NA003 - NUTS with Marco Martinez

NUTS the Network Unit Testing System with Marco Martinez and Urs

Network Automagic EP003 - NUTS with Marco Martinez  

Marco Martinez, a core maintainer of “nuts” (Network Unit Testing System), joined hosts Steinn and Urs on the Network Automagic show to discuss network testing automation.

Episode Guest:  

Marco Martinez - Network professional and core maintainer of NUTS

Listen to the show on YouTube:  

Listen to the show anywhere:  

• YouTube: @networkautomagic
• Spotify: Network AutoMagic
• Apple Podcasts: Network AutoMagic
• RSS Feed: Anchor.fm

Show notes resources:  

• NUTS GitHub Repository
• Containerlab Demo for NUTS - COMING SOON -
• INPG Stack: An automated way of maintaining and testing a network
• SwiNOG#39 | INPG Stack: An automated way of maintaining and testing a network | Marco Martinez| OST
• Network Automation Landscape Diagram

What we cover:  

Key Topics Discussed:  

• NUTS Development:
  • Created to address the challenge of comprehensive testing in large networks
  • Goes beyond simple config checks to automatically test routing tables, BGP neighbors, and more

Technical Components:  

• Test bundles built on Pi test library
• YAML for test definitions
• Integration with Nornir for inventory management
• “INPG Stack” for generating test definitions and pushing results to Prometheus and Grafana

Integration Ecosystem:  

• Compatible with tools like Napalm, Netbox, and Infrahub

Testing Philosophy:  

• Importance of pre/post change testing
• Balance between monitoring and testing
• Prioritizing tests

Unix Systems:  

• Benefits of using Unix systems for network automation with tools like Napalm and Netmiko

Comparison of Tools:  

• Discussion of NAPALM’s advantages and limitations compared to alternatives like pyATS, ONDATRA, and BATFISH

Featured Music:  

“Party Weekend” by Joe ‘King’ Carrasco and the Crowns (1980)
A slice of vintage Spanish rock that’s as rebellious as our approach to network automation

Episode outline  

Introduction (00:00 - 03:45)  

• Welcome and introduction of Marco Martinez
• Brief overview of Marco’s background in network automation
• Introduction to NUTS (Network Unit Testing System) concept

NUTS Overview and Philosophy (03:46 - 12:30)  

• Origin story and development motivation
• Core principles of network testing automation
• How NUTS fits into the network validation ecosystem
• Design philosophy: simplicity and extensibility

Technical Components (12:31 - 25:15)  

• Architecture breakdown of NUTS
• Test bundle concept explanation
• YAML-based test definitions walkthrough
• Demo of basic test configuration and execution

Integration Ecosystem (25:16 - 35:00)  

• Working with Netbox as a source of truth
• InfraHub integration capabilities
• Connecting with other network automation tools
• CI/CD pipeline integration examples

Visualization with INPG Stack (35:01 - 42:30)  

• Components of the INPG Stack
• Real-time network testing visualization
• Dashboard creation and customization
• Troubleshooting with visual data analysis

Unix Systems Advantage (42:31 - 48:45)  

• Benefits of Unix-based testing frameworks
• Command-line efficiency for automation
• Scriptability and pipeline integration
• Container-based deployment options

Tool Comparison (48:46 - 55:20)  

• How NUTS compares to Suzieq, pyATS and other testing tools
• Strengths and use cases for different approaches
• Integration vs. standalone testing considerations

Future Development (55:21 - 61:10)  

• Roadmap for upcoming NUTS features
• Community contribution opportunities
• Autocon 3 workshop preview in Prague

Conclusion and Resources (61:11 - 65:00)  

• Key takeaways from the conversation
• Where to find documentation and examples
• How to get started with NUTS
• Final thoughts from Marco