Cisco Catalyst Heart Template Labs – DayN Templates, Half 4

Overview

On this episode of our ongoing Catalyst Heart Automation Collection, our focus is on DayN Automation using Templates for operations and organising a lab or manufacturing setting to allow this functionality. The third and fourth labs within the collection purpose to grasp the varied ideas required to assist gadget configuration after onboarding. The labs inside this collection enable to be used within the DCLOUD setting; nevertheless, it’s possible you’ll equally make the most of them as a part of a Proof of Idea setup at a buyer’s lab. It’s possible you’ll use these procedures to make sure that all the required steps are full earlier than onboarding any gadgets inside Catalyst Heart. These procedures may additionally assist type a part of a deployment or implementation.

Inside this collection, we cowl the next;

1. PnP Preparation – explains the general Plug and Play arrange steps
2. Onboarding Templates – explains in-depth learn how to deploy Day 0 templates
3. Day N Templates – dives into Day N template constructs with each common and composite templates and use instances
4. Utility Policys – explores Utility Policys and SD-AVC in Catalyst Heart and their use
5. Telemetry – explains learn how to deploy Telemetry for assurance
6. Superior Automation – explores Superior Automation strategies
7. Dynamic Automation – a deployment lab for dynamic automation

Every of the Labs builds on the ideas that we cowl within the collection. These labs have a prerequisite of finishing the earlier two labs. The main focus of the primary three labs is on organising the setting and onboarding the gadget utilizing plug and play into Catalyst Heart. The next two labs deal with utilizing common and composite templates inside Catalyst Heart to configure community gadgets in an ongoing method. These labs will undergo the circulate surrounding constructing the supporting settings inside Catalyst Heart to assist DayN configuration. The labs can even can help you deploy a template for a Catalyst swap by means of Catalyst Heart utilizing DayN workflows as each common templates and composite to deploy intent. To organize the setting, be sure to full the steps outlined in our first, second, and third blogs within the collection.

What is going to I be taught within the DayN Templates Labs?

Within the Wired Automation lab, clients will begin by constructing utilizing each a daily template and composite template. Common templates enable us to construct out complicated configurations for deployment. Composite templates enable for the reuse of a number of common templates, which can allow us to modularize our code for reuse. Composite templates additionally enable us one place to make modifications that have an effect on a broader set of gadgets. Thus, if we improve one common template utilized to a number of composite templates, we could impact change on a extra complete set of gadgets. This additionally permits us to scale back the duplication of efforts and decrease the administrator’s quantity of effort.

Different concerns encompass the usage of the UI-centric strategy and the affect that it has on a typical configuration. For instance, a configuration might embrace some traces of code, which can be delivered by means of the UI-centric settings. If these Design elements are used, we have to perceive the affect that will have on simplifying our configuration and the way straightforward that will make the community preserve.

Composite Templates add the aptitude of monitoring sub-components for compliance, and the power to abort the automation if a failure happens.

Common Templates

As a daily template could embrace the gadget’s whole configuration, it’s important to comprehend that the extra configuration inside a daily template, the more durable it could be to fault-find. Moreover, small, succinct configuration examples are simpler to reuse, and this aids us in a while in making small modifications much less radical total. The Wired Automation lab within the collection, delves into the sensible utility of learn how to arrange Catalyst Heart to organize a daily template for DayN supply. It additionally calmly explains a number of the varied philosophies surrounding how we’d deploy configuration.

Composite Templates

When you would possibly suppose to incorporate the complete configuration for a standard community gadget, there’s a higher approach. We’re higher served by composite templates for big configuration constructs. Once more, this permits for compliance monitoring,  modularization and reuse, and simplification of operations. As well as, whereas we make the most of common templates to use complicated configuration, protecting them small and making them reusable aids in making ongoing modifications after preliminary deployment. Lastly, within the Wired Automation lab, by means of Composite Templates, we allow you with an instance of a composite template that reuses a number of common templates in its building.

As we be taught extra about constructing templates it is smart to begin attempting varied ideas lined inside the Tutorial sections about writing with templates with each Velocity and Jinja2 scripting languages. You could find further sources inside the GitHub repo right here:

Velocity Language

• Velocity Variables – This part explains Template Variables in depth, and the way and the place to make use of them
• Velocity Scripting – This part will dive into Velocity Language Template Scripting constructs and use instances
• Superior Velocity Scripting – This part will dive into Superior Velocity Language Template examples

Jinja2 Language

• Jinja2 Variables – This part explains Template Variables in depth, and the way and the place to make use of them
• Jinja2 Scripting – This part will dive into Jinja2 Language Template Scripting constructs and use instances
• Superior Jinja2 Scripting – This part will dive into Superior Jinja2 Language Template examples

Lab Subjects

We’ll achieve a sensible understanding of the steps related to organising Catalyst Heart and an setting to assist DayN common templates to ship gadget configuration throughout these labs. The labs purpose to help engineers in quickly starting utilizing Catalyst Heart automation and assist them work in direction of a template technique. Moreover, these labs will give clients a everlasting place to check out the common and composite templates and embrace configurations for varied use instances. Lastly, this setting will allow engineers to scale back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

1. Making a DayN Template by importing a JSON file
2. Constructing a Venture by importing a JSON file
3. Designing and modifying a Composite Template sequence.
4. Modifying a Community Profile
5. Provisioning the gadget
6. Resyncing the gadget

Template Import and Export

In these labs, we are going to use JSON recordsdata to Import and Export templates to Catalyst Heart to scale back the time required to deploy. This functionality additionally consists of all the weather edited within the type editor, so all the varied settings are despatched with the logical cli constructs. This leads to a precious device for shifting templates from check environments to manufacturing.

Venture Import and Export

In these labs, we are going to use JSON recordsdata to Import and Export whole initiatives. This consists of common templates, composite templates, and settings to Catalyst Heart to scale back the time required to deploy. This functionality additionally consists of all the weather edited within the type editor, so all the varied settings are despatched with the logical cli constructs. This leads to a useful device for shifting whole initiatives from check environments to manufacturing.

Making a Composite Template

In these labs, we are going to use JSON recordsdata to Import composite templates, after which we are going to modify it to incorporate a number of common templates for provisioning. Composite templates enable for the reuse of a number of common templates, which can allow us to modularize our code for reuse, thereby utilizing smaller chunks of configuration. Composite templates additionally enable us one place to make modifications that have an effect on a broader set of gadgets. Thus, if we improve one common template utilized to a number of composite templates, we could impact change on a broader set of gadgets. This additionally permits us to scale back the duplication of efforts and decrease the administrator’s quantity of effort.

Template Examples

On this lab, we offer JSON recordsdata, examples of templates that you could be Import to Catalyst Heart to scale back the time required to deploy. This alleviates the guesswork concerned in determining how a variable could be arrange, as all the shape editor components are additionally included inside the JSON file.

Lab Flexibility

Whereas utilizing these labs it’s possible you’ll modify them in any method to assist your use case. We use a layer two trunk throughout a port-channel for connectivity inside our examples. Equally, you possibly can check out different connectivity strategies for layer three routed entry. Additionally, please word that the examples given could also be used outdoors DCLOUD inside a buyer on-prem lab or manufacturing after person modification.

How can I get began?

Inside DCLOUD, a number of sandbox-type labs can be found. These self-contained environments are there to can help you use them as you please inside the time scheduled. As well as, this permits us a spot to begin working towards varied ideas with out concern of impacting manufacturing environments.

Consequently, we hope to demystify a number of the complexities of organising automation and assist information clients by means 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. On this approach, these self-guided labs present a glimpse into the basics of constructing velocity templates and supply examples which you could obtain and broaden from. As well as, the pattern templates and JSON recordsdata provided are for straightforward import into Catalyst Facilities’ template editor for faster adoption. Lastly, some scripts are ready-made excerpts of code that can help you construct the setting to check.

First, in a sensible lab information, we step-by-step delve into the ideas of constructing templates and methodologies for utilizing each Onboarding and DayN templates. Second, we offer solutions and explanations to most of the questions that come up throughout automation workshops. Our hope is that you just discover the data each useful and informative. We hope to provide a well-rounded rationalization of automation strategies and ideas you’ll be able to broaden upon for manufacturing functions. Lastly, the Wired Automation lab the DayN Template content material explains the general DayN gadget configuration setup steps.

The place can I check and check out 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:

1. Cisco Enterprise Networks {Hardware} Sandbox West DC
2. Cisco Enterprise Networks {Hardware} Sandbox East DC

The DCLOUD labs can help you run these labs and provides an setting to strive the varied code samples. It’s possible you’ll select to develop and export your code to be used in manufacturing environments. Additionally, this offers you an setting the place you’ll be able to safely POC/POV strategies and steps with out harming your manufacturing environments. The DCLOUD setting additionally negates the necessity for delivery gear, lead instances, and licensing points wanted to get shifting quickly. Please do adhere to the most effective practices for the DCLOUD setting when utilizing it.

Lab Connectivity

The setting permits to be used with a web-based browser consumer for VPN-less connectivity, entry in addition to AnyConnect VPN consumer connectivity for individuals who desire it. It’s possible you’ll select from labs hosted out of our San Jose Services by deciding on US West. Select the Cisco Enterprise Community Sandbox. To entry this or some other content material, together with demonstrations, labs, and coaching in DCLOUD please work along with your Cisco Account group or Cisco Companion Account Group straight. 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 setting.

Content material

The Wired Automation lab content material is positioned inside the current DNAC-TEMPLATES repository to provide a one-stop-shop for all the required instruments, scripts, templates, and code samples. Inside it are six modules, which construct upon the tutorials to check the strategies in a lab setting. 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 purpose 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 will modify for our use and check on gear inside the LAB setting. Further data inside the lab supplies a well-rounded rationalization of Automation strategies with Templates. Lastly, the lab permits for patrons to make use of Catalyst Heart workflows to follow deploying Onboarding, DayN Templates, and Utility Coverage automation on each Wired and Wi-fi Platforms.

This lab’s aim is to be a sensible assist for engineers creating a template technique. Secondarily, to help these engineers in quickly adopting Catalyst Heart automation.  Moreover, clients will achieve a everlasting place to check out the templates and embrace configurations for varied use instances. Lastly, this setting will allow engineers to scale back the effort and time wanted to instantiate the community.

Consequently, you’ll achieve expertise in organising Plug and Play onboarding and templates. Moreover, you’ll use superior templating strategies and troubleshooting instruments. These could assist throughout faultfinding to find out what’s failing in a deployment.

Catalyst Heart Labs

Please use this menu to navigate the varied sections of this GitHub repository. Throughout the a number of folders are examples and rationalization readme recordsdata for reference. There are actually two units of labs, and these are being regularly expanded upon.

In conclusion, in the event you discovered this set of labs and repository useful,

please fill in feedback and suggestions on the way it could possibly be improved.

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