--- title: "The Network as Code: Network Programmability | IPTel" description: How network as code brings infrastructure as code, declarative changes and templating to modern, cloud-managed networks. image: https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/Blogs/Network%20as%20Code/The%20Network%20as%20Code%20(Instagram%20Post).gif --- [![IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500 (1)](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500%20(1).png?width=200&height=59&name=IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500%20(1).png "IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500 (1)")](https://iptel.com.au) - [Home](https://iptel.com.au/) - [Solutions](https://iptel.com.au/solutions) Technologies - [Cisco Access Manager](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-access-manager) - [Cisco Catalyst Center](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-catalyst-center) - [Cisco Meraki](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-meraki) - [Cisco SDA Fabric](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-sda-fabric) - 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[Request a Quote](https://iptel.com.au/request-a-quote) - [Managed Services](https://iptel.com.au/managed-services-enquiry) Case Studies - [DP World Video](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/Case%20Studies/DP%20World_Case_Study.mp4) - [DP World](https://blog.iptel.com.au/dp-world-case-study) - [Backup Assure](https://blog.iptel.com.au/backup-assure-a-disaster-recovery-case-study) [Contact Us](https://iptel.com.au/contact-us) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ## The Network as Code: Network Programmability Mar 12, 2026 Modern networks have steadily moved from command‑line interfaces to cloud‑managed dashboards, but in doing so, some of the strengths of traditional text‑based configuration have been lost (where has my CLI gone?). Many networks are now configured via a GUI - but there is real power in network programmability. ![The Network as Code](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/Network%20as%20Code/The%20Network%20as%20Code-still.jpg?width=737&height=395&name=The%20Network%20as%20Code-still.jpg) Network Programmability bridges the gap from legacy networking to modern networking, bringing back repeatability, automation and control while still enabling the convenience of cloud‑based management. Related reading - [Cisco SDA](https://blog.iptel.com.au/the-cios-guide-to-cisco-sda-fabric) - [Meraki Cloud Wi-Fi](https://blog.iptel.com.au/meraki-cloud-wifi) - [Meraki Managed Service: Inside the MSP Dashboard](https://blog.iptel.com.au/meraki-managed-service) - [Cisco ISE: Top 5 Unique Features](https://blog.iptel.com.au/why-cisco-ise) --- ## Legacy vs Modern Management For many years, managing network infrastructure was done via the command line, either through a console cable or over SSH. Whilst this had a quite steep learning curve, it made reusable templates easy to create and backups simple to maintain by copying config files to a backup location.![Boost Your Business Efficiency Meraki Managed Services Unleashed (Instagram Post)](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/Boost%20Your%20Business%20Efficiency%20Meraki%20Managed%20Services%20Unleashed/Boost%20Your%20Business%20Efficiency%20Meraki%20Managed%20Services%20Unleashed%20(Instagram%20Post).png?width=250&height=250&name=Boost%20Your%20Business%20Efficiency%20Meraki%20Managed%20Services%20Unleashed%20(Instagram%20Post).png) With the move to cloud services, infrastructure is now managed through web interfaces. This has lowered the learning curve and offers a single management location for all network infrastructure. However, the downside this brings is that larger changes often require navigating multiple pages, slowing down bulk updates. Backing up configuration is also often very difficult, since the cloud services are redundant and no provision is made to simply copy settings. Although templates are sometimes provided to allow for configuration re-use, they’re often limited in how they can be applied, restricting per‑site customisation. Related reading - [Network Security Basics](https://blog.iptel.com.au/networking-security-basics) - [Managed Meraki Security: Firewall and Threat Protection](https://blog.iptel.com.au/managed-services-meraki-security) - [Managed Security Service Edge: Umbrella and Secure Access](https://blog.iptel.com.au/managed-services-security-service-edge) --- ## Infrastructure as code Most cloud services provide Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to remotely query and change settings, but these are complex to use and are different to each vendor. Solutions such as Ansible and Terraform have been created to hide the complexity of the API and enable consistent configuration files across different platforms. These tools can be leveraged to manage network infrastructure, with tools like Terraform having plugins allowing them to manage solutions such as Cisco Meraki, and Cisco ISE.  Related reading - [Managed Cisco Campus Access: Catalyst Networks Run for You](https://blog.iptel.com.au/managed-services-cisco-campus-access) - [ThousandEyes Managed Services: Networks You Don't Own](https://blog.iptel.com.au/thousandeyes-managed-services) - [Cisco SDA Fabric](https://blog.iptel.com.au/the-cios-guide-to-cisco-sda-fabric) --- ## Declarative changes One of the major advantages of tools such as Terraform, is the ability for the user to define the end state of the network.  ![Managed Service Customer Pain Points (Instagram Post)](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Managed%20Service%20-%20Customer%20Pain%20Points/Managed%20Service%20Customer%20Pain%20Points%20(Instagram%20Post).png?width=250&height=250&name=Managed%20Service%20Customer%20Pain%20Points%20(Instagram%20Post).png)The tool then interrogates the current configurations and works out the changes required to achieve the end state. Historically, the network engineer would have to work out each command that they were going to apply so this reduces the workload to maintain the network. Since changes are only applied if there is a difference between the desired configuration and what’s actually applied, the tool can be used to check that no unauthorised changes have been made, and to quickly revert to the approved design if there is a difference. Since the network is defined in a set of text files, software version control applications can be used to manage the files. This allows attribution of changes, as well as easy roll-back should a change cause unexpected problems. Should the service ever suffer a catastrophic failure, all of the configuration can quickly be restored to a new instance. Related reading - [Meraki Site-to-Site VPN](https://blog.iptel.com.au/meraki-site-to-site-vpn) - [Security Assessment Tool](https://score.iptel.com.au/security-assessment) --- ## Templating Since configuration is held in text documents, it’s easy to re-use an existing configuration to set up a new instance. Most of the tools allow templates to be built with default settings that can be changed on a per-site or per-device basis, allowing for consistent configuration settings to be applied across the network. ![Network as Code\_1](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/Network%20as%20Code/Network%20as%20Code_1.png?width=554&height=139&name=Network%20as%20Code_1.png)Example Terraform configuration block for a Meraki MX Related reading - [Meraki Reporting: Automated Network Reports](https://blog.iptel.com.au/meraki-reporting) - [Meraki Refresh](https://blog.iptel.com.au/meraki-refresh) --- ## Network as Code: FAQs ### What Is Network as Code? Managing network configuration as version-controlled code, so changes are reviewed, tested and applied consistently. ### What Is a Declarative Change? Describing the desired end state of the network and letting tooling work out the steps, rather than typing individual commands. ### Why Use Templates? Templates apply a standard configuration across many devices or sites, reducing errors and speeding up deployment. ### Does Network as Code Replace the Dashboard? No. It complements cloud dashboards and the CLI, adding version history, review and repeatability. --- ## The Network as Code: Summary Whilst the move to graphical user interfaces, such as web UIs has been a major advance in the day-to-day management of networks, some of the features of command-line management have been lost. Network as Code brings those strengths back, combining the usability of cloud platforms with the repeatability, automation and control that engineers have relied on for decades. Related reading - [Managed Services Q&A: Is It Right for Your Business?](https://blog.iptel.com.au/managed-services-qa) - [Managed Meraki Access: Switching, Wi-Fi and WAN](https://blog.iptel.com.au/managed-services-meraki-access) ### Need Help With Your Network? IPTel designs, upgrades and manages Cisco [campus networks](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/lan) across Australia. If that would be useful, [get in touch with the IPTel team](https://iptel.com.au/contact-us) or email [sales@iptel.com.au](mailto:sales@iptel.com.au). #### Related Articles ###### [Cisco Access Manager](https://blog.iptel.com.au/cisco-access-manager) Jan 12, 2026 ###### [Network Assessment Tool](https://blog.iptel.com.au/network-assessment-tool) Mar 31, 2026 ###### [Securing your Cisco Wireless Network](https://blog.iptel.com.au/securing-your-cisco-wireless-network) Mar 12, 2026 ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mark McSherry", "url" : "https://blog.iptel.com.au/author/mark-mcsherry" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-03T07:41:15.305Z", "datePublished" : "2026-03-12T04:11:17.000Z", "headline" : "The Network as Code: Network Programmability | IPTel", "image" : [ "https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/Blogs/Network%20as%20Code/The%20Network%20as%20Code%20(Instagram%20Post).gif" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.iptel.com.au/the-network-as-code", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/IPTel_Solutions_February2020%20-%20Header%20SiteMap/Images/IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2.png" }, "name" : "IPTel Solutions Pty Ltd" } } ```