How to Build a Network Digital Twin for AIOps: A Practical Guide for Network Engineers
A network digital twin is a virtual replica of your production network that lets you test configuration changes, simulate failure scenarios, and validate routing behavior before anything touches a live device. In 2026, the technology has matured from a concept that sounded futuristic into a practical tool that any network team can start building with open-source software. Key Takeaway: You don’t need a six-figure vendor platform to start building a network digital twin — Batfish, ContainerLab, and Suzieq are free, open-source tools that cover config analysis, topology emulation, and observability. Start at Level 1 and build up incrementally. ...