These skills can be found in the following Cisco Learning Offerings:

Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA)

Course Objectives

Describe Python’s versatility and suitability for network programmability and automation
Explain why network programmability is needed and how it enables modern network automation
Describe programmatic interaction with network devices and the benefits of network automation for scaling from traditional to programmable networks
Identify practical examples and existing Python tools for network automation
Write and run basic Python scripts, demonstrating foundational syntax, elements (variables, data types, operators), and logic (decisions and loops)
Introduce standard and third-party libraries, the import statement, and using the Python interpreter
Demonstrate hands-on interaction with Python, including accepting input and performing basic network tasks (e.g., connectivity checks)
Emphasize code styles, readability, and development environment setup, including Python installation, VS Code, virtual environments, Docker, and Git
Implement Python tools for automating device inventory, including data storage with variables, grouping devices with lists and dictionaries, iterating and filtering device data, and file operations (load/save)
Organize code with functions and develop scripts for inventory management

Use external libraries (e.g., Netmiko) for SSH connections and scaling network configurations with Python and templates
Parse and analyze device output, handle exceptions, and build CLI applications for device management
Implement tools for testing and validating device state using PyATS and Genie, including retrieving and verifying configuration data
Demonstrate Python context managers, parsing outputs, performing compliance validation, and running scripts on Cisco IOS-XE devices (Guest Shell)
Create tools for backing up device configs, automating backup storage with Git, comparing configs, and periodic backups with logging
Use PyATS for configuration comparison and automate backup processes
Describe HTTP REST API fundamentals, interactive documentation, and creating API requests in Python
Parse JSON data, automate interactions with APIs (e.g., Cisco Meraki Dashboard, ThousandEyes), and manage authentication securely
Demonstrate creating, configuring, and analyzing network tests and monitoring data with API scripts
Explain the importance of debugging, logging, unit testing, and integrating scripts with CI/CD pipelines
Handle API errors, implement rate limiting/retries, and introduce telemetry collection with OpenTelemetry