Progress WhatsConfigured
Automated Configuration and Change Management for WhatsUp Gold

Overview:

Managing the network configuration and change control processes are important, yet time consuming jobs for Network Admins. When a network configuration is changed, many things can go wrong. The change may not be approved or wanted. The change may not be saved or documented. And worse, the change can break something.

The impact of configuration changes to the network can be significant. They can degrade network performance. They can result in failure to comply with regulatory standards like SOX, PCI, HIPAA and FISMA. And they can compromise network security. WhatsConfigured automates configuration and change management for the routers, switches and firewalls on your network. It archives and audits network configurations, and alerts and reports on any changes. WhatsConfigured is a valuable tool that enables Network Admins to ensure that all devices are running authorized configurations, to secure the network and comply with regulatory standards, and to reduce the time and costs associated with manual and repetitive configuration and change management tasks.

Streamline configuration and change management

• Automatically inventory and store configuration files in a secure repository.
• Automate configuration changes like passwords or enabling/disabling functionality to eliminate accessing each device individually.
• Leverage configuration change audit trails for regulatory compliance and to restore device configuration.
• Get alerts and account for every change made to your network, including unauthorized changes.
• Meet security and compliance guidelines with unlimited stored versions of configuration files and templates for key compliance reports.

Features and Benefits:

Features:

Network Configuration Management

• Securely access network devices based on your choice of industry standard SNMP v1-3, SSH and Telnet protocols
• Download and store unlimited versions of configuration files for each network device to meet security and compliance guidelines
• Securely store password and authentication credentials for each network device to prevent unauthorized changes
• Set up policy definitions for dynamic audit during configuration back up to ensure conformance to policy
• Support compliance requirements for HIPAA, SOX, FISMA and PCI DSS using integrated reports
• Use formatted reports of archived configuration change audit trails for a device or groups of devices to ensure accountability and traceability
• Globally search stored configuration files across custom archives to streamline troubleshooting and configuration management tasks
• Select, view and compare network device configuration files through the WhatsUp Gold dashboard for added convenience
• Export/import custom configuration tasks and associated scripts
• Leverage the WhatsUp Gold workspace, reporting and Alert Center functionality for integrated network management
• Communicate the status of WhatsConfigured application via system log reports
• Enjoy support for a broad range of devices from Cisco, Juniper, HP, Dell, Foundry, Extreme and other vendors

Note: WhatsConfigured is an integrated WhatsUp Gold plug-in that is supported across all WhatsUp Gold editions.

Benefits:

• Increased security and compliance
  • Provides audit trails of configuration changes & out-of-the-box report templates for support of key compliance regulations
  • Alerts when device configuration changes occur – authorized or not
• Improved control over critical infrastructure data
  • Control who has access to device configurations
  • Consistency in configurations across the network
• Sound configurations
  • Establishes known, solid baseline configurations
  • Backup and storage of configuration files
• Increased automation
  • Reduces time to generate and duplicate standardized configurations for common devices
  • Eliminates need to access each device individually
• Reduced risk of downtime
  • Faster response to events where restoring configurations is required
  • Minimizes the potential for human error and misconfigurations

System Requirements:

Operating System Requirements

Following are OS environment recommendations:

• For evaluation purposes, WhatsUp Gold will operate on Windows 7, 8.1, and 10. However, production level support requires Windows Server versions only. See below for supported Windows Server platforms.
• Installing WhatsUp Gold on a domain controller is not recommended or supported.
• If WhatsUp Gold is hosted in virtual environments, to prevent licensing issues, make sure that you assign a static MAC address to the virtual machine on which WhatsUp Gold is operating. Refer to your virtual machine software help documentation for information about assigning a static MAC address for the virtual machine.
• WhatsUp Gold requires dual-core processors @ 2.4 GHz (min). If you are installing WhatsUp Gold on a Virtual Machine, make sure that your guest VM has at least two CPU cores allocated to it. Refer to additional Hardware requirements guidelines below.

WhatsUp Gold supports the following Windows Server platforms:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 (64-bit)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 (64-bit)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit)
• Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 for product evaluation

Recommended System Requirements

• Processor: Quad-Core 2.4 GHz
• Memory: 8 GB
• Storage (installation): 15 GB
• NIC: 100 Mbps
• Operating System: Windows Server 2008 R2 (32-bit or 64-bit) or higher
• Database: SQL Server Express 2008 R2 (32-bit or 64-bit) or higher

FAQ:

What is Network Configuration and Change Management?

Network Change and Configuration Management (NCCM) is the process of maintaining a central record of the configurations of all network devices so that IT can ensure compliance and automate both configuration changes and prevention of configurations that are not allowed.

Why is Network Configuration and Change Management important?

Networks are complex, and as a result network management professionals spend a lot of time developing configurations that stabilize network performance, protect data and secure networks from unauthorized users.

To ensure consistent performance and availability, network configuration changes should occur only as part of documented change management processes that produce a record of all configuration changes.

Fully documented configurations are also necessary to comply with regulations like HIPAA, SOX and BASEL II, as well as to show compliance with Government Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and industry standards such as PCI and ITIL.

How is network configuration and change management data used?

Accurate change and configuration management data is critical to the operation of network devices. In addition, configuration data is vital to operations tasks and process, such as:

• Adding new network devices
• Troubleshooting network problems caused by configuration changes
• Maintaining compliance with network and security policies
• Verifying network device access security
• Automating backup of network device configurations
• Documenting configuration event and change data for detailed audit purposes
• Providing quick access to backup, startup and running configurations
• Enabling manual and automated comparison of different configuration file versions

How does the WhatsConfigured plug-in work?

WhatsConfigured integrates with the WhatsUp Gold network monitoring application. You view WhatsConfigured alerts and reports within the WhatsUp Gold unified dashboard.

How is it licensed?

WhatsConfigured licenses can be purchased for a tiered number of network devices. Currently available tiers are as follows – 10, 25, 100, 300, 500, 1000, 2500, 3500, 5000 network devices. WhatsUp Gold is a pre-requisite for using WhatsConfigured. It does not work as a standalone.

Which network manufacturer equipment support is supported?

WhatsConfigured supports network equipment from multiple manufacturers out of the box. Since this list is regularly updated please check back for changes.

Cisco Switches & Routers	Recommended IOS Versions
800, 1700, 2600, 2800, 3700, 3800	12.4 / 12.4T
Catalyst 2960, 3560, 3750	12.2SE
Catalyst 4500 and 4900	12.2SG
Catalyst 6500	12.2SX
7200, 7301 routers	12.4 / 12.4T / 12.2SB
7304 routers	12.2SB
7500 routers	12.4 / 12.0S
10000 routers	12.2SB
7600 routers	12.2SR

In general, any Cisco device that is running version 8.4 or later of IOS is supported by WhatsConfigured.

Additional Cisco Devices

• Cisco IDS
• Cisco Aironet Wireless Access Points

HP Switches

• 8212zl
• 5400zl
• 5300xl
• 6400cl
• 6200yl
• 6108
• 4200vl
• 3500yl
• 3400cl
• 2910al
• 2610
• 2810
• 2510
• 2500

Juniper

• Juniper J and M series routers
• Juniper EX switches
• NetScreen Firewall

Juniper configuration files can be downloaded using SCP (part of SSH), FTP or TFTP.

Dell PowerConnect

• 3300 Series switch

Other vendors

• All switches from vendors like Foundry and Extreme are also supported.