The Netpicker Automation Platform offers a wide range of automated job types to streamline network operations, strengthen security, and enhance efficiency:

• Network Device Provisioning: Rapidly deploy routers, switches, and firewalls to new or existing environments with standardized configurations for consistent network posture.
• Configuration Compliance Audits: Automatically check device settings and policies against compliance baselines, identifying deviations and preparing remediation actions.
• Patch Management: Schedule and execute software or firmware updates across network hardware, minimizing vulnerabilities and downtime.
• Backup and Restore Operations: Initiate regular configuration backups and enable quick restore in case of configuration loss or device failure.
• Incident Remediation: Respond to detected threats or issues with automated rollback, quarantine, or fix-it tasks—reducing mean time to resolution.
• Service Deployment: Automate the rollout of network services such as VPNs, VLANs, or firewall policy updates, ensuring accuracy and repeatability.
• Notification and Reporting Tasks: Send automated alerts, generate compliance or operational reports, and integrate updates with other management platforms.

The Netpicker Automation Platform is designed with a modular, robust architecture to deliver secure, scalable, and efficient network automation. Here’s a breakdown of its main components and how they interact within a typical deployment:

1. Orchestration Controller: Coordinates all job submissions, manages status tracking, and maintains detailed job histories. Acts as the command center for workflow execution.
2. Execution Agents: Distributed as Docker containers on-premises or in the cloud. These agents interact directly with target network devices to execute automation tasks such as configuration changes, backups, and compliance tests.
3. API Gateway: Provides secure endpoints for integrations. Facilitates RESTful API interactions for external platforms, enabling automation from CI/CD tools, ticketing systems, and other workflows.
4. Web-Based GUI: Delivers a user-friendly interface for admins and engineers to initiate jobs, monitor workflows, and review results. Role-based access is enforced to manage permissions.
5. Result Store: Central repository for storing job outputs, logs, configuration backups, and execution metadata. Ensures easy retrieval for audits and troubleshooting.
6. Credentials Management: Stores device access credentials securely within the execution agent to protect sensitive information and simplify device interactions.
7. Git Repository Integration: Maintains version control for configuration templates, job scripts, and compliance checks. Enables collaborative management and an audit trail for all automated changes.
8. Worker Containers: Dedicated workers handle individual tasks (such as running a backup or compliance audit) in isolation, supporting scalability and reliability.

Workflow Example:

• The admin deploys Netpicker containers in the organization’s Docker environment.
• Execution agents are configured with device credentials and network connectivity.
• Engineers access the web GUI to submit jobs or schedule recurring workflows.
• Jobs are dispatched by the controller, executed by the agents, and results are stored securely for further analysis or compliance reporting.

The Netpicker Automation Platform provides a comprehensive REST API that enables automation, integration, and management of network automation workflows. These APIs allow users to programmatically submit, monitor, and manage jobs, making it easy to integrate with CI/CD pipelines, ITSM platforms, or custom dashboards.

• Authentication: All API access is protected by tokens or OAuth. Each request must carry authorization credentials for security.
• Rate Limiting: The API enforces a limit of 100 requests per minute per client for consistent performance and service reliability.
• Data Formats: Request and response bodies are formatted as JSON for simple and structured data exchange.
• API Documentation: A Swagger (OpenAPI) interface is available for interactive exploration, making it easy to understand request parameters and responses.

This API-first approach enables seamless integration with existing automation tools and workflows, optimizing network operations and reporting tasks across complex environments.

Integrating the Netpicker Automation Platform into wider workflows supercharges automation and ensures smooth cooperation with your existing toolchain. Here are some practical examples of how the platform fits into day-to-day network operations:

• Automated Device Provisioning:
  1. Define a reusable job template specifying device onboarding steps.
  2. Invoke the template from the web interface or via REST API, passing in device-specific parameters (hostname, credentials, site).
  3. Netpicker provisions the device, applies configurations, and triggers post-deployment verification.
  4. Success, logs, and configuration backups are pushed to central storage and audit records.
• Continuous Compliance Auditing:
  1. Schedule jobs to run recurring configuration compliance checks across network devices.
  2. Detected violations auto-trigger remediation tasks, such as rolling back non-compliant changes.
  3. Summary results and detailed reports are sent via email or published to IT dashboards.
• Integration with External Systems (CI/CD, ITSM):
  1. Connect Netpicker with platforms like NetBox, ServiceNow, or GitLab using the REST API.
  2. Automate change management workflows, syncing new device data from NetBox or triggering job runs from code commits or ticket updates.
  3. Receive status callbacks or webhook notifications to synchronize system states and update workflow progress automatically.
• Incident Remediation Workflows:
  1. On alert from monitoring or security systems, automatically trigger a Netpicker job.
  2. The job can isolate impacted devices, roll back configurations, or gather logs for analysis.
  3. All actions are tracked and documented for compliance and troubleshooting.

These workflow integration patterns enable fully automated network lifecycle operations—spanning provisioning, compliance, troubleshooting, and change management. The RESTful API and event-driven design ensure seamless interaction with your broader infrastructure ecosystem.

Protecting automation workflows and ensuring compliance are fundamental aspects of the Netpicker Automation Platform. The system is architected to uphold strong security controls and maintain a robust audit trail for all automation activity:

• Authentication and Access Control: Only authorized users and systems may initiate or modify jobs. Fine-grained role-based access ensures that permissions are strictly enforced across the platform.
• Credential Management: Device credentials and sensitive information are stored securely, encrypted both at rest and in transit. Secrets are never exposed in logs or user-facing outputs.
• Audit Logging: Every job submission, modification, and access event is persistently logged with details on user activity, job parameters, timestamps, and actions taken.
• Change Tracking: Configuration changes, compliance scans, and remediation actions are captured in historical records to support compliance reviews and post-incident analysis.
• Network Segmentation: Execution agents can be deployed in isolated network segments, minimizing exposure and confining access to only approved devices and systems.
• Compliance Automation: Automated compliance checks and reporting help ensure that device configurations align with internal standards and regulatory requirements, with real-time alerts for deviations.
• Regular Review and Monitoring: System logs and audit trails are reviewed for suspicious behavior or unauthorized actions, with built-in features to detect anomalies and alert operators.

By combining these practices, the platform helps organizations demonstrate compliance, accelerate audits, and respond confidently to emerging security challenges.

Effective troubleshooting and comprehensive logging are essential for maintaining reliability and gaining visibility within the Netpicker Automation Platform. Here’s how the platform helps diagnose and resolve automation issues:

• Job Failure Diagnostics:
  1. Review dashboard status for any error codes or failure messages associated with the job.
  2. Access detailed execution logs linked by job ID, highlighting step-by-step processes and any encountered issues.
  3. Check session logs for device interaction records, including command outputs and connection attempts.
  4. Leverage log levels (INFO, WARNING, ERROR) to filter for significant events or anomalies.
• Agent Communication and Task Connectivity:
  1. Verify agent connectivity to core orchestration services.
  2. Check for up-to-date credentials and ensure secure network paths.
  3. Examine agent and worker container logs for failed connection attempts or system errors.
• Audit Trails and Change Tracking:
  1. Query platform audit logs to identify who initiated, modified, or canceled any job or workflow.
  2. Correlate action timestamps and changes for compliance and root cause analysis.
• Logging Best Practices:
  1. Enable logging with consistent formats and appropriate verbosity for each network component.
  2. Rotate and archive logs regularly to maintain performance and meet retention policies.
  3. Include timestamps and unique job identifiers in all log entries for traceability.
  4. Monitor for excessive or unusual log activity, which may indicate configuration issues or security events.
• Common Troubleshooting Steps:
  1. Re-run failed jobs with debug logging enabled for more granular insights.
  2. Validate device credentials, reachability, and configuration settings for the target inventory.
  3. Consult the job’s session logs when outcomes are unexpected, focusing on device outputs and error details.
  4. Escalate persistent or unresolvable issues by exporting logs for further analysis by advanced support teams.

A structured approach to troubleshooting—combining robust logging with actionable workflows—ensures problems are resolved promptly and automation stays reliable.