Network Automagic

Steinn and Urs pull up chairs at the oblong table with John Howard, Brian Jeggesen and Bart Dorlandt for an unstructured conversation about why network automation adoption is still stuck, what AI actually changes for infrastructure teams, and what conferences and communities owe the people who show up.Brian looks back on running the first CPH^Automate in Copenhagen, John pushes back on the idea that network engineers can't think in systems, and the panel works through the Trail of Bits model of AI assisted, augmented and native organizations, and why you could swap the word "AI" for "automation" and lose nothing. Along the way: CVE packing from vendors, port knocking with MFA, tiered AI policies and guardrails, why conference talks should show the how and not just the result, and John's verdict that the goalposts haven't moved, the ball has.What we cover:Running CPH^Automate and keeping the organic community feelWhy most engineers still think automation means generating configs fasterSystems thinking vs organizational silos and mean time to innocenceAI, investor expectations and what is happening to dev vs ops salariesWhy security adopted AI first, coding second and infrastructure lastVendors packing 100+ CVEs into one advisoryKnocknoc and closing everything on your borderAI assisted, augmented and native, and the maturity matrix behind itAI summaries in incident response and tiered AI policies with PII detectionWhy clear green/yellow/red guidelines speed up adoptionWhat conference talks should give the audience to take home"The goalposts haven't moved, the ball has"A pragmatic "Mr. Manager" agent that pumps the brakesLinus Torvalds, AI patches and reading the whole threadSpotting Claude-generated slides from across the roomAt the table: John Howard, Brian Jeggesen (CPH^Automate), Bart Dorlandt (NLNAM, dreamnetworking.nl)Links: How we made Trail of Bits AI-native (talk) | Transforming Network Automation with Temporal | Knocknoc | Network Automation ForumHosted by Steinn "Steinzi" Bjarnarson and Urs Baumann.YouTube: @networkautomagic#networkautomation #networkautomagic #AI #autocon #networkengineering #community

Ivan Pepelnjak joins Steinn and Urs to talk about netlab, why multi-vendor ACLs are a hellscape, and what AI can and cannot do with network configuration.Ivan is a CCIE Emeritus, the author of more Cisco Press books than most of us have read, the voice behind ipSpace.net, and the creator of netlab — an open source tool that builds and configures virtual labs across roughly twenty platforms. He describes it himself as an "intent based digital twin lifecycle management system", then immediately admits that's a bullshit bingo winner if you have the right card.The conversation digs into why LLMs write decent Python and bad router configs (vendor CLIs are almost identical but not quite, which is the worst possible training data), the ChatGPT doom loop Ivan hit trying to configure EVPN on Nokia SR OS, and the endless device quirks behind multi-vendor abstraction — Juniper loopbacks, Nokia prefix lengths, and one vendor with roughly 400 keywords you are not allowed to use as a VLAN name.Plus: why every layer 3 switch is really a bridge in disguise, why ACLs are containable and QoS never will be, what a real CCIE engagement looks like when you have twenty years of customer mistakes and exactly one command to fix them, and Ivan's controversial opinion on conferences.What we coverWhat netlab actually is, and the five years behind itWhether netlab is a crutch for beginnersSplitting a lab across multiple servers with automatic VXLAN tunnelsNetlab vs containerlab and Kubernetes-based labsWhy AI generates good Python and bad router configsThe ChatGPT doom loop on Nokia SR OS EVPNCloning production into a lab: control plane works, data plane is a lotteryACL support in netlab, Cartesian products and resequencingAI code review vs AI code — technically correct and five times too longVibe coders, 1982 edition, on a ZX SpectrumLeaky abstractions and worst common denominatorsDevice quirks: Juniper, Nokia, Cisco, and 400 forbidden VLAN names on EXOSWhy every layer 3 switch is a bridge with a router attachedACLs are containable. QoS is not.BGP labs designed like gym machinesWhy CCIE lab scenarios are so insane — and why they're accurateThe power of saying no, and the customer who said thank youControversial opinion: the hallway track is the only trackLinks from the episodenetlab: netlab.toolsnetlab on GitHub: github.com/ipspace/netlabnetlab examples: github.com/ipspace/netlab-examplesIvan's blog: blog.ipspace.netFree BGP labs: bgplabs.netFree IS-IS labs: isis.bgplabs.netFree VXLAN/EVPN labs: evpn.bgplabs.netBatfish: github.com/batfish/batfishAerleon: github.com/aerleon/aerleonGuestIvan Pepelnjak — ipspace.net | netlab.toolsHosted by Steinn "Steinzi" Bjarnarson and Urs Baumann.Subscribe and followWatch on YouTube: youtu.be/odcwCByRj6gChannel: youtube.com/@networkautomagicWeb: networkautomagic.net#networkautomation #networkautomagic #netlab #ipspace #AI #networkengineering

NA010 - The Future of Platform Engineering with Stuart ClarkHairdresser to CCIE Automation. Cisco DevNet to AWS to Spotify. Stuart Clark joins Steinn and Urs for a wide-ranging conversation on internal developer portals, AI in production, and what 8 years across DevRel actually taught him about driving revenue instead of vanity metrics.The conversation digs into Spotify's Backstage and the new Portal SaaS offering, why IDPs become a "voice to chaos" the moment AI agents start checking in code, what really happened to Cisco DevNet after the leadership changes, and Stuart's signature Ford RS Turbo metaphor for organizations bolting on horsepower without ever upgrading their brakes.Plus: Claude Code knocking 221 broken links to zero in an hour, the AI mania trap and why Stuart signs out of work apps after 6pm, the conference-room reality that 99% of devs use AI but only 2% run it in production, and Stuart's closing hot take on not letting your job define you.What we cover:• Stuart's hairdresser-to-CCIE-Automation career arc• What happened to Cisco DevNet after Susie Wee and Mandy Whaley left• Working faster, not harder, with AI assistants• Setting boundaries in the always-on AI era• DevRel as revenue pipeline, not vanity metrics• Spotify's Backstage and the Portal SaaS offering• Why IDPs are a "voice to chaos" once AI agents are committing code• Skills files, golden paths, and CI/CD• The 99/2 gap between AI use and AI in production• The Ford RS Turbo brakes metaphor for platform engineering• Why a strong fundamentals CCIE still beats chasing every shiny thing• Why AI companies still ask candidates to write Python by handGuest:Stuart Clark, Senior Developer Advocate at Spotify — linkedin.com/in/stuarteclarkHosted by Steinn "Steinzi" Bjarnarson and Urs Baumann.Subscribe and follow:YouTube: youtube.com/@networkautomagicSpotify: Network AutoMagicApple Podcasts: Network AutoMagic#networkautomation #networkautomagic #platformengineering #backstage #spotify #devnet #ai #devrel #podcast

Seven network automation engineers. One table. Zero filter. In our first-ever roundtable episode, Steinn and Urs are joined by Marco Martinez (Swisscom), Bart Dorlandt (Dream Networking), John Howard (ProtonMail), Joseph Nicholson (NTT DATA), Mark Prosser (Nokia), William Collins(Itential), and Ryan Shaw for an unfiltered conversation about AI's real impact on network engineering. The panel digs into what AI has actually changed day-to-day, whether the "force multiplier" framing holds up, the danger of vibe coding without validation, AI mandates from management who read one LinkedIn post, knowledge atrophy vs getting dumber, why critical thinking is the meta-skill of the AI era, and whether code quality is a moral virtue or just a pricing tier. Expect sharp disagreements on OSPF vs IS-IS, a 1910 engineering quote that predicted all of this, and Marco's call to action: if AI makes you 30% faster, invest that time in quality — not just more output. What we cover:• AI as a force multiplier — the xkcd ROI chart has been rewritten• The cognitive shift from code generation to code verification• AI mandates and the unhealthy pressure of inflated expectations• Are we getting dumber or just shifting context?• Vibe coding, neural fatigue, and the ownership problem• Code quality as a pricing tier — script vs service• Critical thinking in the age of information overload• The next generation of engineers and how they learn differently Guest LinkedIn profiles:Marco Martinez — linkedin.com/in/marcom4rtinezBart Dorlandt — linkedin.com/in/bartdorlandtJohn Howard — linkedin.com/in/jonnyhowardJoseph Nicholson — linkedin.com/in/joseph-nicholson-b8413533aMark Prosser — linkedin.com/in/mark-prosserWilliam Collins — linkedin.com/in/william-collinsRyan Shaw — linkedin.com/in/ryan-shaw-3a474169 Hosted by Steinn "Steinzi" Bjarnarson and Urs Baumann. Subscribe and follow:YouTube: youtube.com/@networkautomagicSpotify: Network AutoMagicApple Podcasts: Network AutoMagic #networkautomation #networkautomagic #ai #networkengineering #automation #podcast

Steinn and Urs are joined by Calvin Remsburg — network engineer turned AI security specialist at Palo Alto Networks, formerly at Juniper — to break down the MCP vs CLI debate for AI agents, why deterministic tooling is beating probabilistic tool invocation, and what network engineers should be doing right now to stay ahead.

Network Automagic episode 007Scott Lowe (Cisco/Isovalent, former Pulumi DevRel) joins Steinn and Urs to break down Pulumi — the infrastructure-as-code tool that lets engineers ditch HCL for real programming languages. The conversation covers what makes Pulumi tick, how it bridges Terraform providers, the honest state of the company, and why network automation remains fundamentally harder than cloud or server automation. Scott and Urs dig into the idempotency trap of mixing imperative code with declarative engines, rollback pitfalls, and provider quality across vendors. Scott closes with a controversial opinion: network engineers who stop caring at the server boundary are setting themselves up to get left behind.

Peter Sprygada   Chief Architect at Itentia Joins Urs and Steinzi to talk about the AI hype train and network automation.

Network Auto Magic Podcast Episode SummaryJuniper Mist SSR Platform and API AutomationEpisode OverviewThis episode features Steinn & Urs discussing Juniper's Session Smart Router (SSR) platform and Mist automation capabilities with two Juniper guests:Episode GuestsDaniel Petrov: Product Manager for HPE Juniper Networking AI-native SD-WAN teamThomas Munzer: Platform team member focused on API integrations and automation (And Steinzi’s personal hero)\Key Technology HighlightsSSR (Session Smart Router) PlatformCore Technology: Secure Vector Routing (SVR) - eliminates traditional IPsec tunnelsKey Benefits:Sub-second failover capabilitiesNo fragmentation issues (maintains 1500 MTU)Selective encryption (doesn't double-encrypt already encrypted traffic)Tunnel-less overlay architectureFast boot times (under 2 minutes)New SSR 400 SeriesFeatures: Built-in switching, PoE support, 5G capability, built-in Wi-Fi, fanless designPower Efficiency: Designed for customers deploying 20,000+ devicesSecurity: Built-in IDP engine with simple profile selectionLicensing Change: Eliminated bandwidth-based licensing in favor of three tiers (Standard, Advanced, Premium)Security FeaturesQuantum-resistant encryption (NIST FIPS 203, 204, 205 standards)Advanced anti-malware and antivirus protectionSSL proxy capabilitiesSecurity assurance analytics (13-month traffic analysis)API and Automation EcosystemAPI ArchitectureScale: Over 1,000 API endpointsPhilosophy: API-first development - UI uses the same public APIsCoverage: Everything visible in UI is accessible via APIConsistency: Same endpoints work for both SRX and SSR platforms despite different underlying OSesDeveloper ToolsPython SDK: Comprehensive software development kitTerraform Provider: Recently launched for infrastructure-as-codePostman Collections: Pre-built workflows and practical examplesOpen API Specification: 100,000+ lines of documentationChrome Extension: Discovers API calls made by the UIIntegration FeaturesWebhooks: Proactive notifications instead of pollingAudit Logging: Complete change tracking with before/after statesTemplate System: Centralized configuration managementMulti-tenancy: MSP-friendly with UUID-based resource identificationMist Cloud Platform BenefitsManagement FeaturesAutomatic Patching: Security updates applied automaticallyMarvis AI: Proactive troubleshooting and network optimizationTDR Testing: Built-in cable testing without connected devicesDynamic Packet Capture: Automated network troubleshootingIdea Portal: Customer feature request and voting systemOperational AdvantagesCentralized Control: Single pane of glass for access points, switches, and WANMonthly Feature Releases: Continuous platform improvementsVirtual Lab Support: Can test configurations in virtualized environmentsInstant Power-On: PoE devices get power immediately during bootAutomation Use CasesSite Deployment: Template-based rollouts across thousands of locationsSecurity Policy Management: Centralized firewall rule automationNetwork Monitoring: Custom dashboards and executive reportingChange Management: Configuration versioning and rollback capabilitiesMulti-vendor Integration: Works alongside other Juniper products (Apstra for data center)Enterprise AdoptionScale: Customers deploying hundreds of thousands of sitesIndustries: Banks, retail (largest fast food chain), and enterprise customersGartner Recognition: Top-right quadrant for five consecutive yearsDeveloper ResourcesApps Lab Portal: Collection of automation scripts and examplesGitHub Repositories: Python script libraries and toolsDocumentation: Comprehensive API guides and best practicesSupport: Direct access to product teams for troubleshootingTechnical Architecture NotesCloud-Native Design: Configurations pushed from cloud to devicesResilient Operations: Network continues functioning during cloud connectivity loss

Network Automagic episode 004 - Autocon3 hallway trackThis is a three part episode from Autocon3

Network Automagic EP003 - NUTS with Marco Martinezhttps://networkautomagic.net/podcast/na003/In this episode, we sit down with Marco Martinez, a core maintainer of NUTS (Network Unit Testing System), to explore how this powerful tool is revolutionizing network testing automation.Marco walks us through the development of NUTS, designed to address comprehensive testing challenges in large networks that go beyond simple configuration checks. Learn how NUTS automatically tests routing tables, BGP neighbors, and more through an elegant system built on the Pi test library with YAML-defined tests.🔍 Key Topics: • NUTS architecture and development philosophy • The innovative "INPG Stack" for generating test definitions and visualizing results • Integration with Nornir, Napalm, Netbox, and Infrahub • Comparison with tools like pyATS, ONDATRA, and BATFISH • Pre/post change testing strategies and prioritization • Unix systems advantages for network automation📋 Episode Timeline: 00:00 - Introduction 03:46 - NUTS Overview and Philosophy 12:31 - Technical Components 25:16 - Integration Ecosystem 35:01 - Visualization with INPG Stack 42:31 - Unix Systems Advantage 48:46 - Tool Comparison 55:21 - Future Development 61:11 - Conclusion and Resources📚 Resources: • NUTS GitHub Repository: https://github.com/network-unit-testing-system/nuts • SwiNOG#39 Presentation: https://youtu.be/ZVl0GnYMUEo • Network Automation Landscape: https://steinzi.com/network-automation-landscape/🎧 Listen to Network Automagic: • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2UubY0s1KCJ4ct9srD2yUW • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/network-automagic/id1796167806 • RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/1012b01b8/podcast/rss🎵 Featured Music: "Party Weekend" by Joe 'King' Carrasco and the Crowns (1980)#NetworkAutomation #NUTS #NetworkTesting #NetDevOps #Automation #Python #NetworkEngineeringSubscribe for more network automation content!