Stop Starting...

One of the things I'm struggling with as I attempt to get into network automation and programming is the huge volume of information.

There's DevNet, all the Cisco YouTube channels, udemy courses, cbtnuggets, Cisco press back catalogue, blogs, twitter, Facebook groups, webex teams, the list goes on and on.

I've found that I've been utterly daunted by just how much information is out there.

I spotted a quote on twitter just yesterday though -

'you must build an actual project '  @wellpaidgeek

- which pretty much summed me up.

I've spent so much time researching that I've been unable to see where to start. I look at one area and it sends me on to another, and another, and another. Before you know it I've watched 4 YouTube videos and read various blogs and not actually done anything!

So today marks my first actual steps.

I've got my new laptop due for delivery any time now. First tasks are:

• Get it set up.
• Install Visual Studio Code.
• Link to my Github profile (?) page(?) whatever...
• Work through the Visual Studio Code Python tutorial
• Make Cisco DevNet my homepage.
• Work through the Programming Fundamentals course.
• Work through the Python Fundamentals course.
• Move on to the DevNet sandbox environments and have a play there.
• Check out NAPALM
• Check out Netmiko

Thats all well and good but I've not actually 'done' anything even if I manage to clear that lot any time soon...

As result a simple task I'm going to look at will be :

• A simple Python script to take pre and post change snapshots of the kit I work on. 
• Next, develop it so I can split out specific tasks based on the type of device I'm making a change on.
• Next, add a Diff process to compare the before and after state of my changed devices.
• Further down the line I want to be able to look at the active connections at any one time and run a comparison for before and after my change.
• Next, lets take all that detail and store it in a central location to be reviewed at a later date if needs be. 
• Those are all read only tasks so I guess at some point I'll be looking to run the actual change and then run all the post checks as well.
• It would also be nice to have a basic web page our ops team can reference to check the live status of the connections on the devices I'm working.
• The list goes on...

Now you might say 'Hey, Sparky! there's already code out there that can do that!' - well yes, that's true. But where's the fun in copying some one else's work? what would I learn?

Today is the day I stop starting and simply start doing.

Wish me luck!