Overview
On this episode of our ongoing Catalyst Heart Automation Sequence, our focus strikes to Relaxation-APIs and utilizing postman to automate the community. We are going to change our focus from templating to automation via Postman, a fantastic instrument to look at RESTful APIs in a single person interface. It is 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 consider Catalyst Heart configuration and the way Catalyst Heart could be automated to carry out numerous capabilities we have now already coated. The lab is meant to assist drive the adoption of Relaxation-API and contains a number of use instances to resolve frequent orchestration wants when utilizing Catalyst Heart.
Inside this collection, we cowl the next;
- PnP Preparation – explains the general Plug and Play arrange steps
- Onboarding Templates – explains in-depth the best way to deploy Day 0 templates
- Day N Templates – dives into Day N template constructs with each common and composite templates and use instances
- Utility Policys – explores Utility Policys and SD-AVC in Catalyst Heart and their use
- Telemetry – explains the best way to deploy Telemetry for assurance
- Superior Automation – explores Superior Automation methods
- Dynamic Automation – a deployment lab for dynamic automation
Catalyst Heart Relaxation-API Collections
Moreover, we have now 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. “Typically seeing is believing.” We hope these new instruments assist clarify the best way 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 instances to reply particular orchestration wants, however at all times in Postman, the place they might be analyzed and seen in operation for inclusion in no matter automation or orchestration system requires them. In upcoming modules, we may even delve into revealed and unpublished Relaxation-API and the best way to uncover and work with these to perform your orchestration wants.
Inside this lab modules, we cowl the next using collections for orchestration with assistance from 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
- Machine Discovery – orchestrating machine discovery
- Template Deployment – automating template deployment
- Configuration Archive – automating configuration archiving
- Retrieving Community Stock – accumulating a community stock
- Working Present Instructions – accumulating present command outcomes
Not like most earlier Labs within the collection, 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 methods to point out the entire artwork of the potential from Software program-Outlined Networking.
What is going to I be taught within the Relaxation-API Orchestration Lab?
That is an enablement-type lab, permitting engineers and designers to achieve past what they at the moment perceive by attempting new ideas and pushing the boundaries of automation and orchestration. We are going to cowl numerous subjects about Relaxation-API logic to resolve a number of use instances throughout this lab. We cowl some earlier ideas with an in-depth deal with broadening their capabilities via the artwork of doing and analyzing.
The idea of this lab is so that you can construct the atmosphere 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 strive, modify, and get used to the varied ideas and approaches.
Method
The Lab is constructed for minimal intervention utilizing issues like Relaxation-API run by way of Postman inside a group runner to shortly configure Catalyst Heart. 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, and so they display how shortly we are able to get Catalyst Heart up and operating using Relaxation-API utilizing only one instrument.
However wait, there may be extra…
We provisioned a comma-separated worth (CSV) file to be used with the Postman collections to make it straightforward to construct the design and deploy templates the place needed.
You possibly can simply add the Public Workspace to Postman by way of the next hyperlink. This may assist you to 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 atmosphere, might be robotically added. (see picture under)
Public Catalyst Heart Use-Case API Assortment
We preserve Postman Public Workspace updated with the lab in order that the lab helps doc the gathering, and the collections assist drive the lab. Throughout the Workspace are at the moment a number of collections and an atmosphere.
Use Circumstances
We are going to cowl numerous subjects in a number of use instances primarily based on lab modules to point out the aptitude and suppleness of the Relaxation-APIs with Catalyst Heart.
The assorted subjects/use-cases we are going to contact on and deploy inside the lab include the next:
- Utilizing Relaxation-API to configure Catalyst Heart 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 Machine Stock info
- Orchestration of Configuration Archives
- Retrieving Present Command outcomes from Catalyst Facilities Command Runner
With that, the lab makes use of these subjects…
We are going to achieve a sensible understanding of the steps related to using Relaxation-API whereas organising a Catalyst Heart and an atmosphere to help complicated, superior, common templates to ship machine configuration throughout these labs. The labs intention to assist engineers in quickly starting to make use of Catalyst Heart automation and assist them work in 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 instances. Lastly, this atmosphere 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 assist you to use them as you please inside the time scheduled. As well as, this enables us a spot to start out practising numerous ideas with out worry of impacting manufacturing environments.
Because of this, we hope to demystify a number of the complexities of organising automation and assist information clients via the caveats. Due to this fact, to assist clients within the transition towards automation, we have now 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 provide examples you may obtain and broaden from. As well as, the pattern templates and JSON information provided are for simple import into Catalyst Facilities’ template editor for faster adoption. Lastly, some scripts are ready-made excerpts of code that assist you to construct the atmosphere to check.
On this sensible lab, REST-API Orchestration, we step-by-step delve into superior automation strategies and methods to make the most of them to resolve numerous use instances. Second, we offer solutions and explanations to lots 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 Surroundings
To assist clients succeed with Cisco Catalyst Heart automation, it’s possible 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:
- Cisco Enterprise Networks {Hardware} Sandbox West DC
- Cisco Enterprise Networks {Hardware} Sandbox East DC
The DCLOUD labs assist you to run these labs and provides an atmosphere to strive the varied code samples. It’s possible you’ll develop and export your code to be used in manufacturing environments. Additionally, this provides you an atmosphere the place you may safely POC/POV strategies and steps with out harming your manufacturing environments. The DCLOUD atmosphere additionally negates the necessity for delivery gear, lead instances, and licensing points wanted to maneuver quickly. Please adhere to the very best practices for the DCLOUD atmosphere when utilizing it.
Lab Connectivity
The atmosphere permits for a web-based browser shopper for VPN-less connectivity. Moreover, there may be AnyConnect VPN shopper connectivity for individuals who favor it. Select the Cisco Enterprise Community Sandbox. Moreover, it’s possible you’ll select from our RTP Amenities labs by choosing US West. To entry this or different content material, demonstrations, and labs in DCLOUD, please instantly work along with your Cisco or Companion Account Staff. Your Account groups will schedule the session and share it so that you can use. As soon as booked, comply with the information inside GitHub to finish the duties adhering to the very best practices of the DCLOUD atmosphere.
Content material
The REST-API Orchestration lab content material is situated inside the present DNAC-TEMPLATES repository to provide 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 atmosphere. The repository was featured in a earlier publish on Cisco Blogs about Catalyst Heart Templates earlier in Could 2021.
Further Info
Catalyst Heart Template Labs
The beforehand named DNAC Template LABS inside the DNAC-TEMPLATES GitHub repository goals to information you thru the standard steps required to allow the varied automation duties delivered by Catalyst Heart. This lab will give examples of templates utilized in Catalyst Heart that we are able to modify for our use and take a look at on gear inside the LAB atmosphere. Further info inside the lab offers a well-rounded rationalization of Automation strategies with Templates. Lastly, the lab permits for patrons to make use of Catalyst Heart workflows to apply deploying Onboarding, DayN Templates, and Utility Coverage automation on each Wired and Wi-fi Platforms.
The purpose of this lab is for it to be a sensible information to assist engineers to quickly start utilizing Catalyst Heart automation and assist them work in direction of a deployment technique. Moreover, this lab will give clients a everlasting place to check out the configurations for numerous use instances. Lastly, this atmosphere will allow engineers to cut back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.
Because of this, you’ll achieve expertise in organising 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.
New Catalyst Heart Lab Content material
Please use this menu to navigate the varied sections of this GitHub repository. Throughout the a number of folders are examples and rationalization readme information for reference. There at the moment are two units of labs, and these are being regularly expanded upon.
This newer and extra modular lab method is designed to cope with and contains ideas from the legacy labs in a more moderen extra modular format.
- Lab 1 Wired Automation – Covers inexperienced and brown area use instances (enable 4.0 hrs)
- Lab 2 Wi-fi Automation – Covers conventional wi-fi automation (enable 4.0 hrs)
- Lab 4 Relaxation-API Orchestration – Covers automation of Cisco Catalyst Heart by way of Postman with Relaxation-API (enable 2.0 hrs)
- Lab 7 CICD Orchestration – Covers Python with JENKINS orchestration by way of REST-API (enable 4.0 hrs)
We are going to share extra labs and content material in an ongoing effort to satisfy all of your automation wants with Catalyst Heart.
In conclusion, for those who 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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