Network automation is widely adopted as a way to accelerate change, reduce manual effort, and improve consistency in modern data centers. However, many enterprises discover that as environments scale, DIY automation approaches such as custom scripts, playbooks, limited tools, and pipelines introduce hidden operational costs that are often overlooked in early ROI calculations. What begins as flexible, low‑cost automation can evolve into a fragile system that is difficult to govern, validate, and sustain over time.
This paper examines...