nettoprovi

nettoprovi is an open-source platform for designing, provisioning, and validating computer network topologies. It provides a domain-specific language to declare devices, links, and policies, along with a simulation engine and a deployment engine that applies configurations to live devices or emulation environments. The goal is to improve reproducibility and auditability of network changes.

The project originated as an academic-industry collaboration to address reproducibility in network provisioning. The first public release occurred in 2019. Since then, it has seen periodic updates and community contributions.

Core components include a topology model, a declarative DSL, a network simulator, a deployment engine, and an observability module. The software emphasizes idempotent operations, versioned configurations, and test environments to minimize deployment risk.

nettoprovi is used by data centers, research networks, and university labs to plan, test, and document network changes. Proponents cite reduced risk, faster iteration, and improved compliance, while critics note a steep learning curve and uneven enterprise support.

The project is released under an open-source license and is governed by a community process that relies on public repositories, issue trackers, and contributor guidelines. See also: network automation; infrastructure as code.