Automating Your Network with Cisco Crosswork Workflow Manager (Sponsored)

Why It Matters

CWM accelerates network change management, cutting months‑long upgrade cycles to hours and enabling consistent, auditable automation across heterogeneous environments, which directly impacts operational cost and service reliability.

Key Takeaways

• CWM automates network tasks, replacing spreadsheets and manual SOPs.
• Pre‑built workflows enable bulk router upgrades in hours, not months.
• Supports multi‑vendor devices via adapters, including REST, SQL, CLI.
• Integrates with Cisco NSO, ServiceNow, and can call Ansible playbooks.
• Custom adapters and Python scripts planned for future extensibility.

Summary

The Heavy Networking podcast episode introduces Cisco Crosswork Workflow Manager (CWM), a sponsored discussion that positions the product as an execution engine for designing, running, and automating network workflows—from VLAN provisioning to large‑scale device upgrades.

Hosts Ethan Banks and Drew Conrey Murray hear from Cisco product line manager Lummenito and architect Jay Kery, who explain that CWM replaces manual SOPs and spreadsheet‑based processes with repeatable, scripted workflows. The platform offers both out‑of‑the‑box use cases—fleet OS upgrades, configuration compliance, and device migration—and a flexible authoring environment that supports graphical design, code‑first scripting, and custom adapters.

A highlighted example shows a “fleet upgrade” that can refresh 200 routers in roughly four hours, a task that traditionally takes months. CWM integrates natively with Cisco NSO for device provisioning, ServiceNow for ticketing, and can invoke external tools such as Ansible or SQL databases through REST, CLI, or SSH adapters. The system can auto‑generate adapters from OpenAPI specifications, reducing integration effort to minutes.

For operators, CWM promises faster change cycles, reduced human error, and a path to automation even without an existing DevOps framework. Its multi‑vendor roadmap and planned Python script support broaden its appeal, making it a strategic asset for enterprises seeking to scale network operations while maintaining compliance and visibility.

Original Description

Our topic today is building and running network workflows. If your network workflows live in a spreadsheet, a SharePoint document, or in your head, you really need a workflow manager. A workflow manager brings scalability, repeatability, and consistency to your network operations team.

In this sponsored episode, we discuss Cisco Crosswork Workflow Manager. Our guests from Cisco are Lou Menditto, Product Line Manager; and Jay Kurji, Architect. We cover what Cisco Crosswork Workflow Manager (CWM) is, common use cases it handles out of the box, how you can build custom workflows with CWM, and where CWM is headed next.

Links:

Lou Menditto’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lou-menditto-6689554/

Jay Kurji’s LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jkurji

Cisco Crosswork Workflow Manager - https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/cloud-systems-management/crosswork-workflow-manager/index.html

Crosswork Workflow Manager 2.0 Data Sheet - https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/cloud-systems-management/crosswork-workflow-manager/nb-06-crosswork-workflow-manager-ds-cte-en.html

Cisco Crosswork Workflow Manager 2.0 Get Started Guide - https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/cloud-systems-management/cwm/GetStarted/crosswork-workflow-manager-2-0-get-started-guide.html

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