Python training course description

This Python course focusses on teaching Python for use in network automation and network DevOps. We focus on getting delegates up and running with Python and network automation as quickly as possible rather than making them great programmers. In other words we concentrate on enabling delegates to use network automation libraries such as netmiko, NAPALM and Nornir, and APIs such as NETCONF and RESTCONF rather than enabling delegates to produce object oriented programs. Hands on sessions use Cisco and Juniper devices.

What will you learn

• Run Python programs.
• Read Python programs.
• Write Python programs.
• Debug Python programs.
• Automate network tasks with Python programs.
• Configure network devices with Python.
• Collect data from network devices with Python.

Python training course details

Python training course contents

• What is Python?

Programming languages, Why Python? Python in interactive mode, Python scripts, ipython, Python version 2 versus version 3. A simple Python script. Comments.
Hands on Installing Python, Hello world.

• A network example

On box vs off box Python. telnet, ssh, NETCONF, HTTP, APIs, manufacturers and API support, analysis of a simple telnetlib program.
Hands on Using Python to retrieve the configuration from a network device. Using wireshark to analyse the actions.

• Python basics

I/O, operators, variables and assignment, types, indentation, loops and conditionals.
Hands on Modifying the telnet program, changing configurations on a network devices.

• Functions, classes and methods

What are functions, calling functions, builtin functions, useful builtin functions, file handling, classes, objects, creating instances.
Hands on Storing configurations in files, configuring devices from files, using an inventory file to work on multiple devices.

• Libraries and modules

Modules, files and packages, import, from-import, Python standard library, other packages, pip install, executing other programs. Managing python libraries.
Hands on Using pip, installing and using ipaddress, subprocess to access netsnmp. For the more advanced, using the sockets library.

• Paramiko and netmiko

SSH, enabling SSH on devices, keys. Paramiko versus netmiko, example scripts. pexpect.
Hands on Configuring VLANs from Python.

• pySNMP

Gathering facts using previous methods, SNMP review, pySNMP GET, pySNMP and SNMPv3. easySNMP library.
Hands on Walking a MIB from Python.

• NETCONF

What is NETCONF? Enabling NETCONF on devices, A first ncclient script, device handlers, get_config, edit_config, copy_config, delete_config, commit, validate, pyEZ, utils_config, utils.sw.
Hands on Configuration using ncclient and PyEZ. This session is expanded for those interesting in JunOS automation.

• Manipulating configuration files

Builtin functions, string handling. Unicode. Sequences, strings, lists, tuples. Dictionaries. TextFSM. Regular expressions. JSON, YAML, XML, YANG, Jinja2, templates.
Hands on Jinja2 templating with Python to configure network devices.

• NAPALM

Getters, configuration operations, supported devices, NAPALM transport, Config-replace, Config-merge, Compare config, Atomic changes, rollback. Example NAPLAM scripts.
Hands on Using NAPALM to gather facts, Using NAPALM for configuration management

• REST and RESTCONF

What is REST, HTTP methods, GET, POST, cURL, Postman, Python requests library. RESTCONF, a RESTCONF example.
Hands on Modifying a configuration using RESTCONF.

• Scapy

What is scapy, Scapy in interactive mode, Scapy as a module.
Hands on Packet crafting from Python.

• Warning

Errors and exceptions, Exception handling, try, except. Memory management. Garbage collection. Context management, With.
Hands on Improving Python code.

• Nornir

What is Nornir? A network automation framework, inventories, connection management and parallelization. Nornir architecture and other libraires.
Hands on Setting up nornir, nornir fact gathering, nornir tasks.

• Optional

Writing your own functions, Writing your own classes. pyntc.
Hands on Writing reusable code.

Learning path

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