Ørsted Uses Nautobot to Embed Compliance in Network Automation
The energy firm prioritized data control and security validation over speed when building its automated network operations platform.
Key points
- Ørsted selected the open-source Nautobot platform to centralize fragmented network data.
- Custom validators and applications were built to enforce security policies during automation.
- Lead consultant João Soares emphasized that automation ensures consistent compliance.
Danish energy company Ørsted has implemented an automated network operations system designed to embed security compliance directly into its workflows. According to a report by Network World, the organization prioritized establishing control over its network data before focusing on deployment speed or operational efficiency.
João Soares, lead IT security consultant at Ørsted in Copenhagen, joined the company nearly five years ago to focus on network automation. He found that network information was previously scattered across multiple platforms, including systems lacking APIs and manual Excel spreadsheets, which required engineers to copy data between tools.
Context and Background
Soares stated that many organizations mistakenly believe automation is solely about reducing time to market or accelerating configuration speeds. He argued that the only way to guarantee consistent compliance, regardless of the personnel involved, is to automate the process so that the system itself enforces adherence to security requirements.
Before selecting a platform, Ørsted evaluated both commercial and open-source alternatives. The company ultimately chose Nautobot, an open-source network automation platform developed by Network to Code. Soares noted that Nautobot offered the granular permission controls and validation capabilities required for their specific security environment.
Who is Affected
The initiative impacts Ørsted’s network engineering and security teams, who previously managed data manually across disparate systems. By moving to a centralized platform, these teams no longer need to update spreadsheets or move between incompatible systems to maintain accurate network records.
Ørsted customized the Nautobot installation to fit its specific infrastructure. Engineers developed custom validators to control how new data enters the platform and built applications to model concepts specific to Ørsted’s network architecture, such as network zones and their associated policies.
This customization allows the company to link network information, such as IP addresses, directly to the zones and policies governing those resources. Soares described getting the data right as a prerequisite for any successful automation effort, ensuring that the underlying information model supports security goals.
What should you do?
Security professionals should assess whether their current network data is fragmented across manual tools or incompatible systems before attempting automation. Organizations should prioritize platforms that offer granular permission controls and validation capabilities to ensure that automated processes enforce compliance rather than bypassing it.
What to do and how to stay safe: Ørsted
- Audit current network data sources to identify fragmentation across spreadsheets or systems without APIs.
- Evaluate automation platforms for built-in validation and permission controls that enforce security policies.
- Develop custom validators to ensure new data entering the automation platform meets compliance standards.
- Model specific network architecture concepts, such as zones and policies, within the automation platform.
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Ørsted prioritize compliance over speed in its automation efforts?
Lead consultant João Soares stated that automation is the only way to ensure 100% compliance regardless of who performs the task.
Which platform did Ørsted select for network automation?
Ørsted selected Nautobot, an open-source platform developed by Network to Code.
How did Ørsted customize the automation platform?
The company developed custom validators and applications to model network zones and policies specific to its architecture.
