Python Network Automation Virtual Lab 1: Ansible and pyATS in Python virtualenv

This chapter aims to familiarize you with Python virtual environment concepts and introduce alternative methods for exploring Python's external modules and functionalities. Until now, the focus of this book has been on utilizing Python's fundamental Telnet and SSH remote access techniques to examine, configure, and manage network devices directly on VMware virtual machine servers. In a production environment, dedicated Linux servers for testing or implementation aren't always available. Frequently, you will work within limited resources on a shared tenancy on a single Linux server, sharing resources with other engineers. It's crucial to navigate these limitations effectively while implementing solutions or applications in such production environments. By the end of this chapter, you will have gained the ability to operate within a Python virtual environment for testing purposes without impacting the existing Python setup on your host virtual machine. You'll take initial steps in understanding Ansible and pyATS (Genie) and mastering email alert delivery using Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Python applications, and Sendmail. Additionally, you will explore adapting to various open-source tools and writing custom Python programs as required.