Network Automation in 2019: Tools, Frameworks, and Real-World Applications

November, 2019 • 8 min read

In 2019, network automation continues to mature as organizations seek to improve operational efficiency and reduce human error in complex IT environments. Automation is no longer an optional add-on — it is a critical enabler for scalable, secure, and agile infrastructure.

Why Network Automation Matters

Enterprises today manage networks that span multiple data centers, public and private clouds, and hundreds of branch sites. Manual provisioning, configuration, and troubleshooting are slow and error-prone. Automation addresses these challenges by enabling consistent, repeatable, and validated network operations.

Key Drivers in 2019

• Increased adoption of DevOps practices
• Cloud-native infrastructure and API-first design
• Advances in programmability across platforms
• Pressure to reduce downtime and Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)

Popular Tools and Frameworks

The automation toolkit in 2019 is diverse and powerful. Engineers have access to vendor-agnostic and platform-specific options, including:

• Ansible: Widely used for configuration management, provisioning, and orchestration. Modules for Cisco, Juniper, Arista, and more are available.
• Python with Netmiko/NAPALM: Offers low-level control and scripting capabilities for network devices via SSH and APIs.
• Terraform: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) framework increasingly applied to network infrastructure, especially in cloud environments.
• SaltStack and Puppet: Gaining traction for structured policy enforcement and centralized automation control.

Real-World Applications

In real deployments, network automation solves specific business challenges. For example:

• Automated VLAN provisioning across hundreds of branch switches
• On-demand firewall rule changes via a self-service portal
• Continuous compliance checks and drift remediation
• Zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) of SD-WAN edge devices

API-First Platforms and Open Standards

Modern network devices and controllers expose RESTful APIs and support JSON/YAML payloads, making integration with automation frameworks easier. Platforms like Cisco DNA Center, Juniper Contrail, and VMware NSX offer northbound APIs for developers to automate and orchestrate workflows.

OpenConfig and gNMI protocols further enable intent-based networking and real-time telemetry collection, allowing operators to build closed-loop automation systems that can act on live data.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite the benefits, challenges remain. Teams must address:

• Skills gap in programming and automation design
• Toolchain fragmentation and lack of standardization
• Complex integration across heterogeneous platforms
• Risk of automation errors without proper validation or rollback

Effective network automation requires not only technical tooling, but also cultural adoption, governance, and collaboration across teams.

The Road Ahead

As we look toward 2020, network automation evolves beyond simple scripts and CLI templating. The industry moves toward autonomous networks, intent-driven architectures, and AIOps integration. Tools become smarter, more declarative, and more deeply integrated into CI/CD pipelines.

Organizations that invest early in building automation capabilities are positioning themselves for faster innovation, improved resilience, and reduced operational costs. In 2019, automation is no longer the future — it is the present.

Eduardo Wnorowski is a network infrastructure consultant and Director.
With over 24 years of experience in IT and consulting, he helps organizations maintain stable and secure environments through proactive auditing, optimization, and strategic guidance.
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