Network Configuration Manager
Introduction to SolarWinds NCM
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager is a comprehensive, intuitive solution designed to streamline and automate network configuration management. SolarWinds NCM increases availability, saves time, improves security, and ensures policy adherence. SolarWinds NCM features automation capabilities that reduce the amount of time network engineers spend on mundane network tasks, allowing them to focus on business-critical network projects.
Why should I install SolarWinds NCM?
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager allows you to easily manage configurations on heterogeneous, multi-vendor networks. SolarWinds NCM provides a single point of management for routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, and wireless access points. Supported vendors include Cisco, Cisco ASA, Dell, Adtran, Arris, Aruba, Nortel, Nortel Alteon, Nortel BayStack, Extreme, Marconi, Radware, Netscreen, Motorola, HP, Netscalar, Juniper, Foundry, and F5. Additional capabilities include:
> Control access based on user roles.
> Schedule device configuration backups.
> Implement configuration changes in bulk, such as IOS and firmware updates. Manage configuration changes to multiple devices from different vendors .
> Generate detailed configuration reports for inventory, change, and policy management.
> Receive notification of device configuration changes.
> Identify configuration violations through policy management reporting.
> Receive results of SolarWinds NCM actions with Orion alerts.
> View detailed change history and side-by-side comparison of configurations.
> Perform detailed device inventory for managed devices.
> Track and view configuration changes made by users.
> Access your device configurations and configuration changes.
> Map the port connections for a specific network switch.
Improve IT efficiency and Network Reliability and Security
Before you monitor your network, configure it! A reliable and secure network starts with carefully planned, executed, and monitored network configuration and change management. SolarWinds® Network Configuration Manager (NCM) saves time and improves network reliability and security by managing configurations, changes, and compliance for routers, switches, and other network devices from Cisco®, Juniper®, HP®, Dell®, Brocade®, Aruba®, Rukus®, and more.
Network Configuration Manager at a Glance
• Reduce configuration errors using standardized device configurations and deployment automation.
• Improve network reliability using change monitoring, alerting, configuration backup, and rollback.
• Manage change using workflows to approve updates and safely delegate work to others with roles and permissions.
• Improve network security using Cisco IOS and ASA vulnerability scanning and NIST FISMA, DISA STIG, and DSS PCI compliance assessments.
Features
Network Configuration & Change Management
Scheduled configuration backups
Schedule configuration downloads, configuration uploads, device reboots, command script execution, and more. In addition, configuration backups are stored both in a relational database for archival history and as flat files in an intuitive folder structure for easy viewing.
Policy management
Ensure device compliance with federal regulations, as well as corporate standards. The Policy Reporting Manager includes policy reports such as SOX, HIPAA, CISP, and Cisco Security.
Role-based access control
Integrate your Windows Active Directory or local system user accounts with SolarWinds NCM. You can manage users based on their role and establish individual device login credentials per user. SolarWinds NCM logs all user activity allowing you to keep an archive of changes and activity.
Multiple vendor support
Monitor network devices from multiple hardware vendors in a hybrid network environment.
Bulk changes
Make changes to community strings, passwords, and black lists across many devices. Execute bulk changes either in real time or within a scheduled change window. Uploads, changes, and global command scripting can be scheduled by device type, physical location, by owner, or by a custom property.
Configuration change history
Receive reports on what devices have had configuration changes over a specified time period. Configuration change reports can also compare current configurations with a baseline configuration, alerting you whenever a change is discovered.
Configuration viewing, tracking, and comparing
Use SolarWinds NCM to remotely view, track and make changes, and compare network device configurations without logging in to the physical SolarWinds NCM server. The Orion Web Console offers these functions to the users you select.
Orion Web Console integration
SolarWinds NCM adds the following resources to the Device Details view of the Orion Web Console:
> Recent Configurations
> Recent Configuration Changes
> Node Configuration History
> Last 10 Config Changes
> Last X Config Changes
> Last XX Configurations
> Find Connected Port for End Host: Added to the Config Summary view with SolarWindsNPM integration
Orion alerts integration
Use a default SolarWinds NCM alert in the Orion Alert Manager and specify actions to run when this alert triggers. View the results of those actions along with the notification.
Device configuration change templates
Use templates to generate an appropriate sequence of commands for relevant devices for which you need to make a specific configuration change.
Device configuration change management
Set up a request and approval system for processing the workflow of device configuration changes.
Device end of support and end of sales tacking
Track the end of support and sales statuses of your SolarWinds NCM nodes.
Introduction to SolarWinds NCM
How does SolarWinds NCM work?
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager uses a scripting engine to parse individual commands across several different platforms. This scripting engine combined with the SolarWinds Job Engine allows SolarWinds NCM to schedule nightly backups, configuration changes, inventory scans, and more. There are no agents installed on your servers and no remote software to maintain. All configuration changes and user activity is stored in the SolarWinds Orion database and accessible from the Orion Web Console.
