Exercise 7: Event-Driven Ansible and NetBox in Action

In this workshop, we’ll see Ansible Event-Driven Automation (EDA) and NetBox in action by making real-time changes to our network. First, we’ll modify an existing device’s configuration in NetBox, triggering Ansible to detect and apply updates automatically. Then, we’ll add a brand-new device, showcasing how Ansible reacts to new inventory entries by running predefined job templates.

This hands-on demonstration will highlight how Ansible EDA eliminates manual intervention, ensuring seamless, automated network management based on real-time changes in NetBox.

Step 1: Switch to the NetBox web tab so we can apply changes there.

Step 2: Note that NetBox has been set up with one device called cat1 and all the dependencies that are required for devices to be created.

Step 3: In the next tasks, you will modify a running configuration as well as add a new device.

The following services are available in your lab environment:

Step 1: Ensure you’re on the NetBox web tab.

Step 2: We have configured a Cisco Catalyst 8000v called cat1 with which we will be experimenting. You can check the device in the menu:Devices[Devices] menu of the sidebar.

Step 3: You will notice in the screenshot above that the cat1 device has a few other fields pre-loaded, like Site, Role, Manufacturer, and Type. These are part of the required fields.

Step 4: Some other data points we had to pre-create were Custom Fields for the ansible_host and ansible_port variables. You can review these in the menu:Customization[Custom Fields] menu of the sidebar.

Step 5: Another setting we set in advance are the Config Contexts for the custom data we want to store for the NTP Servers and Login Banner. You can review these in the menu:Provisioning[Config Contexts] menu of the sidebar.

To configure NetBox to send a notification to Ansible Automation Platform when an event happens, you need to set a few options. In this task, you will finish setting up the connection between NetBox and Event-Driven Ansible.

Step 1: In the NetBox tab, go to the left sidebar and navigate to menu:Operations[Webhooks].

Step 2: Once in the Webhooks screen, click the green + Add button on the top right.

Step 3: Fill in the form with the following details:

Step 4: Leave the other fields as they are.

Step 5: Click the Create button.

Now we can go to menu:Operations[Event Rules] to create the three events we want to forward.

Step 1: Once in the Event Rules screen, click the green + Add button on the top right.

Step 2: Fill in the form with the following details:

Step 3: Leave the other fields as they are.

Step 4: Click the Create button.

Step 5: Repeat the above steps, but this time for the Name: login_banner event rule.

Step 6: Use the same configuration as the ntp_servers event rule:

Step 7: Click the Create button.

Now we need to create the new_device event rule. This one will be different - pay attention to the steps below:

Step 8: Once in the Event Rules screen, click the green + Add button on the top right.

Step 9: Fill in the form with the following details:

Step 10: Leave the other fields as they are.

Step 11: Click the Create button.

Step 1: In the NetBox tab, go to the Provisioning menu on the left sidebar and click on Config Contexts.

Step 2: Click on the ntp_servers entry.

Step 3: Click on the orange EDIT button on the top right.

Step 4: Now we are going to modify the Data payload. Add "time-c-g.nist.gov" as shown below:

Step 5: Click the Save button.

Step 1: Switch to the AAP tab.

Step 2: A quick way to see if an event was triggered is to check the Fire count counter in the Rulebook Activations screen within menu:Automation Decisions[Rulebook Activations].

Step 3: For a more detailed output, navigate to menu:Automation Decisions[Rule Audit]. There you will see which Job Template was triggered.

Step 4: Click on the NTP updates Job Template to see more details about the job run, then click the Events tab.

Step 5: Now click on the ansible.eda.webhook event. You will see a pop-up with the payload that triggered the rule.

Step 6: If you want to see the actual Job Template output, navigate to menu:Automation Execution[Jobs] and check the Job queue to see the details.

Step 1: Switch to the NetBox tab and try updating the login_banner by yourself.

Step 2: After making changes, verify the automation triggered successfully in the AAP tab.

Step 1: Ensure you’re in the NetBox tab.

Step 2: Navigate to menu:Devices[Devices] in the left sidebar.

Step 3: Click the green + Add button on the top right.

Step 4: Fill in the form with the following details:

Step 5: At the bottom in Custom Fields, fill in:

Step 6: Click the Create button.

Step 7: Switch to the AAP tab.

Step 8: Check the Fire count in menu:Automation Decisions[Rulebook Activations].

Step 9: Check the output in menu:Automation Decisions[Rule Audit] and verify that New Device Added was executed successfully.

Step 10: Navigate to menu:Automation Execution[Jobs] and verify the Provision New Device Workflow job run was successful.

Step 11: To verify, navigate to menu:Automation Execution[Infrastructure > Inventories] → NetBox Dynamic Inventory → Hosts to see both devices listed.

Step 12: Check the config for cat2 by clicking on it. You will see it has the three NTP servers we configured and your new login banner sourced from NetBox.