Your network operations staff has to keep up with a continuing barrage of configura-

tion change requests and vendor security advisories. At the same time, the staff has

to ensure that all configuration changes are implemented in a controlled, error-free,

and auditable manner. That presents a significant challenge.

Today’s network infrastructures typically include hundreds or thousands of disparate

devices scattered across remote locations that may span several continents. What’s

more, as a result of acquisitions and industry consolidation, similar devices from the

same vendor may have substantially different management capabilities. New software

versions for the same device commonly revise management command languages

and their parameters. As if that weren’t enough, budgets and headcounts don’t grow

at the same pace as the network infrastructure.

The result: too much to do, too many different tools, and not enough staff and financial

resources. The answer: BMC Configuration Automation for Networks.

With this advanced solution, you will know instantly the “who, what, when, and

where” of configuration changes. You’ll react to vendor security advisories in

minutes — not days. You’ll provision new devices in accordance with configuration

standards — the first time, every time.

This easy-to-use, easy-to-install solution provides instant change visibility, so you’ll

simplify release and change management, audit change across the network, and

enforce compliance to configuration best practices. From a single platform, you’ll

automate config uration management across multi-vendor network devices — routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, and wireless access points.

With BMC Configuration Automation for Networks, you will:

Eliminate the number one cause of network outages > — erroneous configuration

changes — through policy driven automation

Reduce operational costs by up to 80 percent through automation >

Ensure and demonstrate continuous compliance with internal best practices >and regulatory standards

Reduce reaction time to vendor security advisories from days to minutes >

bmc configuration automation for NetworksGain unprecedented visibility, control, and efficiency across configuration changes

bmc configuration automation for Networks controls and manages device configurations across complex It networks by providing instant change visibility, simplifying release and change management, auditing network­wide change, and enforcing configuration best practices.

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solutIoN brIef

Improve mean time to repair through proactive change impact awareness and one-click, >backout procedures

Improve efficiency and reduce costs by eliminating the need for vendor-specific staff and >tools, and for time-consuming scripting methods

GAIN REAL-TIME, ENTERPRISEwIdE CHANGE VISIBILITyBMC Configuration Automation for Networks provides a real-time dashboard view of the

configuration status of network devices across the enterprise. You see, at a glance, which

devices have drifted from their baseline configurations or are out of compliance with internal

best practices and enabled policies. You can easily drill down for more details to gain

immediate change visibility, identify configuration or policies discrepancies, or remediate

problematic changes.

The solution keeps the information current, tracking all changes being made — whether

or not those changes are made through the solution itself. It records all device changes

through real-time tracking. It notes what changes have been made, when the changes

have been made, and who has made them. The solution also archives configuration data

as changes are made, maintaining a complete historical database of configuration states.

You see change details at a glance, and can easily determine drift from baseline configurations

or compliancy policies. What’s more, you can easily roll back to any prior configuration,

including the last known trusted configuration — with a single mouse click. Because roll back

does not require a reboot of the device, it doesn’t disrupt service.

Consequently, you can shrink your network audit window to real time, and move quickly

and decisively to address changes that could disrupt service or introduce security risks.

The detailed change audit trail recorded by the solution reduces the cost of maintaining

and demonstrating compliance with corporate policies and government regulations.

BMC Configuration Automation for Networks also helps speed problem diagnosis. Upon

receiving a third-party event indicating a problem in a device, the solution notes recent

configuration changes made to that device that may have contributed to the problem.

This information provides valuable insight into problem diagnosis.

AUTOMATE CHANGE ANd PROVISIONINGLike many organizations, you’re probably faced with implementing a large number of

changes across hundreds, maybe thousands, of disparate network devices, and you’re

under pressure to push the changes out quickly. With BMC Configuration Automation

for Networks, you no longer need to make changes manually, nor do you need to write

device-specific change scripts for backing out problematic changes, implementing mass

changes, or enforcing configuration standards. The solution automates the processes

of staging, assessing, reviewing, approving, scheduling, implementing, verifying, and

reconciling configuration changes to ensure a reliable, closed-loop change process.

Automation eliminates inefficient, error-prone manual steps that are difficult to track and

control. As a result, you minimize the risk of outages due to errors, and ensure regulatory

compliance. In addition, you eliminate the need for vendor-specific staff and tools, saving

a considerable amount of money. BMC Configuration Automation for Networks currently

provides adapters for more than 30 vendors and more than 1,000 device models — and

these numbers continue to increase.

UNIFIEd CONFIGURATION ANd COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENTRegulatory guidelines require that organizations establish and report on their internal control

structure. Therefore, illustrating control, understanding configuration drift, and maintaining

up-to-date documentation has become critical for today’s IT organizations.

BMC Configuration Automation for Networks enables IT organizations to extend compliance

initiatives to the network infrastructure. It also allows compliance to be a by-product of

network change and configuration management processes, not a costly manual exercise.

The BMC differenceAutomatically generates the change scripts >used to implement mass change requests, enforce policies, and perform non-disruptive rollbacks

Simplifies access control list (ACL) manage- >ment and eliminates security vulnerabilities during updates

Ensures continuous compliance with internal >and regulatory standards though real-time, policy-based compliance auditing

Maintains a trusted baseline configuration for >one-click comparison and non-disruptive rollback

Assesses the impact of changes by correlating >reported service problems with prior configuration changes

Return on Investment in Action

a leading financial services organization:

Saved more than $250,000 in annual >labor costs

Reduced its network audit window from >90 days to real time

Reduced reaction time to vendor security >advisories from 30-60 days to 30 minutes

Reduced time to introduce new vendor >equipment in accordance with standards and policies from six months to one day

Eliminated the risk of fines for non-compliance >through automated compliance audits

The solution dramatically enhances your ability to institute and enforce change workflow

processes to improve network operations and MTTR. BMC Configuration Automation for

Networks provides real-time monitoring, auditing, reporting, and enforcement of policy-

based compliance and security rules. The solution audits for compliancy as changes are

made. By automating and understanding configuration change at the network level, IT

organizations are better prepared to prevent unauthorized change, reduce downtime,

improve network operations, and enforce compliance.

With BMC, you can accelerate the delivery of new services, reduce the risk of change,

improve productivity, lower the unit cost of management, and enforce operational,

security, and regulatory compliance.

EXTENd BSM TO yOUR NETwORk INFRASTRUCTUREThrough integration with other BMC and third-party solutions, BMC Configuration

Automation for Networks enables a service-focused model that provides cross-silo

interaction, as well as information-sharing and coordinated change management across

technology domains. It enables you to manage your networks from the perspective

of the business, an approach called Business Service Management (BSM). BSM combines

best-practice IT processes (such as support for the IT Infrastructure Library® or ITIL®),

automated technology management, and a shared view of how IT resources directly

support the business.

BMC Configuration Automation for Networks is a key component of the BMC Service

Automation solution, extending automation and orchestration of business services across

the network infrastructure. This comprehensive solution enables you to manage all

components of your IT infrastructure — networks, servers, clients, and applications — from the perspective of the business service. Through automated workflow, you link

people, process, and technology; optimize each; and combine all three into a tightly-

integrated service delivery capability. BMC Service Automation enables you to achieve

BSM by helping you better understand your IT environment and control changes with

policy-based action. The result is greater efficiency, lower cost, and improved delivery.

As part of the comprehensive BMC Service Automation solution, BMC Configuration

Automation for Networks has practical integrations with the BMC Atrium Configuration

Management Database (CMDB) and BMC Remedy Change Management.

The BMC Atrium CMDB

Through integration with the BMC Atrium CMDB, BMC Configuration Automation for

Networks provides a comprehensive view of network configuration items (CI), including

change history, compliance drift, and detailed inventory and configuration attributes. You

can view the relationships of network devices to each other, as well as to other components

of the IT infrastructure. You can also view the business services supported by each network

device. As a result, you can act based on business impact and priority, maximizing efficiency.

In addition, you can notify users proactively of impending problems and keep them informed

of resolution status.

BMC Remedy Change Management

Integration with BMC Remedy Change Management provides centralized control of network

change across the data center and beyond. This integration aligns and reconciles change

and incident tickets created by BMC Remedy Change Management to network configuration

changes made by BMC Configuration Automation for Networks. The associated change

requests can be staged within either of the two integrated solutions, facilitating

communication across silos.

BMC pioneered Business Service Management to ensure effective and efficient integration of IT with business, and now has the most customers using BSM to positively impact their business. BMC delivers complete BSM solutions, including industry-leading software and the following services:

consulting services

Leverage proven methodology to >imple ment BSM with predictable results and consistent quality

Accelerate ROI when addressing >specific IT process areas or the entire BSM spectrum

Engage industry leaders to maximize >the benefits of BSM

customer support

Ensure successful deployment and >optimal operation of BMC solutions

Benefit from quality support using global >strategy and superior technology

educational services

Experience quality “solution-based” >classes oriented around BSM processes and technologies

Learn from the leading provider >of ITIL Certification training

about bmc softwareBMC Software delivers the solutions IT

needs to increase business value through

better management of technology and IT

processes. Our industry-leading Business

Service Management solutions help you

reduce cost, lower risk of business disrup-

tion, and benefit from an IT infrastructure

built to support business growth and flex-

ibility. Only BMC provides best-practice

IT processes, automated technology

management, and award-winning BMC

Atrium technologies that offer a shared

view into how IT services support business

priorities. Known for enterprise solutions

that span mainframe, distributed systems,

and end-user devices, BMC also delivers

solutions that address the unique challenges

of the midsized business. Founded in 1980,

BMC has offices worldwide and fiscal

2007 revenues of $1.58 billion. Activate

your business with the power of IT.

www.bmc.com.

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FOR MORE INFORMATIONTo find out more about BMC Configuration Automation for Networks, visit:

www.bmc.com/networkconfiguration or call (800) 841-2031.

BMC, BMC Software, and the BMC Software logo are the exclusive properties of BMC Software, Inc., are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other BMC trademarks, service marks, and logos may be registered or pending registration in the U.S. or in other countries. ITIL® is a registered trademark, and a registered community trademark of the Office of Government Commerce, and is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and is used here by BMC Software, Inc., under license from and with the permission of OGC. IT Infrastructure Library® is a registered trademark of the Office of Government Commerce and is used here by BMC Software, Inc., under license from and with the permission of OGC. UNIX is the registered trademark of The Open Group in the US and other countries. IBM is the trademark or registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both. Sun is the trademark or registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2008 Copyright BMC Software, Inc. All rights reserved.