Can low-code/no-code network automation help ease the burden of network management tasks?

By its very nature, LC/NC automation frees up time for skilled employees to focus on more strategic initiatives, which can significantly reduce costs associated with network management operations^[6]. By automating routine tasks, organizations can free up their skilled network engineers to focus on more strategic initiatives. Meanwhile, employees from other teams can use automated tools equipped with visual modeling, reusable components, collaboration tools, scalable environments, integrated data and entire lifecycle management capability packaged on one platform^[7].

Given the enterprise-wide use of these platforms, collaboration and knowledge-sharing becomes easier, speeding up the development process and facilitating the creation and distribution of best practices when it comes to automation workflows. Crucially too, these platforms are often designed with scalability in mind, allowing businesses to adapt their automated processes as they grow, without the need for extensive reworking.

However, perhaps one of the most exciting prospects of LC/NC network automation is the potential for proactive network management and forecasting. By leveraging data gathered through automated processes, organisations can gain deeper insights into their network performance and keep abreast of potential obstacles or problems before they occur. This shift from reactive to proactive management can significantly reduce the risk of network outages and enhance overall network reliability.

Despite these benefits, the adoption of no-code network automation is not without its challenges. One of the primary concerns is maintenance. While no-code platforms simplify the initial creation of automation workflows, the need for ongoing maintenance and updates can place undue strains on infrastructure monitoring workloads^[8]. Instigating regular reviews of existing processes to ensure continued effectiveness is vital, particularly given an operating environment in which network conditions are subject to potentially periodic and high impact changes.

While democratising access to network automation is one of LC/NC’s main advantages, integration of any new technology or process within an organisation can be an uphill battle. Opposition to change from network engineers who feel automation may pose a threat to their livelihoods can hinder implementation. As with other similar technological developments, strong leadership, clear communication and clear messaging can all go a long way to ensuring the cultural shift that is needed is met with acceptance rather than resistance^[9].

This integration challenge also extends to compatibility with existing legacy systems. LC/NC platforms need to be able to interact seamlessly with existing network infrastructure and management tools, which may require additional configuration or custom integrations.

However, with strategic planning and investment, taking into account the long-term viability and use cases associated with specific LC/NC solutions, organisations can ensure the short-term costs of integration are outweighed by the long-term efficiency benefits. For instance, choosing a platform with robust API capabilities and pre-built connectors can significantly ease the integration process.

As with any technology that interacts with critical network infrastructure, implementation of LC/NC solutions needs to be executed with security in mind. The potential to introduce new vulnerabilities through automation is an ever-present risk, but one that can be mitigated with carefully considered planning. Regular checks and audits of automated workflows can ensure they meet strict internal guidelines and are capable of countering any new or unforeseen risk vectors.

At the same time, many operators will find a decision has to be made regarding the adoption of either low or no-code automation. Generally speaking, no-code solutions are most appropriate for situations where staff have little to no coding experience, where simplicity is desirable and where limited customisations and integrations represent an acceptable compromise. A low-code solution, on the other hand, offers a more flexible, customisable and scalable alternative, as the platform’s capability can be extended and improved through manual code generation^[10]. Legacy system modernisation, customer experience applications and productivity applications spread across business domains are just some examples of where a low-code approach may be best suited. As with the implementation process for any technology, consideration around platform needs and the impact of specific solutions on the wider business must be taken into account.

This democratisation of network automation has the potential to transform how organisations manage their networks, leading to more efficient operations, improved reliability and faster innovation. By empowering a wider range of employees to contribute to network automation efforts, network operators and managers can expose themselves to a wealth of previously untapped knowledge and creativity. The benefits for the enterprise and network managers are clear, and potentially a key differentiator for operators that want to make the best use of their skills base. Far from making programmers or engineers obsolete, it will pave the way for new avenues of exploration and innovation.

While it would be misleading to suggest that LC/NC solutions are a panacea for all network management challenges, they offer a clear way towards easing the burden of complex network tasks. Through strategic planning, investment in training, robust security measures, and efforts at integration, operators can harness the power of LC/NC automation to drive efficiency, reduce costs and improve network reliability. For operators, the technology will move them closer to operating a more agile and responsive network infrastructure that can withstand all manner of current and future network pressures.

• ‍netbraintech.com‍
• gartner.com‍‍
• precedenceresearch.com‍‍
• kissflow.com‍‍
• qflowbpm.com‍‍
• mendix.com‍‍
• microsoft.com‍‍
• fdmgroup.com