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 unravel numerous use circumstances inside a community from Catalyst Middle. Throughout this lab, we are going to focus on easy methods to modify numerous velocity templates to take care of particular use circumstances in order that Catalyst Middle provisioning can allow these use circumstances through automation. This permits you, the community administrator, the flexibility to unravel 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 easy 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. Software Policys – explores Software Policys and SD-AVC in Catalyst Middle and their use
5. Telemetry – explains easy methods to deploy Telemetry for assurance
6. Superior Automation – explores Superior Automation strategies
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 prospects to succeed in past what they at present 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 unravel 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 can be given explaining each the professionals and cons alongside the best way. Increase your capabilities with this lab and take your skills to the subsequent degree. You’re solely inhibited by your individual creativeness.

Subjects

The assorted 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 Instances

We’ll cowl the Subjects above in various use circumstances to indicate the aptitude and suppleness of the templating engine inside Catalyst Middle. Whereas we are going to make the most of Velocity language the identical might 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’ll achieve a sensible understanding of the steps related to establishing Catalyst Middle and an setting to assist complicated, superior, common templates to ship gadget configuration throughout these labs. The labs intention 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 prospects a everlasting place to check out the common and composite templates and embrace configurations for numerous use circumstances. Lastly, this setting will allow engineers to cut back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

Extra 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 gadgets which are deployed within the entry layer of a community. System classification is enabled whenever you allow the Autoconf characteristic utilizing the autoconf allow international configuration mode command. The gadget 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.

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 give you 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 could 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 prospect 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 permit you to use them as you please inside the time scheduled. As well as, this permits us a spot to begin training numerous ideas with out worry of impacting manufacturing environments.

Because of this, we hope to demystify a number of the complexities of establishing automation and assist information prospects via 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 means, these self-guided labs present a glimpse into the basics of constructing velocity templates and supply examples which you can obtain and increase from. As well as, the pattern templates and JSON recordsdata provided are for straightforward import into Catalyst Facilities’ template editor for faster adoption. Lastly, some scripts are ready-made excerpts of code that permit you to construct the setting 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 unravel numerous use circumstances. Second, we offer solutions and explanations to most of the questions that come up throughout automation workshops. We hope that you simply 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, chances are you’ll 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 permit you to run these labs and provides an setting to attempt the varied code samples. Chances are you’ll select to develop and export your code to be used in manufacturing environments. Additionally, this provides you an setting the place you may safely POC/POV strategies and steps with out harming your manufacturing environments. The DCLOUD setting additionally negates the necessity for transport tools, lead instances, and licensing points wanted to get shifting quickly. Please do adhere to one of the best practices for the DCLOUD setting when utilizing it.

Lab Connectivity

The setting permits to be used with a web-based browser shopper for VPN-less connectivity, entry in addition to AnyConnect VPN shopper connectivity for many who favor it. Chances are you’ll select from labs hosted out of our San Jose Amenities by deciding on 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 crew or Cisco Accomplice Account Workforce straight. Your Account groups will schedule the session and share it so that you can use. As soon as booked observe the information inside GitHub to finish the duties adhering to one of the best practices of the DCLOUD setting.

Content material

The Wired Automation labs, Superior Automation module content material is positioned inside the current DNAC-TEMPLATES repository to present a one-stop-shop for all the mandatory instruments, scripts, templates, and code samples. Inside it are seven labs, which construct upon the tutorials to check the strategies in a lab setting. 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 intention 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 are able to modify for our use and check on tools inside the LAB setting. Extra data inside the lab supplies a well-rounded rationalization 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 Software 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 prospects a everlasting place to check out the configurations for numerous use circumstances. Lastly, this setting will allow engineers to cut back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

Because of this, you’ll achieve expertise in establishing Plug and Play onboarding and templates and using all options. Moreover, you’ll use superior templating strategies and troubleshooting instruments. These could 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 rationalization readme recordsdata for reference. There are actually two units of labs, and these are being frequently expanded upon.

In conclusion, should you discovered this set of labs and repository useful,

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

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