Well Cisco has done it.

I have worked in IT since 1995 and never learned programming. Sure, I can do a little HTML, and years ago, I learned just enough Perl to configure MRTG, but I have never written a program. The good old CLI has kept me very busy and brought home the bacon.

With the announcements on NX-OS APIs, Application Centric infrastructure APIs, python scripting support, SDN, and open source projects OpenStack, OpenDaylight, and Puppet, I cannot hold back anymore.

Therefore, I have opened an account at codecademy.com. I will start with Python and Java. I see many late nights in my future.

I have thought about learning code, but I could never think of an app I wanted to write. Now Cisco is bringing together networking and programming. Cisco is not only making APIs available, Cisco is contributing code to the open source community. In fact, Cisco has created a Data Center repository, a Nexus 9000 community, and a general Cisco Systems repository on GitHub.

Cisco has recently overhauled the developer program and its content. The new DevNet website is filled with developer information on products such as AVC, Collaboration, UCS, CTI, Energywise, FlexPod, UCS Microsoft Manager, Jabber, onePK, XNC, Telepresence.

Cisco is bringing the networking and programing worlds together and this stubborn old networker is finally onboard.

Happy Coding!

Bill Carter is a Senior Network Engineer with more than 18 years of experience. He works for Sentinel Technologies and specializes in next-generation data center, campus and WAN network services.  

Follow Bill on Twitter  @billyc5022 and read his blog  http://billyc5022.blogspot.com/
Bill is a Cisco Champion -Check here to learn more about the Cisco Champion program .

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