A template is a predefined set of base configuration that can be used to generate specific configurations for a device. It can be as generic as declaring the hostname or configuring Telnet and SSH settings, or be as specialized as configuring specific routing protocols on a device. Before we dig in further, let's understand templates a bit more. We can have a template for a device based upon multiple factors, such as the role of the device, the type of device, or even the location the device is going to be serving.
A typical example of the classification and selection of a template is done using T-shirt sizing. To explain this concept, let's take an example of a network architect who is going to select the template for a given device. There are certain steps that should be followed to identify the right template.