Cisco LAN automation provides these key benefits:

• Zero-touch provisioning: Network devices are dynamically discovered, onboarded, and automated from their factory default state to fully integrated state in the network.

• End-to-end topology: You can model and program dynamic discovery of new network systems and their physical connectivity. These new systems can be automated with Layer 3 IP addressing and routing protocols to dynamically build end-to-end routing topologies.

• Resilience: Cisco LAN automation integrates system and network configuration parameters that optimize forwarding topologies and redundancy. Cisco LAN automation enables system-level redundancy and automates best practices to ensure resiliency during planned or unplanned network outages.

• Security: The network access and infrastructure protection parameters recommended by Cisco are automated, providing security from the initial deployment.

• Compliance: LAN automation helps eliminate errors, misconfigurations, and inconsistent rules and settings that drain IT resources. LAN automation provides compliance across the network infrastructure during new system onboarding by automating globally managed parameters from Catalyst Center.

The Cisco LAN automation workflow helps enterprise IT administrators prepare, plan, and automate greenfield networks in four main steps: