# 27 Weeks -Comprehensive Network Automation Course Free for Freshers:  Python and Ansible

It's been a while since my co-founder, Amit Tanwar (CCIE Security #63532), and I have been planning to create a repository of **over 1000 Python and Ansible scripts**. These scripts are designed to help network engineers accomplish their daily tasks by learning and practicing with them.

However, we decided to create a **free course** first, as we did not find any available courses in the market that teach automation in a plain English manner.

As part of our new initiatives, we are introducing a weekly segment of our course on this blog, as well as offering a weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox if you subscribe to our newsletter on this site.

Here is what our course outline looks like for this course:

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Module 1: Introduction to Ansible\*\*

* Understanding Ansible automation and its benefits for network devices
    
* Ansible architecture: Control node, managed nodes, and inventory
    
* Installing and configuring Ansible on the control node
    
* Writing and running ad-hoc commands for network devices
    
* Using Ansible modules for Cisco networking tasks
    

**Module 2: Ansible Playbooks and YAML**

* Introduction to Ansible playbooks and YAML syntax
    
* Creating basic playbooks for Cisco routers and switches
    
* Using variables, loops, and conditionals in playbooks
    
* Organizing tasks and playbooks with roles
    

**Module 3: Ansible for Cisco Device Configurations**

* Gathering facts from Cisco devices using Ansible
    
* Configuring interfaces, VLANs, and OSPF using Ansible
    
* Managing access control lists (ACLs) and security settings
    
* Configuring SSH, SNMP, and NTP on Cisco devices
    

**Module 4: Dynamic Inventory and Variables**

* Using dynamic inventory for automatically discovering Cisco devices
    
* Using host and group variables for device-specific configurations
    
* Implementing conditionals and Jinja2 templates for dynamic configurations
    

**Module 5: Advanced Ansible for Cisco Networking**

* Working with multiple inventory files and groups
    
* Integrating Ansible with external data sources (e.g., CSV, JSON)
    
* Using Ansible Vault for secure storage of sensitive data
    
* Using custom Ansible modules for Cisco-specific tasks
    

**Module 6: Network Change Management with Ansible**

* Implementing configuration backups and rollbacks with Ansible
    
* Using version control (e.g., Git) with Ansible for network configurations
    
* Automating network compliance checks and reporting
    

**Module 7: Network Monitoring and Maintenance Automation**

* Using Ansible for network device monitoring and health checks
    
* Automating routine network maintenance tasks with Ansible
    
* Scheduling Ansible playbooks with Cron for regular network maintenance
    

**Module 8: Ansible Tower and Network Automation**

* Introduction to Ansible Tower for centralized automation management
    
* Creating job templates and workflows for Cisco device automation
    
* Implementing role-based access control (RBAC) in Ansible Tower
    

**Module 9: Advanced Network Automation Project**

* Designing and implementing a comprehensive network automation project
    
* Using Ansible for end-to-end network provisioning and management
    
* Incorporating best practices and security considerations
    

**Module 10: Troubleshooting and Debugging Ansible Playbooks**

* Identifying and resolving common issues in Ansible playbooks
    
* Using Ansible's debugging tools for troubleshooting network automation tasks
    
* Strategies for error handling and playbook optimization
    

**Module 11: Ansible Networking Modules for Cisco**

* Exploring the Ansible networking module ecosystem for Cisco devices
    
* Leveraging specialized modules for advanced Cisco networking tasks
    

**Module 12: Real-World Network Automation Project**

* Working on a real-world network automation project using Ansible for Cisco devices
    
* Collaborating with other participants to design and execute the project
    
* Presenting the completed project to showcase acquired skills
    

## **Python Automation for Network Engineers**

**Module 1: Introduction to Python for Network Automation**

* Introduction to Python and its role in network automation
    
* Setting up the Python environment and installing necessary libraries
    
* Basic Python concepts: variables, data types, loops, and conditionals
    
* Using Python for simple network tasks (e.g., ping, traceroute)
    

**Module 2: Network Device Connectivity with Python**

* Connecting to Cisco devices using SSH and Telnet with Python
    
* Handling device credentials securely with Python
    
* Retrieving device information (e.g., device model, OS version) using Python
    

**Module 3: Configuration Management with Python**

* Reading and writing device configurations with Python
    
* Implementing configuration backup and restore automation
    
* Creating configuration templates with Python
    

**Module 4: Automating VLAN Configuration**

* Automating VLAN configuration on Cisco switches with Python
    
* Using Python to add, modify, and remove VLANs dynamically
    

**Module 5: Network Device Inventory Management**

* Building a network device inventory system with Python
    
* Using Python to maintain an up-to-date inventory of Cisco devices
    

**Module 6: Network Monitoring with Python**

* Implementing network monitoring solutions with Python
    
* Creating Python scripts to monitor device availability and performance
    

**Module 7: Automating Routing Protocol Configuration**

* Using Python to automate the configuration of routing protocols (e.g., OSPF, BGP) on Cisco routers
    
* Dynamic routing updates and optimizations with Python
    

**Module 8: Network Service Deployment Automation**

* Automating the deployment of network services (e.g., DHCP, DNS) with Python
    
* Configuring network services on Cisco devices programmatically
    

**Module 9: Network Troubleshooting with Python**

* Using Python for automated network troubleshooting and diagnostics
    
* Python scripts for analyzing logs, interfaces, and network traffic
    

**Module 10: Real-Time Telemetry and Streaming**

* Leveraging Python for real-time network telemetry and streaming data
    
* Integrating Python with telemetry protocols like gRPC and RESTCONF
    

**Module 11: Secure Network Automation with Python**

* Implementing secure practices for network automation with Python
    
* Encrypting sensitive data and using secure authentication methods
    

**Module 12: Advanced Python for Network Automation**

* Creating custom Python modules for specific network tasks
    
* Advanced Python programming techniques for network automation
    

**Module 13: Advanced Network Automation Project**

* Designing and implementing a comprehensive network automation project using Python
    
* Incorporating best practices and security considerations
    

**Module 14: Troubleshooting and Debugging**

* Identifying and resolving common issues in Python scripts for network automation
    
* Using Python debugging tools and strategies for error handling
    

**Module 15: Real-World Network Automation Project**

* Working on a real-world network automation project using Python for Cisco devices
    
* Collaborating with other participants to design and execute the project
    
* Presenting the completed project to showcase acquired skills
    

**Additional Practice:**

* Encourage participants to explore additional Python libraries and modules relevant to network automation
    
* Provide hands-on labs, code challenges, and network simulation environments
    
* Engage in discussions and share experiences in a supportive learning community
    

### **Thank you for reading.**

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