
A big-picture walkthrough of how Claude AI, a Python-based MCP Server, and a real network lab work together end-to-end.
Brief overview of the role, archtecture, and limitations of MCP.
Key best practices, learning tips, and resources to help you make the most out of this course.
Never miss a course update due to a lost email. Engage with other engineers enrolled in the course.
Setting up the Ubuntu VM that will host Docker, Containerlab, the MCP Server, and Claude Code.
Creating a clean, professional project structure for Python, the MCP Server, and network inventory files.
Installing Docker Engine to provide the foundation for Containerlab-based network simulations.
A consolidated reference notebook with all installation commands used so far.
Downloading official router images to build a realistic network lab with Containerlab.
Downloading official router images to build a realistic network lab with Containerlab (Mac OS).
Installing Containerlab and preparing it to deploy container-based network devices.
Designing the network topology in YAML, including links, interfaces, and management access.
A reference notebook covering Containerlab commands and topology YAML examples.
Deploying the lab and applying initial IP addressing and routing configuration.
A complete reference of IP and OSPF configuration used across the lab.
Creating the inventory file and environment variables used by the Python MCP Server.
A quick-reference notebook for inventory structure and environment variable setup.
A focused Python refresher - playlist and documentation - to get you up and running with coding basics.
Building the core Python MCP Server that connects Claude AI to network devices.
Extending the MCP Server with structured inputs, async logic, and device access.
Installing Claude Code and preparing it to communicate with the MCP Server.
A reference notebook containing all Claude Code installation and setup commands.
Using Claude AI and the MCP Server to read live router configuration and state.
Enhancing the MCP Server with an additional tool that pushes configuration to the network devices.
A full reference notebook of the final MCP Server Python script.
Safely pushing configuration changes to routers using Claude Code and Python.
Using Claude Code to detect, analyze, and fix OSPF issues through the MCP Server.
Using Claude Code to detect, analyze, and fix OSPF issues through the MCP Server (cont.).
A curated set of tested Claude AI prompts for reading, writing, and troubleshooting.
How to update Claude Code and choose a specific model from the console.
Using Containerlab's auto-generated Ansible inventory to quickly automate some tasks.
Adapting your Claude Code & MCP Server project to other network topologies and vendors.
Quick checklist for migrating your Claude Code & MCP Server project to various network topologies.
Handling common errors and validating forbidden commands in the MCP Server.
Enhancing the MCP Server's security by upgrading to a more secure connection to the network.
Improving the MCP Server's performance by implementing concurrency and reducing execution time.
Improved MCP Server script with added security and performance upgrades.
Adding intent-based (state) networking features to our MCP Server.
Sample network state (intent) configuration file for the MCP Server project directory.
Adding network configuration snapshot functionality to our MCP Server.
Improved MCP Server script with added intent (state) and snapshot functionality upgrades.
Implementing maintenance windows functionality in our MCP server.
The MAINTENANCE.json file for implementing maintenance windows in our MCP server.
Implementing risk assessment functionality in our MCP server.
Improved MCP Server script with maintenance windows and risk assessment.
CCNP troubleshooting project for applying Claude Code, MCP, and Python to advanced network topologies.
Learn how to receive updates and ongoing support, as well as my new approach for course creation.
More courses from the Practical Network Automation (PNA) series, and ways we can connect.
Audience: Network Engineers
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Last update: March 2026
What's this course all about?
Recruiters want results. Managers, too. They value builders and doers - not just theoreticians.
Show them your own hands-on, AI-based network automation project, built using the following tools and technologies:
Claude AI (Claude Code)
MCP Server (FastMCP)
ContainerLab
Python
Scrapli
VS Code
Ubuntu
VirtualBox
During this course, you'll build a network automation pipeline that is able to read, write, and troubleshoot network device configurations easily with the help of cutting-edge technologies such as Claude Code and MCP.
We're going to build the project together from the ground up, step-by-step
You will install, execute, code, and also troubleshoot everything alongside me
By the end, you’ll have a network automation lab that you can actually use in the real world for:
Becoming a better, more skilled Network Automation Engineer
Showcasing a strong project to companies, recruiters, and peers
Automating router configuration reading, parsing, and writing
Implementing automated troubleshooting of network services
This project is a perfect fit if you're looking to showcase your skills as a:
Network Engineer, Network Admin, Network Analyst
Network Automation Engineer or QA Engineer
CCNA or CCNP-certified network professional
Important information before you enroll:
30-day money-back guarantee - no questions asked
Unlimited, lifetime access to the course from any device
All the future course and code upgrades are included
I'm adding new content to the course on a regular basis
Full instructor support for all course-related questions
Access to a private Discord community is also included
Access to two GitHub repositories - for CCNA and CCNP
You will need to get a Claude API key with minimal credits
On the other hand, having a paid Claud plan should work too
You'll get Certificate of Completion upon finishing the course
What others have to say about my courses?
"What an incredible value and learning experience!" by Sean A.
"The instructor is an excellent professional, skillful and engaging." by Georgios T.
"Excellent material. Kudos to a great instructor with a vast level of creativity." by Anthony W.
"I can say this man is going on smoothly and perfectly, explaining in the most empirical way." by Kolapo A.
"Very thorough course. Includes plenty of details and examples without being boring. Explanations are given at a very practical level." by Gary S.
"As a Python beginner, I find this course is concise, easy to understand and structured. Also, Mihai responses to my question during the course promptly. I highly recommend this training course." by Johnny W.
"The instructor seems to touch all the basis in a logical and methodical way while providing examples and explanations. I can only conclude the instructor is a professional educator who spent considerable time structuring and organizing the course." by Larry L.
"I've tried learning from the books & multiple videos - most were too basic to make a practical app. Some books were too thick and made me sleep. But still none of the materials had the perfect balance like this course where all the basics were covered, instructions were concise, and Mihai walks you step by step." by Joon P.
"Usually I'm not doing courses review but this time I will make an exception. During time I took a lot of trainings but very few provided by Udemy proved as having the right approach in teaching the audience. I will mark this one as being one of my personal top three best trainings as content's quality, technical explanations, and additional learning materials perspective." by Johnny S.
"This is a great course for network engineers who would like to start automating their tasks. Geared towards beginners, this course teaches the fundamentals and applying those concepts to networking. There is a lot of fluff on the internet, however the instructor managed to put together the necessary information to start automating the network." by Costin N.
"I've seen the blueprint and some demo videos and I was convinced right away. Without a doubt, it's one of the best trainings a network engineer can have. It gives you actual valuable and marketable skills that you can use in your daily job. Mihai explains the topics really well, with practical examples making it a fun way to learn. Highly recommended." by Vlad V.
Some of my instructor stats on Udemy:
Teaching automation here since May 2015.
Over 110,000 students from 185 countries.
Over 13,000 reviews, 4.6/5 average rating.
Time is ticking - don’t waste it! Start building.
Enroll now, and I'll see you in the first lecture.