Unlock Underground Tools, Courses & Frameworks to Supercharge Networking at Scale! 🚀
Network automation is evolving fast—but most guides cover the same surface-level tools. This underground collection curates rare, advanced, and often-overlooked resources, tools, frameworks, and playbooks used by expert engineers and red-teamers for massive-scale automation, security orchestration, and performance management. Whether you’re building automated configs or scaling SDN/NetDevOps, this stack delivers practical firepower. 💥
🛠️ Rare Tools & Frameworks
Nornir 🐍
A pure Python automation framework, unlike Ansible. Nornir is pluggable, perfect for complex workflows and inventory control. Great for parallel execution.
Link: https://nornir.tech/
Suzieq 🐼📊
Network observability tool built on Pandas and Python. Suzieq is a state-aware multi-vendor network checker. Excellent for validating intent and policy.
Link: https://suzieq.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
NetBox 📦💡
More than an IPAM—NetBox is a source of truth for network automation. Combine it with Ansible/Nornir for config drift detection, provisioning, and CMDB functions.
Link: https://netbox.dev/
Batfish 🦇🐠
An open-source network configuration analysis engine to predict changes, audit routing, or detect misconfigs before going live.
Link: https://www.batfish.org/
Napalm 🗺️🔥
Multi-vendor Python automation library. Supports real-time config compliance checks, deployment, and rollback features across Cisco, Juniper, and Arista.
Link: https://napalm.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
Scrapli ⚡️SSH
Lightweight, fast Python SSH library tailored for network devices. More performant and extensible than Netmiko.
Link: https://scrapli.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
Netmiko 👴🔗
Still relevant! The classic library for SSH automation, with strong support for Cisco and legacy vendors.
Link: https://github.com/ktbyers/netmiko
Clogeny Config Validator (CCV) ✅📝
Rare open-source config validation utility to enforce network security standards via YAML templates.
Link: https://github.com/clogeny/config-validator
Autonetkit 🗺️🧪
Generates real-time virtual labs and topologies from YAML/JSON configs. Can simulate changes and test them in emulated environments.
Link: https://autonetkit.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
TTP (TextFSM++) 📄✨
Super-lightweight text parser for logs, CLI output, configs. A powerful extension to TextFSM, used in scraping and alerting workflows.
Link: https://github.com/dmulyalin/ttp
📚 Lesser-Known Learning Resources
Kirk Byers’ Free Network Automation Course 👨🏫🌐
One of the most practical intro-to-advanced series. Focuses on Netmiko, NAPALM, and APIs.
Link: https://pynet.twb-tech.com/
NetworkToCode GitHub 🐙💻
Packed with labs, playbooks, open-source tools and training materials. Great for self-hosted lab automation.
Link: https://github.com/networktocode
NSO Developer Hub (Cisco) 💡🔌
Advanced platform for service orchestration and YANG-based modeling. Often overlooked in mainstream tutorials.
Link: https://developer.cisco.com/nso/
Itential Academy (Free Tracks) 🎓API
Great for learning API-driven orchestration with GUI + Python approaches. Integrates with NetBox and existing ITSM.
Link: https://www.itential.com/itential-academy/
Juniper’s DevOps & NetDevOps Courses 🌲👩💻
High-quality free and paid courses tailored to network engineers transitioning into code-driven workflows.
Link: https://learningportal.juniper.net/juniper/training/devops-netdevops-courses/
✨ Extra Rare Finds
Jinja2 Template Playground 📝🧪
Test config templates in-browser. Great for learning how to modularize playbooks before deployment.
Link: https://jinja.palletsprojects.com/en/3.1.x/templates/ (official docs with playground)
YANG Explorer 🗺️🔍
GUI for browsing YANG models—ideal for anyone integrating with modern SDN controllers.
Link: https://www.yang-explorer.com/
NAPALM Validate Templates ✅📜
Do config and state validation like compliance engineers using YAML-driven logic.
Link: https://napalm.readthedocs.io/en/latest/validate.html
- 🚀 Extended Tools & Frameworks
- Tool Use Case Why It’s Rare but Valuable Link
- StackStorm Event-driven automation Integrates scripts, APIs, and services into workflows. Excellent for network + security event orchestration. https://stackstorm.com/
- NSOT (Network Source of Truth) Source of truth system Developed by Dropbox. Lightweight, REST-based alternative to NetBox. Great for dynamic automation. https://github.com/dropbox/nsot
- Netopeer2 NETCONF server toolkit Build or simulate real network devices with NETCONF/YANG models. Ideal for labbing and SDN testbeds. https://github.com/CESNET/netopeer2
- RESTCONF & YANG Tools Hub YANG model catalog Search & test YANG models across all vendors. Useful for building model-driven automation. https://www.yangcatalog.org/
- pyATS + Genie Test automation framework Cisco’s open-source test automation tool. Simulates, validates, and verifies config changes. https://developer.cisco.com/pyats/
- ToDD (Testing on Demand Daemon) Network test automation Perform distributed network tests across multiple nodes. Good for real-time mesh validation. https://github.com/CiscoDevNet/todd
- SaltStack + Napalm Orchestration + Device API Run high-scale state enforcement using Salt with NAPALM. Great for config drift + compliance. https://docs.saltproject.io/salt/salt-napalm/py3/index.html
- Netshot Configuration backup, diff, & audit Automated config backup + change detection for routers/switches. RESTful and highly scriptable. https://www.netshot.org/
- Oxidized Config versioning tool Think Git for router configs. Watch devices, auto-pull config snapshots and diffs. https://github.com/ytti/oxidized
- Trigger Multi-vendor CLI automation High-performance CLI tool focused on fast command execution across networks. https://github.com/trigger/trigger
- RANCID Legacy config tracker Still viable for older networks. Automates config snapshots, changes, alerts. https://www.shrubbery.net/rancid/
- CloudNetSim (EVE-NG+Python) Cloud automation simulator Create dynamic network topologies, test failovers, and provisioning flows in sandbox environments. (Requires EVE-NG: https://www.eve-ng.net/ + custom Python scripts)
- TNT (Topogun Network Topology) Diagram → Config generator Turn YAML-based network topologies into complete Ansible/Nornir templates. https://github.com/topogun/tnt
- Nautobot Successor to NetBox Adds plugins, GraphQL, and job scheduling. Ideal for dynamic workflows. Maintained by Network to Code. https://nautobot.com/
- CVP API Toolkit (Arista) CloudVision Python modules Automate Arista CVP deployment, validation, and rollback with Python. https://github.com/aristanetworks/cloudvision-python
- OpenDaylight SDN controller framework Model-based orchestration, network slicing, and flow programming via REST APIs and YANG. https://www.opendaylight.org/
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📚 Deep & Rare Learning Resources
DevNet Sandbox 🧪☁️
Spin up live testbeds (IOS XE, XR, NSO, Meraki, SD-WAN) in the cloud. Free, zero setup.
Link: https://developer.cisco.com/docs/sandbox/
NetDevOps Live (Video Archive) 🎥
Weekly technical deep dives on real automation labs and tools like GitOps, Suzieq, and Nautobot.
Link: https://netdevops.live/
Packet Pushers Labs 📦🔬
Rare articles and practical labs from real engineers on NetOps, Infra as Code, and policy orchestration.
Link: https://packetpushers.net/category/labs/
API Network Automation Bootcamp (Juniper Free) 🎓API
Focus on Junos automation, PyEZ, and network APIs.
Link: https://learningportal.juniper.net/juniper/training/api-network-automation-bootcamp/
Ansible for Networking Deep Dive (Red Hat) 🎩
Covers templating, validation, and compliance.
Link: https://www.ansible.com/integrations/networking (look for deep dive resources within their networking section)
Nautobot Academy 📚💡
Free courses + real-world automation projects using Nautobot, GraphQL, jobs, and plugins.
Link: https://nautobot.com/academy
✨ Bonus Gems
NETCONF Test Tool 🧪🔌
Simulate NETCONF sessions and device models to test automation before pushing live.
Link: https://wiki.netconfcentral.org/wiki/NETCONF_Test_Tool
nAPIdoc 📄✍️
Converts API calls into readable docs. Use it for auto-generating API documentation for your NetOps apps.
Link: https://github.com/napis/napidoc
Terraform for Networking 🏗️🌐
Use Terraform modules to automate NetBox, IOS-XR, Fortinet, and more.
Link: https://www.terraform.io/docs/providers/network/index.html (explore network providers)
💡 Pro Tip for 2025:
Build your own orchestration layer by combining:
NetBox or Nautobot as your Source of Truth 🗺️
Nornir for fast, parallel execution ⚡️
Scrapli/NAPALM to talk to devices 🗣️
StackStorm or Ansible for playbook orchestration 🔄
GitLab CI or Jenkins to trigger tests & deploys via GitOps automating
Pro Tip: Combine Nornir + NetBox + Scrapli to build a vendor-agnostic dynamic automation framework that runs scheduled configs, collects logs, and audits your infra without reinventing the wheel. ⚙️
Summary:
This stack isn’t for everyone—it’s tailored for serious builders who want to go beyond Ansible and scripts, into reproducible, scalable, policy-driven automation. From network-as-code to event-driven pipelines, this collection unlocks enterprise-grade capabilities without vendor lock-in. 🔒
This rare-stack is for engineers ready to push automation beyond YAML and playbooks—into programmable, testable, versioned, and self-healing infrastructure. 💖
From SDN to legacy routers, these tools are battle-tested in real environments but unfairly underused. Now they’re all in one place.
ENJOY & HAPPY LEARNING! 🎉
