CCNA / Python scripting

hodgey87

Hey All,

It's been a while since i last posted! Hope you're all good ...

I've been offered a python scripting course at work, just wondered your thoughts on whether its worth while taking the course? I've seen it being mentioned in job adverts recently but no idea how frequently it's actually used.

Any thoughts? Anyone done much work at a CCNA level?

Cheers

DoubleNNs

I think it'd be incredibly useful. Even if you don't use it much now, it'd open up countless doors for you in the future if you continue.

koz24

Python work at a CCNA level? Do you mean SDN, at a CCNA level? SDN isn't going to be mainstream for a very, very long time so it's up to you whether you want to plan ahead that far into the future. TBH I would rather invest my time into more current technologies than Python/SDN.

networker050184

Definitely take advantage of it. Python, or your preferred scripting language, can be very useful at any stage. Need to screen scrape some output from 100 devices? Need to parse your rancid configs and shoot off an email if an ACL isn't within spec? There are endless opportunities for scripting. As they say, if you have to do anything more than a few times script it.

davenull

Funny that you ask. I'm writing a python script right now that logs into 20+ routers, checks presence of boot system flash command, reloads them, then confirms the new IOS version after reload.

I couple of people I look up to in this regard:

https://pynet.twb-tech.com/ <-- check out his free email course, it starts soon, it's good

Python for Network Engineers Resources | kontrolissues

netmanchris

Hey Davenull,

Thanks for the link. This is netmanchris from Kontrolissues.net blog that you pointed to above.

My two cents, I've gone through the entire Cisco certification path, priori to embarking on my coding journey. From CCNA/CCNP/CCVP/CCIE, multiple specializations etc... I can tell you that if I only knew how much time I had wasted during that period because I DIDN'T have scripting skills at the time... I might be even further along in my career than I am now.

For anyone who says that SDN or Python are not current skills, I would highly suggest you take your head out of your CCNP studies book and look at what's going on in the greater industry. There is still definitely a need for basic networking skills and the cisco certification path is still one of the best ways to gain those skills. They are SUPER important and as distributed systems become more and more common place, the network is becoming even more important.

That being said, gaining skills in python will make you much more valuable in the industry, which is personally beneficial to you as far as employment opportunities. As well, it will also help you get a lot more done by automating basic repetitive tasks. Imagine how quickly you will advance compared to your peers if you have time to study while they are repeating the same commands ad nauseum into a CLI.

For Koz24: If you don't think SDN/Python are "current" technologies, I would highly encourage you to check out ay industry rag. Any industry show ( Network Interop had an entire track related to this, check out how much Ansible, Salt, Puppet, Chef blogs there are out there. Check out the momentum behind OpenStack, OpenDayLight. How much HP is pushing OpenFlow based SDN in the campus, how much Cisco is pushing ACI-based SDN in the datacenter. How much VMWare is pushing NSX... etc... I could go on.

My point is that your goal, in my opionion, should be to be working now to gain the skills that are going to ensure your employability in the future.

I started picking up coding skills a couple of years ago because this is where the industry is heading. If what you want to do is to aim to be where the industry is right now, but the time you get there, everyone else will have passed you by.

My two cents,

@netmanchris

hodgey87

Thanks for the replies guys! Decided to start the course next week along with my CCNP studies, hoping ill have a little edge over other job seekers in the future ....


Cheers.

d4nz1g

Grab it! Don't miss the chance.

I am trying to learn python in parallel with CCNP DC stuff, it is so painful for me with no programming background