Introduction to Design-Driven Network Automation#

Mark Coleman (no affiliation listed)

• Why: The design/intent layer above config generation is where network automation platforms are converging; this gives the conceptual grounding and — usefully — covers where the approach still fails.
• What: Design-driven automation treats the high-level design as a first-class artifact: an explicit model of topology, roles, relationships, and constraints, independent of any device configuration. Traces the idea from early topology-aware NMS and fabric controllers to modern intent-based systems, and covers how state, drift, refactoring, and unplanned change are reasoned about from a design model. (from abstract only)
• How: Modeling and reasoning mechanics rather than a specific tool — how networks are represented as designs and how change over time is interpreted against them.
• Where applicable: Networks at the scale or complexity where per-device config models break down; relevant to DC fabrics and multi-site estates alike. Conceptual survey; judge it by the "where it still struggles" section.