BackBox enhances network automation with new NCM integration

BackBox, a frontrunner in security-centric automation for network teams, has announced the introduction of Network Configuration Management (NCM) on its Network Automation Platform. This integration enhances the capabilities with automation for better NCM scalability, performance, and utility.

As part of the improvements introduced by BackBox, NCM automation is now integrated into NetOps workflows, offers a searchable configuration repository, and is compatible with ServiceNow. The integration with ServiceNow optimises device discovery by allowing the BackBox Automation Platform to link to the ServiceNow CMDB to import devices. Furthermore, administrators can now automate the process of trouble-ticketing and ticket-enrichment, including the ability to open and close tickets and populate technical details into a ticket. These updates aim to streamline problem investigation and save time.

Andrew Kahl, CEO of BackBox, stated: "With a proven track record of network and security device automation, BackBox is creating new opportunities for network administrators to improve their teams' performance." Kahl notes that the inclusion of more robust NCM capabilities into their automation platform empowers network operations teams to enhance network security, increase performance, and speed up problem resolution.

The advancements cater to the evolving expectations in network automation platforms. The recently released Gartner's Market Guide for Network Automation Platforms (Q4 2023) labelled NCM capabilities as standard requirements for a network automation platform. According to Gartner, this inclusion denotes that modern NCM architecture should be built on automation rather than as an extension of network monitoring, as previously considered.

The newly introduced BackBox NCM builds onto an automation platform, taking traditional NCM to a higher level. The platform delivers out-of-the-box simplicity and rapid value for NCM use cases, enables enhanced NCM performance and scalability, and integrates smoothly into the cloud-native world of NetOps via an API-first approach. This approach eliminates the need for scripting languages such as Python or YAML. Plus, it provides broad multivendor support, including firewalls and other security devices, extending NCM's range relative to other solutions.

Reflecting on the new development, Josh Stephens, CTO Emeritus and Board Advisor of BackBox, remarked: "BackBox NCM's no-code automation means that engineers don't also have to be developers. The API-first approach means that any automation can be integrated into a NetOps workflow." Stephens further highlighted the economic advantage of implementing BackBox NCM stating: "With the fastest time to value and lowest total cost of ownership, BackBox NCM is an easy economic decision."

BackBox powers The BackBox Automation Platform for Network Teams, which supports network and security device automation of over 180 vendors, with thousands of security-centric pre-built automations and a scripting-free way to build new ones. Enterprises and managed service providers worldwide use BackBox to automate and audit anything an admin could do manually, with reliable automations that are flexible, scalable, and contextually aware.