Guest Lecture: Network Automation and CI/CD
Nagaraj Ravinuthala
This week, Nagaraj Ravinuthala, a DevOps trainer at HCL Technologies Limited and a specialised trainer for WorldSkills UK Squad on Infrastructure Automation, delivered a Guest Lecture on Network Automation and CI/CD to our students.
The lecture began with basic yet powerful concepts of deployment and CI/CD, connecting the dots between writing code, integrating APIs, and automating the process of pushing updates live. The session emphasized simplicity and clarity, presenting CI/CD as a pipeline that automates code testing, integration, and deployment to production environments.
“Think of CI/CD as a conveyor belt for your code,” explained Nagaraj. “You write it, test it, and deploy it—all in a streamlined process that ensures faster delivery and better reliability, which are essential in modern network automation workflows.”
Students were introduced to tools and techniques aligned with Cisco’s CCNA DevNet, providing a glimpse into industry-standard practices. To make deployment relatable, the lecturer drew parallels with the earlier lectures on Python and API during their Network Programmability Module where the students integrated the OpenWeather API creating and running a Python script, and explaining that deployment involves taking code that works locally and making it accessible to users.
The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, where students enthusiastically asked about real-world applications of network automation and the career paths that mastery in CI/CD can unlock.
This guest lecture was an eye-opening experience for students, sparking curiosity and laying the foundation for further exploration in network automation. It was a step toward preparing them for the evolving demands of the industry.
We would like to thank Nagaraj Ravinuthala for taking time to speak and share valuable industry knowledge with our students.
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