Automate a change you can verify.
Network automation begins with explicit intent, bounded changes, and repeatable validation.
Capture a baseline
Keep the original device configurations and define the traffic that must work before and after a change. Preserve a clear rollback artifact.
Separate rendering from deployment
Generate candidate configuration, inspect the diff, and run deterministic checks before applying it. Avoid mixing credentials or production inventory with training fixtures.
Verify behavior, not a text match
A configuration can contain the expected line while forwarding still fails. Compare reachability and protected flows after the proposed change. Python, Netmiko, and Ansible execution labs are planned; the current exercise focuses on configuration validation.
The route to nowhere
Seattle office. The core has two routed branches and a cross-link before the common service handoff. The service at .10 is unreachable, but .200 in the same subnet and the secondary service still work. Investigate the two service networks from R1: 10.201.160.0/24 to 10.201.168.0/24 (TCP/443), and 10.201.161.0/24 to 10.201.169.0/24 (TCP/8443).
Link addressing (6)
- R1 R2
10.201.176.0/30 - R1 R3
10.201.177.0/30 - R2 R4
10.201.178.0/30 - R3 R4
10.201.179.0/30 - R2 R3
10.201.180.0/30 - R4 R5
10.201.181.0/30
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