Configuration Change Management tool
Network Configuration Management » Configuration Change Management tool » Network Configuration management for MSP

Why do you need a configuration change management tool?

Configurations are the backbone of a stable network environment. Even a seemingly minor, unintentional change can cause major disruptions in your enterprise network, leading to downtime and security vulnerabilities.

A configuration change management (CCM) tool is crucial for monitoring and controlling these changes. It ensures that every change made to your device configurations is carefully tracked, managed, and validated. Without such a tool, frequent and unmanaged changes can expose your network to configuration errors, security breaches, and potential disasters. By providing oversight and automation, configuration change management tools help maintain network stability and reliability.

What is Network Configuration Manager?

Network Configuration Manager is a comprehensive network configuration and change management (NCCM) tool designed to automate the process of tracking and managing configuration changes. It offers a wide range of features, including:

  • Versioning and labeling to keep track of configuration history.
  • Real-time change detectionto identify and respond to modifications instantly.
  • Configuration rollbacks for quick recovery from unwanted changes.
  • Automated backups to secure stable configurations for disaster recovery.
  • Configuration comparison to pinpoint faulty configuration lines.
  • Approval workflows for greater control over who can make changes.
  • Change notifications to alert you when updates cause issues.
Hassle-free configuration change management with Network Configuration Manager
Compliance audits
 

Network Configuration Manager automates compliance checks to ensure that industry policies like CIS, SOX, and HIPAA are consistently followed. Every time a backup occurs, NCM runs a compliance audit, generating alerts and reports for any violations.

Custom policies
 

Network Configuration Manager allows you to create custom policies to specific organizational needs. You can define new rules, group them, and create policies that suit particular devices or compliance requirements.

Track compliance status
 

Network Configuration Manager tracks compliance across all network devices, flagging violations based on severity—critical, major, or warning. If a violation occurs, network administrators can remotely fix it using pre-configured remediation templates created when setting up custom policies.

Compliance audits
Custom policies
Track compliance status
Change notifications
 

Get real-time change notifications via syslog, SNMP traps, email, or ticketing systems. This ensures any authorized or unauthorized configuration change is instantly reported, allowing admins to act quickly and maintain control over the network.

Config comparison
 

NCM’s config comparison feature lets admins easily compare current and past configurations, highlighting changes with distinct colors using Diff View. This helps quickly spot modifications, even in configurations that contain thousands of lines.

Reports
 

Detailed configuration reports help network admins monitor configuration changes over time.

  • Change Detection Reportshighlight authorized and unauthorized changes.
  • Change Trend and Change Analysis Reportsreveal patterns and frequencies of changes to spot unusual activity.
  • Startup-Running Conflict Reportsidentify discrepancies between startup and running configurations.
Change notifications
Config comparison
Reports
 
 

Key features that make this configuration change management tool the best choice for network admins

Versioning and labelingConfiguration comparisonAutomating backupsConfiguration rollbackChange notificationsRoll-based access control

Versioning and labelling for complete configuration traceability

  • Automatically versions every configuration by comparing live changes with the latest backup.
  • Instantly identify what changed by comparing current and past configuration versions.
  • Label stable configurations as baselines and organize others with custom tags.
  • Quickly revert to known-good configurations to simplify troubleshooting and reduce risk.
Learn how configuration versioning works
Versioning and labelling for complete configuration traceability

Configuration comparison for accurate change validation

  • Compare two configuration files side by side to spot changes instantly.
  • Highlight additions, deletions, and modifications with clear color-coded indicators.
  • See who made each change, when it was made, and where it occurred.
  • Identify whether changes came from manual, scheduled, or automated backups.
Discover how this feature works
Configuration comparison for accurate change validation

Automated backups for reliable configuration recovery

  • Schedule regular configuration backups across all network devices.
  • Automatically capture new configurations when critical changes occur.
  • With automated backups, minimize downtime with quick restoration during failures or outages.
  • Keep configurations up to date without manual effort.
Automate configuration backups
Automated backups for reliable configuration recovery

Rollback to stable configurations for uninterrupted operations

  • Instantly roll back devices to previous or trusted configuration versions.
  • Label stable configurations as baselines for faster recovery.
  • Quickly undo misconfigurations that cause outages or disruptions.
  • Restore normal network operations with minimal downtime.
Recover from misconfigurations faster
Rollback to stable configurations for uninterrupted operations

Real-time change notifications for operational awareness

  • Receive real-time alerts for configuration changes as they occur.
  • Get notified via email, SNMP traps, syslog messages, or service desk tickets.
  • With real-time change notifications, automatically detect changes by comparing live configs with latest backups.
  • Customize alerts to focus on critical or specific configuration updates.
Get notified of configuration changes instantly
Real-time change notifications for operational awareness

Change approval workflows for controlled configuration management

  • Define roles and restrict access to devices, configlets, and tags.
  • Let users submit configuration change requests instead of making direct changes.
  • Approve, reject, or execute changes with full administrative control.
  • Prevent unauthorized changes in multi-user network environments.
Enforce role-based configuration control
Change approval workflows for controlled configuration management

Benefits of deploying a Network Configuration Change Management Tool

Ensure configuration changes comply with regulations

Network configuration change management tools help ensure that all the configuration changes follow regulatory and organizational standards. These tools automate compliance checks and flag violations, making it easy to fix issues quickly using pre-prepared remediation templates. This reduces the risk of non-compliance and keeps the network secure.

Recover from configuration errors quickly

Errors in network configurations can cause interruptions and downtime. Network configuration and change management tools allow you to roll back to a previous stable configuration immediately, minimizing the impact of mistakes. This ensures fast recovery and keeps business operations running smoothly.

Avoid vulnerabilities due to configuration changes

Improper configuration changes can expose the network to security risks. A network configuration change management tool monitors and validates all changes, preventing errors that could lead to vulnerabilities. Alerts and logs also help quickly detect and fix any suspicious activity.

Track who made changes and when

Tracking changes is important for accountability and troubleshooting. Network configuration change management tools log who made each change, when it was made, and what was altered. This makes it easier to identify and resolve issues while improving team collaboration and oversight.

Deploy configuration changes in bulk

Manually updating network devices' configurations takes time and can lead to errors. With network configuration change management tools, you can apply configuration changes to multiple devices at once from a central server. This saves time, ensures consistency, and reduces the chances of configuration errors.

Gain visibility into configuration changes across your distributed network

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FAQs about network configuration change management tool

How to choose the best network configuration change management tool?

 

Choosing the best network configuration change management tool begins with understanding your network’s specific needs and priorities. Here are key factors to consider:

  • Device compatibility: Ensure the tool supports all types of devices in your network, including routers, switches, and firewalls. It should also work seamlessly with devices from multiple vendors to avoid compatibility issues.
  • Essential features: Look for features like automated backups, compliance validation, bulk configuration deployment, and error recovery options. These capabilities improve efficiency and reduce manual work.
  • Integration and usability: The tool should integrate smoothly with your existing IT systems and provide secure access controls. A user-friendly interface is also important to simplify adoption by your team.
  • Cost and scalability: Ensure the tool fits within your budget and offers scalability to accommodate network growth. Testing a demo or trial version can help you evaluate its performance and suitability before committing.

What is a network configuration change management tool?

 

Why is network change management important?

 

Discover more about Network Configuration Manager

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Customer reviews

Your peers approve Network Configuration Manager
- Rob Calhoun, W.C. Bradley Company
"Network Configuration Manager has worked very well for us. Their technical support has been outstanding and they have gone above and beyond what I would have expected. I would highly recommend this product for anyone who would like to successfully manage their configuration files for all of their devices. "
Your peers approve Network Configuration Manager
- Larry Ware, Federal Signal Global Network Boffin
"Manageengine Network Configuration Manager has proven a very useful tool to help Federal Signal, Inc. manage multiple vendors equipment across multiple geographic locations. It has allowed us to effectively manage remote device configurations and implement effective change control for network infrastructure. "
Your peers approve Network Configuration Manager
- Kevin Spies, Manager of Network Operations, Lightyear Network Solutions, LLC
"Network Configuration Manager is a very powerful configuration management tool. Network Configuration Manager has saved us a great deal of time if a problem does arise because we know we can immediately pull the history of changes made and roll back the running configuration to a last known good configuration if needed. If you are someone that is currently wondering how to get a handle on your configurations changes then Network Configuration Manager is for you."
Your peers approve Network Configuration Manager
- Neil C. Perry, IT Manager, Stoops Freightliner-Quality Trailer, Inc
"Network Configuration Manager has helped us save a great deal of time in rolling out configuration changes to numerous network devices within minutes rather than hours, or even days. The automated approach on backups allows us to sleep at night knowing that we always have the most up to date configurations of our devices. The web interface quickly gives you a user friendly snapshot of the status of your devices providing you the knowledge of what devices are backed up, not backed up, have start/run conflicts, etc. NCM is by far the biggest bang for your buck on the market. It's an absolute must for network admins of enterprises of all sizes."
 
 

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