According to Gartner, the average cost of network downtime for a business is $5,600 per minute. And the main cause of this downtime is manual configuration errors such as misconfigurations and unauthorized configuration changes. Since configurations are considered the heart of network and a single line of error can take down an entire organization, configurations need to be managed meticulously so no man-made errors leading to network downtime are introduced. This is why automation of configurations has become an essential aspect of network configuration.
Accurate configuration automation requires a network automation tool, where all automation-related features are present under one roof. Now, let's take a look at the top six benefits of configuration automation with a world-class network automation tool Network Configuration Manager.
Manually managing complex network configurations is challenging and hectic. For example, if an organization with a huge network environment needs to troubleshoot a thousand devices or change passwords to a thousand devices, it is nearly impossible to log in to each device via Putty or Telnet and then make the necessary changes in a timely manner.
Network Configuration Manager solves this problem with configuration automation templates called Configlets. Configlets allow you to enable SNMP, change passwords, and troubleshoot more than a thousand devices in one go, saving tons of time and easing the workload.
Taking care of vital configurations is the most important and difficult task in a network environment. It shouldn't be done manually because human eyes tend to miss things, and if a configuration error occurs, it can immediately lead to major network downtime.
Network Configuration Manager's configuration automation consists of an advanced backup feature along with change management features consisting of change notifications, role-based access control, and Diff View functions, all of which you can use to avoid most causes of network downtime and quickly recover when your business does experience downtime.
• Backup: Backup your vital configurations easily to help you recover from downtime caused by a faulty configuration.
• Role-based access control: No configuration change is implemented without an admin knowing about it.
• Diff View: Compare two configurations of same device or multiple devices side-by-side for better understanding of configuration changes and errors.
• Change notifications: Keep track of live configuration changes with real-time notifications so that unnecessary changes and errors are identified.
For all network-related organizations, network agility is the key to success. Network agility is achieved only if all automation processes are quick enough. For example, in a network-related organization, some tasks need to be taken care of on a regular basis such as hourly, daily, and weekly. Manually keeping track of all these tasks and performing them perfectly on time is a challenge in small organizations and impossible in larger ones.
Network Configuration Manager's configuration automation has made this simple with its scheduling feature that lets you schedule tasks (e.g., repetitive backups) at any given time without requiring any manual intervention once set.
Without proper security, nothing will last. In the same way, all networking devices must be compliant with all industry-grade compliance policies as a must to be safe from threats. If not compliant, organizations face huge fines and can even end up shutting down entirely. There are four important compliance policies that are a must, each having their own rules and penalties:
• CIS: Only for Cisco IOS and ASA devices. Fines ranging from £100 to £3,000.
• SOX: Fines of up to one million dollars, 10 years in prison, or both.
• HIPAA: Minimum fine of 50,000 dollars or imprisonment of 1 to 5 years.
• PCI DSS: Fines ranging from 5,000 to 100,000 dollars.
But don't worry! Network Configuration Manager offers configuration automation features to help you meet the requirements of these four policies by default. It also provides regular compliance reports about non-compliant devices and compliance violations. There is an added feature where you can create your own policies for devices as well.
It will be arduous to get deep insights if information is scattered across multiple places. For example, in an emergency you need to know about recent changes made, compliance reports, and firmware vulnerabilities; the last thing you need is to sort through different tabs to find all the information you need.
Network Configuration Manager has a dashboard that lists all the info on features like backup, change management, compliance, and firmware on a single page. With this you are constantly getting deep, hassle-free insights about each feature.
Firmware is critical for devices and is at risk of being subject to malicious attacks. If firmware is under attack, then it can lead to that device being hacked, including information of that device being gathered by the malicious actor. This is why your firmware should always be kept secure and up to date.
Network Configuration Manager has a firmware vulnerability feature that lists all the vulnerable devices with a CVE ID and base score. This CVE ID contains information on the patch and other information about the threat while the base score determines the criticality of the vulnerability.
Why wait to enjoy these benefits and improve your business? Download Network Configuration Manager now and enjoy a free, 30-day trial!
You can also get a free personalized demo if you are a new customer.