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Episode

HN814: Automating Your Network with Cisco Crosswork Workflow Manager (Sponsored)

Podcast
Heavy Networking
Published
Feb 13, 2026
Duration seconds
2895
Processing state
processed
Canonical source
https://packetpushers.net/podcasts/heavy-networking/hn814-automating-your-network-with-cisco-crosswork-workflow-manager-sponsored/
Audio
https://feeds.packetpushers.net/link/12486/17275927/HN814.mp3
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/heavy-networking/episodes/hn814-automating-your-network-with-cisco-crosswork-workflow-manager-sponsored
Markdown
/podcast/heavy-networking/hn814-automating-your-network-with-cisco-crosswork-workflow-manager-sponsored.md

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Summary

Moving network workflows out of spreadsheets and into an execution engine is essential for operational scalability. This episode explores how Cisco Crosswork Workflow Manager automates complex, multi-step network tasks like OS upgrades and configuration compliance.

Topics

  • Network Automation
  • Cisco Crosswork
  • Workflow Management
  • Network Operations
  • Infrastructure as Code
  • Network Orchestration
  • SDN
  • API Integration

Highlights

  • Main idea: Network workflows should transition from manual documents to an execution engine to ensure repeatability and reduce human error
  • Practical takeaway: Use adapters to integrate workflows with external sources of truth like SQL databases, NSO, or REST APIs
  • Failure mode: Relying on manual, step-by-step instructions in spreadsheets leads to configuration drift and unscalable operations
  • Practical takeaway: Engineers can use either a drag-and-drop canvas for visual design or a JSON-based code editor for bulk operations and complex logic
  • Future trend: AI-assisted 'vibe coding' and LLMs can be leveraged to generate workflow code using public specifications

Chapters

  1. 1:00 The Need for Workflow Management: Why moving workflows from spreadsheets and heads into a formal manager is critical for network scalability.
  2. 4:30 Common Automation Use Cases: Automating router OS upgrades, configuration compliance, and device migrations with traffic rerouting.
  3. 8:00 Ecosystem and Integration: How Crosswork integrates with NSO and other Cisco software components.
  4. 11:35 Extending Functionality with Adapters: Using pre-packaged and custom adapters for REST, NSO, and SQL databases.
  5. 15:40 Workflow Signaling and Orchestration: Managing dependencies and signaling between different workflows and external systems.
  6. 22:50 The Developer vs. Operator Experience: Balancing the use of JSON code editors for power users with drag-and-drop canvases for visual designers.
  7. 29:45 The Future of AI in Networking: Exploring the role of AI agents and LLMs in generating and executing network workflows.