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.

Setting Up Network Automation in the Portal

Step 1: Build Network Job Templates

Create job templates for common network tasks:

``yaml

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:

`yaml

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](/articles) on Ansible Pilot.