Networks are becoming more critical to the enterprise and are increasingly complicated. Today the network and those managing it have to support new demands on business like employees split between working at home and starting to come back into the office. With more of the work we all do every day going over an enterprise network, the network needs to be operating as designed to ensure not only reliable user access to apps and data, but also that security is always enforced. 

The people managing these enterprise networks are inundated with work. Not only do they have to keep up with new technology, but they have to maintain what they have deployed. Automation is essential to be able to keep up with everything, but when it comes to managing remote network infrastructure like routers, switches, firewalls and more, traditional network management tools have some serious limitations. 

These management tools include software deployed in the network operations center (NOC) that goes over the very network that it is managing to reach network infrastructure, and out-of-band access solutions that use a separate network connection (think a phone line or cellular) to provide network admins with access to gear. NOC-based solutions are highly useful when the network is up, but the reliance on the network means that when there is an issue with gear and the network is down, they aren't of much value. Traditional out-of-band access by itself only provides an admin with a link to gear-they still have to do all the work from problem awareness to triage to resolution manually.

To effectively deliver reliable network automation, you need a combination of these two types of tools, which is what Uplogix has invented. By moving management software into the rack of network gear onsite and connecting over an out-of-band link, you get the best of both worlds - Uplogix calls it going beyond out-of-band. 

It's like having a network admin in a box! Continuous monitoring of gear combined with the ability to take automated remediation steps (the same steps that a network admin would take), plus the ability to provide secure remote access for issues that require human attention gives admins a platform for management that simplifies their day while making the network more secure. 

Reliable automation of network management functions can make the network more resilient and improve life for network admins. It's estimated that over 50% of network outages are caused by human error, yet 70% of management tasks are still manual. Admins are busy people. Busy people will make mistakes, but also be tempted take shortcuts which can lead to errors and potential security risks.

CIOs recognize the importance of automation and optimizing resources to drive down costs. In fact, Gartner says 53% of CIOs intend to implement automation solutions to achieve cost-optimization. Smarter platforms like Uplogix lets admins offload routine tasks with the confidence of having an out-of-band link to reach their gear when needed. This frees up time to focus on innovation and keeping up with security, which is an ongoing battle.

One issue that many network admins must face is integrating disparate networking gear after a merger or acquisition. Single-vendor management tools aren't designed for this, but a platform like Uplogix provides both base-level connectivity over the console port and also a rules engine that enables admins to create custom automation without the need for scripts which are hard to maintain and often operate outside of the security envelope. 

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Networking gear is deployed in a wide variety of locations from lights-out data centers to branch offices to manufacturing and production sites. Often these locations are supported not with onsite, 24x7 staff, but remote admins that often find themselves driving to sites, utilizing expensive "smart hands" contract services for onsite work, or worse, just neglecting routine device management tasks. 

Uplogix provides secure remote access that works just like an onsite admin plugging their laptop into a device. Integration with existing Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) services ensures only the right people have the right access to equipment and everything they do is tracked. This is extremely important for compliance-heavy networks like those in the government, healthcare, financial and energy industries.

Network security is paramount in any industry today. The National Security Agency (NSA) recently published guidelines on using out-of-band management to create a framework that improves network security by segmenting management traffic from operational traffic to prevent malicious actors from impacting network operations and compromising network infrastructure. This recommendation reaffirms the Uplogix stance on network management. Out-of-band management enables both reliable automation and also increases cybersecurity. 

Should there be a hack of network infrastructure, Uplogix can be the first to notify of issues as well as the fastest way to respond. Continuous monitoring of network infrastructure ensures that when there are issues, networks are notified immediately. In any hack, response time is critical. Uplogix can also put the network into a "safe mode," limiting functionality to effectively quarantine sections of the network with the ability to push configuration changes to one device or simultaneously to thousands deployed across the network.  Then using this same functionality, sections of the network can be brought back up without the need for onsite visits as the security situation becomes clearer.

Secure remote access, the ability to connect admins to gear as if they were physically together, is a core function. Uplogix expands on this with modular options so organizations can deploy the best link for each site. Options include cellular, standard phone (POTS) lines, fiber, secondary Ethernet, and satellite connections for access to gear literally anywhere on the planet.

In addition to an industry leading technical solution, Uplogix has best-in-class technical support. Based in the Austin, Texas headquarters, the support team is always available to assist with troubleshooting or configuration. Often Uplogix' in-depth monitoring reveals issues that the support team helps customers solve-even when the problem isn't with Uplogix but some other part of the network. Uplogix Support is all about customer success.