UM Deploys Network Management Software
Toronto-based BlueCat Networks announced that the University of Michigan has deployed BlueCat Networks' Proteus IP Address Management software and Adonis DNS/DHCP systems to centralize and simplify network management for its Ann Arbor campus.
UM is a large university with a highly-distributed IT environment which incorporates many DNS and DHCP servers throughout its campus infrastructure -- most run by individual units and not a central IT organization. Always looking to provide the most productive services for its 19 schools and colleges, 24 libraries, 11 museums and over 100 centers and institutes, UM wanted to centralize its DNS/DHCP services to simplify overall network management of its highly-distributed network which enables faculty, staff and students to utilize Microsoft, Apple or Linux operating systems to do everything from general browsing to research projects.
Although UM's central IT department did already have a central DHCP service which served more than 20 campus departments -- mostly small units with their own IT group and IT direction that had no wish to run their own DHCP service -- it was written over 10 years ago, and needed to be either completely overhauled or replaced. Having looked at all the alternatives, the university decided to send an RFP and review vendors' solutions, instead of investing valuable time and money into overhauling its existing service.
Having researched available solutions, UM selected BlueCat Networks' Proteus IPAM and Adonis DNS/DHCP solutions. BlueCat Networks' IPAM solutions integrate with Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows DNS and DHCP to simplify network management by making it easy for administrators to fully integrate IP inventory tracking and allocation, along with DNS and DHCP management. Administrators can design networks with a simple conceptual view, then deploy and manage them across the organization. When managing DNS and DHCP, Proteus becomes "mission control," offering full command and customization of configurations from a central, secure Web-based interface to make it simple to eliminate all IPAM problems.
Having completed a thorough 17-month pilot, UM installed BlueCat Networks' technology and successfully migrated its services away from a distributed model to a centralized model. The migration was achieved without any major issues, even during the busy start of the school year. Now, the two Proteus IPAM solutions provide simple, central management for the two Adonis solutions being utilized as DHCP servers and the Linux boxes which are responsible for DNS resolving.
UM presently has approximately 47,000 active DHCP addresses on the new system, which also adds redundancy to UM's DNS/DHCP. The new technology will also make future deployments more efficient, and UM has already begun looking at extending the system by migrating more than 50 individual Microsoft DCHP servers to the central infrastructure.
BlueCat Networks will demonstrate its market-leading Proteus IPAM solution and Adonis DNS/DHCP solution at EDUCAUSE Conference 2010, being held October 12-15 in Anaheim, Calif.
"BlueCat's IPAM and DNS/DHCP technology is an ideal fit for universities as they often incorporate the latest technologies spread over highly-dispersed campuses," said Luc Roy, vice president of product management and marketing at BlueCat Networks. "BlueCat provides a single centralized management interface which makes it simple for universities to manage all the devices on their large, highly-distributed networks from a single interface. As a result, BlueCat's solutions are utilized by an increasing number of top universities worldwide, including Boise State in the U.S., University of Calgary in Canada and Gottingen University in Germany."
For a free trial of BlueCat Networks' VMware Ready Proteus IPAM solution and Adonis DNS/DHCP solution, visit www.bluecatnetworks.com/free-trial.
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