Best Network Automation Tools in 2025 (Free & Paid)

Have you ever spent hours typing the same CLI commands across dozens of network devices? If so, you'll be happy to know that those days are slowly fading into the past. Many people are still configuring networks manually in 2025, and they don't have to. 

Network automation is where we are headed. It started out as a wish list item that was nice to have but not necessary to get work done. As networks have scaled in size and complexity, it has become a must-have. This is because as networks have grown more complex, network teams haven't grown at the same pace. Automation tools fill this gap by handling repetitive, boring tasks while letting you stay on target with important tasks like designing better networks.

Automation used to be tough to set up and even tougher to implement, but times have changed. Network vendors now support APIs for programmatic configuration, which lets apps and scripts talk directly to devices via programming code. APIs allow you to write a script once and apply it across your entire network, making network tasks much easier. So, which tools should you use? Let's review the options. 

Types of Network Automation Tools

If you're just getting into network automation, the number of options can be overwhelming. You can use Python scripts, Ansible playbooks, or even your own custom application to automate your network, but what is right for you? The answer boils down to what you're trying to do.

Here is a list of some of the main categories of tools you'll come across:

Configuration Management Tools

If you push the same configurations to different devices, you’re using a configuration management tool. These tools take the pain out of repetitive drudge work and make it easy to fire off changes whenever they are needed. Here are the most common options: 

Ansible

When we think of configuration management tools, Ansible usually comes up in the first few mentioned examples. It is used by many network engineers because it doesn't need agents to be installed on network devices. All you need to do is write YAML playbooks that hold your needed configurations, and Ansible handles the rest. Teams can reduce their change window and downtime durations with well-written Ansible playbooks.

Terraform 

Terraform is different from Ansible in several ways, but the main one is that it sees your infrastructure as code. This makes sense if you're managing network devices and cloud assets that also have APIs that can take instructions from your code. You can map out your entire infrastructure in Terraform files and have it use APIs to accept your configuration changes. Terraform doesn't directly handle deployments or make the changes itself, but it coordinates with different platforms to apply your configurations.

Nornir

For Python aficionados, Nornir is a framework that was designed for network automation. It uses Python and can be quite effective for specific tasks. It's a good option if you're already comfortable with Python programming.

Network Simulation and Testing

The scariest part of automation is the potential for pushing a change that breaks the network. We don’t want that, which is why we have testing tools. Below are some options for making your changes safely.

GNS3 

GNS3 lets you create virtual labs where you can safely test your automation scripts. You can build entire network topologies in GNS3 to validate changes before you even touch production. This will help you pick up issues before you deploy to the production environment.

DevNet Sandbox 

Cisco's DevNet Sandbox takes this approach and runs with it, giving you access to virtualized clones of actual Cisco equipment in the cloud. They aren’t real instances of Cisco hardware. Instead, they are simulations written in software that look and behave like Cisco systems. You can reserve time on pre-configured labs and test your automation code against real devices without buying any hardware.

Containerlab

If you're into containerization, Containerlab makes it easy to deploy different networks by using Docker containers. It's a lightweight option that’s great for testing on less powerful hardware like a laptop.

API Testing & Integration

Network devices now come with features that allow them to expose APIs that your automation tools can connect to. But to work with APIs, you’ll need to use specific tools and have some knowledge of endpoints. Here are a few to consider: 

Postman

Postman is a very popular, easy-to-use choice for testing API calls. You can use Postman to test and validate your API calls before adding them to your main automation workflows. Its interface lets you visualize the requests and responses from your hardware, and you can save collections of API requests for different network functions.

Insomnia

Insomnia is another alternative. Although its interface is similar to Postman's, its layout is quite different. Try both to see which one works best for you. 

PyATS/Genie

If you use Cisco in your environments, PyATS and its Python-based Genie library allow you to do testing and validation from Python scripts and apps. When properly configured and rolled out, they can be invaluable for comparing network states before and after changes. But remember, garbage in, garbage out. Like any tool, you need to set it up and configure it properly to get the most out of it.

Top Network Automation Tools You Should Know

Here are some of the most commonly used tools that you should at least be aware of. Some are free, some cost money, but all of them have a place in your repertoire for different types of network automation tasks. When used right, they can save you tons of work.

Best Free Network Automation Tools

When the budget is tight, there are free tools that work in a pinch. Here are some of the most popular options available.

Cisco DevNet Sandbox

The first (and biggest) barrier to learning network automation is usually access to equipment. Cisco's DevNet Sandbox levels the playing field and gives you access to virtualized Cisco environments and labs for learning and testing. You're not accessing physical hardware, but the virtual environments are close enough to the real world to let you test out different scenarios.

The Sandbox lets you test a script against different Cisco router configurations or try out an API call against a device. It's a realistic testing ground without the heavy equipment price tag.

Postman

Postman is a general-purpose API development tool that is used almost everywhere APIs are used. Network engineers find it useful to work with network APIs because they can be up and running in minutes.

Postman is like a testing ground for API queries, where you validate your ideas quickly before building out your final script or application. You can test it out with Postman first to make sure it works and examine the type of structured data you get in return.  

Postman is accessible for beginners and powerful enough for seasoned pros. You can also save collections of API requests for different tasks in their own collection, and share them with teammates if you need to. A lesser-known perk is that you can generate documentation from your request responses. It's a great all-around app that should be in your toolkit.

Ansible

Ansible is used widely across different industries and is becoming more popular. Its agentless architecture means that you don't need to install anything on your network devices to get started. Ansible uses YAML files called "playbooks" that define what you want to get done. The syntax is easy enough so that you can read a playbook and at least understand what it's doing, even if you didn't write it.

The Ansible community is quite active, so if you have something you want to do, there's a good chance someone has already written a playbook for something similar. The Ansible Galaxy repository has tons of roles and modules you can change and edit to meet your own requirements. You'll want to read them carefully, though, as not all of them are fit for production.

Nornir

If you have ever thought that Ansible was too restrictive, Nornir is a slightly more flexible alternative. It's a Python automation framework built for network engineers. If you already know Python, then Nornir will be a good fit. You won't have to learn YAML like you do for Ansible. 

You can write Python code to automate your network instead. It has the advantage of making automation logic much easier to follow if you already understand Python scripting logic.

Nornir works for most tasks, but the learning curve is steeper if you're not already comfortable with Python. But if you are, you'll have a lot more freedom to structure your scripts the way you are comfortable with.

Paid & Enterprise Automation Tools

When your network grows beyond a certain size, enterprise-grade tools start to make financial sense even though they’re pricey.

Cisco DNA Center

For Cisco environments, DNA Center focuses on the network as a whole, with intent-based objectives across the environment instead of individual devices. You define higher-level networking goals, and DNA Center helps translate those intentions into device-specific configurations.

Cisco DNA Center is integrated with your Cisco ecosystem, so it provides centralized management of your network, including policy enforcement and compliance checking. The analytics features can also help identify potential issues in your network.

It's expensive, but there are solid returns on investment when your operations are more efficient, and you get faster troubleshooting capabilities. You’ll need to spend a lot of time on configuration and integration to get the most value from it, so you’ll have to plan well in advance if you're considering this option.

HashiCorp Terraform

This is an excellent option for managing network infrastructure and cloud resources in a mixed environment. Terraform treats network devices in much the same way as other infrastructure devices, allowing you to define different parts of your infrastructure in code.

It uses a declarative approach, which means that you need to specify your desired end state, and Terraform will figure out and execute the steps needed to get there. Because Terraform implements the change to achieve your objective, you get a uniform implementation that is decided on by Terraform to achieve your result.

Terraform works well with version control systems like Git. When you store your Terraform configurations in a version control system, you can track changes to your infrastructure definitions, create branches for testing new configurations, and roll back when necessary.

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform

If you want to use Ansible but you also need enterprise features and support, then Red Hat's Ansible Automation Platform is a solid choice. It has a dashboard that visualizes your automation jobs so you can see what's happening in real time. It also has role-based access control so that only the right people have the right level of access to specific features. 

In the event of a major failure, you have Red Hat’s support to rely on. For organizations running business-critical automation at scale, these features are worth the price tag.

Learning Network Automation: Next Steps

If you’re not sure where to start with network automation, these basics will point you in the right direction.

Start with Python for Networking

Even if you’re comfortable with the CLI and don't see the need to add programming to your skill set, you really should. Python has become a valuable network automation skill, and when it becomes a requirement in your current role, you’ll wish that you started sooner.

The good news is that you don't need to become a software developer. You just need enough Python to write your own solutions that will help you solve networking problems.

Start small by learning basic Python syntax and key data structures. Once you have the basics down, then explore libraries like Netmiko that make connecting to network devices much easier. Creating a simple script that logs into a device and runs a "show" command might only be a few lines of code, but it's very satisfying when it works.

Scaling that up across multiple routers and then outputting the responses into a spreadsheet or dashboard will elevate a simple script into a useful tool.

From there, you can build scripts that can:

• Parse commands and output specific information that you want

• Make configuration changes across many devices

• Compare device states before and after changes

• Generate reports on network health

If you take small steps and try to solve real-world problems with your mini projects, you'll be surprised at how quickly you make progress.

Use DevNet Sandbox for Hands-On Practice

In networking, hands-on practice is usually more valuable than pure theory. To get started, you’ll need a safe place to test your automation code, and the Cisco DevNet Sandbox is perfect for this.

As we discussed earlier, DevNet Sandbox gives you access to real Cisco equipment without risking your production network. And it's completely free. 

Getting started is straightforward. Create a free DevNet account, reserve a sandbox that matches the technology you're trying to automate, and you're good to go. The sandboxes come pre-configured, so you can focus on learning automation rather than setting up devices and troubleshooting issues.

DevNet also offers guided learning labs that walk you through the most common automation tasks. These labs are excellent for beginners because they give you step-by-step instructions and explain why each step is needed and what it does.

If you're serious about network automation, pursuing the DevNet Associate certification could be a wise move. It gives you a structured learning path that covers Python, APIs, and automation fundamentals, crafted specifically for networking professionals.

Build Real-World Projects with Ansible & Postman

Once you have some Python basics, move on to more ambitious projects that continue to solve real problems in your environment. Tools like Ansible and Postman will help you get there.

Start with something simple but useful: maybe an Ansible playbook that standardizes device configurations across your network or a Postman collection that lets you quickly retrieve information from your network controllers and share it with your team.

Start by identifying tedious tasks that eat up your time, like adding new VLANs across dozens of switches that would take hours to do manually. An Ansible playbook could reduce something like that to minutes and do away with configuration errors in the process.

Some project ideas that could work well for your team:

• Automated compliance checking that verifies that devices meet security standards.

• Network validation scripts that run after changes to make sure that everything works.

• Documentation generators that keep network diagrams and IP address records up to date and current.

Whatever project or side quest you choose, make sure it's valuable in your environment. When you automate something that you do often, it shows instant value and will reinforce your learning with practice.

Avoid the temptation to automate everything all at once, though. Pick a task, automate it well, add some polish, and then move on to the next project. Small victories will help you build your confidence and show the value of automation (and you) to management, which helps when you need to sink time into larger automation projects.

The Future of Network Operations

The role of network engineers is changing. It’s expanding beyond just CLI configurations and manual troubleshooting. As automation handles more tasks, higher-level skills are needed to maintain and implement features.

CLI knowledge is still important, especially for troubleshooting and understanding individual device behavior. Expanding your skill set with automation can open new opportunities when they arise.

Remember that you don’t have to become a developer to make automation work for you. Understanding the basics of programming fundamentals, API design, and infrastructure as code concepts will give you a better idea of where the field of networking is headed.

If you're feeling a little intimidated by the learning curve, you’re not alone! You don't need to upskill overnight. Start small, automate one task at a time, and build from there. Even small automation wins can save a lot of time.

Ready to get started? The Cisco DevNet Associate training offers structured guidance through hands-on labs and real-world examples. It's designed specifically for network professionals looking to add automation to their toolkit.

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