BlueCat Networks Resolves Long-Standing IP Reconciliation Issues through IPAM IntelligenceT
Provides Greater Visibility into IP Networks, Enhanced Data Accuracy, and Superior Management through Automation and Simplicity
Toronto, October 30, 2008 - BlueCat Networks, the IPAM Intelligence CompanyT, announces it has resolved a long-standing IP reconciliation issue within core network services with the introduction of innovative IPAM functionality. Whether managing a defined block of IP address space or a specific network, BlueCat now enables administrators to employ automated IP reconciliation tools for scheduled network discoveries to track actual IP usage on the network and reconcile this with network centric data. This latest innovation underscores that IPAM is not just a simple marriage of DNS and DHCP, but is, in fact, an abstraction layer that models out and manages IP networks, not just through simple connectivity concerns, but through IPAM IntelligenceT.
BlueCat's latest IPAM Intelligence innovation will make it simpler than ever for administrators to manage their network by providing:
Greater Visibility into IP networks - BlueCat's Proteus IPAM solution will make it simple for network administrators to reconcile their current state of modeled IP address information through a new abstraction layer of IPAM Intelligence, including MAC address, port, network, and DNS information. Proteus' discovery module uses a non-invasive method to 'walk the network' using the network layer (OSI Modeling) that provides operational and procedural functionality in the transference of data packets between two points on the network, including any routing through any intermediate hosts. This is achieved by processing SNMP information through the routers without using a flood of ping requests. The discovery process can detect routable networks, IP usage, MAC address and port information. BlueCat's R&D group has also extended this functionality to gain visibility into networks without DNS or DHCP. Visibility into networks is not limited to just information about the IP address, but is centric to network data that encompasses more than just connectivity.
Enhanced Data Accuracy - Proteus now allows administrators to unearth reclaimable IP addresses (those no longer in use on the network) as well as discover addresses in use that have not been provisioned by Proteus. The scheduling mechanisms allow for routine scans that can better determine the addresses in use, as well as ad-hoc scans that can detect irregular network behavior. While most solutions in the market simply reclaim IP addresses no longer in use, BlueCat's Proteus employs best practices in IP reconciliation to enable the detection of:
- Reclaimable IP addresses that are no longer in use on the network but are still allocated in the IP database
- Unknown IP addresses which exist on the network but are not authorized
- Mismatched IP data which exists in both the IP database and on the network, but does not match - as in the case of new MAC addresses being used with old IP addresses due to a hardware refresh
Reduced Management - IP efficiency can now be achieved through automated and simplified functions in GUIs that are intuitive and easy to use. Administrators can model out IP networks and deploy them centrally in the management of the IPAM network fabric. In the case of network discovery, administrators can determine what actions should be taken depending on how addresses were allocated and what information the network discovery yielded. Administrators can then filter and sort data to focus on specific areas of interest. Once an administrator has chosen an action to reconcile, changes are made to the IP information and the audit trail is updated.
"While some of this functionality is available today in existing network management tools, BlueCat now consolidates this information and integrates it into IPAM Intelligence," said Branko Miskov, Director of Product Management at BlueCat Networks. "IP Reconciliation removes the disconnect between what you think is on the network (via your IPAM tool), and what network discovery tells you," Branko continued. "BlueCat automates this process and reduces the amount of administrative time and effort needed to keep everything in sync."
"IT departments are under pressure to find ways to improve efficiencies and one way is to increase IT staff productivity," said Tracy Corbo, Senior Analyst, Enterprise Networking Infrastructure, at International Data Corporation. "Automation tools will play a key role in helping IT departments achieve these goals," Corbo continued. "Automation tools not only reduce the time it takes for performing maintenance tasks, but also enable IT departments to create and enforce policies such as naming conventions that will ensure names map logically to current and future network designs."
About BlueCat Networks
BlueCat Networks, the IPAM Intelligence Company™, is a profitable, rapidly growing leading provider of enterprise-class IP Address Management (IPAM) platforms and secure DNS / DHCP network administration appliances. Today, thousands of BlueCat’s award-winning Proteus™ IPAM platforms and Adonis™ family of DNS/DHCP appliances have been successfully deployed to meet the rising IP management demands of small-medium enterprises, government, military, financial services, retail and manufacturing organizations worldwide. Find out why more Fortune companies choose BlueCat solutions to gain complete, centralized Command and Control of their IP networks at www.bluecatnetworks.com
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