Start-up tackles net discovery

A new company says it can help network executives better manage and secure their network by providing more information on hardware and software assets.

Insightix next week is set to launch its Dynamic Infrastructure Discovery (DID) technology and vendor representatives say the technology can help IT managers better manage, secure and keep their networks in compliance. The product uses a combination of active and passive discovery systems to get an accurate inventory of network devices, servers and switches.

"You need to know what you have to be able to properly manage and secure it," says Joseph Dell, vice president of North America for Insightix. "If you aren't aware of all your servers, you can't make sure they are all patched, for example."

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A new company says it can help network executives better manage and secure their network by providing more information on hardware and software assets.

Insightix next week is set to launch its Dynamic Infrastructure Discovery (DID) technology and vendor representatives say the technology can help IT managers better manage, secure and keep their networks in compliance. The product uses a combination of active and passive discovery systems to get an accurate inventory of network devices, servers and switches.

"You need to know what you have to be able to properly manage and secure it," says Joseph Dell, vice president of North America for Insightix. "If you aren't aware of all your servers, you can't make sure they are all patched, for example."

The Insightix DID uses an Insightix Collector that incorporates both active and passive network discovery engines. The passive monitors from a span port or a tap and collects information on network devices. The active collection engine goes out and queries specific network devices to gather more information. For example, passively it is difficult to distinguish between Windows XP and Windows 2003, Dell explains.

The product also uses an Insightix Manager that collects and aggregates the data gathered from multiple Collectors to display and maintain an up-to-date network infrastructure inventory and map. The product requires no agent software or endpoint configuration changes, and the system can be deployed on a single departmental network or throughout the enterprise, Insightix says.

Also the product automatically updates the data and topology maps, as devices are added to the network, helping IT managers keep an up-to-date inventory for compliance audits. The system includes a Web-based interface that provides real-time alerts, network utilization data and comprehensive reporting. And according to Dell, both the inventory and map are searchable.

Pricing begins at $4,000 for 100 devices.  The product runs on any network and is available from Insightix channel partners. 

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