Overview
On this episode of our ongoing DNA Middle Automation Collection, our focus strikes to Relaxation-APIs and utilizing postman to automate the community. We’ll change our focus from templating to automation by way of Postman, an excellent device to look at RESTful APIs in a single consumer interface. This can be a Self-Paced Standalone Lab, the place we are going to construct upon the foundational information acquired within the earlier labs. For this lab, we are going to think about DNA Middle configuration and the way DNA Middle might be automated to carry out numerous capabilities we’ve got already coated. The lab is meant to assist drive the adoption of Relaxation-API and consists of a number of use circumstances to unravel frequent orchestration wants when utilizing DNA Middle.
DNA Middle Relaxation-API Collections
Moreover, we’ve got offered a Postman Public Workspace the place all of the Relaxation-API Collections are included in order that engineers can quickly entry and arrange their environments. “Generally seeing is believing.” We hope these new instruments assist clarify methods to greatest use the Relaxation-APIs and increase the knowledge from developer.cisco.com.
On this lab, we are going to regularly add extra use circumstances to reply particular orchestration wants, however at all times in Postman, the place they could be analyzed and seen in operation for inclusion in no matter automation or orchestration system requires them. In upcoming modules, we will even delve into printed and unpublished Relaxation-API and methods to uncover and work with these to perform your orchestration wants.
Inside this lab modules, we cowl the next using collections for orchestration with the help of a comma-separated values (CSV) file;
- Postman Orientation – orientates you to Postman and helps put together the instruments
- Constructing Hierarchy – the orchestration of constructing hierarchy
- Assign Settings and Credentials – assigning settings and credentials
- Gadget Discovery – orchestrating gadget discovery
- Template Deployment – automating template deployment
- Configuration Archive – automating configuration archiving
- Retrieving Community Stock – gathering a community stock
- Operating Present Instructions – gathering present command outcomes
In contrast to most earlier Labs within the sequence, this lab is self-contained and has no dependencies on any 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 strategies to indicate the entire artwork of the doable from Software program-Outlined Networking.
What is going to I study within the Relaxation-API Orchestration Lab?
That is an enablement-type lab, permitting engineers and designers to succeed in past what they at the moment perceive by attempting new ideas and pushing the boundaries of automation and orchestration. We’ll cowl numerous matters about Relaxation-API logic to unravel a number of use circumstances throughout this lab. We cowl some earlier ideas with an in-depth give attention to broadening their capabilities by way of the artwork of doing and analyzing.
The idea of this lab is so that you can construct the surroundings from the bottom up, from Design to Discovery to Template Deployment. Using dCloud or the DevNet Sandbox permits a protected place so that you can attempt, modify, and get used to the varied ideas and approaches.
Strategy
The Lab is constructed for minimal intervention utilizing issues like Relaxation-API run by way of Postman inside a set runner to shortly configure DNA Middle. This enables us to deploy Settings, Credentials, Uncover Gadgets, Construct Websites, Buildings, Flooring, and assign the units to these websites. These are highly effective examples of what we are able to do, they usually exhibit how shortly we are able to get DNA Middle up and working using Relaxation-API utilizing only one device.
However wait, there’s extra…
We provisioned a comma-separated worth (CSV) file to be used with the Postman collections to make it simple to construct the design and deploy templates the place essential.
You’ll be able to simply add the Public Workspace to Postman by way of the next hyperlink. This may help you quickly begin utilizing the Relaxation-API suite created for this lab. Click on the next hyperlink and log into your Postman account, and the workspace, together with the collections and the surroundings, will probably be robotically added. (see picture beneath)
Public DNA Middle Use-Case API Assortment
We hold Postman Public Workspace updated with the lab in order that the lab helps doc the gathering, and the collections assist drive the lab. Inside the Workspace are at the moment a number of collections and an surroundings.
Use Circumstances
We’ll cowl numerous matters in a number of use circumstances primarily based on lab modules to indicate the potential and suppleness of the Relaxation-APIs with DNA Middle.
The varied matters/use-cases we are going to contact on and deploy inside the lab include the next:
- Utilizing Relaxation-API to configure DNA Middle Design and Settings utilizing a CSV file
- Automation of assigning Credentials throughout the community
- Orchestrating Discovery to onboard community units
- Automating the Provisioning of Common and Composite Templates to Gadgets
- Retrieving Gadget Stock data
- Orchestration of Configuration Archives
- Retrieving Present Command outcomes from DNA Facilities Command Runner
With that, the lab makes use of these matters…
We’ll acquire a sensible understanding of the steps related to using Relaxation-API whereas organising a DNA Middle and an surroundings to help complicated, superior, common templates to ship gadget configuration throughout these labs. The labs goal to help engineers in quickly starting to make use of DNA Middle automation and assist them work in the direction of a world template technique. Moreover, these labs will give clients a everlasting place to check out the common and composite templates and embody configurations for numerous use circumstances. Lastly, this surroundings will allow engineers to cut back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.
Beginning…
Inside dCLOUD, a number of sandbox-type labs can be found. These self-contained environments are there to help you use them as you please inside the time scheduled. As well as, this permits us a spot to begin practising numerous ideas with out concern of impacting manufacturing environments.
Because of this, we hope to demystify a few of the complexities of organising automation and assist information clients by way of the caveats. Due to this fact, to help clients within the transition towards automation, we’ve got put collectively a set of small useful labs inside a Github repository. This manner, these self-guided labs present a glimpse into the basics of constructing velocity templates and supply examples you may obtain and develop from. As well as, the pattern templates and JSON recordsdata equipped are for simple import into DNA Facilities’ template editor for faster adoption. Lastly, some scripts are ready-made excerpts of code that help you construct the surroundings to check.
On this sensible lab, Relaxation-API Orchestration, 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 just discover the knowledge each useful and informative.
The place can I take a look at and take a look at these labs?
dCLOUD Lab Setting
To assist clients succeed with Cisco DNA 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. The dCLOUD labs help you run these labs and provides an surroundings to attempt the varied code samples. It’s possible you’ll develop and export your code to be used in manufacturing environments. Additionally, this offers you an surroundings the place you may safely POC/POV strategies and steps with out harming your manufacturing environments. The dCLOUD surroundings additionally negates the necessity for delivery tools, lead occasions, and licensing points wanted to maneuver quickly. Please adhere to the most effective 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’s AnyConnect VPN consumer connectivity for many who desire it. Select the Cisco Enterprise Community Sandbox. Moreover, chances are you’ll select from our RTP Amenities labs by deciding on US West. To entry this or different content material, demonstrations, and labs in dCLOUD, please immediately work along with your Cisco or Accomplice Account Group. 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 the most effective practices of the dCLOUD surroundings.
Content material
The Relaxation-API Orchestration lab content material is positioned inside the current DNAC-TEMPLATES repository to offer a one-stop store 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 surroundings. The repository was featured in a earlier put up on Cisco Blogs about DNA Middle Templates earlier in Might 2021.
Further Info
Further labs information you thru the everyday steps required to allow the varied automation duties. This lab delves into the ideas of constructing and deploying superior automation templates to cope with particular use circumstances. Because of this, it additionally provides us entry to acceptable testing tools inside the LAB surroundings. Moreover, data inside the lab gives a well-rounded rationalization of Automation strategies inside Templates. Lastly, the lab permits clients capacity to make use of DNA Middle workflows. This lab provides an surroundings for patrons to observe deploying superior automation on each Wired and Wi-fi Platforms.
This lab’s objective is to be a sensible help for engineers creating a QoS automation technique. Moreover, clients will acquire a everlasting place to check out the insurance policies for numerous use circumstances. Lastly, this surroundings will allow engineers to cut back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.
Further Labs
Please use this menu to navigate the varied sections of this Github repository. Inside the a number of folders are examples and rationalization readme recordsdata for reference.
- PnP Preparation – The lab covers setup for Plug and Play (permit 1.5 hrs)
- Onboarding Templates – The lab covers in depth methods to deploy Day 0 templates (permit 1.5 hrs)
- Day N Templates – The lab covers Day N template constructs and use-cases (permit 0.5 hrs)
- Composite Templates – This lab covers constructing a composite template on DNA Middle (permit 0.5 hrs)
- Utility Coverage – This lab covers Utility Coverage & SDAVC in DNAC (permit 1.0 hrs)
- Telemetry – This lab explains methods to deploy Telemetry for assurance (permit 0.5 hrs)
- Superior Automation – This lab will discover Superior Automation examples (permit 1.5 hrs)
- Dynamic Automation – This lab will use many Superior Automation strategies mentioned beforehand (permit 2.0 hrs)
- Relaxation-API Orchestration – This lab makes use of Postman Collections to automate DNA Middle (permit 2.0 hrs)
We’ll share extra labs and content material in an ongoing effort to satisfy all of your automation wants with DNA Middle.
In conclusion, for those who discovered this set of labs and repository useful,
please fill in feedback and suggestions on the way it may very well be improved.
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