ComBrio, which for the past year has delivered appliances to help service providers manage customer networks, is turning the tables somewhat and giving network managers a tool for managing service providers.

The company this week is introducing Virtual Service Infrastructure (VSI) Software Suite 2.0, a Linux server-based program designed for installation in corporate data centers or remote offices.

The software lets companies set policies on how service providers connect to their networks. Using VSI's Service Control feature, customers could require their service providers to connect to their networks via ComBrio's product. Customers need to leave specific ports available.

Jeff Kaplan, managing director at consulting firm Thinkstrategies, says the VSIenterprise add-on to VSI Service Control could give network managers a simplified approach to managing outsourcers and a comprehensive audit trail of network access for regulatory compliance purposes.

Charles O'Donnell says VSI Service Control could help him deliver service over a consistent and secure connection to customers and VSIenterprise could give customers a better way to manage their outsourced jobs. The vice president of managed services for Liebert Global Services, a maintenance and on-site repair company for computer systems in Columbus, Ohio, says he is field testing both products and expects to put them into production in 2006.

"The ComBrio gateway allows us to have a single point of communication that is restricted to our specific devices, and that gives customers control over access, without requiring a change in their firewall policies," O'Donnell says.

VSI Service Control starts at about $30,000. The first license of VSIenterprise is free and then costs $3,000 per service provider.