Lesson 1SNMP Deep Dive: Versions v1/v2c/v3, MIBs, OIDs, Walk/Get/Bulk, Traps and InformsEmbark on an in-depth exploration of SNMP for monitoring and basic control in Botswanan networks. Compare SNMP versions, grasp MIBs and OIDs, apply walk, get, and bulk operations, and set up traps and informs with robust security measures tailored for local infrastructure.
SNMP v1, v2c, and v3 security differencesMIB structure, OID naming, and browsingUsing get, get-next, walk, and bulkgetConfiguring traps and informs on devicesScaling SNMP polling and rate controlLesson 2Infrastructure Automation Tools: Ansible Networking Modules, Module vs. Connection Plugins, Idempotence and Playbook PatternsUnderstand the role of infrastructure automation tools in managing network devices across Botswana. Utilise Ansible networking modules and connection plugins, implement idempotent patterns, and organise playbooks to ensure safe, scalable configuration updates in real-world scenarios.
Network inventory and host variable designNetwork-specific connection plugins overviewIdempotent configuration patterns in playbooksValidating changes with check and diff modesError handling and rollback strategiesLesson 3Choosing Protocols for Mixed-Vendor Environments: Trade-offs (Read-Only vs Config), Security, Performance, Vendor SupportDiscover how to select management protocols in mixed-vendor networks prevalent in Botswana. Evaluate read-only versus configuration workflows, security frameworks, performance effects, and vendor backing to craft strong, sustainable automation approaches for local operations.
Read-only vs configuration change workflowsSecurity models and credential handlingLatency, throughput, and scaling considerationsVendor feature coverage and roadmap riskOperational standardization across vendorsLesson 4SSH Fundamentals for Network Devices: Key-Based Auth, Session Management, Command Execution, Terminal SettingsExamine SSH basics as applied to network devices in Botswanan setups. Master key-based authentication, session handling, command execution methods, terminal configurations, and security enhancements for automated access in secure environments.
Key generation, storage, and rotationSSH ciphers, MACs, and protocol versionsInteractive shells vs exec channelsTerminal length, paging, and promptsJump hosts, bastions, and proxy commandsLesson 5REST APIs on Network Gear: Common Vendor Endpoints, Authentication (Token, Basic, OAuth), JSON/XML PayloadsExplore how REST APIs are implemented on network devices in Botswana. Analyse typical endpoints, authentication methods, JSON or XML payload structures, versioning, and strategies for secure, idempotent configuration modifications in practical settings.
Resource modeling for interfaces and VLANsToken, basic, and OAuth authenticationJSON request and response payload designError handling and HTTP status mappingAPI versioning and backward compatibilityLesson 6gNMI and Streaming Telemetry: Subscription Models, Protobuf/JSON Encodings, Push vs PollDive into gNMI and streaming telemetry for enhanced observability in Botswanan networks. Understand subscription frameworks, protobuf and JSON formats, push versus poll advantages, and integration of telemetry into monitoring systems for better visibility.
gNMI service model and RPC operationsOn-change, sample, and once subscriptionsProtobuf message schemas and toolingJSON encoding and translation to metricsScaling collectors and buffering strategiesLesson 7Network Automation Libraries: Netmiko, Paramiko, Napalm, PyATS/Genie — Capabilities, Drivers, LimitationsInvestigate Python-based network automation libraries and their pros and cons in Botswana. Assess Netmiko, Paramiko, Napalm, and PyATS or Genie regarding features, drivers, abstractions, testing capabilities, and practical constraints in local deployments.
Paramiko SSH primitives and channelsNetmiko device drivers and send_commandNapalm getters and configuration mergePyATS and Genie parsing and testingLibrary selection and interoperabilityLesson 8Debugging and Testing Connections: Connectivity Checks, Timeouts, Retries, Logging Best PracticesLearn hands-on methods for verifying and resolving network connections in Botswanan contexts. Develop connectivity tests, adjust timeouts and retries, organise logs, and create repeatable test procedures for both automated and manual network tasks.
Designing health and connectivity checksTimeout tuning and retry backoff strategiesStructured logging and correlation IDsCapturing and analyzing protocol tracesBuilding repeatable connection test playbooksLesson 9NETCONF and YANG: RPC Model, Capabilities, Data Modeling with YANG, XML/JSON EncodingsExamine NETCONF and YANG as fundamental standards for network programmability in Botswana. Grasp the RPC framework, capability exchanges, YANG data modelling, and XML or JSON formats for managing configurations and states effectively.
NETCONF sessions, locks, and RPC workflowCapability discovery and server feature setsYANG modules, trees, and data typesXML and JSON encodings for YANG dataModel-driven configuration workflowsLesson 10Vendor-Specific Programmatic Interfaces: Cisco IOS-XE/IOS-XR/JunOS RESTCONF, Arista eAPI, Fortinet/Checkpoint APIsReview vendor-unique APIs that build on standard interfaces in Botswanan networks. Compare Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Fortinet, and Check Point solutions, emphasising authentication, data models, rate controls, and integration methods for seamless use.
Cisco IOS-XE and IOS-XR RESTCONF usageJunOS REST APIs and JSON data modelsArista eAPI transport and command formatsFortinet and Check Point firewall APIsHandling rate limits and vendor quirks
