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Recipes for Automation - A Look Inside Eric Chou's AI Networking Cookbook

Packet Pushers
Packet Pushers•Mar 20, 2026

Why It Matters

By demystifying LLM integration and offering low‑cost, hands‑on resources, the cookbook enables network teams to embed AI into daily operations, accelerating automation and reducing reliance on proprietary vendor tools.

Key Takeaways

  • •Book teaches AI fundamentals for network automation using Python.
  • •Covers cloud LLM setup, local model deployment, and scripting.
  • •Explains token costs, provider pricing, and budgeting for AI projects.
  • •Provides community resources, Discord, and GitHub code for ongoing support.
  • •Targets engineers with CCNA basics and beginner‑level Python experience.

Summary

The episode spotlights Eric Chou’s newly released “AI Networking Cookbook,” a guide that blends artificial‑intelligence concepts with practical network‑automation scripts. Hosted on the Heavy Networking show, Chou walks listeners through the book’s purpose: documenting his own AI learning journey and providing a systematic path for network engineers to adopt large‑language models.

The book is organized in layers, beginning with foundational tasks such as configuring OpenAI’s API, adjusting temperature, and embedding system messages. It then progresses to automating queries, running models locally with tools like Ollama, and building more advanced co‑pilot utilities. Throughout, Chou emphasizes cost awareness, detailing token pricing across providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Cohere, etc.) and showing that typical script usage stays well within a modest $20‑$30 budget.

Chou notes there is no “OSI layer” for AI, meaning terminology and parameters vary wildly between vendors. He demonstrates a “hello‑world” win by calling a cloud LLM, then replicates the workflow locally using Docker containers. The book’s code is openly hosted on GitHub, and a QR code inside the printed copy links readers to a digital version, while a Discord community on networks.com offers real‑time troubleshooting.

For network professionals, the cookbook lowers the entry barrier to AI‑driven automation, providing reusable code, cost‑transparent guidance, and a peer‑support ecosystem. As AI models become integral to monitoring, troubleshooting, and configuration generation, engineers equipped with these skills can accelerate service delivery and maintain competitive advantage.

Original Description

Eric Chou, author of the AI Networking Cookbook and host of Network Automation Nerds, joins Ethan and Drew to discuss adding artificial intelligence to your network automation toolbox. The AI Networking Cookbook is aimed at network engineers and provides a systematic approach to learning AI for network automation. Together they break down pros and cons of public LLMs and local models, why carefully crafting a prompt is essential for getting good results, and how learning to use AI gives engineers the power to choose when and how to apply it.
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Links:
networkautomationnerds.com
Heavy Networking is the flagship show of the Packet Pushers network. Visit our website to find more great networking and technology podcasts, along with tutorial videos, the Human Infrastructure newsletter, and loads more resources for building your IT career. https://packetpushers.net

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