NetBox Automation with Ansible & Python Masterclass | Udemy

Master the ultimate Network Source of Truth and Automation Orchestrator.

This course is meticulously designed for professionals across the entire infrastructure spectrum, ranging from traditional networking roles to modern automated operations:

• Network Engineers & Administrators: (Junior, Senior, and Principal levels) looking to replace manual spreadsheets with a professional Source of Truth.
• Network Architects & Design Engineers: Professionals responsible for infrastructure planning, IPAM strategy, and high-level physical/logical modeling.
• NetDevOps & Automation Engineers: Anyone specializing in Ansible, Python, or Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to drive network consistency.
• Data Center & Infrastructure Engineers: Teams managing large-scale physical assets, rack layouts, and complex cable modeling.
• Implementation & Support Engineers: Professionals who need to ensure accurate, data-driven deployment and troubleshooting.
• Site Reliability Engineers (SRE) & Cloud Architects: Those bridging the gap between traditional networking and automated cloud/hybrid infrastructure.
• Software & Python Developers: Programmers who are building internal tools, portals, or integrations that interact with network inventory systems.
• Automation Enthusiasts: Anyone eager to master the industry-standard tool for Network Source of Truth and modern orchestration.
• Certified Professionals: An essential skill-up for those holding CCNA, CCNP, CCIE, CCDE, or DevNet certifications who want to apply their knowledge programmatically to NetBox

Environment & Tools:

• Platforms: Windows (Docker/WSL), MacOS, and AWS EC2 deployment.
• IDE: VS Code with Python UV for modern environment management.
• Automation: Ansible (latest collections), Python (Requests & PyNetBox), and NetBox API v2.
• Hands-On: Access to NetBox Labs Cloud and local Docker-compose setups.

Comprehensive Syllabus & Topics Covered

1. Introduction
   • What is Netbox
   • NetBox Design Philosophy
   • How NetBox Started
   • NetBox Release Strategy
2. NetBox Installation Options
   • Windows Docker Installation
   • Windows VS Code and Automation Environment Setup
   • MacOS Docker Desktop NetBox Installation
   • MacOS VS Code and Automation Environment Setup
   • AWS EC2 NetBox Docker Installation
   • NetBox Labs Cloud Instance Access
   • How to access NetBox Public Demo instance
   • NetBox architecture Explained
3. Build Your First Inventory
   • Add your first inventory to NetBox
   • Add your first inventory to NetBox
     1. Add device with minimal data
     2. Add sites, device type, manufacturer, role etc
   • Explanation About NetBox Data relationships
     1. Importance of understanding NetBox data relationships
     2. Strategic Planning and Design
   • How to import data using CSV
     1. Add Organizational data using csv
     2. Tenant groups, tenant, regions, sites, locations using csv
     3. Import device data using csv
4. NetBox Co-pilot and Branching
   • NetBox Co-pilot feature Explained
     1. Enable copilot in Community Edition
   • NetBox Branching Feature
     1. Git-style Branching for NetBox
5. NetBox REST API
   • NetBox REST API Explained
   • REST API using Postman
   • NetBox Token V1 vs V2
   • Get Netbox API OPTION
   • POST, PUT and PATCH Example
   • NetBox Bulk create using API
   • NetBox Bulk Delete using API
   • NetBox API Object Brief
   • Handle Pagination in NetBox API
6. Ansible & Python For NetBox Automation
   • Ansible inventory file setup for Automation
     1. Add NetBox v1 and v2 token in to netBox
     2. Add Netbox url and host details
   • NetBox API automation using Python Request module
   • Create Sites from CSV, YAML and Json – Ansible Example
   • Sites Delete -Ansible Example
   • Bulk Delete using Object ID – Ansible
   • Handle Pagination – Solving Pagination Puzzle
   • NetBox Query Filter Ansible Example
   • Ansible Anchors & Alias for NetBox Credentials
7. PyNetBox – Official Python Library for NetBox Automation
   • PyNetBox Introduction – For Netbox automation
   • Create Data From CSV using Pynetbox
   • Update & sync site using PyNetBox
   • Custom Idempotency using PyNetBox
   • PyNetBox Filtering Example
   • Get Object Count using Pynetbox
   • Get vs Filter in PyNetBox
   • Full Organizational Data reset using Python script
8. Setup the Organizational Data
   • Create Tenant Groups & Regions
   • Create Tenants, Sites & Locations
   • Create Contacts
   • Contact Assignment to Objects
   • Organizational Hierarchy with Single Playbook
   • Organizational Hierarchy with Single Python Script
9. Rack Modeling in NetBox
   • Rack Creation via CSV import
   • Import Rack Manufacturers & Rack Roles
   • Add Rack Types using Ansible URI
   • Creating Racks at Scale using Ansible URI
   • Idempotency in Rack creation
   • End to End Rack Orchestration using Single Playbook
   • End to End Rack Orchestration using Single Python Script
10. Device Inventory & Data Modeling in NetBox
    • Manual device Onboarding and CSV Import
    • Provisioning Device Roles and Manufacturers using Ansible
    • Programmatic Device types retrieval – Ansible
    • Programmatic Device types retrieval – Python
    • Custom Device type importer
    • Create Device Platforms via Ansible
    • Add Device using Ansible
    • End to End Device provisioning with Python
    • Device Assignment Strategy Explained
11. Modular Systems & Chassis Modeling
    • Assign Chassis Modules to Device Slots (Cisco Modular Device) – manual step
    • Assign Chassis Modules to Device Slots (Cisco Modular Device) -Ansible
    • Assign Chassis Modules to Device Slots (Cisco Modular Device) – Python
12. Config Context & Config Templates
    • Create Config Context and Config Context Profiles
      1. Demo of rendered Context
      2. JSON Schema using Context profiles
    • What is Context Weight
    • Render device configuration using Config Templates
13. NetBox as a Dynamic Ansible Inventory & Source of Truth
    • NetBox Inventory Plugin
    • Query Filter and Device Query Filter
    • Ansible Inventory for Gathering Device Facts
    • Import POC Lab Device Roles, Platforms and Sites
    • Discover devices to Netbox using Ansible
    • Assign Primary IP to devices using Ansible
    • Provision Config Context and Config Templates -Ansible
    • Assign Config templates to the devices
    • Deploy rendered Config to the Device using Ansible
    • NetBox Dynamic Inventory for Ansible
    • Cleanup the POC Lab data
14. Cabling, Power & Circuits Modeling in NetBox
    • Connect Interface Cables to the Devices – Manual
    • Connect Interface Cables to the Devices – Ansible
    • Add Power Panels and Power Feeds
    • Add Power Distribution Unit(PDU) Device Types
    • Create PDU Devices
    • Create Power Cables
    • Create Circuits, Providers and Terminations
    • Create Circuits, Providers and Terminations – Python
    • Connect Circuit Terminations to Site Devices
15. VLAN & IPAM
    • Create VLANs and IP Prefixes – Manual
    • Automating VLANs and IP Prefixes Creation – Ansible
    • Create VLAN SVI Interfaces in Devices
    • Assign VLANs to Device Interfaces
    • Auto assign Management IPs to Devices
16. VPN & Wireless
    • NetBox VPN Modeling – Create Tunnel Interfaces and IPs for VPN
    • Create IPSec Profile – Manual
    • Create IPSec Profile – Automation
    • Create DMVPN Tunnel Terminations
    • Create Wireless Groups & WLANs
17. Virtualization & Server Modeling
    • Virtual Machine Modeling – Import Server Device Types
    • Virtual Machine Modeling – Create Server Devices
    • Connect Server Cables to the Switch
    • Create Port-Channel Interfaces in the Switch for Servers
    • Create Server Clusters
    • Create Virtual Machines
    • Assign IP Addresses to the VMs
18. Customization Options in NetBox
    • Create NetBox Custom fields – Manual
    • Create NetBox Custom fields using Automation
    • Filter Devices with Custom Fields – Ansible Example
    • Create Custom Links – Manual & Ansible Examples
    • Create Export Templates
    • Download Export Template Rendered Data – Automation
    • Saved FIlters
    • Table Config
    • Tags
    • Image Attachments
    • NetBox Journal Entries
    • NetBox Webhook and Event Rule
19. Data Source Options – AWS S3, Git & Local
    • NetBox Data Sources – Setup Local Data Source
    • NetBox Data Sources – Setup AWS S3 Data Source
    • NetBox Data Sources – Setup GitHub Data Source
20. Custom Scripts in NetBox
    • Custom Scripts Intro and Bulk Device Creation Example
    • Bulk Device Delete using Custom Scripts
    • Bulk Device Update using Custom Scripts
    • Basic Compliance Check using Custom Scripts
    • Tag Assignment Example
21. NetBox Plugins: Installation & Configuration
    • Plugins Introduction and Installation Step Overview
    • Install NetBox BGP Plugin
    • Install Topology View Plugin
22. NetBox Diode Installation & Configuration
    • What is NetBox Diode and Setup Overview
    • Setup Diode Container
    • Setup Orb Agent and Discover the devices