Cisco Catalyst Middle Template Labs – Superior Automation, Half 7

Overview

On this, the final episode of our ongoing Catalyst Middle Automation Sequence, our focus is on superior automation strategies which permit us to resolve numerous use circumstances inside a community from Catalyst Middle. Throughout this lab, we are going to focus on methods to modify numerous velocity templates to take care of particular use circumstances in order that Catalyst Middle provisioning can allow these use circumstances by way of automation. This allows you, the community administrator, the flexibility to resolve extra varieties of configuration points from Catalyst Middle and to take care of the dynamics of an enterprise community.

Inside this sequence, we cowl the next;

1. PnP Preparation – explains the general Plug and Play arrange steps
2. Onboarding Templates – explains in-depth methods 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. Utility Policys – explores Utility Policys and SD-AVC in Catalyst Middle and their use
5. Telemetry – explains methods to deploy Telemetry for assurance
6. Superior Automation – explores Superior Automation methods
7. Dynamic Automation – a deployment lab for dynamic automation

What is going to I study within the Superior Automation Lab?

That is an enablement kind module inside the Wired Automation lab and it permits clients to achieve past what they at the moment perceive by making an attempt new ideas, actually push the boundaries of automation. Throughout this lab, we are going to cowl numerous matters with regard to template logic to resolve numerous use circumstances. We cowl some earlier ideas with an in-depth concentrate on 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. Completely different strategies for the various use circumstances might be given explaining each the professionals and cons alongside the best way. Increase your capabilities with this lab and take your skills to the following stage. You’re solely inhibited by your personal creativeness.

Matters

The varied matters 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 lot of use circumstances to point out the potential and suppleness of the templating engine inside Catalyst Middle. Whereas we are going to make the most of Velocity language the identical could be completed 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 matters in-depth;

We are going to acquire a sensible understanding of the steps related to organising Catalyst Middle and an atmosphere to help advanced, superior, common templates to ship machine configuration throughout these labs. The labs purpose to help engineers in quickly starting utilizing Catalyst Middle automation and assist them work in direction of a world template technique. Moreover, these labs will give clients a everlasting place to check out the common and composite templates and embrace configurations for numerous use circumstances. Lastly, this atmosphere will allow engineers to cut back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

Further issues lined 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 units which are deployed within the entry layer of a community. System classification is enabled whenever 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 automated 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. Throughout 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 provide you with many different makes use of for such a characteristic.

IBNS 2.0 Configuration

Whereas not protecting all of the facets of IBNS 2.0, we cowl the configuration that we might implement with the intention to enable 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 enable 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 simple 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 will let you use them as you please inside the time scheduled. As well as, this enables us a spot to start out practising numerous ideas with out concern of impacting manufacturing environments.

In consequence, we hope to demystify a few of the complexities of organising automation and assist information clients by way of the caveats. Subsequently, to help clients within the transition towards automation, now we have put collectively a set of small useful labs inside a GitHub repository. On this means, these self-guided labs present a glimpse into the basics of constructing velocity templates and provide examples which you could obtain and develop from. As well as, the pattern templates and JSON information equipped are for straightforward import into Catalyst Facilities’ template editor for faster adoption. Lastly, some scripts are ready-made excerpts of code that will let you construct the atmosphere to check.

Throughout 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 resolve numerous 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 knowledge each useful and informative.

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

DCLOUD Lab Surroundings

To assist clients succeed with Cisco Catalyst Middle automation, you might 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 will let you run these labs and offers an atmosphere to strive the varied code samples. You could select to develop and export your code to be used in manufacturing environments. Additionally, this provides you an atmosphere the place you’ll be able to safely POC/POV strategies and steps with out harming your manufacturing environments. The DCLOUD atmosphere additionally negates the necessity for delivery gear, lead occasions, and licensing points wanted to get transferring quickly. Please do adhere to the very best practices for the DCLOUD atmosphere when utilizing it.

Lab Connectivity

The atmosphere permits to be used with a web-based browser consumer for VPN-less connectivity, entry in addition to AnyConnect VPN consumer connectivity for many who favor it. You could select from labs hosted out of our San Jose Amenities by choosing US West. Select the Cisco Enterprise Community Sandbox. To entry this or every other content material, together with demonstrations, labs, and coaching in DCLOUD please work together with your Cisco Account staff or Cisco Associate Account Group straight. Your Account groups will schedule the session and share it so that you can use. As soon as booked comply with the information inside GitHub to finish the duties adhering to the very best practices of the DCLOUD atmosphere.

Content material

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

Further Info

Catalyst Middle Template Labs

The beforehand named DNAC Template LABS inside the DNAC-TEMPLATES GitHub repository purpose 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 are able to modify for our use and take a look at on gear inside the LAB atmosphere. Further info inside the lab supplies a well-rounded clarification of Automation strategies with Templates. Lastly, the lab permits for purchasers to make use of Catalyst Middle workflows to follow deploying Onboarding, DayN Templates, and Utility Coverage automation on each Wired and Wi-fi Platforms.

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

In consequence, you’ll acquire expertise in organising 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. Throughout 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 regularly expanded upon.

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

please fill in feedback and suggestions on the way it may very well be improved.

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