Mastering Python Network Automation: Automating Container Orchestration, Configuration, and Networking with Terraform, Calico, HAProxy, and Istio

By Tim Peters

Numerous sample programs & examples demonstrating the application of python tools to streamline network automation

With "Mastering Python Network Automation," you can streamline container orchestration, configuration management, and resilient networking with Python and its librar

• Language: English
• Publisher: GitforGits
• Release date: Mar 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9788119177004

Book preview

Mastering Python Network Automation

Mastering Python Network Automation

Automating Container Orchestration, Configuration, and Networking with Terraform, Calico, HAProxy, and Istio

Tim Peters

Content

Preface

Chapter 1: Python Essentials for Networks

Role of Python in Network Programming

Overview

Factors Benefitting Networking

Learn to use Data Types

Numeric Data Types

Boolean Data Type

Sequence Data Types

Mapping Data Types

Set Data Types

Binary Data Types

Exploring Loops

For Loops

While Loops

Working with Functions

Defining Functions

Calling Functions

Default Arguments

Variable-length Arguments

Lambda Functions

Recursion

Global and Local Variables

Function Arguments

Nested Functions

Summary

Chapter 2: File Handling and Modules in Python

File Handling

Opening and Closing Files

Reading from Files

Writing to Files

Appending to Files

With Statement

Exception Handling:

Utilizing Modules

Creating a Module

Importing a Module

Built-In Modules

Creating Packages

Standard Library Modules

My First Python Script

Summary

Chapter 3: Preparing Network Automation Lab

Components of Network Automation Process

Network Devices

Network Emulator

Python Environment

Automation Scripts

Putting It All Together

Benefits of Network Automation Lab

Install NS3 Network Simulator

System Requirements

Install Required Dependencies

Download NS-3

Install Python

Update System

Install Python

Install pip

Install paramiko, Netmiko and Nornir

Install Virtual Environment

Create Virtual Environment

Activate the Virtual Environment

Install Python Libraries in Virtual Environment

Deactivate the Virtual Environment

Install Visual Studio Code

Download and Install VS Code

Install Python Extension

Configure Python Interpreter

Create Python Project

Write Python Code

Run Python Code

Summary

Chapter 4: Configuring Libraries and Lab Components

Nornir

Architecture of Nornir

Significance of Nornir

Paramiko

Architecture of Paramiko

Significance of Paramiko

Netmiko

Architecture of Netmiko

Significance of Netmiko

PyEZ

Architecture of PyEZ

Significance of PyEZ

Configure nornir, paramiko, netmiko and pyEZ

Installing and Configuring Nornir

Installing and Configuring Paramiko

Installing and Configuring Netmiko

Installing and Configuring PyEZ

Configure Ports

Configuring Ports on Switches

Configuring Ports on Routers

Configure Hosts

Configuring Hosts on Windows

Configuring Hosts on Linux

Configure Servers

Installing Server Operating System

Configuring Network Settings

Installing and Configuring Server Software

Configure Network Encryption

SSL/TLS

IPsec

SSH

VPN

Testing the Network Automation Environment

Test Connectivity between Hosts

Test Port Connectivity

Test SSH Connectivity

Test Network Automation Libraries

Test NS3 Emulator

Test Network Encryption

Summary

Chapter 5: Code, Test & Validate Network Automation

Understanding Network Automation Scripts

Procedure of Network Automation Scripts

Define Variables for Automation Scripts

Install Required Libraries

Import Libraries

Define Variables

Connect to Device

Send Configuration Commands

Close Connection

Create Script to Use Variables

Run the Script

Write Codes using Python Tools

Install Required Libraries and Tools

Import Libraries

Define Inventory

Define Tasks

Define Playbook

Execute the Script

Test and Validate the Script

Testing Network Automation Scripts

Set Up a Test Environment

Create Test Cases

Run the Code

Document Test Results

Debug Errors

Identify the Error or Issue

Review the Code

Use Print Statements

Use a Debugger

Fix the Error or Issue

Validate Network Automation Scripts

Prepare the Production Environment

Deploy Code to Production Environment or Devices

Run the Code on Production Environment or Devices

Verify the Output

Summary

Chapter 6: Automation of Configuration Management

Why Configuration Management?

Need of Configuration Management

Role of Python in Configuration Management

Server Provisioning with Terraform

Set up AWS Credentials

Install Terraform

Define Terraform Configuration

Initialize Terraform

Apply Terraform Configuration

Connect to EC2 Instance

Creating Server

Testing Server

Using Python to Automate System Settings

Import Necessary Modules

Define Timezone

Execute Command to Change Timezone

Verify Setting the Timezone

Using Python to Modify Base Configurations

Using Terraform to Modify Base Configurations

Automating System Identification

Install Terraform Module

Python Script to Retrieve System Information

Using Python to Automate Patches and Updates

Install Necessary Libraries

Check for Available Updates

Upgrade the System

Reboot the System

Schedule Regular Updates

Using Terraform to Roll Patches and Updates

Create Configuration File

Applying Configuration File

Identify Unstable and Non-compliant Configurations

Establish Connection with Device

Retrieve Running Configuration

Search Non-compliant Interfaces

Fixing Non-compliant Configurations

Summary

Chapter 7: Managing Docker and Container Networks

Docker and Containers

Docker & Container Fundmentals

Benefits & Applications

Role of Python in Containerization

Install and Configure Docker

Install Docker

Install Docker Python Module

Create Dockerfile

Build Docker Image

Run Docker Container

Test Docker Container

Using Python to Build Docker Images

Create DockerFile

Install Dependencies

Define Command

Build Docker Image

Run Container

Running Containers

Automate Running of Containers

Install Docker SDK for Python

Import Docker SDK

Connect to Docker Daemon

Define Container Configuration

Create Container

Start the Container

Stop and Remove Containers

Container Network Management

Overview

Managing Container Networks with Docker SDK

Summary

Chapter 8: Orchestrating Container & Workloads

Container Scheduling and Workload Automation

Network Service Disocvery

Understanding etcd

Service Discovery using etcd

Install etcd

Start etcd

Register Services

Discover Services

Automate Service Discovery

Sample Program to Automate Service Discovery

Kubernetes Load Balancers

Exploring HAProxy

Manage Load Balancer Servers using HAProxy

Import Required Libraries

Define API Endpoint URLs

Define Function to Add or Remove Servers

Call Function

Sample Program to Manage Load Balancer Servers

Automate Add/Manage SSL Certificate

Using Cryptography Library to Automate SSL

Step-by-step Illustration of Sample Program

Manage Container Storage

Sample Program

Step-by-step Illustration of Sample Program

Necessity of Container Performance

Why Container Performance?

Container Performance KPIs

Setting Up Container Performance Monitoring

Install the Required Libraries

Import Required Libraries

Connect to Docker API

Get Container List

Pull Performance Metrics

Print Container Metrics

Automated Rolling of Updates

Get Current Deployment Object

Update Deployment Object

Check Status of Deployment Rollout

Clean Up Resources

Summary

Chapter 9: Pod Networking

Pods and Pod Networking

What are Pods?

Pods beyond Containers

Networking in Pods

Setting Up Pod Network

Choose a Pod Network Provider

Install Pod Network Provider

Configure Pod Network

Verify the Pod Network

Exploring Calico

Overview

Characteristics of Calico

Getting Started with Calico

Using Calico to Setup Pod Network

Routing Protocols

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS)

Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

Exploring Cilium

Key Features of Cilium

Cilium Architecture

Install Cilium

Automation of Network Policies

Overview

Steps for Network Policies Automation

Using Calico to Automate Network Policies

Workload Routing

Need of Workload Routing

Istio

Linkerd

Consul

Summary

Chapter 10: Implementing Service Mesh

Service-to-Service Communication

Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs)

Message-based Communication

Need of Service-to-Service

Rise of Service Mesh

Exploring Istio

Overview

Istio’s Capabilities

Installing Istio

Cluster Traffic

NodePort

LoadBalancer

Ingress

Istio Control Plane

Using Istio to Route Traffic

Metrics, Logs and Traces

Metrics

Logs

Traces

Using Grafana to Collect Metrics

Steps to Collect Metrics

Summary

Preface

With Mastering Python Network Automation, you can streamline container orchestration, configuration management, and resilient networking with Python and its libraries, allowing you to emerge as a skilled network engineer or a strong DevOps professional.

From the ground up, this guide walks readers through setting up a network automation lab using the NS3 network simulator and Python programming. This includes the installation of NS3, as well as python libraries like nornir, paramiko, netmiko, and PyEZ, as well as the configuration of ports, hosts, and servers. This book will teach you the skills to become a proficient automation developer who can test and fix any bugs in automation scripts. This book examines the emergence of the service mesh as a solution to the problems associated with service-to-service communication over time.

This book walks you through automating various container-related tasks in Python and its libraries, including container orchestration, service discovery, load balancing, container storage management, container performance monitoring, and rolling updates. Calico and Istio are two well-known service mesh tools, and you'll find out how to set them up and configure them to manage traffic routing, security, and monitoring.

Additional topics covered in this book include the automation of network policies, the routing of workloads, and the collection and monitoring of metrics, logs, and traces. You'll also pick up some tips and tricks for collecting and visualising Istio metrics with the help of tools like Grafana.

In this book you will learn how to:

Use of Istio for cluster traffic management, traffic routing, and service mesh implementation.

Utilizing Cilium and Calico to solve pod networking and automate network policy and workload routing.

Monitoring and managing Kubernetes clusters with etcd and HAProxy load balancers and container storage.

Establishing network automation lab with tools like NS3 emulator, Python, Virtual Environment, and VS Code.

Establishing connectivity between hosts, port connectivity, SSH connectivity, python libraries, NS3, and network encryption.

GitforGits

Prerequisites

Mastering Python Network Automation is an essential guide for network engineers, DevOps professionals, and developers who want to streamline container orchestration and resilient networking with the help of Terraform, Calico, and Istio. Knowing Python and basics of networking is sufficient to pursue this book.

Codes Usage

Are you in need of some helpful code examples to assist you in your programming and documentation? Look no further! Our book offers a wealth of supplemental material, including code examples and exercises.

Not only is this book here to aid you in getting your job done, but you have our permission to use the example code in your programs and documentation. However, please note that if you are reproducing a significant portion of the code, we do require you to contact us for permission.

But don't worry, using several chunks of code from this book in your program or answering a question by citing our book and quoting example code does not require permission. But if you do choose to give credit, an attribution typically includes the title, author, publisher, and ISBN. For example, Mastering Python Network Automation by Tim Peters.

If you are unsure whether your intended use of the code examples falls under fair use or the permissions outlined above, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at [e-mail]. 

We are happy to assist and clarify any concerns.

Acknowledgement

Tim Peters expresses his gratitude to all of the other contributors to Rust and work tirelessly to improve the quality of the programming language. Tim would want to express his gratitude to the entire team of GitforGits and Kitten Publishing who helped create a powerful yet simple book that outperforms coding in a relatively short period of time. And, lastly to his entire family and friends extending their support to finish the project at the earliest.

Chapter 1: Python Essentials for Networks

Role of Python in Network Programming

Overview

Python is a popular programming language that is widely used in the field of network programming and network automation. Python's popularity for network programming stems from its simplicity, flexibility, and extensive collection of libraries and frameworks that make it easy to work with network devices and protocols. This chapter explores the concept of Python's ease of use for network programming and network automation.

Python is an interpreted language that is easy to learn and use, making it a popular choice for network programmers and network engineers. Python's syntax is easy to read and understand, and the language provides a rich set of tools and libraries that simplify network programming tasks. For instance, Python's standard library includes modules for handling networking protocols such as TCP/IP, UDP, and HTTP, making it easier to work with these protocols in Python code.

Factors Benefitting Networking

One of the most popular libraries for network programming in Python is the Socket library. The Socket library provides an interface for creating network sockets, which are endpoints for network communication. With the Socket library, Python developers can create client-server applications, send and receive data over network connections, and handle network errors and exceptions.

Python's ease of use for network programming is also due to the availability of third-party libraries and frameworks. For instance, the Paramiko library is a popular Python library for working with Secure Shell (SSH) protocols. With Paramiko, Python developers can establish SSH connections with network devices, execute commands on remote devices, and transfer files over the network. Similarly, the Netmiko library is a Python library for working with network devices such as routers and switches. With Netmiko, Python developers can automate network device configuration, backup and restore network configurations, and collect device information.

Another reason why Python is popular for network automation is its integration with other tools and technologies. For example, Python can be used with Ansible, a popular IT automation tool, to automate network tasks such as device configuration and monitoring. Python can also be used with the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to monitor network devices, collect network statistics, and troubleshoot network issues.

To conclude, Python's ease of use for network programming and network automation stems from its simplicity, flexibility, and extensive collection of libraries and frameworks. Python provides an easy-to-learn syntax, a rich set of tools and libraries for network programming, and seamless integration with other tools and technologies. Python's popularity in the field of network programming and network automation is set to grow as more organizations adopt automation and seek to streamline their network operations.

Learn to use Data Types

Python is a dynamically typed language that supports several data types. A data type is a classification of data that determines the type of operations that can be performed on it. In this chapter, we will discuss the different data types supported by Python along with examples and illustrations.

Numeric Data Types

Python supports various numeric data types such as integers, floating-point numbers, and complex numbers.

Integers

An integer is a whole number, either positive or negative, without a decimal point. In Python, integers are represented by the int class. For example, 5, -10, and 0 are all integers.

x = 5

y = -10

print(x, y)

Output:

5 -10

Floating-Point Numbers

A floating-point number is a number that has a decimal point. In Python, floating-point numbers are represented by the float class. For example, 3.14 and -2.5 are floating-point numbers.

x = 3.14

y = -2.5

print(x, y)

Output:

3.14 -2.5

Complex Numbers

A complex number is a number that has both a real and imaginary part. In Python, complex numbers are represented by the complex class. For example, 3 + 4j is a complex number where 3 is the real part and 4j is the imaginary part.

x = 3 + 4j

y = -2 - 3j

print(x, y)

Output:

(3+4j) (-2-3j)

Boolean Data Type

A boolean data type is a data type that can have one of two possible values: True or False. In Python, boolean values are represented by the bool class. Boolean values are used in conditional statements and loops to control program flow.

x = True

y = False

print(x, y)

Output:

True False

Sequence Data Types

Python supports several