什么是网络配置管理? – How It Works

Entuity Software


John Diamond Sr. Solutions Architect, Product
John Diamond Published: February 06, 2024

作为基础设施或网络管理员,配置庞大的IT网络可能是一件令人头痛的事情. 您不仅需要保持网络设备的高效运行, but you have to ensure that your entire estate is compliant with your company’s controls and policies to safeguard your network. This is why a strong network configuration management process and supporting tool are essential to your success.

什么是网络配置管理?

Network configuration management is the process of regularly monitoring and implementing configuration changes to network device elements like IP addresses, programs, default settings, and versions. The primary goal of network configuration management is to ensure that your network operates securely and efficiently.

configuring a network switch

网络配置和变更管理(NCCM)

网络配置和变更管理(NCCM) is the process of methodically and systematically controlling and managing changes to network infrastructure. This involves changing, detecting change, and logging change so that businesses can easily identify the difference between their current network configuration and archived versions. NCCM可以显示哪些行发生了变化,它们过去是什么,现在是什么.

在许多NCCM系统中,可以生成自动报告来显示任何更改发生的时间. This type of reporting is essential to guarantee that modifications don’t interfere with the network’s regular operations and that any dangers are minimized.

变更授权(人在循环中)

Configuration management in network management allows for relatively arbitrary scripting of logic and running of code. Usually, it is geared towards automating a conversation with network devices over the secure shell (SSH) linked to the console. This allows network configuration tools to perform anything that an administrator would be able to perform by logging into the device over SSH, asking for information, 并指示它进行配置更改. 这取代了人工识别和更新网络配置的需要.

与设备的对话可以自动化以提高速度, consistency, 以及您想要应用于设备配置的更改的可伸缩性. It can be done to more than one device or more than one port on multiple devices through network configuration management software.

此过程的风险在于,自动化网络配置更改可能会导致意想不到的结果. 变更授权流程有时会与NCCM工具一起出现,以使人们保持在循环中. 让网络管理员参与建议的更改可以帮助最小化意外结果, maximize your policy compliance, and decrease network downtime!

虚拟网络中的配置管理

有物理网络设备或虚拟网络设备(软件)可用, 但是在管理虚拟设备和物理设备之间通常没有区别. An example of a virtual product is a Palo Alto virtual firewall that can be bought as a physical device or as software.

网络安全中的配置管理

One of the most important components of keeping a safe and functional network environment is configuration management in network security. To ensure that network device, system, 安全机制设置遵循安全策略, best practices, and compliance standards, 您必须有条不紊地管理和调节这些配置.

Firmware Management

Network configuration management and firmware management go hand in hand since network device firmware is essential to the overall efficiency, security, and function of a network. 系统地应用固件更新, tested, 并以受控的方式记录, 最小化与过时或易受攻击的固件配置相关的风险.

网络配置管理vs. 网络配置监控

取决于你选择的工具, 网络配置监控可以看作是网络配置管理的一个子类.

For example, within Entuity,公园广场的网络监控软件, network config monitoring uses the same communication automation engine to perform conversations to devices with the intent of instructing them to retrieve their configuration file(s). These files can be pulled back to the network configuration management software for analysis and potential archiving. 这允许对具有变更历史的配置文件进行自动归档.

网络配置管理器插入电缆

 

Entuity keeps a back copy of older network configurations when the changes were detected since recent versions of configurations can change regularly. This allows files to be available for viewing within the console and allows archived copies to be retrieved. For example, reinstalling an older copy so that the configuration version can be effectively rolled back is available.

这在需要更换设备的硬件故障情况下也很重要. A copy of the most recent configuration on the failed device is needed for installation on the replacement. 配置的自动存档是必要的,以防需要它在瞬间通知.

如何评估网络配置管理工具

Selecting the network configuration management suite that best suits the requirements of your company requires careful evaluation. 明智的决策是基于功能的, features, ease of use, scalability, security and more.

1. Reporting capability

Reporting is tied into configuration management and monitoring; a list can be gathered of all the devices for which your company is monitoring configurations and tell which ones are currently failing. 有策略检查哪些设备上传配置文件失败, and which are successful.

2. Vendor-Specific Vs. Multi-Vendor

A differentiator in the marketplace is that some network device configuration management tools are available from hardware vendors, 而且它们只适用于那个供应商的设备. Then there are tools available from third parties not affiliated with the vendor (like Entuity) which are multi-vendor in scope.

Today, 如果公司已经拥有某个供应商的设备, 然后就会有使用他们软件的诱惑. 是否有可能引进新设备, 要么是因为个人决定,要么是因为合并或收购, 这将使解决更广泛的设备需求变得困难.

3. Policy Compliance Monitoring

网络配置遵从性意味着根据集中的公司策略进行检查. Every company has policy-checking capabilities which allows checking for patterns in the existing configuration files. 如果找不到所需的模式,则会引发警报. 如果存在不应该存在的模式,也可能会发出警报, 因为这可能会导致安全问题.

的公共社区字符串就是一个例子 SNMP. 如果正在使用公共社区字符串, 这违反了网络设备安全的第一条规则. The same goes for management protocols; the default access password should never be put on a production device because it is a security hazard.

The policies can be adjusted and defined by the customers and can be done individually on different devices if required. This is a way of picking up problems that are introduced by configuration changes that have gone unnoticed. 每次从设备上传配置文件, 将执行策略检查,并报告与设计策略规则的任何偏差.

4. 策略失败的自动补救/回滚

Network Configuration Change Management (NCCM) covers detecting change but also remediating policy failures using techniques such as rolling back to the most recent “good” configuration. So, 如果有人做了一个没有通过策略检查的更改, 它将自动回滚到以前的版本.

Historically many organizations do not want administrators automating changes being made to their configurations, 但是不同的组织对自动化有不同的看法.

Park Place Technologies的网络配置管理十大赌博正规老平台

Park Place Technologies can effectively manage network configurations for your company while prioritizing compliance, security, and network operations. 通过实现网络配置管理十大赌博正规老平台, network administrators have more time on their hands for digital transformation projects which lead to a stronger data center.

如果你有内部人才,并正在寻找一个获奖 企业网管软件, Entuity SoftwareTM is the solution for you.

或者,如果你的团队已经捉襟见肘,我们的 IT基础设施管理十大赌博正规老平台 能帮你消除IT方面的琐事吗. With the help of our powerful monitoring technologies and our 24×7 Enterprise Operations Center (EOC) engineers, we will keep an eye on your network assets and apply updates and critical maintenance on a regular basis.

John Diamond Sr. Solutions Architect, Product

About the Author

John Diamond, Sr. Solutions Architect, Product