Using the AAP 2.6 Self-Service Portal for Network Automation

Introduction

Network engineers often need to run routine automation tasks but may not be Ansible experts. The AAP 2.6 self-service portal bridges this gap by providing a guided, point-and-click interface for running pre-approved network automations.

See also: AAP 2.6 Network Automation: Cisco, Arista, Juniper, and Multi-Vendor Management

Setting Up Network Automation in the Portal

Step 1: Build Network Job Templates

Create job templates for common network tasks:

# VLAN Configuration Template
- name: Configure VLAN
  hosts: "{{ target_switches }}"
  collections:
    - cisco.ios
  tasks:
    - name: Create VLAN
      cisco.ios.ios_vlans:
        config:
          - vlan_id: "{{ vlan_id }}"
            name: "{{ vlan_name }}"
            state: active

Step 2: Add Survey Variables

Configure survey variables that become form fields in the portal:

survey_spec:
  name: "VLAN Configuration"
  description: "Create or modify a VLAN on network switches"
  spec:
    - question_name: "VLAN ID"
      variable: "vlan_id"
      type: "integer"
      required: true
      min: 2
      max: 4094

    - question_name: "VLAN Name"
      variable: "vlan_name"
      type: "text"
      required: true

    - question_name: "Target Switches"
      variable: "target_switches"
      type: "multiplechoice"
      choices:
        - "dc1_access_switches"
        - "dc2_access_switches"
        - "all_access_switches"

Step 3: Publish to Portal

In the AAP 2.6 UI:

1. Navigate to the self-service portal settings
2. Select the network automation job templates
3. Assign the "Network Engineering" team
4. Set appropriate permissions

Common Network Portal Use Cases

1. VLAN Management

• Create new VLANs
• Modify VLAN assignments
• Decommission VLANs

2. ACL Updates

• Add firewall rules
• Modify access lists
• Emergency port blocking

3. Device Backup

• On-demand configuration backups
• Scheduled backup verification
• Configuration comparison

4. Interface Management

• Enable/disable interfaces
• Update interface descriptions
• Change speed/duplex settings

5. Troubleshooting

• Run show commands across devices
• Collect diagnostic information
• Generate health reports

Benefits for Network Teams

• No Ansible learning curve — Network engineers use familiar terms in a form
• Pre-approved changes — All automations are vetted by the platform team
• Audit trail — Every action is logged with who, what, and when
• Faster execution — No more ticket queues for routine changes
• Reduced errors — Guided forms prevent common mistakes

Conclusion

The self-service portal transforms how network teams interact with automation. By providing a simple, guided interface, you can scale network automation to every network engineer in your organization without requiring Ansible expertise.

For more Ansible tutorials and guides, explore the complete article collection on Ansible Pilot.

Related Articles

• Ansible template guide
• become_user and become_method in Ansible
• AAP 2.6 Network Automation: Cisco, Arista, Juniper, and Multi-Vendor Management

See also

• Ansible Cisco UCS Automation: Manage UCS Manager Server Profiles, VLANs, and Policies