What Network Automation and Orchestration Mean for Network Engineers

Network automation refers to the use of software to perform tasks traditionally done manually in network management, encompassing a wide range of activities from basic scripting to advanced AI-driven operations. Despite its straightforward definition, the term is flexible enough to include various stages of implementation maturity, which has helped it gain widespread acceptance in the industry. The concept emerged in the early 2010s as network engineers began adopting programmatic approaches, and it has since grown into a unifying term for modern network operations. This flexibility contrasts with other terms like NetDevOps or GitOps, which have struggled with precise definitions and adoption. Network orchestration, on the other hand, involves the coordination of these automated tasks into comprehensive, end-to-end service workflows, representing a more advanced evolution beyond individual task automation. While network automation has become a dominant term in the industry, network orchestration is increasingly recognized as essential for managing complex, scalable systems.