NAN130: Network Automation Forum: From Simple Survey to Global Community
Eric Chou, William Collins, Scott Robohn, and Chris Grundemann discuss how the Network Automation Forum grew from a question about slow automation adoption into a global, practitioner-focused, vendor-neutral community centered on AutoCon.
MAIN POINTS
- The forum began with a simple question about why network automation had not fully been adopted.
- Founders Scott Robohn and Chris Grundemann helped turn that question into a community initiative.
- AutoCon’s growth reflects strong interest in practitioner-led, vendor-neutral networking discussions.
- The conversation highlights how a focused community can create a distinctive environment for automation learning.
TAKEAWAYS
- Big community efforts can start from a single practical industry question.
- Practitioner-first events often resonate more than vendor-driven messaging.
- Neutral spaces help build trust and broader participation in technical communities.
- AutoCon shows demand for shared learning around real-world network automation challenges.