# Network engineering automation and certification trends > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/network-engineering-automation-and-certification-trends > Updated: 2026-10-24T08:41:50.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2. The networking industry is experiencing a shift toward specialized professional development and automated management. Professionals are navigating various certification pathways, choosing between vendor-neutral credentials like CompTIA Network+ and vendor-specific options such as Cisco’s CCNA and CCNP. Technical implementation is increasingly focused on intent-based networking and automation. Industry trends favor the use of extensible tooling and open-source solutions, including Ansible, StackStorm, Puppet, Chef, and SaltStack, alongside commercial vendor products. When standard tools are insufficient, engineers are encouraged to use scripting and custom modules rather than large-scale software engineering. Additionally, the rise of AI agents is beginning to impact the programming landscape, presenting new challenges to traditional developer workflows. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-24: Network automation strategies and the evolving role of programming Network engineers are encouraged to prioritize automation through existing tools like Ansible, resorting to scripting only when necessary, amid a changing programming landscape influenced by AI. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/network-automation-strategies-and-the-evolving-role-of-programming ### 2026-10-24: Networking certifications and intent-based automation trends The networking sector is seeing a focus on professional certification pathways, including CompTIA and Cisco, alongside the rise of intent-based networking and automation tools like Ansible. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/networking-certifications-and-intent-based-automation-trends --- Cite as: Network engineering automation and certification trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/network-engineering-automation-and-certification-trends