Due to the lack of standard interfaces for networking devices, their configuration often results in large, heterogeneous configuration files, which can lead to misconfigurations and complicate enterprise network management. Misconfigurations are one of the main causes of network failures. For example, misconfigurations are reported to be responsible for 16/% of Facebook’s production incidents, and they are the second most prevalent cause of disruptions to Google’s production services.

Model-based network configuration techniques offer a vendor-neutral and platform-independent way of configuring networking devices. By using configuration models, network configuration and monitoring can be automated and simplified. Network protocols can also be tested and validated automatically via modeling techniques. During this talk, I will start by providing an overview of existing model-based configuration languages and methods. Following that, I will discuss how different stakeholders are adopting these models and the challenges they are facing. To conclude, I will discuss how the modeling community can contribute to solving these challenges.