#GNS3 API

[ccnacoursetipsandtrick]

How many exams are there in CCNA?

A Complete Guide for Beginners in Networking

The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification is widely regarded as the entry point into the world of networking. It is highly sought after by IT professionals aiming to build careers in system administration, network support, or cybersecurity. One of the most common questions among aspiring candidates is: How many exams are there in CCNA?

This article answers that question and explores all related aspects—exam structure, topics covered, costs, and why this certification is essential for networking professionals.

Overview of CCNA Certification

The CCNA is a credential offered by Cisco Systems, one of the global leaders in networking hardware, software, and telecommunications equipment. The certification is designed to validate a professional’s ability to install, configure, manage, and troubleshoot networks. It covers a wide range of foundational networking topics, making it suitable for entry-level IT roles and a stepping stone to advanced certifications.

So, How Many Exams Are There in CCNA?

As of now, the CCNA certification requires passing just one exam.

This is a major shift from previous versions, where candidates had to take two or more separate exams depending on the specialization. However, Cisco consolidated its associate-level certifications in 2020 into a single, comprehensive CCNA exam.

 Exam Code: 200-301 CCNA

This single exam tests your knowledge across multiple domains of networking, rather than focusing on one specific area. It is considered a generalist exam that prepares candidates for a wide range of networking responsibilities.

Topics Covered in the 200-301 CCNA Exam

Though it’s just one exam, it covers a broad spectrum of networking areas. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Network Fundamentals

IPv4 and IPv6 configuration and addressing

OSI and TCP/IP models

Networking components (routers, switches, access points)

2. Network Access

VLANs and trunking

EtherChannel

Wireless networking fundamentals

3. IP Connectivity

Routing concepts including OSPF

Static vs dynamic routing

Troubleshooting routing issues

4. IP Services

DHCP, NAT, NTP, and QoS

DNS and SNMP

Network configuration and verification tools

5. Security Fundamentals

Device access control

VPNs and firewalls

Common security threats and prevention

6. Automation and Programmability

Controller-based architectures

REST APIs

Cisco DNA Center basics

Even though it's a single exam, the breadth and depth of the material require thorough preparation and hands-on practice.

Exam Format and Details

Here are the logistics of the 200-301 CCNA exam:

Format: Multiple choice, simulations, drag-and-drop

Duration: 120 minutes

Number of Questions: Around 100

Cost: USD $300 (plus taxes, depending on region)

Delivery: Online proctoring or Pearson VUE testing centers

Best Way to Prepare for the Single CCNA Exam

Since there is only one consolidated exam, it is critical to approach preparation systematically. Here’s how:

1. Use Cisco’s Official Study Guide

Cisco offers comprehensive resources, including the CCNA Official Cert Guide and e-learning on the Cisco Learning Network.

2. Enroll in Instructor-Led Training

Structured training can significantly increase your chances of passing. If you're located in northern India, many professionals recommend the best CCNA training institute in Chandigarh, known for offering in-depth labs, certified trainers, and real-time scenarios.

3. Hands-On Labs

Use tools like Cisco Packet Tracer, GNS3, or even real hardware to simulate networks and get practical experience.

4. Practice Exams

Attempting mock tests and practice questions will help you assess your readiness and identify weak areas before the real test.

Why the Shift to One Exam?

Cisco’s shift to a single exam format was driven by:

Simplicity: One clear path instead of multiple tracks

Relevance: Incorporating automation and security, which are now critical in networking

Accessibility: Lower cost and fewer exams make it more achievable

This change ensures that all CCNA holders have a well-rounded foundation in networking, regardless of their future specialization.

What Comes After CCNA?

After achieving your CCNA certification, you can pursue:

CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) – for advanced networking

Cisco CyberOps Associate – for security and operations

DevNet Associate – for network automation and development

Each of these paths offers specialization and deeper knowledge in specific domains, allowing you to tailor your career to your interests.

Final Thoughts

To summarize, only one exam is required to achieve the CCNA certification today. While it may seem simpler, the 200-301 CCNA exam covers a wide range of complex topics, demanding focused study and practical experience.

Whether you're a student, an IT technician, or a professional seeking career growth, CCNA is a solid foundation. Enrolling in a reliable and reputed training program—such as the Best CCNA training institute in Chandigarh—can make your preparation more efficient and effective.

The road to CCNA may be challenging, but with the right resources and dedication, it is a rewarding investment in your future.

[networkeducative]

GNS3

GNS3

Tool GNS3, a graphical network simulation software, is a cross-platform package including a GUI, a command line-based Simulation program, and a Virtual Machine. GNS3 is an open source software for building networks in a modeler environment. You can create models of computer networks and then you can use GNS3 to validate or test the behavior of such models. A simulation model typically consists of nodes and links between these nodes. Nodes represent devices such as server computers, workstations, switches/hubs, etc., while the links represent the connections between these nodes which typically configured including bandwidth and delays. You can use emulation features to change parameters such as packet loss and link load and/or you can define the type of traffic coming from one node to another node. GNS3 is a free and open-source simulator. You can run simulations in either simulation mode, which provides an integrated GUI for a network simulator, or command-line mode. It has support for IPv4, IPv6, and OSI Layer 2, Layer 3, and OSI Layer 4 protocols. GNS3 can simulate protocols such as TCP/IP, UDP/IP, IPX, and AppleTalk. GNS3 is released under the GNU GPL.

GNS3 Features

Simulation mode: GNS3 has an integrated graphical interface for network simulation, and command-line interface.

IPv4, IPv6, and OSI Layer 2, Layer 3, and OSI Layer 4 protocols.

Command-line mode: You can use GNS3 command-line interface for more power.

You can use emulation features to change parameters such as packet loss and link load.

You can define the type of traffic coming from one node to another node.

It supports the L3 protocols like TCP, UDP, ICMP, IGMP, and PIM.

GNS3 can simulate protocols such as TCP/IP, UDP/IP, IPX, and AppleTalk.

Why Should I Use GNS3?

GNS3 is useful for simulating any type of network using emulated or real devices.

Ability to simulate various types of networks such as point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, broadcast, VLANs, Layer 2 switches, Layer 3 switches, and routers.

Ability to test your network and how it will behave when the load is changed.

Packet and IP level traffic generation

GNS3 has a real-time traffic flow simulator.

Network and performance analyzers.

Dynamic routing, protocols, and multicast.

Port forwarding, NAT, and firewall.

What Are the Different GNS 3 Versions?

GNS3 has several versions. You can download the latest version from https://www.gns3.com. The GNS3 Simulator is a free software for testing and learning. GNS3 uses a graphical user interface (GUI) that you can use to build and test networks. The GNS3 Simulation program is used to perform a simulation of a network, and the Virtual Machine is used to run the simulation.

How Do I Install GNS3?

GNS3 has two ways to install:

You can download the latest version from https://www.gns3.com and install the latest version from the download.

You can install the simulator and virtual machine

What are the GNS3 Packages?

GNS3 Packages are the GNS3 software which contains all the necessary tools to simulate networks. GNS3 Packages are available in RPM and DEB format.

How Do I Use GNS3?

Install the GNS3 Packages on your operating system.

You can download the latest version from https://www.gns3.com and install the latest version from the download.

You can install the simulator and virtual machine.

Download the GNS3 Simulator.

GNS3 Simulator is the graphical user interface (GUI) for the GNS3 Simulation program. You can use the GNS3 Simulator to build and test your networks.

How Do I Install the GNS3 Python Module?

Download the latest version from https://www.gns3.com and install the latest version from the download.

Extract the archive and you will see the GNS3 Python module in the directory.

Install the module.

How Do I Install the GNS3 QEMU Virtual Machine?

Download the latest version from https://www.gns3.com and install the latest version from the download.

Extract the archive and you will see the GNS3 Virtual Machine in the directory.

Install the virtual machine.

What Is the GNS3 API?

GNS3 API is the interface to GNS3 program.

[tak4hir0]

ITの技術や知識はツールの習得と表裏一体ではないか、というアイデアをラフなメモ。 とても当たり前の内容かもしれない。 【1】昨年からもう一度、コンピュータの基本技術を習得すべきと考えて、Ruby、Python、Linux、ネットワーク、機械学習、深層学習、コンパイラなどを勉強し始めた。 実は、正直なところ、AWSを習得したかったけれど、挫折してしまった。 マーケットプレイスから試したいアプリを落として設定すれば、アプリは簡単に動く。 EC2で普通にLinuxコマンドを叩けば、普通にセットアップできる。 VPCで書籍の通りにネットワークを作れば、それなりに動く。 でも何か分かったような気がしなかった。 何か真似事しているだけのような気がした。 なぜだろうか？ いろいろ考えた結果、やっぱり基本技術が分かってないなあ、という思いがあった。 【2】ITの技術や知識の習得は、財務や法律、経済学などの分野の知識の習得とは異なる気がする。 具体的には、ITの技術や知識を知っているだけでは意味がなくて、その技術や知識を実装しているツールを使いこなせて、そこから新しいものを生み出すことができて初めて意味を持つの��、と思う。 理由は、2つある。 【3】1つ目は、ITの技術や知識を知っているだけで、プログラミングの開発環境、Linuxコマンドを動かせるサーバー環境、UMLやデータモデルを描いて実際に画面まで動かす、などの実際に動かせる環境でツールを使いこなせなければ、実際の仕事に使えないからだ。 たとえば、RubyやPythonの文法を知っていると言っても、実際に動くアプリを生み出すには、プログラミングの開発環境を揃えて、デバッグしたり、コンパイルしたり、デプロイする環境が必要になる。 昔なら、VisualStudioでVBやC++を書いていた時も、VisualStudioに数多くのパッチを当てたり、SQLServerなどのバージョン依存に泣かされていたのを思い出す。 今でも、単にRubyやPythonの文法を習ったとしても、実際に開発環境を揃えるのは割と大変だ。 実際、Railsは優れたWebフレームワークだが、VerUpが激しいし、大量のGemが必要になるので、慣れていなければ、バージョン依存ですぐに動かなくなる。 PythonもNumpy、Pandas、MatplotLibのVerUpは激しいので、すぐに古いバージョンのAPIは使えなくなっている。 ただし、Pythonの場合、Anacondaがあるおかげで、以前よりもバージョン依存地獄にはまらなくなったように思う。 たとえば、WordPressやTracなどのWebシステムを通じて、Webアプリの機能や特徴を理解したとしても、Linux上にソースをデプロイして、負荷分散に耐えられるようなネットワーク設計を行ったり、不正なアクセスを制御するようにアクセス制限を課す、とか、いろんな設定作業が必要になる。 特に、インフラ周りの開発環境は、一昔前まで構成管理できない環境だったから、設定ファイルを一度修正すると、元の環境に戻せないリスクが多かった。 それゆえに、数多くの「○○_backup_yyyyMMdd.ファイル」みたいなファイルがたくさんできてしまって、ゴミファイルなのに消せなくなる、とかいろいろな苦労もあった。 ただし、今なら、DockerなりAnsibleで、環境構築の構成管理が可能になったので、いつでも環境を複製したり、再現することが楽になったのはありがたい。 たとえば、UMLでオブジェクト指向設計を習得しても、データモデリングの手法を通じて業務システム設計が分かったとしても、実際にUMLやDOAのモデルを描けるツールが必要だ。 実際にモデルを描いてみると、数多くのモデル管の整合性を取るのが大変なのが分かるし、実はモデリングの記法に制限がありすぎて、あるべき機能を描きにくい、という気づきもあったりする。 特に、データモデリングの手法は日本では昔から技術が蓄積されていて、そのノウハウも十分にあるし、業務システム設計にとても役立つのに、さほどそのノウハウが普及していないのは、データモデリングのツール自体がオープンソースで提供されていなかったり、使われていないからだ。 ER図を描くだけでも気づきは多いのに、ER図を描けるモデリングツールはそもそも標準がないのが実情。 だから、データモデリングの考え方自体も普及していない。 【4】2つ目は、ITの技術や知識を使ったベストプラクティスは、ツールの一機能として実現されているので、ツールの機能を使いこなすことで、自然に知識やノウハウを身につけられるからだ。 たとえば、Rubyの開発環境で最も優れているのはRubymineだろう。 RubymineでRubyを書いてみると、デバッグもできるし、ブレイクポイントを置いて、実際に動く変数の中身もウォッチできる。 しかも、RubymineにはRubyという動的言語であっても、リファクタリング機能が付属して���るので、ちょっとした変数名の置換、ロジックをメソッドで抽出する、などの操作を簡単に行える。 つまり、リファクタリング本で知られているリファクタリングのベストプラクティスがRubymineのツールの1機能として実現されているので、Rubymineを使いこなしていくうちに、リファクタリング技術にも慣れて、きれいなコードを書くノウハウも身に付く。 もちろん、テストユニットのソース支援機能もあるから、自動テストも実装できるから、そういう機能を使っていくうちに、プログラミングの能力も身についていく。 たとえば、CCNAのようなCisco機器の知識、ネットワークの一般的な知識を身に着けたい場合は、Ciscoのルータやスイッチを実際に中古品で購入して、オンプレのネットワーク設計を行いたい。 しかし、実際はそこまでお金を払わなくても、PacketTracerのようなシミュレータ、GNS3のようなエミュレータが無料であるので、それらを使ってPC上でネットワークのトポロジーを作って動かしてみればいい。 実際に試してみると、L2スイッチでVLANやSTPの設定、ルータでRIP、OSPF、デフォルトゲートウェイ、サブネッティングによるIPアドレス付与、などの基本的なネットワーク設計は非常に難儀な作業であることがよく分かる。 IPアドレスの数字がちょっと間違えただけでも、すぐに疎通できなくなる。 100人以上の社員がいる社内ネットワーク構築で、ルータを10個以上配置する場合、ネットワークの冗長化や負荷分散、セキュリティ面をきちんと考えておかないと、すぐにユーザからクレームが来るだろう。 そういう設計を行うための技術は、たとえば、STPやHSRPのような冗長化や負荷分散、ACLやPortSecurity、AAAのようなセキュリティの機能があるので、それらをCisicoコマンドで実際に実現すればいい。 そういうネットワーク設計をルータやスイッチのような実機ではなく、PacketTracerやGNS3のような無料ツールで事前にネットワーク・トポロジーを試しておけば、いろんなノウハウが身に付くだろう たぶん、クラウドも同じように、実際にAWSで色々試しながら、身につけた方が習得が速いはず。 たとえば、Redmineは単なるITSやBTSではなく、プロジェクト管理ツールとして使われるようになった。 すると、プログラマ出身だが、プロジェクトリーダーの役割は初めての経験で、そんなにチームビルディングに自身がない人であっても、Redmineというツールの機能を駆使すれば、基本的なスケジュール管理や課題管理はこなせるようになる。 また、アジャイル開発のプラクティスとRemdineの各機能は相性がいいので、チームビルディングやコミュニケーション活性化に活用することもできるだろう。 つまり、Redmineの機能を十分に把握できれば、自然にプロジェクト管理力も身についていく。 Redmineのいろんな機能は、10年以上のOSS開発を通じて、世界中の開発者の要望が実現されていて、それらは全て、ソフトウェア開発に役立つように作られたからだ。 逆に言えば、PMBOKのような知識を持っていたとしても、実際のプロジェクトの現��で発揮できなければ意味がない。 Excelで自前でガントチャートによるスケジュール管理を作ったり、自前で工数管理のVBAやEVMのVBAを作り込んだりしていたプロジェクトリーダーを実際に見てきた。 たしかに彼らはそういうツールを作り出すだけのVBA能力があり、マネジメント能力も会ったわけだが、僕はOSSのプロジェクト管理ツールとかGitHub、GitLabなどを使いこなすことで自然にベストプラクティスが身についていく、という成長のやり方の方が好きだ。 「ツールがプロセスを改善していく」という発想が僕は好き。 ツールでプロセスを実装すべきか、プロセスを確立してからツールを導入すべきか: プログラマの思索 チケット駆動開発はツールによる改善か、プロセスによる改善なのか: プログラマの思索 ツールがサポートすれば考え方も変わる: プログラマの思索 チームの開発環境が開発プロセスの品質を向上させるのに導入されない理由: プログラマの思索 ツールが開発プロセスを改善する: プログラマの思索 開発プロセスの型をツールで構築する #tidd: プログラマの思索 【4】そんな事を思うと、ITの技術や知識はツールの習得と表裏一体である、という事実を改めて感じている。 換言すれば、プログラミング開発環境、サーバー環境、ネットワーク環境、プロジェクト管理ツール、ソースコード管理ツールなどのツールを使いこなしていけば、そのツールの機能に実装されているベストプラクティスは自然に身に付くのだ。 それらのツールの機能には、長年の蓄積で得られたコンピュータ科学やソフトウェア工学の理論、数多くのプログラマやネットワーク技術者が苦労して導いてきた泥臭いノウハウが数多く詰まっている。 だから、教科書を通じてIT技術の知識を習得するよりも、実際に開発環境を揃えてプログラムを書いたり、サーバーを動かしたり、プロジェクト管理ツールを準備して実際にスケジュール管理や課題管理をやってみる、という体験の方が重要だと思う。 そして、そういう試行錯誤は、20代のような若いうちにやった方がいい。 最近気づいたが、年齢を取るほど、PCの前に長時間座ってコマンドを叩くのが割ときつくなってくる。 いくらツールを通じて知識を習得すればいい、と言っても、ツール自体もどんどん進化するから、それらにキャッチアップしていくのも大変。 視力が落ちてくるし、老眼になってくるし、体力面も厳しくなる。 昨今のDXというバズワードの流行を見ると、ビジネスも生活もあらゆる場面で、全てがソフトウェアで代行されていくだろう。 そういうソフトウェアを自分のものとして制御していくためにも、ソフトウェアの基本的な知識や技術は習得しておきたい。だからこそ、ツールの機能を習得することで、自然に知識やベストプラクティスが得られるように、そのやり方にも慣れておきたい。

[udemy-gift-coupon-blog]

INE - Network Automation with Ansible ##100%FREEUdemyDiscountCoupons ##CouponUdemy #Ansible #Automation #INE #Network INE - Network Automation with Ansible Hello Everyone and welcome to internet expert Newark  Automation with Ansible. my name is Eric Chou and first of all let me introduce myself a little bit. So Who am I,  I've been in network engineering field  for the last 15+ years and on udemy I am working as the co-Instructor Of Joseph Banfield. I've been on  the vendor side enterprise service  provider and for the last 10 years or so  I've been building data centers and reading some of the cloud providers data centers. I received my CCI number in routing and switching back in 2008 . So for those of you  that are going for CCIE, I know know your pain, I've been there and it's a good path to beyond and you  know best of luck with that.  I've been animation focus for the last  five years, so that means you know mainly  dealing with Python and now danceable API's and network animations and so on.  So first of all lets see why do we want to use network automation. Why Network Automation? 1.   Changes Faster, More Reliable and Scalable 2.   Network and Business Agility Without Vendor Lock In Why Ansible? 1.   Commercial, Home Grown, Open Source 2.   Agentless -Communicates Over SSH/Installs Python Scripts -Local Mode Provides API Integeration      3. Vendor Support         Ansible Limitations: -No Windows Control Machine Support But Can Control Windows Machine Through Powershell. -Uneven Vendor Support -But …..You have to Get started Somewhere Lab Tools: 1.GNS3 ( IOS, JUNOS ) 2. VIRL ( IOS-XR, NX-OS, Linux Host ) 3. Arista EOS Device Course Structure: A.   Ansible: Playbooks, Inventory, Variables and facts B.   Examples: -Cisco ( IOS, IOS-XR, NX-OS ) -Arista, Juniper Tools Needed: -Ansible -Python 2.7 ( For Self-Made Modules ) -VIRL, GNS3, Gears ( Strongly Recommended ) -Vagrant and VirtualBox ( Optional )    9 Who this course is for: Anyone who is interested to Learn Network Automation with Ansible 👉 Activate Udemy Coupon 👈 Free Tutorials Udemy Review Real Discount Udemy Free Courses Udemy Coupon Udemy Francais Coupon Udemy gratuit Coursera and Edx ELearningFree Course Free Online Training Udemy Udemy Free Coupons Udemy Free Discount Coupons Udemy Online Course Udemy Online Training 100% FREE Udemy Discount Coupons https://www.couponudemy.com/blog/ine-network-automation-with-ansible/

[davidbombal]

GNS3 API: Jeremy explains how the API works

Jeremy Grossmann (creator of GNS3) discusses the GNS3 API with David Bombal. How it works, what you can do with it and where to learn more information.

[technocourses]

CCNA Certification: Complete Guide for 2025

What is CCNA Certification

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification is one of the most recognized networking credentials in the IT industry. It validates your ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot networks, making it a great starting point for networking professionals. Whether you're new to networking or looking to advance your career, this guide will help you understand the CCNA certification path, its benefits, and how to prepare effectively. If you are looking to take your networking career to next level avail today rated Cisco Courses now.

Why is CCNA Certification Important?

CCNA certification is valuable for several reasons:

Industry Recognition: Globally recognized as a standard for networking professionals.

Career Growth: Opens doors to higher-paying job opportunities in IT.

Skill Validation: Demonstrates proficiency in networking fundamentals, security, automation, and more.

Foundation for Advanced Certifications: A stepping stone to more advanced Cisco certifications like CCNP and CCIE.

Higher Salary Potential: Certified professionals often earn more than their non-certified peers.

CCNA Certification Overview

Certification Name: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Exam Code: 200-301 CCNA

Prerequisites: No formal prerequisites, but basic networking knowledge is recommended.

Exam Duration: 120 minutes

Exam Cost: $300 (subject to regional variations)

Validity: 3 years

Testing Center: Pearson VUE

Skills Covered in CCNA

CCNA certification validates knowledge in the following areas:

Networking Fundamentals: IP addressing, subnetting, routing, and switching.

Security Fundamentals: Basics of network security, firewalls, and threat management.

IP Services: NAT, DHCP, DNS, and QoS.

Automation and Programmability: Network automation using Python and REST APIs.

Wireless Networking: Basics of WLAN, SSID configuration, and access point deployment.

Who Should Take the CCNA Certification?

CCNA is ideal for:

Aspiring network engineers and administrators.

IT support technicians looking to advance in networking roles.

Professionals seeking foundational networking skills.

Students or fresh graduates pursuing a networking career.

Job Roles After CCNA Certification

After earning your CCNA, you can apply for roles such as:

Network Engineer

Network Administrator

Systems Administrator

Network Support Technician

IT Help Desk Specialist

How to Prepare for the CCNA Exam

1. Study Resources

Official Cisco Learning Network: Provides study materials and resources.

Cisco Press Books: "CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide" by Wendell Odom.

Online Courses: Platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Pluralsight offer CCNA courses.

Practice Exams: Use mock tests to assess your knowledge and identify weak areas.

Hands-on Labs: Utilize Cisco Packet Tracer or GNS3 for practical experience.

2. Exam Strategy

Understand Exam Objectives: Study Cisco’s official exam topics.

Create a Study Plan: Allocate time for each subject area.

Practice Configurations: Use simulation tools to practice real-world networking scenarios.

Join Networking Communities: Engage with CCNA aspirants and certified professionals.

Take Timed Practice Tests: Improve time management skills for the exam.

How to Register for the CCNA Exam

Visit the Cisco Certification Website.

Choose "CCNA 200-301" and click on "Register."

Create a Pearson VUE account.

Select a test center or opt for online proctoring.

Pay the exam fee and schedule your exam.

CCNA Recertification

CCNA certification is valid for three years. To renew:

Retake the CCNA exam.

Earn Continuing Education (CE) credits.

Pass a higher-level Cisco certification exam.

Benefits of CCNA Certification

Better Job Opportunities: Preferred by top employers worldwide.

Enhanced Networking Skills: Deepens your understanding of network infrastructures.

Competitive Edge: Differentiates you from non-certified candidates.

Pathway to Advanced Cisco Certifications: Leads to CCNP, CCIE, and other specialized certifications.

Conclusion

Earning a CCNA certification in 2025 can significantly boost your networking career. By understanding its structure, benefits, and study strategies, you can successfully achieve certification and unlock new professional opportunities. Start your CCNA journey today and take the first step towards a rewarding career in networking!

[broadcaststorm]

Assuring your network will do what you think it will do

TL;DR

"Sweet!  I'd love to be able to simulate a change on the whole network!"

"*All* paths from source IP to destination IP? Even ECMP?"

"Wait, they aren't running VMs/containers of each device to simulate all this?"

"All of this can run on site, with one virtual appliance for the modeling engine?"

Cloaking Device Disabled

Forward Networks came out of stealth as a Silicon Valley startup company on Monday, 14 November 2016.  So, if you haven't heard of them, do not feel bad.  Their initial press release, like many new product announcements, says a great deal and makes a number of claims.  But, I didn't really know what to expect.

Their exit coincided with their presentation to the Network Field Day 13 event (http://techfieldday.com/event/nfd13). In that presentation, they provided very detailed demonstrations about the product - showing what you can do and how it can make your operations much more streamlined.  Side note: if you love demonstrations and engineers interrogating engineers about product features, you are going to love the Forward Networks videos.  This was a product in which practically every delegate had some interest.

Network Assurance

The Forward Platform is described as a network assurance product but what does that mean?  Even their website was a little vague on the matter.  Simply put they break the concept of network assurance down to two specific categories: correctness and performance.

The latter (performance), they did not focus on (today) although they did mention customers are definitely interested in how current performance impacts network operations. As an example, performance assurance would answer the question "With my current traffic loads, will my connectivity to the DR site be able to handle a failover event?"

The former category - correctness - is very much the focus of their initial product launch.  Given the business intent, are all the network devices currently configured and operating to support that intent?  For example, does web traffic from the Internet pass through my load balancers and firewalls to reach my web servers?  Even if I take down one load balancer?  Or firewall?  Or both?

The most intuitive aspect of the software to me was defining the business intent.  Business intent as they talk about it is posing questions to the Forward Platform. Back at the office, this really translates to test cases - such as monitoring rules you set up.  The types of monitoring you would put into SolarWinds or Nagios or filters for Wireshark, for example, are the same concepts/actions you used to define intent.

Except, you can also validate prohibited traffic - no DHCP traffic should reach the web server.  Web traffic should not reach the database server. Etc.

So, upon first deployment, you might have to allocate some time to defining as much (or as little) as your business intent as you want.  For a few scenarios, you will find in the demonstrations that the web interface is very lightweight and responsive - the session video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg0u9a4ZW7Q&t=11s) at Tech Field Day's YouTube channel has an excellent walk through of how to create these checks.

Some highlights - the pre-defined checks that we all want (traffic from client can reach server) to some you necessarily wouldn't think of (traffic flows on all links in an etherchannel).  Those look like this in the web interface:

Worried that defining all those tasks for your extremely large network could be daunting?  Yes, Virginia - there is a Santa Claus and an API for the Forward Platform.

Searching Your Network

Those intents and alerts that can be defined fall under the "Verify" aspect of the Forward Platform.  Another aspect is Search - one that is immensely useful for your operations desk.  Users complaining that they can't get to the internal portal?  (Cue announcer voice) Reduce your "mean time to innocence" with Search (End announcer voice).

Seriously, you can very quickly determine whether the network has a role in the issue by:

Getting the latest snapshot from your network - which collects the latest current configuration and running states from each device

Use the search function to show the path between users and the service

This capture from Brandon Heller's demonstration (https://youtu.be/__iaT7WQ41w?t=4m36s) really shows it all. With Google like adaptive search terms, you quickly get the current, live paths involved for the source and destination you are investigating:

As we discovered during questioning, this newly released product currently understands and models the physical "underlay" transport including VRFs - however, virtualization switches (VMware, e.g) and overlays such as VXLAN are coming soon.  So, you might not see the complete "virtual last mile" as I call it but you will definitely get to the physical server hosting the VM in the case of vSwitch.

Modeling versus Simulation

Those two capabilities are exceptional technologies that really do help operations teams with extremely complex networks - especially ones that can't be simulated using virtual appliances in such environments as GNS3 or VIRL. As more overlays and SDN are introduced into the data center, even simulating a relevant subset of the network is becoming computationally difficult.

That's where the Forward Networks approach of modeling excels over the virtual appliance simulation approach. By reducing your network to data structure that can be modeled effectively and efficiently, they can ingest your entire network across a large range of vendors (Cisco, Juniper, and Arista) and devices (switches, routers, load balances, firewalls, etc.) to then perform those search and verify functions.

Prediction

As a network architect, though, the prediction capabilities of the platform were the most exciting portions of the demonstration.  Ever wonder if this configuration change is going to break anything directly?  That's usually easy to know ahead of time in simple networks.

How about whether your change will interrupt service on a different part of the network? What about a change someone made that broke redundancy for some of your VLANs but not others?

Because the Forward Platform has the complete model of your network encoded into their data structures, they can also predict the behavior of your network under different configurations.  Ultimately, they would love to be able predict based on current conditions as well - but more on that later.

In my experience, most shops of any size have a change control process in place - one that, in the ideal ITIL sense, would correctly state the actual impact to the production environment so that the risk, value, and timing of the change could be intelligently discussed.  Without a tool such as the Forward Platform, you can say what you *think* will happen based on what you might know - and maybe even leverage actual configurations to provide a sound foundation for that analysis.

How many times have we been burned by "wait - it shouldn't have done that?" or "who the heck put that configuration in there?"?  In my opinion, this is where the serious value can be derived from this platform - the Forward Platform can pull the entire network configuration and run states on demand prior to simulating the change. There does not have to be a discrepancy between a stale configuration and what you are testing against.

An demonstration of the Forward Platform prediction software can be seen at this part of the product demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__iaT7WQ41w&feature=youtu.be&t=24m16s

As you might pick up, the more validation or unit tests you have in your network, the better the "Predict" functionality will work for you.  As they (Forward Networks) point out - it's very much like a software development mindset: the more (meaningful) tests you embed, the more confidence you build.  As I mentioned before, there's a great number of pre-defined checks but you must implement them to gain that confidence.

All is well but not perfect with Forward

Keep in mind - as I mentioned, this is modeling and not simulation.  One of the first implications of that is the platform will not protect you from bugs in the switch/router/firewall code.  Back end validation farm runs through as many code versions from as many vendors as they can.  The impression is that they run through them "all" to validate their modeling engine correct represents them all.  I'm not sure that is possible for all the resources that might be required to validate all protocols (routing, spanning-tree, etc).

As I also mentioned previously, the current platform does not take into account performance aspects of the network - although they did emphasize (without committing) that several customers expressed strong interest in that capability. I for one will be keeping an eye out for their future developments.  Imagine the equivalent of integrating information from SolarWinds into a modeling and prediction engine - packet drops, interface counters, flow information.

Take flow information - say you wanted to know how web traffic for a certain customer would distribute across 2 more additional links?  Stress those links because the customer preferred their DR site replication traffic over those links?  You see the potential?

Before anyone takes any of that out of context - that is me brainstorming what might be.  Forward Networks did not mention those examples, suggest those examples, hint at those examples, or commit to those capabilities.

Wrapping It Up

So I'll finish with a strong recommendation that you check out each and every videos from the Networking Field Day 13 event at http://youtube.com/techfieldday.  The presentations in my opinion really were solid and informative.  As I see it, the product seems strong coming out of the gate and their presentation certainly reinforced that impression.

Mea Culpa

The price of being too busy means sometimes keys, lists, sticky notes, and blog posts get lost. I was cleaning up my folders today and ran across my completed blog post on Forward Networks I wrote back in December 2016.  So, please forgive any dated references are tenses that seem like I just saw these guys. I saw them back in November 2016.

Also reference my general disclaimer regarding my attendance - in short, no one asked me to write this, let alone what to say. GestaltIT/TechFieldDay provided travel accommodations to attend the event.

[freeonlinecoursesudemy]

Python Network Programming for Network Engineers (Python 3)

Publisher : David Bombal - Experts with David Bombal Price : $0 Course Language : English Description Learn Network Programmability and Network Automation using GNS3 and Python version 3. This course is based on Python 3. Want to program networks using Python, but not sure where to start? Well, this course will show you how you can start programming Cisco networks within 20 minutes. This course was created for network engineers. There are too many other Python courses out there that try to make network engineers software developers. Instead of teaching network automation, they teach you Python theory. This course is different.  This course is practical. I won't talk about programming in abstract terms and make you wait before you can start automating networks. I will show you how you can quickly and easily start network programming by using GNS3, Cisco IOS and Python. You will see demonstrations of the configuration of both Cisco routers and switches in GNS3. For example, how to configure multiple VLANs on a multiple switches, or how to configure OSPF on a router and more. This course shows you practical examples of using Python to programmatically configure Cisco network devices rather then just talking about it. The days of configuring Cisco networks only with the command line interface (CLI) are drawing to a close. You need to add network programmability using Python and APIs to your skill set. Learn how to automate networks using: - Telnet - SSH - Paramiko Read the full article