NetDevOps Days London 2023 - netdevopsdays.com
Miles Sutcliffe - NetSec & Platform Automation Team - iSAM
In this presentation I'll explore my transformative journey in network automation over the past three years. Starting with my departure from a company lacking interest in automation and my subsequent entry into a new role with a visionary boss. Initially plagued by self-doubt and imposter syndrome, my perseverance led me to significant achievements. We implemented NetBox to manage a network inherited from multiple MSPs, paving the way for subsequent automation projects including automating core network deployments using Arista Validated Designs (AVD) and a Django-based firewall management tool called "Forge." These tools allowed us to model firewall rules based on device grouping, streamlining configuration and deployment processes and empowering business units by creating a self-service application named "BUG" (Business Unit Generated Firewall Rules) which enabled developers to request firewall rules easily.This journey demonstrates the transformative power of network automation and how my journey can hopefully help others to overcome challenges and drive impactful change in their organization.