Network Fleet Design as Code Platform
A fully automated, policy-driven generation platform that transforms a simple ~20-line YAML building description into everything needed to deploy a complete enterprise network.
The Need: Weeks of Spreadsheet Work
Every time a new building needed a network, it took weeks of spreadsheet work. Engineers manually picked devices, calculated port counts, figured out cabling, and assigned IP addresses by hand. The same work repeated hundreds of times, with different engineers making slightly different decisions each time.
We asked ourselves: what if we could describe a building in 20 lines of YAML and have the entire network design generated automatically? Every cable, every port assignment, every IP address, and every ordering file—consistent, repeatable, and auditable.
| Operational Area | Traditional Approach | Platform Automation |
|---|---|---|
| BOM Creation | Weeks of manual device picking in spreadsheets | BOM CSV generated in seconds from policy |
| Cabling Matrix | Error-prone manual cable count spreadsheets | Every patch, uplink & trunk auto-calculated |
| Standards & Compliance | Inconsistent decisions across engineers & sites | Enterprise policy enforced across 100% of sites |
| IP Addressing | Manual subnet planning in Excel with high collision risk | Dynamic IPAM allocation & profile-based VLANs |
| Governance & Audit | No version control, lost documentation, no audit trail | Full Git commit history, CCW files & PR reviews |
From 20 Lines of YAML to Full Enterprise Fleet
site_name: SITE-SAN-JOSE-01
topology: standard_enterprise
floors:
- floor: 1
rooms:
- type: BD # Building Distribution
ports: 96
aps: 12
- type: FD # Floor Distribution
ports: 48
aps: 6
- floor: 2
rooms:
- type: FD
ports: 72
aps: 8
services: [voice, wireless, security, iot]Core Principles Driving Every Build
Declare Intent
A site input says 'I need 96 ports on floor 1'—not 'give me 2 stacks of C9300-48T'. The engine resolves stack sizing and models.
Encode Once
Device specs, topology rules, and VLAN schemas live in YAML policy files. Update them once, and every future site picks them up automatically.
Fail Loud
If port count exceeds stack capacity or rules conflict, the build fails with a descriptive error. It never silently under-provisions hardware.
Deterministic
Run the same input today or six months from now. You get the exact same BOM, same cable maps, and same IP allocations.
Humans Define, Machines Execute
Network architects write topology policies and guardrails. The engine handles the multiplication, port math, and ordering files.
The 4-Stage Automated Generation Pipeline
Materials & Procurement
- Device selection & stack sizing rules applied
- Bill of Materials (BOM) CSV generated
- Cisco Commerce Workspace (CCW) ordering file created
Physical Build
- Every port, cable, PDU socket, and console mapped
- Physical Connectivity Matrix CSV generated
- Rack elevation diagrams and topology SVGs exported
Logical Build
- IPAM subnets reserved and assigned
- L2/L3 Network Plan & VLAN Address Tables created
- Cisco Catalyst Center composite Day-0 templates built
Publish & Governance
- All artifacts committed to Git repository
- ServiceNow change requests automatically generated
- Governance documentation slides compiled for review