Skip to content

Beginner Tutorials

Beginner Tutorials

"Master the Fundamentals — Build Confidence with Simple, Working Scripts"

Welcome to the Beginner Tutorial Series! These tutorials are designed for network engineers who are new to Python automation or want to solidify their understanding of core concepts.

Each tutorial provides complete, working code with exhaustive line-by-line explanations. You'll understand exactly what every line does, why it's there, and how to modify it for your own use.

🎯 What You'll Learn

By completing these beginner tutorials, you'll be able to:

  • ✅ Connect to Cisco devices using Netmiko
  • ✅ Send show commands and retrieve structured data
  • ✅ Parse command output using TextFSM
  • ✅ Export data to Excel spreadsheets
  • ✅ Retrieve and archive running configurations
  • ✅ Create timestamped backups with organized directory structures
  • ✅ Handle basic errors and exceptions
  • ✅ Manage credentials securely (without hardcoding passwords)
  • ✅ Work with multiple devices using loops and CSV inventory

📚 Tutorial List

1. Send a Show Command and Export to Excel

The perfect starting point for network automation beginners.

Learn how to:

  • Connect to a Cisco device using Netmiko
  • Execute a show command with automatic TextFSM parsing
  • Convert the structured data to an Excel spreadsheet using pandas
  • Understand every line of code with detailed explanations

What You'll Build: A script that collects show version output and exports it to Excel.

Prerequisites: Basic Python knowledge only.

2. Multi-Device Show Command Collection

Build on Tutorial #1 to handle multiple devices from a CSV inventory.

Learn how to:

  • Manage device inventory using CSV files
  • Loop through multiple devices efficiently
  • Handle per-device errors gracefully (one failure doesn't stop the job)
  • Export results to a single Excel file with multiple sheets
  • Provide user feedback during long operations

What You'll Build: Evolve your single-device script into a multi-device automation tool.

Prerequisites: Complete Tutorial #1 first.

3. Multi-Device Configuration Backup

Build on Tutorial #2 to create a production-grade backup system.

Learn how to:

  • Retrieve running configurations from network devices
  • Save configs to timestamped backup files
  • Organize backups by device and create directory structures
  • Generate a backup manifest (Excel report of what was backed up)
  • Handle backup validation and error recovery
  • Implement file I/O and directory management in Python

What You'll Build: An automated configuration backup tool that saves configs to organized directories with metadata tracking.

Prerequisites: Complete Tutorial #2 first.

🔧 Setup Requirements

Before starting these tutorials, ensure you have:

Python Environment

1
2
# Install required libraries
pip install netmiko pandas openpyxl

Test Device Access

You'll need at least one Cisco device (physical or virtual) with:

  • SSH enabled
  • Reachable IP address
  • Valid username and password
  • Appropriate privilege level for show commands

Supported Platforms

These tutorials work with:

  • Cisco IOS
  • Cisco IOS-XE
  • Cisco NX-OS
  • Cisco IOS-XR (with minor modifications)

💡 How to Use These Tutorials

  1. Read the Explanation — Each tutorial starts with an overview
  2. Review the Code — Complete, working script with annotations
  3. Understand Each Line — Detailed line-by-line breakdown
  4. Run It Yourself — Test on your own devices
  5. Experiment — Modify the code to learn how it works

🎓 Learning Path

We recommend working through these tutorials in order:

graph LR
    A[1. Show Command to Excel] --> B[2. Multi-Device Collection]
    B --> C[3. Configuration Backup]
    C --> D[Ready for Intermediate!]

    style A fill:#90EE90
    style B fill:#90EE90
    style D fill:#FFD700

After Completing Beginner Tutorials

Once you're comfortable with these concepts, move on to Intermediate Tutorials to learn about threading, advanced parsing, and configuration management.

🆘 Troubleshooting Tips

Common Issues:

  • Authentication fails: Verify SSH is enabled and credentials are correct
  • TextFSM parsing returns empty: Your device type might not be supported — try use_textfsm=False first
  • Module not found: Run pip install netmiko pandas openpyxl
  • Connection timeout: Check network connectivity and firewall rules

📖 Additional Resources