Apstra Network Blueprints with Jeremy Schulman and Derick Winkworth

Jeremy Schulman, Head of Customer Enablement at Apstra, and Derick Winkworth, Systems Engineer, demonstrate their network blueprint tools. This allows the design principals to be open for all future engineers working on the network to see both the layout and purpose of the network as a whole.

The presentation emphasizes the importance of structured network design, using Apstra’s network blueprint tools to simplify and automate the process. Schulman explains that network architects may design logical network topologies without needing to decide specific hardware models upfront. At the time of physical network deployment, the Apstra Operating System (AOS) automatically manages resources like IP addresses and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) to align the network layout and configurations with the initial design. The speakers demonstrate how AOS integrates with Ansible to automate configuration processes efficiently, showcasing how various predefined templates and resource pools can be used to streamline network deployments.

A significant benefit highlighted is the solution’s capability to manage and distribute complex configurations systematically, eliminating the need for manual entry and the potential for human error typically associated with spreadsheet-driven network management. The system generates all necessary configurations and even cabling maps, which are often tedious tasks for network engineers. The solution ensures that all configurations and resource allocations are stored and updated in a central place, thus serving as the single source of truth and preventing inconsistencies. The speakers discuss how AOS verifies topology through protocols like LLDP before final deployment, emphasizing a staged and validated deployment approach to ensure network stability and integrity.

The presentation also addresses typical pain points faced by network implementation engineers, such as managing updates to configurations and ensuring cabling accuracy. By automating these processes, Apstra allows engineers to focus on higher-level design and troubleshooting rather than manual tasks. The ability to control and automate routing policy within the tool illustrates its advanced capabilities, particularly valuable for complex environments like large SaaS providers. Overall, the blueprint tools from Apstra offer an intelligent, automated solution to standardize and simplify network deployments, ensuring that design intentions are accurately and efficiently realized in the physical network infrastructure.