AlterPoint Launches First Open Source Community for Network Configuration Management.ZipTie Project Provides an Open Alternative to Proprietary Vendor-Specific Network Tools AUSTIN, Texas -- AlterPoint, Inc., a leader in advanced network management solutions, announced today at the Gartner Enterprise Networking The networking infrastructure in a large enterprise with multiple computer systems and networks of different types is extraordinarily complex. Due to the myriad of interfaces that are required, much of what goes on has little to do with the real data processing of the payroll and orders. Summit an open source project named ZipTie. The goal of ZipTie is to create a community that will advance network management beyond the limitations imposed by proprietary, vendor provided device management. The ZipTie community, which can be accessed at ziptie.org, will allow network engineers to leverage AlterPoint's enterprise caliber network configuration and mediation mediation, in law, type of intervention in which the disputing parties accept the offer of a third party to recommend a solution for their controversy. Mediation has long been a part of international law, frequently involving the use of an international commission, technology to reduce their reliance on vendor supplied device management solutions which have limited value when managing a complex, multi-vendor network. ZipTie open source software is a framework for network inventory management that expands device coverage for network engineering and operations teams and offers open source network management technology that goes beyond monitoring. The project will also help network equipment providers and network and systems management vendors by offering an open, extensible framework for easy integration. "Open source technology brings a number of natural benefits to the market place," said Robert Bays, chief technical officer of Vyatta. "Among these are greater flexibility and increased speed of development by harnessing the energies of an entire open-source ecosystem. As an open source router router Portable electric power tool used in carpentry and furniture making that consists of an electric motor, a base, two handle knobs, and bits (cutting tools). A router can cut fancy edges for shelving, grooves for storm windows and weather stripping, circles and ovals vendor, we think it's a natural evolution to see the development of high-quality open-source network management tools. We're looking forward to interoperation between Vyatta's Open Flexible Router (OFR Ofr Oberfranken (German) OFR Operating and Financial Review OFR Office of the Federal Register (US NARA) OFr Old French (linguistics) OFR Optics for Research ) and ZipTie." ZipTie features include: * Discovery, backup and restoration of network device configurations * Comparison of network device configurations across devices and over time * Detection of configuration changes * Distribution of single- and multi-device configuration changes * Organized, extensible set of tools for performing administration tasks to any network device * Single, common 'language' for controlling the configuration of any network device, regardless of manufacturer "Configuration management technology is one of the fastest growing areas in the IT operations management Operations management is an area of business that is concerned with the production of goods and services, and involves the responsibility of ensuring that business operations are efficient and effective. marketplace," says Cameron Haight, research VP at Gartner Inc. "End users seeking solutions in this area owe it to themselves to fully understand the wide range of options available including the potential use of open source alternatives." The configuration 'gap' in network management While network monitoring The term network monitoring describes the use of a system that constantly monitors a computer network for slow or failing systems and that notifies the network administrator in case of outages via email, pager or other alarms. and performance tools are widely deployed in enterprise networks, administrators are left out in the cold when it comes to inspecting, controlling and changing the millions of configuration settings that exist across thousands of network devices. Their only options are to develop their own sophisticated tools from the ground-up or to depend on the complex, proprietary and limited tools provided by each equipment manufacturer. Neither of these approaches works well in practice. Custom configuration tools are difficult and expensive to maintain, and it is incredibly difficult to negotiate the vast array of proprietary tools, each of which only manages a single vendor. A new class of enterprise software called Network Configuration and Change Management has emerged to address these problems. AlterPoint, one of the leading vendors in this market, is seeding the ZipTie project with important foundational technologies from its DeviceAuthority product. AlterPoint will continue to sell its advanced management applications and network CMDB CMDB Configuration Management Data Base CMDB Composite Modified Double Base (Propellant) CMDB Control and Monitor Display Builder CMDB Call Management Database management products (based on standards and best practices like ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library, www.itil.co.uk) One of the more comprehensive as well as non-proprietary and publicly available sets of guidelines for "best practice" IT services management, owned by the British Office of Government Commerce (OGC). ) layered on top of a ZipTie open source foundation. "It's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a that proprietary, siloed device management systems are replaced with an open, flexible approach -- one that encourages a single, common device interface as well as a community based on the free exchange of tools," commented Scott Harmon, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of AlterPoint. "AlterPoint has contributed significant technology and resources to ZipTie so that a broad audience can work together on evolving network management to its rightful place." A key piece of the open source network management puzzle The ZipTie configuration management community will be linked to other important open network management projects to spur the creation of open alternatives to traditional proprietary approaches. ZipTie will include integration and coordination points with other key projects including: * The Nagios open source host, service and network monitoring program * The Open Management Consortium * The Eclipse open development platform for extensible frameworks and tools * Management utilities like MRTG MRTG Multi Router Traffic Grapher , PuTTY, Snort An open source network intrusion detection system (NIDS) that is noted for its effectiveness. Developed by Martin Roesch, Snort can also be used just as a packet logger or packet sniffer. For more information, visit www.snort.org. See IDS. and TACACS (Terminal Access Controller Access Control System) An access control protocol used to authenticate a user logging into the network. TACACS is a simple username/password system. + Availability Software downloads are available now at the community site, ziptie.org. The site also hosts moderated forums, blogs, roadmaps and FAQs for the project. Several ZipTie plug-ins and extensions have already been posted to the site during the recent alpha period. About AlterPoint, Inc. AlterPoint develops advanced network management solutions that maximize network visibility, ensure network compliance and optimize network infrastructure investments. The world's most respected enterprises rely on AlterPoint's DeviceAuthority to proactively manage and automate To turn a set of manual steps into an operation that goes by itself. See automation. their complex, multi-vendor networks. Founded in 2001, AlterPoint is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.alterpoint.com. [c] 2001-2006 AlterPoint, Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. AlterPoint, DeviceAuthority, and their respective logos are trademarks of AlterPoint, Inc. in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and other jurisdictions. All other company or product names mentioned are used only for identification purposes and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. |
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