Cisco Catalyst Middle Template Labs – Dynamic Automation, Half 8

Overview

On this episode of our ongoing Catalyst Middle Automation Sequence, our focus is on utilizing a number of dynamic approaches to automating the community. We have now beforehand, within the sequence, concentrated our efforts on particular ideas regarding automation. Nonetheless, on this Self-Paced Standalone Lab, we are going to begin to mix numerous concepts to offer you a extra in-depth have a look at what is feasible by means of automation supplied by Catalyst Middle. We’ll automate the entry layer with Dynamic templates, which may auto-provision ports based mostly on PoE occasions. Throughout this lab, we are going to make the most of numerous velocity templates mentioned in Lab 7 to take care of particular use instances in order that Catalyst Middle provisioning can allow these use instances by way of automation. This permits you, the community administrator, with the aptitude to unravel extra sorts of configuration points from Catalyst Middle and to take care of the dynamics of an enterprise community.

Not like the earlier Labs within the sequence, this lab is a self-contained lab and has no dependencies on any of the earlier labs. Whilst you can add ideas from Labs 5 and 6 to this lab, it’s designed to don’t have any pre-configuration. It makes use of numerous automation methods to indicate the whole artwork of the doable in a non-Software program Outlined Entry method.

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 instances
4. Software Policys – explores Software 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 be taught within the Dynamic Automation Lab?

That is an enablement sort module inside the Wired Automation lab, and it permits prospects to succeed in past what they at the moment perceive by making an attempt new ideas, actually pushing the boundaries of automation. We’ll cowl numerous subjects about template logic to unravel a number of use instances throughout this lab. We cowl some earlier ideas with an in-depth concentrate on broadening their capabilities.

The idea of this lab is so that you can construct the surroundings from Discovery and PnP by means of to deployment. Permitting a protected place so that you can attempt, modify, and get used to the varied ideas and approaches.

Method

Preparation

The Lab is constructed for minimal intervention making use of issues like Relaxation-API run by way of Postman inside a set runner to shortly configure Catalyst Middle. This permits us to deploy Settings, Credentials, Uncover Gadgets, Construct Websites, Buildings, Flooring, and assign the units to these websites. It is a highly effective instance of what might be accomplished, as a result of it demonstrates how shortly you will get Catalyst Middle up and operating using Relaxation-API utilizing only one software.

For the Microsoft Home windows surroundings, DNS and DHCP providers are carried out utilizing a PowerShell script for velocity of implementation. This permits us to shortly add DHCP Scopes and DNS Entries for the required providers within the lab surroundings.

However wait there may be extra…

Templates

We use templates inside the lab to configure all of the {hardware} gear, in preparation for the Plug and Play onboarding of the entry change, after which deploy the DayN Composite template to fully configure the change in essentially the most dynamic method doable permitting for using low-impact mode depending on what sort of system is plugged into the change. All templates and initiatives for Catalyst Middle within the lab are downloaded as JSON recordsdata and imported permitting for minimal arrange time.

There are such a lot of superior configurations provided inside the lab that point must be spent after set as much as delve into and perceive all of them. Upon getting mastered all these ideas you have to be on the level the place you possibly can take care of most automation duties demanded in fashionable enterprise networks.

Matters

The assorted subjects we are going to contact on and deploy inside the lab encompass the next:

1. Integrating Catalyst Middle and Identification Providers Engine by way of PxGrid
2. Utilizing Relaxation-API to configure Catalyst Middle by way of Postman Command Runner
3. Using Discovery to onboard community units
4. Provisioning Common and Composite Templates to Found Gadgets
5. Pattern PowerShell scripts to simplify DHCP and DNS deployment
6. Plug and Play (PnP) Onboarding of Gadgets
7. Common and Composite Templates for Routers and Switches
8. Autoconf and Embedded Occasion Supervisor
9. IBNS 2.0 configuration
10. Working with  Identification Service Engine (ISE) Profiling and Insurance policies

Use Instances

We’ll cowl the Matters above in a number of use instances to indicate the aptitude and adaptability of the templating engine inside Catalyst Middle. On this lab we make the most of Velocity language. Equally, we will make the most of the Jinja2 language though not on this lab. These have been the subjects within the earlier lab we coated that are related:

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 makes use of these subjects;

We’ll acquire a sensible understanding of the steps related to organising a Catalyst Middle and an surroundings to help complicated, superior, common templates to ship system configuration throughout these labs. The labs goal to help 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 embrace configurations for numerous use instances. Lastly, this surroundings will allow engineers to scale back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

Extra issues coated within the lab;

Autoconf

In these labs, we use Autoconf, an answer that manages port configurations for knowledge or voice VLAN, high quality of service (QoS) parameters, storm management, and MAC-based port safety on finish units to deploy configuration in an automatic method within the entry layer of a community. Machine classification is enabled once you allow the Autoconf characteristic utilizing the autoconf allow international configuration mode command. The system 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. Autoconf and service-policies right now can’t co-exist on the identical interface and so for interfaces which have templates statically assigned to the interface with service-policy attachment for authentication we might make use of different strategies to make the interface Dynamic.

EEM scripts

EEM scripts use some form of occasion to set off them. Inside the EEM script, you possibly can reconfigure interfaces, ship occasion notifications by way of e mail and way more. On this lab we use EEM scripts to reconfigure interfaces on a down occasion to a base closed authentication template, and modify them to low affect mode when a PoE Energy up occasion is detected. 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.

Self-Destructing EEM scripts

Self-Destructing EEM scripts are those who delete themselves on termination. Inside the EEM script, code removes the EEM applet from the configuration, after which writes the configuration to NVRAM. 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 overlaying all of the points of IBNS 2.0, we cowl the configuration that we might implement as a way 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 straightforward copy-to-paste window permitting you to import them into Catalyst Middle just by pasting them into the editor.

Beginning…

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

Consequently, we hope to demystify a number of the complexities of organising automation and assist information prospects by means of the caveats. Due to this fact, to help prospects within the transition towards automation, we have now put collectively a set of small useful labs inside a GitHub repository. On this method, these self-guided labs present a glimpse into the basics of constructing velocity templates and provide examples that you could obtain and increase from. As well as, the pattern templates and JSON recordsdata equipped are for straightforward import into Catalyst Facilities’ template editor for faster adoption. Lastly, some scripts are ready-made excerpts of code that let 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 numerous use instances. Second, we offer solutions and explanations to lots 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 check and check out these labs?

DCLOUD Lab Setting

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

Lab Connectivity

The surroundings permits for a web-based browser consumer for VPN-less connectivity. Moreover, there may be AnyConnect VPN consumer connectivity for individuals who want it. Select the Cisco Enterprise Community Sandbox. Moreover, you could select from our San Jose and RTP Amenities labs by both deciding on US East or US West. To entry this or different content material, demonstrations, and labs in DCLOUD, please immediately work along with your Cisco or Accomplice Account Workforce. 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 perfect practices of the DCLOUD surroundings.

Content material

The Wired Automation labs, Superior Automation module content material is situated inside the present 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 surroundings. The repository was featured in a earlier publish on Cisco Blogs about Catalyst Middle Templates earlier in Might 2021.

Extra Data

Catalyst Middle Template Labs

The beforehand named DNAC Template LABS inside the DNAC-TEMPLATES GitHub repository goals to information you thru the standard 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 check on gear inside the LAB surroundings. Extra data inside 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 follow 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 help 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 numerous use instances. Lastly, this surroundings will allow engineers to scale back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

Consequently, 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. Inside the a number of folders are examples and clarification readme recordsdata for reference. There at the moment are two units of labs, and these are being frequently expanded upon.

In conclusion, for those who discovered this set of labs and repository useful,

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

We’d love to listen to what you suppose. Ask a query or depart a remark beneath.
And keep related with Cisco on social!

Try our Cisco Networking video channel

Subscribe to the Networking weblog

Share: