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

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/heavy-networking/hn814-automating-your-network-with-cisco-crosswork-workflow-manager-sponsored
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/heavy-networking/hn814-automating-your-network-with-cisco-crosswork-workflow-manager-sponsored.md
Podcast: [Heavy Networking](https://stenobird.com/podcast/heavy-networking)
Published: 2026-02-13T17:01:43+00:00
Episode link: https://packetpushers.net/podcasts/heavy-networking/hn814-automating-your-network-with-cisco-crosswork-workflow-manager-sponsored/
Audio file: https://feeds.packetpushers.net/link/12486/17275927/HN814.mp3
Processing state: processed
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/heavy-networking/episodes/hn814-automating-your-network-with-cisco-crosswork-workflow-manager-sponsored
Duration seconds: 2895

## Resource

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.

## 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

## Topics

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

## Chapters
- 1:00 — The Need for Workflow Management: Why moving workflows from spreadsheets and heads into a formal manager is critical for network scalability.
- 4:30 — Common Automation Use Cases: Automating router OS upgrades, configuration compliance, and device migrations with traffic rerouting.
- 8:00 — Ecosystem and Integration: How Crosswork integrates with NSO and other Cisco software components.
- 11:35 — Extending Functionality with Adapters: Using pre-packaged and custom adapters for REST, NSO, and SQL databases.
- 15:40 — Workflow Signaling and Orchestration: Managing dependencies and signaling between different workflows and external systems.
- 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.
- 29:45 — The Future of AI in Networking: Exploring the role of AI agents and LLMs in generating and executing network workflows.

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## Transcript

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