Infoblox delivers network automation for next-generation data centres

As organisations increasingly deploy next-generation data centres and private clouds, virtualised network elements become critical. VRF allows for virtual network connections that are more dynamic and enables segmentation of multiple data paths on a single router. However, existing network automation solutions cannot discover and manage multiple VRF networks without costly deployment of management servers for each virtual network instance.

The latest version of Infoblox NetMRI enables discovery and management of both traditional and virtual network infrastructures through a single control point—even when the enterprise runs multivendor environments—allowing for detection, provisioning, and configuration of network devices, as well as ensuring security policy compliance and enforcement. This intelligent network automation can significantly reduce the time to set up and modify networks, while lowering operating expenses and human error.

Infoblox has also improved security policy enforcement in NetMRI, helping organisations ensure that the configuration settings of their network devices continuously stay in line with corporate policy. Standard network management practices often miss advanced policy requirements, such as those set by the North American Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC) and other standards bodies, but these policies can now be automatically and continuously enforced by NetMRI. There are also updated compliance templates in NetMRI for the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) v3.0, the required standard for any organisation that accepts credit or debit card payments.

These enhancements reinforce the position of Infoblox NetMRI as a leading multivendor network automation solution, with advanced features across three dimensions:
· Discovery: NetMRI offers complete network discovery and dynamic inventory for multivendor layer-2 and layer-3 physical and virtual network elements. NetMRI automatically collects information and continuously keeps it up to date, making it always available for key tasks such as network device inventory, troubleshooting, and maintenance reconciliation.
· Visibility: NetMRI identifies and exposes lurking and intermittent problems caused by poor configurations, which are typically very difficult and sometimes impossible to troubleshoot. Using built-in expertise and analytic techniques to identify network issues and poor configurations, NetMRI detects symptoms before they evolve into faults.
· Automation: NetMRI employs embedded expertise and customisable templates to execute both basic and complex changes, helping IT teams reduce manual processes and spend less time creating unique scripts.

A test report last year by Tolly Enterprises, commissioned by Infoblox, found that the Infoblox network automation platform can reduce staff hours spent on network change and configuration by as much as 95 percent, resulting in an estimated annual savings of $633,864 for an enterprise with 1,000 network devices.

“Up to 80 percent of network problems today are caused by change—mistakes made when manually altering devices by setting poor configurations that cause problems later and by using inconsistent standards,” said Scott Fulton, executive vice president of products at Infoblox. “These mistakes are even harder to avoid as networks become virtualised. Our customers asked for help with challenges such as virtual routing and forwarding (VRF), and the enhancements we’re introducing today for Infoblox NetMRI are intended to meet those needs.”