Network Assurance in the Automation Ecosystem with IP Fabric

Daren Fulwell, the Product Evangelist for IP Fabric, presented on how IP Fabric’s Automated Network Assurance Platform can transform network management. The platform is designed to proactively manage and measure networks, replacing manual documentation with interactive tools and providing an API for network intelligence. It works in conjunction with NetBox Cloud to enrich the automation ecosystem.

Fulwell discussed the challenges network operators face, such as dealing with complex, multi-vendor environments and the need for up-to-date documentation. He emphasized that traditional tools like SNMP monitoring and manual documentation are insufficient for modern network demands.

IP Fabric’s platform addresses these issues by collecting data on inventory, configuration, and state to provide a comprehensive understanding of the network. It then creates visual topologies and simulates traffic flows to understand network behavior. The platform uses snapshots to track changes over time and can flag issues for remediation based on predefined intent checks.

Fulwell also highlighted the importance of integrating IP Fabric’s API with other systems like monitoring platforms, ticketing systems, CMDBs, chatbots, and network automation tools to ensure up-to-date information and to validate changes in the network.

The presentation included a Q&A session where Fulwell answered questions about integrating network components, defining good and bad configurations, and potential impact analysis for network changes. He concluded by mentioning that while a complete digital twin of the network is difficult to achieve, IP Fabric provides the necessary oversight and intelligence to manage complex networks effectively.