Network Automation with Python and Ansible

  1. Ansible for Network Automation
    1. Ansible Architecture and Concepts
      1. Agentless Architecture
        1. Control Node Setup
          1. Managed Node Requirements
            1. Configuration File Management
              1. Ad-Hoc Command Usage
              2. Inventory Management
                1. Static Inventory Files
                  1. INI Format
                    1. YAML Format
                      1. Host Definitions
                      2. Host and Group Organization
                        1. Group Creation
                          1. Nested Groups
                            1. Group Membership
                            2. Variable Management
                              1. Host Variables
                                1. Group Variables
                                  1. Variable Precedence
                                  2. Dynamic Inventory
                                    1. Dynamic Scripts
                                      1. External Source Integration
                                        1. Inventory Plugins
                                      2. Playbook Development
                                        1. YAML Syntax for Playbooks
                                          1. Structure Requirements
                                            1. Formatting Rules
                                              1. Indentation Standards
                                              2. Playbook Components
                                                1. Play Definitions
                                                  1. Task Definitions
                                                    1. Handler Definitions
                                                      1. Target Specifications
                                                        1. Block Structures
                                                        2. Playbook Execution
                                                          1. Command-Line Options
                                                            1. Execution Modes
                                                              1. Output Interpretation
                                                            2. Ansible Modules
                                                              1. Module Architecture
                                                                1. Module Types
                                                                  1. Module Documentation
                                                                    1. Return Values
                                                                    2. General-Purpose Modules
                                                                      1. Command Module
                                                                        1. Shell Module
                                                                          1. Copy Module
                                                                            1. Template Module
                                                                              1. Debug Module
                                                                              2. Network-Specific Modules
                                                                                1. Vendor-Specific Modules
                                                                                  1. Resource Modules
                                                                                    1. Network Agnostic Modules
                                                                                      1. Module Selection Criteria
                                                                                    2. Variables, Facts, and Templating
                                                                                      1. Ansible Facts
                                                                                        1. Fact Gathering
                                                                                          1. Fact Usage
                                                                                            1. Custom Facts
                                                                                            2. Variable Definition
                                                                                              1. Playbook Variables
                                                                                                1. Inventory Variables
                                                                                                  1. External Variable Files
                                                                                                    1. Command-Line Variables
                                                                                                    2. Variable Precedence Rules
                                                                                                      1. Precedence Order
                                                                                                        1. Variable Overriding
                                                                                                        2. Jinja2 Templating
                                                                                                          1. Template Variables
                                                                                                            1. Filters and Functions
                                                                                                              1. Control Structures
                                                                                                                1. Loops and Conditionals
                                                                                                              2. Ansible Roles
                                                                                                                1. Role Structure
                                                                                                                  1. Directory Layout
                                                                                                                    1. File Organization
                                                                                                                      1. Best Practices
                                                                                                                      2. Role Development
                                                                                                                        1. Role Creation
                                                                                                                          1. Role Usage
                                                                                                                            1. Role Dependencies
                                                                                                                            2. Ansible Galaxy
                                                                                                                              1. Role Discovery
                                                                                                                                1. Role Installation
                                                                                                                                  1. Role Management
                                                                                                                                2. Advanced Ansible Features
                                                                                                                                  1. Secrets Management
                                                                                                                                    1. Ansible Vault
                                                                                                                                      1. Encryption Methods
                                                                                                                                        1. Vault Integration
                                                                                                                                        2. Data Lookups
                                                                                                                                          1. Lookup Plugins
                                                                                                                                            1. External Data Sources
                                                                                                                                              1. Lookup Usage
                                                                                                                                              2. Error Handling
                                                                                                                                                1. Task Failure Handling
                                                                                                                                                  1. Rescue Blocks
                                                                                                                                                    1. Always Blocks
                                                                                                                                                    2. Advanced Constructs
                                                                                                                                                      1. Variable Registration
                                                                                                                                                        1. Conditional Execution
                                                                                                                                                          1. Loop Constructs
                                                                                                                                                          2. Network Connection Methods
                                                                                                                                                            1. Network CLI Connection
                                                                                                                                                              1. NETCONF Connection
                                                                                                                                                                1. HTTP API Connection

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                                                                                                                                                            5. Advanced Topics and Best Practices