2026-11-15 –, Workshop Room #5#
How can network infrastructure be described centrally, versioned consistently, and deployed automatically?
In this hands-on introductory workshop, participants build and automate a small service provider network using NetBox, Git, Ansible, and a virtual lab environment.
Working in small teams, they use NetBox as the Source of Truth for devices, interfaces, IP addresses, and routing information. The structured data is then transformed into network configurations using Jinja2 templates and deployed through an automated workflow.
The workshop focuses on the practical interaction between network data, templates, version control, and automation. Participants will learn about network data modeling in NetBox, create and modify existing data and templates, execute the deployment process, and validate the resulting configurations.
The workshop is explicitly designed not only for participants who already have experience with NetBox or network automation, but also for curious network engineers who want to gain their first practical experience in a guided and approachable environment. It provides an opportunity to explore the concepts hands-on, understand how the individual components interact, and experience a complete automation workflow without having to build the underlying lab platform themselves.
After this workshop, participants should be able to explain the role of a Source of Truth within a network automation workflow, model and maintain basic network data in NetBox, understand how Git, Jinja2, and Ansible work together.
Most importantly, they will leave with a practical understanding of how Source-of-Truth-driven automation can provide a foundation for more reproducible, consistent, and scalable network operations in their own environments.
This workshop is not a comprehensive NetBox, Ansible, Jinja2 or Python training, nor does it present a production-ready automation platform. Instead, it offers a guided introduction to the core principles of Source-of-Truth-driven network automation and demonstrates how the individual components work together in a simplified end-to-end workflow.
Topics Covered:
- Introduction to Network Source of Truth
- Netbox Data Model
- Possible Deployment Pipelines
- Jinja2 configuration templating
Prerequisits:
- No previous experience with NetBox or network automation is required.
- No extensive programming experience is required.
- Basic knowledge of IP networking and routing is recommended.
The lab environment and all required tools are provided.
Participents are expected to bring
- Their own laptop with a working Browser and ssh client
Their own laptop with a working Browser and ssh client
Born in the GDR and raised in the metropolitan area of Paderborn, Michael Fischer began his professional career as an apprentice Fachinformatiker für Systemintegration (FISI) at Fujitsu Siemens Computers. At the same time, through the German dual education system, he earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Business Administration from the Fachhochschule Südwestfalen in Meschede.
After several years in non-technical Customer Success Management roles, he refocused on his passion for network engineering and has since been continuously learning about — and explaining — the mechanics of modern data exchange networks.
Today, Michael works at nscon network, security & consulting GmbH, one of the currently two netbox labs partners in Germany helping customers tackle the challenge of managing their growing networks with fewer resources by using and improving their automation toolsets.
Johannes’ fascination with technology began at the age of three with his first computer. More than ten years ago, he turned that curiosity into a career by completing an apprenticeship as a Fachinformatiker für Systemintegration at a small managed service provider.
Working in a small team meant learning through trial by fire: from first-level support and virtualization to security, networking, and even the occasional encounter with the dreaded Cisco Unified Communications Manager. Along the way, Johannes found his professional home in network engineering and later complemented his practical experience with a degree in Business Information Systems(BSc).
Today, Johannes works as a Network Engineer at nscon network, security & consulting GmbH, where he supports enterprise and service provider customers and focuses increasingly on network automation. He remains endlessly curious about how networks work, how they can be operated more efficiently, and how automation can make engineers’ lives easier. He genuinely enjoys his work, values the people he works with, and rarely gets through a working day without bursting into laughter.
Having recently spent a considerable amount of time working with Wi-Fi, he is especially looking forward to a fun workshop session involving routers, source-of-truth data, and hopefully no wireless troubleshooting.