The Future of Network Automation with LCNC Platforms

The rapid evolution of technology has brought about significant changes in the way networks are managed and operated.

Network automation, once a niche domain reserved for highly skilled network engineers and developers, is now becoming more accessible to a broader range of IT professionals, thanks to the emergence of Low-Code/No-Code (LCNC) platforms.

These platforms enable users with varying levels of technical expertise to automate complex network tasks without the need for extensive coding knowledge.

This article explores the future of network automation with LCNC platforms, examining how these tools are democratizing network automation, the specific platforms that are gaining popularity, and the ways in which they are transforming traditional network administration tasks.

What are low-code/no-code platforms?

Low-code/no-code platforms are development environments that allow users to create applications, automate workflows, and manage IT operations with minimal or no coding required. These platforms typically provide a visual interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and pre-built templates that simplify the development process. Users can design, deploy, and manage applications and automation workflows by configuring these visual elements rather than writing complex code.

Low-code platforms require some level of coding knowledge, but they significantly reduce the amount of manual coding needed. No-code platforms, on the other hand, are designed to be entirely codeless, enabling even non-technical users to create and manage automation workflows.

The growing demand for network automation

As networks grow in size and complexity, the need for automation becomes increasingly critical. Manual network management is time-consuming, error-prone, and often unable to keep up with the dynamic nature of modern networks. Automation allows IT teams to streamline repetitive tasks, reduce human error, and respond more quickly to network issues.

However, traditional network automation has typically required specialized skills in scripting, programming, and network protocols. This has created a barrier to entry for many IT professionals who may not have the time or resources to acquire these skills. LCNC platforms are breaking down these barriers by providing user-friendly tools that make network automation accessible to a wider audience.

LCNC platforms democratize network automation

One of the most significant impacts of LCNC platforms is their ability to empower non-developers to participate in network automation. IT professionals who may not have a background in programming can now use these platforms to create automation workflows, configure network devices, and manage network operations. This democratization of network automation allows organizations to leverage the skills of a broader range of employees, reducing the reliance on a small group of highly specialized engineers.

The benefits of LCNC platforms

LCNC platforms significantly accelerate the development and deployment of network automation solutions. Traditional automation projects often require weeks or months of development, testing, and debugging. With LCNC platforms, users can create and deploy automation workflows in a matter of hours or days. This rapid development cycle enables organizations to respond more quickly to changing network requirements and business needs.

By reducing the need for specialized coding skills, LCNC platforms can also help organizations lower the costs associated with network automation. Hiring and retaining highly skilled network engineers and developers can be expensive, and the demand for these professionals frequently outstrips supply. LCNC platforms allow organizations to achieve their automation goals with existing staff, reducing the need for costly external hires or extensive training programs.

LCNC platforms often include collaboration features that enable teams to work together more effectively on automation projects. These features may include version control, role-based access, and real-time collaboration tools. By facilitating better communication and coordination among team members, LCNC platforms help ensure that automation projects are completed more efficiently and with fewer errors.

Popular LCNC platforms for network automation

Several LCNC platforms have gained popularity in the network automation space, each offering unique features and capabilities. Below are some of the most notable platforms and tools that are changing the landscape of network administration.

1. Cisco Catalyst Center

Cisco Catalyst Center is a comprehensive network management and automation platform that provides a range of tools for designing, provisioning, and managing networks. While it is not a traditional LCNC platform, Cisco Catalyst Center includes a low-code automation framework that allows users to create custom automation workflows using a visual interface.

The platform’s Automation feature enables users to design workflows that automate tasks such as device provisioning, configuration management, and policy enforcement. Users can drag and drop pre-built automation templates or create custom workflows using a graphical interface. Cisco Catalyst Center also integrates with other Cisco products and third-party tools, making it a powerful solution for network automation.

2. Ansible

Ansible is an open-source automation tool that is widely used for network automation. While Ansible is primarily a code-based tool, it has a low-code approach that makes it accessible to users with limited programming experience. Ansible uses a simple, human-readable language called YAML (Yet Another Markup Language) to define automation tasks, making it easier for non-developers to understand and use.

Ansible’s playbooks, which are used to define automation workflows, can be created and managed using a visual interface in some integrated development environments (IDEs). Ansible Tower (now part of Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform) provides a web-based interface that simplifies the management and execution of automation workflows. This combination of low-code and no-code features makes Ansible a popular choice for network automation.

3. Appian

Appian is a low-code platform that is primarily known for its business process automation capabilities. However, it also offers features that can be applied to network automation. Appian’s visual development environment allows users to create automation workflows by dragging and dropping pre-built components. These workflows can be integrated with network management tools and APIs to automate tasks such as device provisioning, monitoring, and troubleshooting.

Appian’s strength lies in its ability to integrate with a wide range of systems and applications, making it a versatile tool for network automation. The platform also includes collaboration features that enable teams to work together on automation projects, further enhancing its appeal for network administrators.

4. UiPath

UiPath is a leading robotic process automation (RPA) platform that is increasingly being used for network automation. While UiPath is primarily focused on automating business processes, its capabilities can be extended to network management tasks. UiPath’s visual workflow designer allows users to create automation workflows by dragging and dropping pre-built activities. These workflows can be used to automate tasks such as network monitoring, configuration management, and incident response.

UiPath’s integration with various network management tools and APIs makes it a powerful tool for network automation. UiPath’s AI and machine learning capabilities can be leveraged to enhance automation workflows, enabling more intelligent and adaptive network management.

5. Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate (formerly known as Microsoft Flow) is a low-code platform that enables users to create automated workflows across a wide range of applications and services. While it is not specifically designed for network automation, Power Automate can be used to automate network-related tasks by integrating with network management tools and APIs.

Power Automate’s visual interface allows users to create workflows by connecting pre-built connectors and actions. These workflows can be triggered by events, schedules, or manual inputs, making it a flexible tool for network automation. Power Automate also integrates with other Microsoft products, such as Azure and Office 365, providing a seamless experience for organizations that rely on Microsoft’s ecosystem.

6. NetBrain

NetBrain is a network automation platform that focuses on simplifying network operations and troubleshooting. While it is not a traditional LCNC platform, NetBrain provides a low-code approach to network automation through its visual workflow designer. Users can create automation workflows by dragging and dropping pre-built actions, such as device discovery, configuration backup, and network mapping.

NetBrain’s strength lies in its ability to provide real-time visibility into network performance and topology. The platform’s automation capabilities are designed to help network administrators quickly identify and resolve issues, reducing downtime and improving network reliability. NetBrain’s low-code approach makes it accessible to a broader range of IT professionals, enabling them to automate complex network tasks with ease.

The impact of LCNC platforms on network administration

Simplify complex tasks

LCNC platforms simplify complex tasks. Network automation involves managing a wide range of devices, protocols, and configurations, which can be daunting.

These systems abstract much of this complexity by providing pre-built templates, visual interfaces, and drag-and-drop functionality. This simplification allows IT professionals to focus on the strategic aspects of network management rather than getting bogged down in the technical details.

Enable self-service automation

LCNC platforms are enabling a shift toward self-service automation, where non-technical users can create and manage their own automation workflows. This shift is particularly valuable in large organizations where network administrators may be overwhelmed with requests from various departments. By empowering end-users to automate their own tasks, LCNC platforms can reduce the workload on network administrators and improve overall efficiency.

Improve network agility

The ability to quickly create and deploy automation workflows improves network agility. Organizations can respond more rapidly to changing business needs. For example, LCNC platforms can be used to automate the provisioning of network resources in response to increased demand.

Enhance network security

LCNC platforms play a key role in enhancing security through automation. For example, LCNC platforms can be used to automate the deployment of security policies, monitor network traffic for suspicious activity, and respond to security incidents. Thus, organizations can reduce the risk of human error and ensure that their networks are protected against emerging threats.

Reduce downtime

Network downtime can have a significant impact on business operations, leading to lost revenue, decreased productivity, and damage to an organization’s reputation. LCNC platforms reduce downtime by automating tasks such as network monitoring, fault detection, and incident response. By quickly identifying and resolving network issues, LCNC platforms can minimize the impact of downtime and ensure that networks remain operational.

Facilitate compliance

Compliance with industry regulations and standards is a critical concern for many organizations, particularly in highly regulated industries such as healthcare and finance. LCNC platforms automate compliance-related tasks, such as auditing network configurations, generating reports, and enforcing security policies. By automating these tasks, organizations can ensure that they remain compliant with relevant regulations and avoid costly penalties.

Challenges and considerations

LCNC platforms offer numerous benefits for network automation but there are also challenges and considerations that organizations must address when adopting these tools.

Integration with existing systems

One of the primary challenges of using LCNC platforms for network automation is integrating them with existing systems and tools. Network environments can be complicated with a mix of legacy and modern systems. Ensuring that LCNC platforms can work with existing facilities can be challenging. Organizations must carefully evaluate the integration capabilities of LCNC platforms and ensure that they can support their existing infrastructure.

Security and governance

As with any automation tool, security and governance are critical considerations when using LCNC platforms for network automation. Automation workflows should be secure and access to them should be properly controlled. Organizations must establish governance policies to ensure that automation workflows are used responsibly and do not introduce new risks.

Skill gaps

While LCNC platforms are designed to be accessible to non-developers, there may still be a learning curve for users who are unfamiliar with these tools. Organizations must invest in training and support to ensure that their IT professionals can effectively use LCNC platforms for network automation. There should be competent expertise on staff to manage and maintain these platforms.

Scalability

As organizations scale their network automation efforts, they must ensure that their LCNC platforms can scale with them. Some LCNC platforms may have limitations in terms of the number of workflows they can support or the complexity of the workflows they can handle. Organizations must carefully evaluate the scalability of LCNC platforms and ensure that they can support their long-term automation goals.

The future of network automation with LCNC platforms

As LCNC platforms evolve, we can expect to see several trends that will further enhance their capabilities and impact on network administration.

Increased adoption of AI and machine learning

AI and machine learning will play a significant role in the future of network automation. LCNC platforms are increasingly incorporating AI and machine learning capabilities to enable more intelligent and adaptive automation workflows. For example, AI-powered LCNC platforms can analyze network traffic patterns to identify potential issues before they occur. They can automatically adjust network configurations to optimize performance. As these technologies continue to mature, we can expect to see even more sophisticated automation capabilities.

Greater integration with cloud and edge computing

The shift toward cloud and edge computing is driving the need for more flexible and scalable network automation solutions. LCNC platforms are evolving to support these trends by offering greater integration with cloud and edge environments. For example, LCNC platforms can be used to automate the provisioning and management of cloud-based network resources or to deploy and manage edge devices. LCNC platforms will play a key role in enabling network automation across these environments.

Expansion of use cases

As LCNC platforms become more powerful and versatile, we can expect to see an expansion of use cases for network automation. In addition to traditional tasks such as device provisioning and configuration management, LCNC platforms will be used to automate more complex and strategic tasks. For example, LCNC platforms could be used to automate the deployment of network-wide security policies or to optimize network performance based on real-time data. The possibilities for network automation with LCNC platforms are virtually limitless, and we can expect to see continued innovation in this space.

Enhanced collaboration and community support

The LCNC community is growing rapidly, with more users and developers contributing to the development of these platforms. As the community grows, we can expect to see enhanced collaboration and support for LCNC platforms. For example, users may be able to share and reuse automation workflows through community-driven repositories or collaborate on the development of new features and capabilities. This collaborative approach will further accelerate the adoption and evolution of LCNC platforms for network automation.

Continued focus on usability

Usability has been a key driver of the success of LCNC platforms, and this focus on usability is expected to continue in the future. As LCNC platforms evolve, we can expect to see even more user-friendly interfaces, intuitive design tools, and pre-built templates that make it easier for non-developers to create and manage automation workflows. This focus on usability will further democratize network automation and enable even more IT professionals to participate in the automation revolution.

Conclusion

While there are challenges and considerations that organizations must address when adopting LCNC platforms, the benefits of these tools far outweigh the challenges. By embracing LCNC platforms, organizations can achieve greater agility, improve network security, reduce downtime, and ensure compliance with industry regulations. The future of network automation is bright, and LCNC platforms are at the forefront of this transformation.