Too many network incidents are due to configuration errors. Studies show that over 80% of network problems are due to improper configuration and change management. Mistakes like these are costly and can lead to loss of confidential data and mission or business disruption. But configuration errors can be prevented, while still maintaining standards compliance, if you know how to implement a few proven best practices.
This free webinar will show you:
1. The best ways to develop and implement solid configuration baselines
2. What’s needed to monitor and protect configuration baselines from harmful changes
3. How to easily audit configurations for compliance with standards such as DISA STIG, NIST/FISMA and HIPAA
4. Which change controls work best to continuously improve configuration baselines
Quickly drive impactful changes to your organization by eliminating network configuration errors and improving network availability. Register now and plan to join us for this invaluable presentation.
Please use the Q&A chat area on the lower right side to submit your questions – we will be answering your questions during the Q&A session at the end. You can submit a question at any time during the webinar and I encourage you to do so. Today’s webinar is being recorded and we will send out a link to the recording and the slides a few days after the webinar.
Talking PointsNetworks are growing in size and complexity as mission and business demands increaseQuickly evolving to where everything we work and interact with is “connected”As a result, networks host more and more different types of devices from different vendors and with unique configuration requirements“Old ways” of managing don’t scale and don’t work best
Talking pointsNetwork availability has never been more criticalDowntime unfortunately does occur and with it operational disruptionSurprisingly a large number of network service disruptions are due to process and human error configuring and changing device configurationsThink about your network – how many of the last dozen incidents can be traced back toNot following process?Simple mistakesInsufficient knowledge
Network downtime represents more than an inconvenience.Downtime disrupts operations with a financial impactSurveys routinely estimate the fully burdened cost of network downtime to be between $100K and $300K per hourDowntime costs increase rapidly when you factor in the disruptive impact upon the organization and this must be consideredExplore further some of the implications in the “WHY”
Talking PointsPrimary reasons network configuration is so complex is because of 1) lack of standardization, 2) Sheet quantity and diversity of devices and 3) Complexity required to configure devicesExplore these three primary reasons and supporting points
http://www.petri.co.il/cisco-ios-configuration-mistakes.htm#https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/2162135Talking PointsTalk about use cases (how easy it would be to make these mistakes and the resulting impact) for some of these common problem IOS commandsUnderscore the complexity of device configuration and the skill that must be masteredUnderscore the propensity of making mistakes across a staff with varying levels of skillUnderscore this is only for Cisco (and compatible) devices
Talking PointsSo what is the ideal solution -- what is needed?A way to establish a body of known working configurations and to protect themKnow when a configuration changedKnow whether configurations are compliant Know how to quickly
Talking PointsLike most IT problems – the solution often requires a balanced approach consisting of good process, practices and toolsA framework like ITIL can help set a foundation of processes and practicesConfiguration Management is addressed in ITIL under SERVICE TRANSITIONDiscuss process and purposes and benefits
Talking PointsTo summarize to this point we have been talking about why network availability is paramount, what the leading cause of network downtime, why network downtime is so costly, why achieving error-free network configuration is so difficultWhat an ideal solution would look likeHow an IT governance framework can help establish a foundation for process and practiceThis brings us to the heart of our presentation – recommended best practices to help you improve network availability by reducing configuration errorLets explore each one of these in more detail
Talking PointsFirst best practice is to identify each device to be managedTalk about each recommended action to takeWhy is this importantWhat is involvedWhat the benefit isStories / examples
Talking PointsSecond best practice is to drive standardizationTalk about each recommended action to takeWhy is this importantWhat is involvedWhat the benefit isStories / examples
Talking PointsThird best practice is to protect device configurationsTalk about each recommended action to takeWhy is this importantWhat is involvedWhat the benefit isStories / examples
Talking PointsFourth best practice is to assess and report complianceTalk about each recommended action to takeWhy is this importantWhat is involvedWhat the benefit isStories / examples
Talking PointsFifth best practice is to implement effective change controlsTalk about each recommended action to takeWhy is this importantWhat is involvedWhat the benefit isStories / examples
SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM) is a network configuration management solution. NCM is part of the SolarWinds Orion Management platform. The Orion platform offers integrated network performance monitoring, systems and application monitoring, network configuration management, security event monitoring and more. Using Network Configuration Manager, you can increase efficiency, reduce network downtime and manage configuration compliance by managing and automating major configuration management and change management tasks.
Talking PointsReducing Network Configuration errors will improve network availability and provide financial and operations benefitsIn addition, implementing these best practices will improve the standardization, the efficiency of your staff and help improve overall compliance These are relatively easy and low cost practices to implement which will deliver impactful results fast
We will be sharing the recording of today’s webinar and a copy of the presentation slides with each of you via email within the next few days. And now we’re going to take questions from the audience. Please use the Q&A chat area to submit your questions if you haven’t already.