Puppet uses agents on managed devices that periodically check a central server for configuration updates. This works differently than Ansible's push approach.
Puppet Server. Central authority that stores configurations and serves them to agents.
Puppet Agent. Runs on managed devices. Checks in periodically, downloads configuration, applies it locally.
Manifests. Configuration files written in Puppet DSL. Define the desired state.
For networks: Puppet offers device management modules, but the agent requirement limits use. Many network devices cannot run agents. Puppet fits better for servers than traditional network gear.