Buyer’s Guide to Network Automation Tools
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For market leaders, network automation is no longer a luxury—it's essential.
This guide will help IT leaders understand the market for network automation tools, the key considerations for choosing a platform, and how these tools are redefining network management from day 0 to the far future.
But first, let's examine some quick network automation history to help us better understand what the future holds!
Network Automation Tools 101
The Network Automation Landscape Today
It's 2025, and more than 65% of enterprise networking tasks are still handled by—wait for it—people.
While a few intrepid large enterprises have automated over half of their network activities, most are still manually configuring networks... and manually putting out fires.
But change is on the horizon. Gartner reports that we are close to an automated revolution. 30% of companies are expected to automate most of their network functions by 2026.
So, what's the holdup? There is a clear demand for process and network automation tools, but the complexity and high customization of current network setups limits implementation. This keeps the guest list for automation exclusive.
The result of this bottleneck? A market where automation tools have existed for years, but full-fledged platforms are only beginning to make a splash.
What is a Network Automation Platform?
Because "Working Harder, Not Smarter" isn't a Motto Anymore.
Modern networks are far more complex than their predecessors, integrating on-premises equipment with cloud services and other virtual tools. Manually managing this intricate network fabric is neither efficient nor sustainable.
Network automation tools are to network management what Teslas are to cars—they're built to handle the heavy lifting for you.
These platforms, which bring together multivendor network functionality, can automate everything from provisioning to troubleshooting and reporting. This do-it-all approach eliminates silos created by scattered tools, which can only handle single tasks or specific devices.
For those new to the network automation game, here's why you should consider investing:
- Efficiency: You can handle network tasks across thousands of devices in minutes with automated processes. Bye-bye, late nights of endless configuration!
- Reduced Human Error: Because "oops" should never be a network setting.
- Compliance & Security: Platforms that can enforce configurations to meet compliance standards mean one less thing for you and your network teams to worry about.
Why should you care?
Despite growing interest, many enterprises have yet to fully embrace network automation tools.
According to Gartner, only a small percentage of organizations automate more than half of their network activities. However, this figure will increase as companies recognize the need to shift from isolated automation tools to integrated, scalable solutions.
This gradual shift is driven by the adoption of DevOps, infrastructure as code (IaC), and other modern IT practices, creating an urgent demand for network automation tools that integrate existing tools and workflows. It's also being catalyzed by de-siloing processes and departments to the benefit of both organizations and their customers. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the best of these platforms are built to be accessible to every stakeholder, not just IT and engineering personnel.
A Buyer's Guide to Network Automation
Not all platforms are created equal, so if you're about to make an investment, ensure that you've covered your bases.
Understanding Your Network Automation Needs
Let's break down what you'll need from a platform on day 0 (when everything's shiny and new) versus day 1-N (when reality sets in and things need fixing).
Day 0 Activities: Initial Setup and Configuration
On day 0, your priorities should be provisioning and orchestration. Network automation tools can truly shine here, supporting multi-domain deployment and easy-to-learn configurations while also establishing role-based access. You're setting up the network to be as autonomous as possible.
Day 1-N Activities: Ongoing Operations and Optimization
This is where ongoing tasks come into play. Your platform should manage network changes, configuration updates, firmware patches, and automated incident responses.
By having a platform that supports ticketing integration and dynamic event responses, you're empowering your network to independently handle innumerable instances of routine troubleshooting, compliance checks, and more.
Post-setup, network automation tools handle repetitive and time-sensitive tasks, including:
- Configuration Management: Ongoing adjustments to network configurations and settings.
- Network Monitoring and Troubleshooting: Continuous health checks, alerts, and quick remediation actions for detected issues.
- Performance Optimization: Real-time adjustments based on network traffic and usage patterns to ensure optimal performance.
Platforms that support these stages effectively enable network teams to maintain stability, respond to incidents quickly, and scale operations without downtime.
Network Automation Capabilities Checklist
Make sure to evaluate these capabilities to guarantee that the platform you're eyeing can truly act as the brain behind your network management efforts.
At its core, a good suite of network automation tools should have:
- Core Network Automation: The best platforms integrate with "brownfield" (existing) and "greenfield" (new) infrastructure. They must also cover different networking areas like data centers, the public cloud, and SD-WAN.
- Low-Code/Bring-Your-Own-Code Capabilities: Time is precious—no one wants to wade through complex coding. Network automation tools should offer an intuitive low-code orchestration canvas that's easy to learn and that can also handle existing scripts.
- Easy-to-Use Interface: The best network automation tools are the most approachable, allowing every stakeholder to contribute to a democratized process.
- Centralized Management: This includes role-based access control (RBAC) and a user interface that caters to both networking and other teams such as DevOps.
- Event-Driven Network Automation: Respond dynamically to events in real-time and adjust network settings or configurations based on network incidents, workload shifts, security events, and other triggers.
- Process Orchestration: Connect these automations to your broader business and IT goals, such as aiding incident response, enriching IT tickets, and provisioning resources. This capability enables your own network to become a proactive player in achieving strategic objectives across your organization.
- Enterprise-Grade Security: The best-in-class platforms never stop finding ways to be more secure. Stakeholders should feel confident that every network automation process is safeguarded by cutting-edge security technology.
Of course, additional capabilities like device firmware management, security vulnerability checks, and compliance workflows are valuable too. However, these core competencies are covered first.
Ultimately, choose a platform that boosts your network team's agility, seamlessly integrates with broader IT workflows, and minimizes the risks that hold organizations back from full-scale automation.
Network Automation Tools vs. Platforms: The Great Debate
If you're thinking, "Wait, aren't there already tons of network automation tools out there?"—you're not wrong.
There are many tools available (some single-vendor, some open-source), that handle specific network automations.
One of the biggest issues enterprises face with network automation today is the dreaded automation island problem. Most enterprises work with a "pick-n-mix" of DIY tools, SD-WAN controllers, and specific vendor tools. This leads to a basket of automation efforts that do not work well together.
While these tools are designed for one-off jobs, network automation platforms take a more holistic approach. Network automation tools are designed to connect these dots, de-siloing your network and thus your wider organization.
These platforms can take network activities like configuration and troubleshooting and make them flow seamlessly across devices, vendors, and environments. These workflows can then dynamically respond to events—whether that's a request for provisioning, troubleshooting an outage, or anything in between.
Finding the Right Network Automation Tool Fit
There's no denying that network automation platforms are the future of network management. They offer scalability, efficiency, and a lighter workload for your team.
Networks play a crucial role in a world with complex digital systems. Automating day 0 and day N tasks helps companies maintain strong and flexible infrastructures. Choosing tools that fit your goals and growth needs helps your organization succeed, which is important in the fast-changing world of network automation.
Some organizations find the adoption curve steep. However, starting small with specific use cases can help. Gradually expanding can make the process easier.
Choosing the right platform is important. Focus on the main features and let the platform handle the hard work. This way, you can concentrate on strategic decisions instead of daily tasks.
Investing in a strong, multi-functional platform is a strategic decision that goes far beyond basic automation—it helps your organization create a foundation for security, innovation, and a stronger bottom line.
