The Netpicker Automation Platform provides robust integration points that enable seamless orchestration across network, IT, and DevOps environments. Below is an overview of the primary integration capabilities and how they function in practice:

• RESTful API: Full-featured API enables device onboarding, configuration management, backup initiation, compliance testing, and remote workflow automation from external systems.
• Python Scripting Engine: Supports native and custom test scripts using the pytest framework, allowing deep automation logic and modular extensions for unique environments.
• Job Orchestration: Schedule, batch, and execute jobs in parallel or sequence across single or multiple devices. Supports advanced triggers and the chaining of workflows based on results.
• Dynamic Inventory Integration: Connect with sources of truth like NetBox, Nautobot, or Infrahub for real-time inventory sync and policy enforcement throughout automated tasks.
• ITSM & Ticketing Integration: Initiate or approve jobs via ServiceNow or Remedy triggers, updating change records automatically and aligning ticket status with automation outcomes.
• CI/CD Pipeline Hooks: Seamlessly embed Netpicker tests into CI/CD systems (like Jenkins or GitHub Actions) for pre-deployment validation, compliance gatekeeping, and change auditing.
• Vendor-Agnostic Device Support: Automate across a broad spectrum—over 150 network device vendors—using CLI, SSH, API, or SDK integrations. Additional support for emerging protocols like gNMI is in development.
• Compliance & Security Automation: Deploy built-in and customizable rules for CIS hardening, automate CVE and vulnerability scans, and maintain real-time audit trails for all automated changes.

Integration Workflow Example:

1. Connect Source of Truth: Add NetBox or Nautobot to automatically discover network devices and sites.
2. Define Automation Rules: Create or customize Python scripts to enforce configuration, compliance, and security policies.
3. Trigger via Change Management: Link jobs to ITSM platforms; execute validations and update change records automatically.
4. Pipeline Validation: Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines, enforcing intended network state before releasing changes.
5. Remediation & Audit: Use automated or proactive fixes, capture evidence for audits, and ensure ongoing compliance.

Netpicker is built to scale with diverse network needs, enabling users to extend functionality and collaborate through a growing ecosystem. Whether customizing vendor support or contributing to shared tooling, the platform empowers engineers to rapidly evolve their automation strategies.

• Modular Plugin Framework: Netpicker offers a flexible plugin architecture for vendor modules, automation libraries, and test packs. Extensions can be developed in Python or via APIs, enabling custom functionality suited to unique network environments.
• Vendor Module Repository: The Kopimiko open-source library allows community-contributed and officially supported modules to be reused or forked across deployments. Users can import modules for new device types or protocols without rebuilding automation logic.
• Custom Script Support: Users can create test scripts, compliance checks, or automation sequences using Python. The system loads these dynamically, so updates can be deployed without platform downtime.
• Workflow Templates: Community-provided templates let teams reuse automation logic for configuration backups, device onboarding, vulnerability scans, and multi-step remediation flows.
• AI-Assisted Script Creation: Built-in integrations with Netpicker’s AI assistant allow users to generate custom Python test scripts using natural language prompts, reducing time to automation for both junior and senior engineers.
• Active Contributor Community: Engineers can participate via GitHub and Slack to share modules, request features, or troubleshoot workflows. This accelerates learning and innovation across multi-vendor deployments.
• Schema-Driven Validation: When paired with SoT platforms like Infrahub or Nautobot, users can build automation that validates configuration data and enforces standardized schemas across the lifecycle.

Popular Community Use Cases:

1. CIS Compliance Packs: Shared Python test collections let users enforce industry-standard hardening across their fleet with minimal customization.
2. Platform Conversion Templates: Automation modules for migrating device configurations between vendors, contributed by operators with real-world deployment experience.
3. Bug & Feature Sharing: GitHub repositories and community discussions crowdsource tooling and provide quick fixes before official releases.

The Netpicker Automation Platform is used by network teams to streamline critical operational workflows, automate configuration management, and ensure compliance across large, heterogeneous infrastructures. Here are some practical scenarios where Netpicker stands out:

• Automated Configuration Backups: Netpicker schedules and manages regular backups for devices from over 150 network vendors. Users can restore configurations in case of failure or compare backups over time to track changes and troubleshoot incidents.
• Policy and Compliance Testing: Run automated security and compliance tests across your entire fleet using Python scripts or built-in libraries. Enforce standards like CIS, NIS2, or ISO27001, and receive immediate notification upon deviation.
• Change Validation Before Deployment: Integrate Netpicker with CI/CD tools to validate intended configurations before they hit production. This “intent vs. state” workflow helps catch misconfigurations and enforce organization rules prior to changes.
• Closed-loop Inventory Synchronization: Use dynamic inventory integrations with NetBox, Nautobot, or Infrahub to continuously reconcile real-world device state with your designated source of truth—automating updates, remediation, and reporting.
• Incident Response Automation: When security vulnerabilities or configuration drift are detected, Netpicker can execute automated remediation scripts or generate detailed audit trails for compliance and forensics purposes.

Step-by-Step Example: Pre-Change Network Validation

1. Sync Inventory: Connect to NetBox to obtain the latest device list and configuration details.
2. Define Test Suite: Create or select Python-based compliance and functionality tests for the planned change.
3. Trigger Automated Run: Launch tests as part of a CI/CD pipeline or from an ITSM-initiated change request.
4. Review Results: Analyze success or failure reports, including diffs and compliance status, before permitting the change to proceed.
5. Approve or Remediate: Approve the deployment if all criteria pass, or use Netpicker’s suggestions and scripts to remediate issues before retrying.

The following workflow illustrates how Netpicker enables network teams to fully automate deployment, compliance, and change management tasks while maintaining real-time synchronization with external systems:

1. Add Source of Truth Integration: Connect NetBox, Nautobot, or Infrahub to import device inventory and network topology, establishing a live ecosystem for all change operations.
2. Discover Devices & Inventory: Leverage discovery engines or Slurp’it plugins to scan and synchronize all active devices, interfaces, and configurations into the source of truth platform.
3. Define Intent and Baselines: Establish intended configurations and security policies by creating templates or golden config standards within your source of truth.
4. Automate Compliance & Validation: Use Netpicker to run automated Python or pytest-based tests for compliance, vulnerability checks, and configuration drift prior to any planned network changes.
5. Integrate with Change Management: Connect to ITSM platforms like ServiceNow or Remedy to enforce ticket-driven validation, auto-update change records, and trigger compliance workflows.
6. Embed into CI/CD Pipelines: Incorporate Netpicker tests in tools like Jenkins, Infrahub, or GitHub Actions to validate, approve, or block changes before they move to production.
7. Deploy Approved Changes: Push compliant configuration changes across multiple vendors using orchestration tools (Nornir, Ansible) or via Netpicker’s own scheduling interface.
8. Monitor, Audit, & Remediate: Continuously monitor for configuration drift or non-intended changes. Use Netpicker’s audit trails and remediation automation to self-heal, document, or escalate as needed.

Summary of the Workflow:

• Continuous reconciliation between network state and intent.
• Closed-loop automation via integration with inventory, change management, and CI/CD tools.
• Proactive validation, swift remediation, and comprehensive auditability across the network lifecycle.

This table provides an at-a-glance overview of how Netpicker connects across various systems, platforms, and workflows, enabling cohesive and automated network operations.

How It All Connects:

• Inventory and intent data synchronize seamlessly via APIs for real-time state validation.
• ITSM integrations ensure automation aligns with change management processes.
• CI/CD hooks embed compliance and configuration tests directly into deployment workflows.
• Automated device management covers a wide spectrum of vendors and protocols.
• Security and policy enforcement runs continuously using integrated, automated test engines.