Developer operations smooth an app’s path from the first line of code its maker writes to its clearing onto the network. New applications involving cloud and “internet of things” connected devices are so network-sensitive, they are shifting the network’s place in the DevOps chain. Welcome to NetDevOps.

“These applications need the network more than ever before,” said Susie Wee (pictured), vice president and chief technology officer of DevNet at Cisco Systems Inc.

In the past, the network simply meant connectivity to most developers; now, it’s scale, security, performance, etc., according to Wee. New programmable networks allow network operators and app developers to flexibly deploy the network with the same sort of agile DevOps applied to apps.

“Suddenly, it’s not only compute that works in a DevOps pipeline, but the network is also participating in this NetDevOps pipeline,” Wee stated.

Wee spoke with John Furrier (@furrier) and Stu Miniman (@stu), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio, during the Cisco Live event in Barcelona, Spain. (* Disclosure below.)

Network as code connects IoT dots

NetDevOps depends on the skillful wielding of network application program interfaces. Cisco’s new products (like Intent-Based Networking) have built-in programmability. Network infrastructure operators and app developers can learn though Cisco’s DevNet program how to use APIs to rapidly deploy new network configurations.

“Now, with NetDevOps, you can create and treat the network as code,” Wee said.

All of the fixings under the hood in networking — devices, security products, etc. — are coming together to connect things, and this is becoming programmable, Wee explained. Managing a mumble jumble of IoT devices becomes more plausible with swift and easy network shape-shifting via software configuration updates. Scenarios may include adding new devices or users, setting new security policies, or tweaking the ways particular cloud apps run.

“You can actually roll that out as software changes,” Wee concluded.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of Cisco Live Barcelona 2018. (* Disclosure: Cisco Systems Inc. sponsored this segment of theCUBE. Neither Cisco Systems nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE