By Ashok Bindra, TMCnet Contributor
To assist enterprises get control of their network infrastructure, Infoblox has readied a new Microsoft (News - Alert) Management Module. It leverages company’s unique Grid technology to bring powerful IP address management (IPAM) capability to Microsoft domain name system (DNS)/ dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) environments.
With rapid rise in IP addresses and devices, networks are becoming more dynamic and complex. Consequently, home-grown tools using spreadsheets are ineffective and impractical. Therefore, IT administrators are looking for better and smarter management of IP addresses and device locations on top of the existing Microsoft DNS/DHCP servers. And Infoblox (News - Alert) module addresses these concerns of modern networks, said the maker.
As per an independent Forrester Research report, "The Shifting Sands Of IT Compel A New Landscape For IT Automation Tools," “Performing the necessary process execution in this new world by following the same old methods will prove catastrophic. Reliance on large numbers of technical experts to perform manual, repetitive work is unsustainable.” The research firm further adds, “In fact, many legacy management tools are rendered irrelevant in this environment because they can’t adapt to the changing nature of the environments they manage.”
In essence, according to the developer, the Microsoft Management Module enables IT administrators to quickly and easily replace spreadsheets, manual processes and home-grown management tools. Some key enhancements brought by the module to a Microsoft DNS/DHCP infrastructure include central management and maintenance of Microsoft DNS/DHCP servers, enterprise-wide, automated IP address management, role-based, delegated administration and detailed audit logs, and automated disaster recovery.
To deliver visibility, reliability and control of network infrastructure, Infoblox’s Microsoft management module taps real-time network data management system called Grid to link Infoblox appliances and managed Microsoft DNS/DHCP servers together across a distributed enterprise using sophisticated database technology. Thus, transforming the collection of appliances and servers into a unified system.
Consequently, the module provides IT administrators a single unified web-based interface for viewing and managing the DNS/DHCP infrastructure—all Microsoft or a combination of Infoblox appliances and Microsoft DNS/DHCP servers. As a result, the module automatically synchronizes Microsoft DNS and DHCP changes across the Infoblox Grid. This enables automation of Microsoft server DNS and DHCP reconfiguration after a server outage, as well as reduces downtime using the anywhere, anytime access and change control provided by the Infoblox web interface.
In addition, it also provides detailed visual reports about the network and IP address allocation and utilization to simplify network planning and troubleshooting.
In another company statement, commented Kevin Dickson, Infoblox vice president of product management, “The centralized management from a single web-based GUI and built-in automation of many manual tasks associated with daily maintenance of Microsoft DNS/DHCP servers, coupled with Infoblox’s Grid architecture and hardened appliances, can enable 99.999 percent service availability, reduce operating expense and increase overall visibility and control of the DNS and DHCP infrastructure—a necessity in today’s increasingly complex and dynamic networks.”
According to Infoblox, Microsoft Management Module is now available through its authorized channel partners on multiple Infoblox-appliance platforms. Pricing for the module on the Infoblox-550 starts at $7,495 in the U.S.