation platforms depend on them for integration between completely different methods.
Cisco provides DevNet automation coaching
Cisco’s DevNet certification observe is made up of affiliate, skilled, and expert-level certifications. Candidates are required to reveal proficiency in improvement abilities reminiscent of information constructions, design patterns, and components of model management. They may even be anticipated to discover ways to work together with methods via APIs, webhooks, and HTTP communication.
Cisco expects candidates to turn out to be proficient with Cisco SDKs, managing Cisco platforms via APIs, and understanding sources Cisco makes obtainable via its DevNet developer group. Enterprise subjects surrounding utility deployment and safety are additionally key considerations for enterprise-level certifications, opening a variety of subjects like containers, virtualization, unit testing, safety of secrets and techniques, encryption, firewalls, and vulnerability dealing with.
Candidates might want to present automation abilities, particularly workflows, infrastructure as code, and customary automation platforms like Ansible, Puppet, Chef, and Cisco NSO. Successful the Cisco certification requires a mastery of networking fundamentals reminiscent of MAC addresses, VLANs, IP addresses, routes, subnets, switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, and NAT, amid myriad different subjects important to understanding fashionable networks.
The Cisco DevNet Affiliate certification requires candidates to move the 200-901 DEVASC examination. Cisco provides a self-paced coaching class for it referred to as Creating Functions and Automating Workflows utilizing Cisco Platforms. It prices $800. The DevNet Skilled and Skilled certifications each require the 350-901 DEVCOR cert as their basis. The self-paced prep class for the 350-901 DEVCOR examination is named Creating Functions utilizing Cisco Core Platforms and APIs, additionally $800. DevNet Skilled candidates should additionally move certainly one of eight focus exams, all of that are centered on automation or improvement of assorted Cisco platforms. The Skilled degree DevNet cert requires completion of an eight-hour lab examination, which requires candidates to navigate all the improvement lifecycle from design via improvement to deployment and upkeep.
Juniper points affiliate and specialist certs in automation
Juniper Networks’ DevOps certification observe provides affiliate and specialist certs: Juniper Community Licensed Affiliate, Automation and DevOps (JNCIA-DevOps) and Juniper Community Licensed Specialist, Automation and DevOps (JNCIS-DevOps). Every has its personal certification examination, and the specialist cert requires the associate-level certification as a prerequisite. Juniper certifications are legitimate for 3 years and will be recertified via further exams or course attendance.
Juniper examination targets aren’t as daunting as what Cisco’s, although at a excessive degree they’re fairly comparable. Matters surrounding the Junos automation stack in addition to fundamental DevOps ideas make up the primary set of targets, with performance and use of NETCONF, XML ideas (together with XPath), and API utilization making up the second.
Information serialization and templating are additionally core targets, incorporating subjects reminiscent of YAML, JSON, Jinja2, and XML. Python is one other space of focus, and candidates should present proficiency within the Junos Snapshot Administrator (JSNAPy), Jinja2, Distant Process Calls, exception dealing with with PyEZ, and dealing with machine standing and configuration. Candidates must also be acquainted with REST APIs normally, and extra particularly with the Junos REST API choices, together with the Junos REST API Explorer and Consumer URL entry. Candidates for the specialist-level certification may even should be acquainted with automation ideas (play books, Tower, and utilizing SALT to automate Junos), Junos automation scripts (commits, occasions, translation, SNMP scripts, and SLAX), and YANG fashions.
Prime automation engineers earn $200,000-plus
The abilities a community automation engineer span each deeply technical areas of enterprise networking and software program improvement. As a result of degree of specialization within the fashionable IT workforce, it’s uncommon for a person to attain expert-level specialization in each disciplines. Which means it’s a job-seekers marketplace for people with proficiency in each areas that they gained both via job expertise or relevant certifications. These jobs will primarily be obtainable at giant enterprises, authorities organizations, or consulting corporations that present providers to enterprises.
Salaries for community automation engineers generally begin between $90,000 and $110,000 for positions that require one to 3 years of expertise. Candidates with greater than 5 years of expertise can anticipate to earn $125,000 to $175,000, whereas these with each expertise and certifications have a leg up touchdown jobs paying as much as $215,000.
Be aware: Many community automation jobs are an excellent match for distant work. Since a lot of the effort is spent on design, improvement, and testing, there may be minimal want for on-site work. In lots of instances community automation tasks span a number of bodily places anyway, including additional justification for working from residence.
So for profession development, higher pay, and staying related as networks evolve, coaching in community automation abilities could possibly be simply what you want.
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