Cisco Catalyst Middle Template Labs – Relaxation-APIs – Half 9

Overview

On this episode of our ongoing Catalyst Middle Automation Sequence, our focus strikes to Relaxation-APIs and utilizing postman to automate the community. We’ll change our focus from templating to automation via Postman, an important 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 focus on Catalyst Middle configuration and the way Catalyst Middle will be automated to carry out numerous features we’ve already coated. The lab is meant to assist drive the adoption of Relaxation-API and contains a number of use circumstances to unravel widespread orchestration wants when utilizing Catalyst Middle.

Inside this sequence, we cowl the next;

1. PnP Preparation – explains the general Plug and Play arrange steps
2. Onboarding Templates – explains in-depth find out how 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. Utility Policys – explores Utility Policys and SD-AVC in Catalyst Middle and their use
5. Telemetry – explains find out how to deploy Telemetry for assurance
6. Superior Automation – explores Superior Automation strategies
7. Dynamic Automation – a deployment lab for dynamic automation

Catalyst Middle Relaxation-API Collections

Moreover, we’ve supplied 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 find out how 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 all the time in Postman, the place they could be analyzed and considered in operation for inclusion in no matter automation or orchestration system requires them. In upcoming modules, we may also delve into printed and unpublished Relaxation-API and find out how to uncover and work with these to perform your orchestration wants.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;

1. Postman Orientation – orientates you to Postman and helps put together the instruments
2. Constructing Hierarchy – the orchestration of constructing hierarchy
3. Assign Settings and Credentials – assigning settings and credentials
4. Gadget Discovery – orchestrating machine discovery
5. Template Deployment – automating template deployment
6. Configuration Archive – automating configuration archiving
7. Retrieving Community Stock – accumulating a community stock
8. Working Present Instructions – accumulating present command outcomes

Not like 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 point out the whole 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 concentrate on broadening their capabilities via 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 secure place so that you can strive, modify, and get used to the assorted ideas and approaches.

Method

The Lab is constructed for minimal intervention utilizing issues like Relaxation-API run by way of Postman inside a set runner to rapidly configure Catalyst Middle. This permits us to deploy Settings, Credentials, Uncover Gadgets, Construct Websites, Buildings, Flooring, and assign the gadgets to these websites. These are highly effective examples of what we are able to do, and so they exhibit how rapidly we are able to get Catalyst Middle up and operating using Relaxation-API utilizing only one device.

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 mandatory.

You possibly can simply add the Public Workspace to Postman by way of the next hyperlink. This may permit 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 surroundings, shall be robotically added. (see picture under)

Public Catalyst Middle 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.  Inside the Workspace are at the moment a number of collections and an surroundings.

Use Instances

We’ll cowl numerous matters in a number of use circumstances based mostly on lab modules to point out the aptitude and suppleness of the Relaxation-APIs with Catalyst Middle.

The assorted matters/use-cases we are going to contact on and deploy inside the lab encompass the next:

1. Utilizing Relaxation-API to configure Catalyst Middle Design and Settings utilizing a CSV file
2. Automation of assigning Credentials throughout the community
3. Orchestrating Discovery to onboard community gadgets
4. Automating the Provisioning of Common and Composite Templates to Gadgets
5. Retrieving Gadget Stock data
6. Orchestration of Configuration Archives
7. Retrieving Present Command outcomes from Catalyst Facilities Command Runner

With that, the lab makes use of these matters…

We’ll achieve a sensible understanding of the steps related to using Relaxation-API whereas organising a Catalyst Middle and an surroundings to assist 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 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 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 permit you to use them as you please inside the time scheduled. As well as, this enables us a spot to begin practising numerous ideas with out worry of impacting manufacturing environments.

Consequently, we hope to demystify a few of the complexities of organising automation and assist information prospects via the caveats. Due to this fact, to assist prospects within the transition towards automation, we’ve put collectively a set of small useful labs inside a GitHub repository. This fashion, these self-guided labs present a glimpse into the basics of constructing velocity templates and supply examples you possibly can 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 permit you to construct the surroundings 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 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 check and take a look at these labs?

DCLOUD Lab Surroundings

To assist prospects succeed with Cisco Catalyst Middle automation, you might 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 surroundings to strive the assorted code samples. It’s possible you’ll develop and export your code to be used in manufacturing environments. Additionally, this provides you an surroundings the place you possibly can safely POC/POV strategies and steps with out harming your manufacturing environments. The DCLOUD surroundings 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 surroundings when utilizing it.

Lab Connectivity

The surroundings permits for a web-based browser consumer for VPN-less connectivity. Moreover, there may be AnyConnect VPN consumer connectivity for many who want it. Select the Cisco Enterprise Community Sandbox. Moreover, you might select from our RTP Amenities labs by choosing US West. To entry this or different content material, demonstrations, and labs in DCLOUD, please immediately work along with your Cisco or Associate Account Staff. 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 very best practices of the DCLOUD surroundings.

Content material

The REST-API Orchestration lab content material is positioned inside the current DNAC-TEMPLATES repository to present a one-stop store for all the required 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 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 goals to information you thru the standard steps required to allow the assorted 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 gear inside the LAB surroundings. Extra data inside the lab supplies a well-rounded clarification of Automation strategies with Templates. Lastly, the lab permits for patrons to make use of Catalyst Middle workflows to follow deploying Onboarding, DayN Templates, and Utility Coverage automation on each Wired and Wi-fi Platforms.

The objective of this lab is for it to be a sensible information to assist 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 surroundings will allow engineers to cut back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

Consequently, 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 Middle Lab Content material

Please use this menu to navigate the assorted sections of this GitHub repository. Inside the a number of folders are examples and clarification 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.

1. Lab 1 Wired Automation – Covers inexperienced and brown discipline use circumstances (enable 4.0 hrs)
2. Lab 2 Wi-fi Automation – Covers conventional wi-fi automation (enable 4.0 hrs)
3. Lab 4 Relaxation-API Orchestration – Covers automation of Cisco Catalyst Middle by way of Postman with Relaxation-API (enable 2.0 hrs)
4. Lab 7 CICD Orchestration – Covers Python with JENKINS orchestration by way of REST-API (enable 4.0 hrs)

We’ll share further labs and content material in an ongoing effort to meet all of your automation wants with Catalyst 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.

We’d love to listen to what you suppose. Ask a query or go away a remark under.
And keep linked with Cisco on social!

Try our Cisco Networking video channel

Subscribe to the Networking Weblog

Share: