Explore Automation with Cisco IOS XE at Cisco Live

Explore the Cisco Catalyst programmability and automation sessions at Cisco Live AMEA scheduled for June 6^th through 8^th, 2023 in Las Vegas! These sessions cover topics ranging from the new Cisco Catalyst 9000 Virtual platform, automation within networks throughout the entire programmability and automation lifecycle, and tooling with YANG Suite and Terraform! These sessions include breakouts, lightning talks, and hands-on labs and workshops. Here is the full schedule for the Cisco IOS XE programmability and automation sessions that will be presented at Cisco Live by the Cisco Catalyst team:

Interested in learning more about the new Cisco Catalyst 9000 Virtual switch? There will be a 90-minute session, 60-minute session, and two 45-minute hands-on-workshops. Not only will you be able to learn more, you’ll also be able to work first-hand with Catalyst 9000 Virtual!

Breakout Sessions

DEVNET-2119: Infrastructure as Code (IAC) with Catalyst 9000 
Infrastructure as Code (IAC) allows us to automate provisioning and management of Cisco Catalyst 9000 devices more efficiently. In this session, automation tooling will be used to programmatically deploy BGP EVPN network fabric. Infrastructure as Code concepts will be demonstrated on the Catalyst 9000 using Terraform and Ansible playbooks alongside the YANG Suite tooling. Both enterprise campus and cloud-native use cases and examples will be shared. You’ll leave this session with ideas to help you get started with Infrastructure as Code, understand benefits of IAC, and understand more about Ansible, Terraform, and YANG Suite. With IAC and Cisco IOS XE, you can automate any tooling on any interface.

BRKDEV-2467: Infrastructure as Code and the Cisco Catalyst 9000 Virtual Switch &
BRKOPS-2455: Infrastructure as Code and the Cisco Catalyst 9000 Virtual Switch 
Cisco Modelling Labs, Container Lab, KVM and Dockers… oh my! The way in which we can model networks and create infrastructure from code is evolving. In this session we will use virtualization technologies like CML and Docker in order to virtualize and simulate common network topologies and configurations. We will gain confidence in configuration management processes and tooling in the simulated lab and make the transition into production easier. The complete IOS XE programmability and automation lifecycle will be demonstrated and discussed using the virtual form factor alongside YANG Suite for testing and validation.

DEVNET-2122: Secure Zero Touch Provisioning on Cisco IOS XE 
Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) allows us to automate the deployment Cisco IOS XE and Catalyst platforms on enterprise and campus networks using the embedded CentOS “GuestShell” Linux Container and the Python and NETCONF API’s to completely onboard, configure and manage network devices. This session details the ZTP and Guest Shell features and explores some common basic and advanced use cases. With the newest release of Cisco IOS XE, we now support Secure ZTP. This feature including an explanation of the key components including conveyed information, the ownership certificate, and the ownership voucher. The setup configuration for Secure ZTP will be covered in this session.

Lightning Talks

DEVLIT-1965: Automation using multiple API’s in the IOS XE Device Programmability Lab 
Understand about the various scripts, scripting languages, API’s, and integrations that are used within the IOS XE programmability lab to deliver training and learning events. Technologies including Bash, Python, PowerShell, vCenter, IOS XE among others are all integrated to provide and automated lab environment.

DEVLIT-2787: Explore and visualize YANG models with YANG Suite 
YANG Suite tooling provides us visibility into YANG models to view operational data, configure features, and stream telemetry on Cisco IOS XE, IOS XR, and NX-OS devices with programmatic interfaces including NETCONF, RESTCONF, gNMI, & gRPC telemetry.

DEVLIT-2083: Automate Cisco IOS XE Device Configuration Using Terraform 
Terraform is an open-source cloud native tooling. Terraform is an infrastructure provisioning tool with zero server-side dependencies and a single binary file. Terraform for Cisco IOS XE utilizes RESTCONF and the YANG interface. It is comparable to Ansible tooling, and the two can be used together.

DEVLIT-2062: Getting Started with Secure Zero Touch Provisioning 
Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) allows us to automate the deployment Cisco IOS XE and Catalyst platforms on enterprise and campus networks using the embedded CentOS “GuestShell” Linux Container and the Python and NETCONF API’s to completely onboard, configure and manage network devices. This session details the ZTP and Guest Shell features and explores some common basic and advanced use cases. With the newest release of Cisco IOS XE, we now support Secure ZTP. This feature including an explanation of the key components including conveyed information, the ownership certificate, and the ownership voucher. The setup configuration for Secure ZTP will be covered in this session.

Hands-on Labs

LTROPS-1836: IOS-XE Device Programmability and Automation Lab 
This lab showcases the innovation around the API’s and streaming telemetry for enterprise and campus networks. This session will introduce gRPC tunnel and Secure Zero Touch Provisioning (SZTP) on Catalyst 9000 platforms. The YANG Suite tooling was recently updated on the Cisco DevNet platform is an integral part of the programmability and automation lab, since YANG is used for both device configuration as well as for telemetry. This lab will cover YANG Suite + Ansible integrations, which include building a payload in YANG Suite and automatically generating an Ansible playbook to repeat that payload. Additionally, we will use Postman collections for EVPN config and management. Similarly, we can use Terraform for configuration management on Catalyst 9000 platforms. Use cases relating to each of these features will be explored in depth. Guest Shell, EEM, Python API and NETCONF API’s will also be demonstrated!

LTRCRT-2005: Automating Day 0 Operations Using IOS-XE Device Programmability 
You have started learning network automation, however you still maintain your IP addresses with (outdated) spreadsheets, manually create network diagrams, and lack the big picture and visibility to what you are automating. Data accuracy is a growing problem in today’s agile environments, so join us and take the elevator to the next level to embrace sources of truth!

In this lab, you will:

• write a Python based web application to listen for webhook events from a source of truth
• dive into model-driven programmability using YANG models to automate the deployment of the changes done in the source of truth
• create a Webex Bot and start receiving real-time updates from the network changes to your Webex application

This lab gets you started with technologies such as NetBox, Cisco YANG Suite, NETCONF, and Cisco Webex REST APIs. The lab is designed for those who have already started scripting with Python, but want to take your skills to the next level and start automating with accuracy.

Note: Instructor Led Labs are priced in addition to your Full Conference pass or IT Leadership pass fee. In order to purchase a Instructor Led Lab log into your – Registration portal.

DEVWKS-2031: Test Automation with Cisco Catalyst 9000 Virtual Switch 
Cisco Modelling Labs, Container Lab, KVM and Dockers… oh my! The way in which we can model networks and create infrastructure from code is evolving. In this session we will use virtualization technologies like CML and Docker in order to virtualize and simulate common network topologies and configurations. We will gain confidence in configuration management processes and tooling in the simulated lab and make the transition into production easier. The complete IOS XE programmability and automation lifecycle will be demonstrated and discussed using the virtual form factor alongside YANG Suite for testing and validation.
By attending this DevNet Workshop, you will be eligible to earn Cisco Continuing Education (CE) Credits. Find details.

NOTE: DevNet workshop seating procedure is as follows: pre-registered attendees are seated first, waitlist and non-registered attendees are seated in order of check-in if a seat becomes available. This is a hands-on DevNet Workshop where you code along with an instructor and only 12 laptops are available for this workshop. Sound in Workshops is broadcast to wireless headphones worn by the participants. Noise cancelling headphones will be provided at each seat in this workshop.

LABPRG-2004 Efficiently monitoring device statistics in real-time using gRPC Dial-out with IOS XE 
Model-Driven Telemetry (MDT) addresses many of the shortfalls of legacy monitoring capabilities and provides an improved way to manage network devices. The traditional use of the pull model, and does not scale well. This lab shows gRPC Dial-Out provides more efficient, reliable mechanism to push telemetry data to collect periodic data & triggered events.

LABCX-2002 Research and test YANG models for model driven telemetry on IOS XE with Cisco’s YANG Suite 
Considering moving away from SNMP-based network monitoring to model-based telemetry? Begin by researching YANG models to find the data paths needed to implement telemetry strategy. That’s where Cisco’s YANG Suite research platform can help. YANG Suite abstracts the complexities of dealing with YANG models in their native text format and enables you to easily build and test network APIs using a variety network protocols, including NETCONF, RESTCONF, and gNMI. Participants will get valuable hands-on experience with YANG Suite software including:

• Explore YANG models
• Build RPCs in YANG Suite
• Send RPCs to liv
•  Cisco infrastructure and observe results
• Generate python s
• ecripts and ansible plays from RPCs

LABDEV-2006 Automation with Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) on IOS XE 
Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) automates software upgrades and configuration files installs on Cisco XE that are deployed first time in the network. It reduces the amount of manual maintenance tasks without compromising on security. In this guided lab, we will learn the components of ZTP on Cat9000 using gNOI Reset.proto API and initiate the ZTP process, issue the ‘write erase’ command, watch the switch bootup automatically with configs.

See the full list of sessions in the Cisco Live Session Catalog. Also, see a list of the Cisco Switching Platform Sessions. Looking forward to catching you in Vegas!

Not able to attend Cisco Live this time? No worries!

Check out Cisco IOS XE programmability sessions from these previous Cisco Live Events:

2022 – Melbourne

2022 – Las Vegas

2021 – Digital

2019 – San Diego

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