Why Choose NorFab for Network Automation¤
Accelerate, Unify, and Future-Proof Your Network Operations¤
Modern networks demand automation that is robust, scalable, and adaptable. NorFab (Network Automations Fabric) is engineered to meet these requirements, providing a unified automation platform that bridges the gap between disparate tools, teams, and technologies. NorFab empowers technical teams to deliver reliable, repeatable, and auditable network operations at scale.
Technical Advantages¤
1. Universal Deployment & Scalability¤
- Runs Anywhere: NorFab is OS-agnostic—deploy on Windows, Linux, macOS, containers, or VMs. Architect for centralized, distributed, or hybrid topologies.
- Horizontal Scalability: Add workers and services as your network grows. NorFab’s brokered architecture ensures high availability and fault tolerance.
2. Extensible, Modular Architecture¤
- Service-Oriented: Each service is a logical unit, managed by workers that can be deployed independently or in clusters.
- Plugin Ecosystem: Integrate new protocols, tools, or workflows without modifying the core. Extend NorFab to fit your unique environment.
3. Seamless Integration¤
- Multi-Interface: Expose automation via Python API, REST API, and CLI. Integrate NorFab into CI/CD pipelines, ITSM, or custom portals.
- Vendor-Neutral: Manage multi-vendor environments with a single automation fabric.
4. Model-Driven, Data-Centric Automation¤
- Pydantic Models: Enforce data validation and schema consistency across APIs and services.
- Inventory-Driven: Centralized inventory and configuration management ensures accuracy and repeatability.
5. Reliability and Observability¤
- Persistent Messaging: Built-in job persistence and reliable delivery, even across network partitions or process restarts.
- Health Monitoring: Heartbeating, presence detection, and management interfaces for real-time visibility.
6. Security and Control¤
- Encryption: All communication between broker, clients and workers is encrypted using CurveZMQ as a built-in security mechanism.
NorFab in Context: Feature Comparison¤
| Feature | NorFab | Ansible | Cisco NSO | PyATS | Nornir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Python | YAML, Python | YANG, XML, Python | Python | Python |
| Extensibility | High | High | Medium | Medium | High |
| Model-Driven | Yes (Pydantic) | No | Yes (YANG) | No | No |
| API Support | REST, Python | REST, Python | REST, NETCONF, Python | Python | Python |
| Multi-vendor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Config Management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Network Testing | Yes | Limited | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Orchestration | Yes (distributed, service-based) | Limited | Yes | No | Limited |
| Scalability | High (distributed, brokered) | Medium | High | Medium | Medium |
| Ease of Use | Pythonic, CLI, REST, model-driven | YAML DSL | YANG/XML/Python | Python | Python |
| Deployment | Centralized, Distributed, Hybrid | Centralized | Centralized | Centralized | Centralized |
| Templating | Jinja2 | Jinja2 | XML Proprietary | Jinja2 | Jinja2 |
| Datastorage | Database, Text files | Text files | Database, Files | Text files | Text files |
| Device Inventory | Internal, External | Internal, External | Internal | Internal | Internal, External |
| Support | Community & Commercial | Community & Comm. | Community & Comm. | Community | Community |
Business and Technical Benefits¤
- Operational Efficiency: Automate repetitive and complex workflows, reducing manual effort and risk.
- Consistency & Compliance: Enforce standards and policies across your network with model-driven validation.
- Resilience: Built-in reliability and failover mechanisms ensure business continuity.
- Investment Protection: Integrate with existing tools and processes—no need to rip and replace.
- Rapid Innovation: Empower teams to deliver new services and capabilities faster.
NorFab is not just another automation tool—it is a platform designed for the realities of modern network engineering. Whether you are consolidating legacy scripts, orchestrating multi-vendor environments, or building the next generation of network services, NorFab provides the foundation you need.
For technical details, integration guidance, or to schedule a demo, contact NorFab Support.