Overview
Nuvias, along with logistics software partners, created the Rapid Deployment blueprint to pre-stage and pre-deploy networking devices from multiple manufacturers prior to delivery to customers. The goal is to create an automation solution to increase efficiency and reduce errors during the deployment stage.
The Rapid Deployment blueprint saved customers time and effort by having all of the solutions pre-integrated into one bundle. Other benefits include change control, governance and pre-deployment testing on top of the core efficiency gains.
The Challenge
Network devices such as switches and routers are set up by amending a configuration file which stores the completed configuration and settings of the device. As the number of devices increases, managing them becomes a time-consuming manual task with more and more files and versions to maintain. Some of the proposed solutions such as change management software and overlay networks are costly and not always appropriate for the organization’s needs. As a result, many organizations continue to manage their devices manually. Not only is this inefficient but can have other adverse consequences such as a lack of change control and version control, duplicate files stored in multiple locations, infrequent backups of configuration files and a lack of visibility of device changes.
The Solution
The Nuvias Rapid Deployment Blueprint is a pre-configured workflow that automates the network device configuration process. It is modular, allowing you to add essential functions and tailor the process for your specific needs.
Instead of storing configuration files locally or in multiple locations, customers use GitHub as a central repository for configuration controls and file management. The files can only be accessed by users with the appropriate credentials and access control.
When a configuration change is required, the engineer checks out the file from GitHub and makes the change – this can be integrated with existing request processes such as service desk ticketing if required.
A modern CI / CD pipeline approach based on Jenkins initiates an automatic approval process and then the change is automatically tested. If the test fails, the engineer is notified to review the change but if successful, the engineer simply pushes the change to the device by Ansible automation engine. The deployment can be executed manually or during scheduled release times, and all of the change records are updated within GitHub.
The Benefits
- Faster time to market by reducing manual deployment to new devices
- Reduce manual efforts with built-in automated testing to ensure successful configuration changes
- Audit trail to track changes with a built-in approval process
- Automated backup of configuration files and changes
- Version control of changes with the ability to revert back if required
- Provides governance to prevent duplication, local storage, multiple locations
- Easy adoption for new/junior staff to free up skilled engineers