Network Programmability Fundamentals

Configuration of Cisco devices (eg routers and switches) has traditionally been performed at the command line. However, an industry-wide paradigm shift is underway, where more and more configuration is being performed by software, a commonly referred to as Software Define Networking (SDN). SDN is an emerging architecture that makes it easier and more cost-effective to implement network policies and manage network resources. It does this by decoupling the network control from the network hardware (which continues to manage forwarding functions), allowing network control to become directly programmable, and the underlying network infrastructure to be managed by applications and network services rather than individually configured.

Network Programmability Fundamentals LiveLessons introduces the theory of SDN networks and examines components found in a Cisco ACI network. Additionally, this course covers Python programming, a key skill required for network programability. Finally, this course runs through multiple network programability exercises, which can be performed (for free) at Cisco’s DevNet site.