Using the Ansible ios_config Module

I get asked often on how to perform specific network automation tasks with Ansible. There were a few questions recently pertaining to the ios_config module within Ansible core, so I decided to record a video to show different options you have when using it to deploy global configuration commands on IOS devices.

Here is a summary of the four (4) options covered:

  1. Embed commands in your playbook and reference them using the commands (or lines) parameter.
  2. Use the src parameter and reference a configuration file with one or more commands in it.
  3. Use the src parameter and reference a Jinja2 template such that it inserts variables into the template, creating a list of commands, and deploys them to a device.
  4. Use two tasks. In Task 1, use the template module and reference a Jinja2 template to auto-generate a configuration file. In Task 2, use the ios_config module and reference the config file built in Task 1 to deploy the commands from the file. This is often used instead of option #3 since it allows you to store/view the config file before deploying fully de-coupling the build and deploy processes.

Using the ios_config module

The video does assume some existing knowledge on using Ansible. The Continue reading

Using the Ansible ios_config Module

I get asked often on how to perform specific network automation tasks with Ansible. There were a few questions recently pertaining to the ios_config module within Ansible core, so I decided to record a video to show different options you have when using it to deploy global configuration commands on IOS devices.

Here is a summary of the four (4) options covered:

  1. Embed commands in your playbook and reference them using the commands (or lines) parameter.
  2. Use the src parameter and reference a configuration file with one or more commands in it.
  3. Use the src parameter and reference a Jinja2 template such that it inserts variables into the template, creating a list of commands, and deploys them to a device.
  4. Use two tasks. In Task 1, use the template module and reference a Jinja2 template to auto-generate a configuration file. In Task 2, use the ios_config module and reference the config file built in Task 1 to deploy the commands from the file. This is often used instead of option #3 since it allows you to store/view the config file before deploying fully de-coupling the build and deploy processes.

Using the ios_config module

The video does assume some existing knowledge on using Ansible. The Continue reading

Verizon.net email addresses are going away — here are 4 alternatives

Verizon has begun warning customers that it’s getting out of the email game and that you need to act soon if you want to keep your Verizon.net email address.One alternative is to actually keep that Verizon.net address, but have Verizon acquisition AOL manage it for you. So your address would be [email protected] on the surface, but AOL underneath due to Verizon ending its email service. (See also: "How to keep your Verizon email account from being killed off")But if this whole situation might be prompting you to make a clean break from your carrier’s email system, here are a few free messaging services that you might want to consider, some more obvious than others. I’ve taken a fresh spin through each of the email systems to collect the latest info on them, figuring at least a good chunk of the 4.5 million email accounts controlled by Verizon will be moving elsewhere sooner than later.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Verizon.net email addresses are going away — here are 4 alternatives

Verizon has begun warning customers that it’s getting out of the email game and that you need to act soon if you want to keep your Verizon.net email address.One alternative is to actually keep that Verizon.net address, but have Verizon acquisition AOL manage it for you. So your address would be [email protected] on the surface, but AOL underneath due to Verizon ending its email service. (See also: "How to keep your Verizon email account from being killed off")But if this whole situation might be prompting you to make a clean break from your carrier’s email system, here are a few free messaging services that you might want to consider, some more obvious than others. I’ve taken a fresh spin through each of the email systems to collect the latest info on them, figuring at least a good chunk of the 4.5 million email accounts controlled by Verizon will be moving elsewhere sooner than later.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Shodan search engine starts unmasking malware command-and-control servers

There's now a new tool that could allow companies to quickly block communications between malware programs and their frequently changing command-and-control servers.Threat intelligence company Recorded Future has partnered with Shodan, a search engine for internet-connected devices and services, to create a new online crawler called Malware Hunter.The new service continuously scans the internet to find control panels for over ten different remote access Trojan (RAT) programs, including Gh0st RAT, DarkComet, njRAT, ZeroAccess and XtremeRAT. These are commercial malware tools sold on underground forums and are used by cybercriminals to take complete control of compromised computers.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Shodan search engine starts unmasking malware command-and-control servers

There's now a new tool that could allow companies to quickly block communications between malware programs and their frequently changing command-and-control servers.Threat intelligence company Recorded Future has partnered with Shodan, a search engine for internet-connected devices and services, to create a new online crawler called Malware Hunter.The new service continuously scans the internet to find control panels for over ten different remote access Trojan (RAT) programs, including Gh0st RAT, DarkComet, njRAT, ZeroAccess and XtremeRAT. These are commercial malware tools sold on underground forums and are used by cybercriminals to take complete control of compromised computers.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Google’s surging Chromebooks will test Microsoft’s new Windows 10 S PCs

Microsoft for years has been trying to tackle the growing threat of Google's Chrome OS, which is siphoning PC market share away from Windows.The company's new Windows 10 S operating system, announced on Tuesday, will be Microsoft's latest attempt to tackle Google's surging Chrome OS. The OS is targeted at the education market, which in the U.S. is dominated by Chromebooks.Even with the new Windows OS, worldwide Chromebook shipments are expected to grow by double digits this year, analysts from IDC and Gartner said. The market share of Chromebooks has been growing up consistently since 2015.The new Windows OS is built like Chrome OS. PCs with Windows 10 S will be able to download apps only from the Windows App store. The OS is more like a "container" that will run apps secured and verified by Microsoft. A version of Microsoft's Office Suite will also come to Windows 10 S.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

46% off Razer Kraken Pro Gaming Headset for PC, Xbox One and Playstation 4 – Deal Alert

On top of being optimized for extended wear, the Razer Kraken Pro is outfitted with a fully retractable microphone, in-line volume controls and mute toggle, giving you easy access to all its features. Powered by large, high-quality drivers, this full-sized headset provides you with immersive gaming audio for hours on end.  The 3.5mm combined audio jack and splitter cable ensure that you have mic support on your mobile devices as well as full connectivity to any gaming setup.This gaming headset currently averages 4 out of 5 stars from over 1,400 people (read reviews) on Amazon, where its typical list price of $79.99 has been recently dropped 46% to just $42.99.  See this deal now on Amazon.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Lessons Learned From Facebook’s Split Network Backbone

Distributed applications, whether they are containerized or not, have a lot of benefits when it comes to modularity and scale. But in a world of feature creep on all applications, whether they are internally facing ones running a business or hyperscale consumer applications like Google’s search engine or Facebook’s social media network, these distributed applications put a huge strain on the network.

This, more than any other factor, is why network costs are rising faster than any other aspect of the datacenter. Gone are the days when everything was done in three or four tiers, with a Web server like …

Lessons Learned From Facebook’s Split Network Backbone was written by Timothy Prickett Morgan at The Next Platform.

Worth Reading: Avoid falling into the hybrid cloud hype

Despite the many cloud benefits, most IT departments have yet to figure out how to manage their cloud usage effectively. DevOps is often still in control of cloud deployments and, in many cases, costs are spiraling out of control. A reaction has been to treat cloud management primarily as financial management by focusing on bills. To truly optimize cloud decisions and build an effective hybrid-cloud strategy, however, organizations must ignore the hype and take a methodical, data-driven approach to evaluating the options against the business requirements and the associated applications. —Data Center Journal

The post Worth Reading: Avoid falling into the hybrid cloud hype appeared first on rule 11 reader.

Sketchy report claims iPhone 8 won’t launch this year

In a brand-new research report that you might want to take with a huge grain of salt, analysts at Deutsche Bank say the release of Apple's highly anticipated iPhone 8 may be pushed back until 2018.While we've seen reports that the iPhone 8 release date might be delayed sometime until October or November, this is the first projection we've seen claiming we might not  see a brand-new iPhone 8 model in 2017 at all.The research note, obtained by Business Insider, reads in part: Report suggests no new iPhone 8 this calendar year. As we have written in previous [research notes], several supply chain reports have suggested that key component shortages and technical challenges could delay the release of a high-end iPhone 8 device this fall. We believe this report further underscores the uncertainty around the timing of Apple's next- generation iPhone model.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Quick guide to where AR stands today

It has been a busy 2017 for augmented reality (AR). Often perceived as the lesser-known cousin to virtual reality (VR), AR is now stealing the spotlight. Over the past few months, there have been augmented reality developments from nearly all the leaders in tech. From Facebook’s announcements at its F8 developer conference to Apple’s rumored AR glasses, there is no doubt that the AR space is heating up.However, with so many newsworthy happenings, it can be challenging to keep up with it all. To help you, here’s your quick guide to where the big AR players stand today.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

15 ways to make meetings more productive

Let’s be honest, almost no one likes meetings. They can be disruptive, tend to go on for too long and often feel like a waste of time.But meetings don’t have to be boring, drawn out affairs. Meetings, when done right, can produce new ideas, solve problems and help move projects forward.Here are 15 ways you can make your organization’s meetings must-attend gatherings that make attendees feeling like they accomplished something.[ Related: How to make meetings more productive ]To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Why AI careers can start with a degree in linguistics

A linguistics degree traditionally prepares students for careers in academia, professional writing or translation, but as technology continues to advance, these graduates are finding their skills in high demand from an unlikely place-positions in artificial intelligence.Companies in the AI market are turning to those with linguistic backgrounds to help aid in things like product development and customer service, says Caterina Balcells, chief linguistic officer at conversational search technology company Inbenta."Linguistics is important to better understand users and how they're communicating with a company. If we can develop tech that uses natural language processing to help customers find what they're looking for, then that reduces the need to have a person do that, and it improves customer satisfaction at the same time," Balcells says.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

How Microsoft plans to reinvent business productivity

Microsoft's Office applications haven't changed much over the past 25 years. Indeed, a time-traveller from 1992 who knew how to use Word 5.5 for DOS or Mac System 7 would have to get used only to the tools moving from vertical menus to the horizontal ribbon.  Yes, Microsoft successfully brought Office back to the Mac after years of neglect. It also used the acquisition of Accompli and Sunrise to quickly get high-quality email and calendar apps onto iOS and Android — those teams are revitalizing the Outlook applications on PC and Mac, and the new To Do service is trying to do the same thing, based on the popular Wunderlist app. Yes, there are some clever new tools in Word and PowerPoint that use machine learning to improve spell checking and automate slide design, and the monthly updates keep adding more features. And, yes, the hidden gem that is OneNote is finally getting significant investment to make the note-taking tool more useful on more platforms.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Microsoft adds a Surface Laptop to its growing stable of devices

Microsoft has added a new laptop to its growing stable of Surface devices, and it's amazingly thin and fast.The Surface Laptop has performance, features and design that will redefine the category, said Panos Panay, corporate vice president at Microsoft during an event in New York City on Tuesday.The 13.5-inch laptop is the first pure laptop in the product line and offers an elegant design. Microsoft's other portable Surface devices include the Surface Pro, which is a tablet, and the Surface Book, which is a 2-in-1.The Surface Laptop is 14.5 millimeters thick and weighs 1.25 kilograms. It runs on Intel's Core i5 or i7 processors based on the Kaby Lake architecture, and has up to 1TB of SSD storage.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

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