By Michael Haugh, VP of Product Marketing
As enterprises strive for greater agility and efficiency through network automation, trust remains the linchpin of successful adoption. No matter how powerful automation is, if it’s not trusted, it won’t be used.
At Gluware, we’ve architected our platform around these and other principles to foster deep operational trust. Below, we map Gluware’s capabilities to 10 key design imperatives that underpin trustworthy network automation.
1. Transparency & Observability
Trust Principle: Users must understand what the automation system is doing, why it’s doing it, and what the impact will be.
Gluware in Action:
- Change Analysis and Different Views: The Config Model Editor app provides a visual preview showing exactly what will change before deployment. The Config Drift and Audit app highlights differences between configuration snapshots, including both configuration and operational command changes.
- Command Output Capture: Every device interaction is logged, powered by Gluware’s multi-vendor Device Interaction and Automation Layer (DIAL).
- Drift Detection: Config Drift monitors configurations against the intended state and allows remediation through a Network RPA workflow.
2. Deterministic & Predictable
Trust Principle: Automation must behave consistently and predictably based on defined inputs.
Gluware in Action:
- Intent-Based Modeling: Gluware’s provisioning engine applies declarative configuration changes based on intended-state models, ensuring consistent outcomes.
- Idempotent Deployments: Automation intelligently reads the current state and renders only the necessary changes, resulting in idempotent and safe deployments.
3. Fail-Safe & Recovery Mechanisms
Trust Principle: Built-in safety nets allow users to recover confidently from errors.
Gluware in Action:
- Snapshot and Rollback: Automatic backups and periodic snapshots of configuration and operational state enable fast rollback and drift identification.
- Connected Preview Mode: Users can preview configuration changes and validate them before committing to live devices.
- Validation Checks: Extensive pre- and post-change verifications ensure expected states before and after changes.
4. Access Control & Governance
Trust Principle: Strong access controls reduce risk and enhance confidence in automation.
Gluware in Action:
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Granular permissions across the application suite restrict access based on user roles.
- Audit Trails: A complete history of who did what, when, and on which devices is captured across the platform.
- Approval Workflows: Network RPA supports human-in-the-loop approvals for high-impact actions, with optional integration into systems like ServiceNow.
5. Validation & Testing Frameworks
Trust Principle: Automation must pass validation gates to ensure safety before proceeding.
Gluware in Action:
- Pre-Deployment Validation: Configuration and operational state checks are built into workflows to confirm readiness before changes.
- Policy Enforcement: Config Modeling enforces configuration policies across multi-vendor environments.
- Workflow Staging: Users can designate test and production devices, advancing workflows from draft to test to production with built-in controls.
6. Security by Design
Trust Principle: Automation systems must protect credentials, data, and access pathways.
Gluware in Action:
- Encrypted Credential Vault: Integrated secure vault with CyberArk support for managing secrets and credentials.
- Device Access Logging: All interactions are logged and credential data is redacted for security.
- Secure API Integrations: Pre-built, secure integrations with systems like NetBox, ServiceNow, and Git ensure compliance and integrity.
7. Incremental & Phased Deployment
Trust Principle: Gradual rollout builds user confidence and reduces disruption risk.
Gluware in Action:
- Scoped Deployments: Begin with discovery and read-only automation, then expand to targeted sites or devices.
- Flexible Execution Options: Tasks can be run on-demand, scheduled, or event-triggered.
- Phased Lifecycle Management: Roll out automation across the network in logical stages, aligned to operational maturity.
8. Human-Centric Design
Trust Principle: Automation should empower users, not alienate them.
Gluware in Action:
- No-Code/Low-Code Interface: Designed for network engineers, the platform includes a rich suite of pre-built capabilities and Gluware Lab for custom, low-code development.
- Visual Workflows: Network RPA enables end-to-end lifecycle workflows that orchestrate complex multi-step tasks.
- Interactive Dashboards: Real-time views into health, performance, and compliance promote situational awareness and confidence.
9. Continuous Feedback & Learning
Trust Principle: Systems should improve with experience and adapt to operational needs.
Gluware in Action:
- Telemetry & Analytics: Insights into usage, change behavior, and trends inform decision-making.
- Closed-Loop Automation: Integration with monitoring and service tools enables event-driven, self-healing actions.
- Workflow Documentation: Annotations, comments, and Business Process Model Notation (BPMN) help document procedures for transparency and repeatability.
10. Enterprise-Grade Integrity & Provenance
Trust Principle: Established credibility and ecosystem breadth accelerate adoption.
Gluware in Action:
- Adopted by Global Leaders: Trusted by Fortune 500s, government agencies, and heavily regulated industries.
- Compliance-Ready: Supports auditing and policy enforcement for standards like PCI-DSS, HIPAA, CIS, and others.
- Multi-Vendor Support: Proven automation across complex environments including Cisco, HPE/Juniper, Arista, Palo Alto Networks, and more.
Conclusion
Trust isn’t a feature—it’s a design philosophy. At Gluware, trust is woven into every layer of our platform—from the automation engine and DIAL infrastructure to user-centric workflows, pre-change validation, and post-change rollback. For enterprises committed to scaling automation while maintaining control, trust begins with Gluware.
