Dorado Software manages multivendor networks
Redcell software can enable customer-provisioned services from a variety of routing, switching devices.
 
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FOLSOM, CALIF. - Dorado Software wants companies to be able to provision their own bandwidth and network services using the company's Redcell management and provisioning software.
Later this year, Dorado will unveil a version of Redcell for enterprise networks. Meanwhile, Redcell is already monitoring and managing devices, and provisioning services in service provider networks.
The software makes it easier for service providers to manage the services they offer to customers, even when equipment made by multiple vendors make up their networks, Dorado officials say. An enterprise version will enable service providers to let their customers change the services they buy on the fly.
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"If a large grocery store chain needed 256K bit/sec extra bandwidth for a videoconference for training, we see that as a potential capability," says Rick Barry, vice president of information services for IP Communications, a broadband service provider in Dallas and a Redcell user.
This self-provisioning also eliminates the need for a customer to contact a service representative, a step where mistakes can be made.
Redcell has four components: Provisioner, which sets up templates for services such as virtual LANs (VLAN); Assure, which monitors and reports on the network; ConfigBuilder, which manages configuration of distributed devices to set up services for individual customers; and MetaPolicy, which stores network policies, information on users, access data, applications, directories and network resources.
For instance, the software can set up a VLAN network for a customer, then impose quality-of-service levels on top of that. So a provider could offer multiple service qualities on its VLAN service and sell them for different prices.
Dorado has no direct competitors for the range of capabilities it offers, says Glenn O'Donnell, project director for Meta Group. But other vendors such as BMC Software, RiverSoft and individual hardware vendors which write software for their own platforms compete against some features of Dorado's offerings, he says.
Orchestream also develops "service acceleration" software that supports Cisco, Juniper Networks and Avici routers.
Dorado boasts Adtran, Cisco, Foundry Networks, Juniper, Lucent, Riverstone and World Wide Packets among about 30 companies with hardware that can be managed using Dorado's Redcell software. If a service provider needs to configure devices from other manufacturers, Dorado can write software to do so on a custom basis, the company says.
The company started out selling its software to hardware vendors that wanted to sell its equipment to service providers that specialize in wireline, high-bandwidth local access.
This year, the company plans to expand further to include wireless and cable providers, according to O'Donnell.
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