Network management is a complex task that requires knowledge of myriad devices, multiple protocols and known behaviors.

Over the years, many vendors have worked to incorporate known fixes to common problems, and to some degree, that type of information can be invaluable. But in more cases, no two networks look alike and IT operations teams must tackle their problems with varying means. That's why a recent product enhancement from Netcordia could give network managers a means to automate daily tasks, as well as customize those tasks to their specific network needs. Last week at Interop in New York, Netcordia shared the details of a feature now included in its NetMRI product family.

Now NetMRI customers can employ Configuration Command Scripts (CCS) for their appliances. NetMRI installs on a switch port or router interface and identifies network devices and the ports, or interfaces, being used to route traffic across the net. Network managers input the blocks of IP addresses for the appliance to monitor, and the appliance begins collecting data such as CPU utilization, routing table information, VLAN activities, MAC addresses and port connections. The appliances are packaged with software that in the latest release includes the CCS capabilities.

CCS allows network managers to investigate configuration and performance problems and develop best practices that can be used to automatically update device configurations to solve problems, the company says. CCS can execute on command line interface (CLI) actions, compute if-then scenarios and take actions based on processing trippers, Netcordia explains. The technology applies to platforms from multiple vendors such as Cisco, Juniper, Foundry, Extreme, Nortel, HP and Alcatel.

NetMRI is not used to monitor performance in real time, but rather to show network managers where and how they can better configure their network gear and make changes to optimize network performance. For example, the appliance could alert a network manager if the majority of traffic were being routed through the switch with the least processing power, and the appliance would reveal misconfigured switch ports and instruct users how to optimize their nets.

Though Netcordia builds best practices into its technology, the company with CCS enables its customers to create their own customer practices, which could address site-specific IT addresses or particular network configurations in place in enterprise networks.

Ann Bednarz is associate news editor at Network World.