Configuration Diff Comparisons & Rollbacks with Itential

The ability to “read” a configuration file to understand how different features and functionalities are configured for network devices is a skill needed to troubleshoot a non-working device and compare it to a previously “known-good” configuration file. If there are any differences detected, it may be necessary to rollback several lines or the entire configuration on the device.

Network Configuration Management Automating Configuration Diff and Rollback

Are Legacy Configuration Diff & Rollback Processes Holding You Back?

As the number of network devices and services grows and the number of network changes across the infrastructure increases, manual processes of the past like “Stare and Compare” and “Copy and Paste” are no longer a feasible approach to managing the network. By relying on manual processes like these it takes longer to bring new applications and services online or troubleshoot existing network issues. It also introduces the potential for human error to drift into the process.

So ask yourself, are you still:

Doing a “Stare and Compare” between different configurations?
Doing this manually and looking at two different files side-by-side and comparing them for differences is a mind-numbing exercise. Especially when configuration files are longer and more complex, it becomes a nightmare to find those changes.

Using “Copy and Paste” as your go to automation tool?
When the “Stare and Compare” process is complete and you have determined which configuration changes, additions, or deletions need to be applied, what is the next step in your process? If you turn to “Copy and Paste” functions as your automation tool, you need a modern way to automate configuration changes and rollback.

If yes to either of these, it’s undoubtedly time to automate.

Today’s network teams must have a modern solution that allow them to quickly compare any previously saved configuration, even from different devices to a live device configuration in real-time. The solutions should quickly point out any differences between them and provide the ability to quickly make intelligent updates to the network device.

Enterprises need to invest in modern network solutions that move network teams away from the manual, time-consuming, and error prone process of the past. By automating these fundamental processes network teams can stop using the “Stare and Compare” and “Copy and Paste” techniques, which hold them back. Automation provides better tools and makes them better network engineers, which ultimately means a much better network for your business.

Why It’s Time to Modernize Your Current Configuration Diff & Rollback Processes

Manual methods of achieving configuration comparisons and rollback are limited because they must rely on human intervention, so many organizations turn to tools to assist them. The existing tools available, both open source and commercial solutions, were built upon traditional CLI-based networking, and will not easily support modern API-based network solutions and cloud-based network services. As the adoption of more of these modern networking elements increases, network teams will require new tools that will allow them to effectively manage this new, modern enterprise network.

Itential provides an easy way for network teams to modernize their current configuration comparison and rollback processes by automating these features and providing network teams tools that make them more efficient with managing traditional networks with the flexibility to support modern network infrastructure.

Legacy Tools

Itential Configuration Manager

Limited network support. Limited vendor support and lack of integration with API-based networks.

Support for the whole network. Built-in CLI support for multiple network vendors, a process to define syntax for new network devices, and integration of APIs for modern and cloud networking.

Too many tools, too many files. Disparate tools spread across multiple systems, and backup files that are impossible to find when you need them.

Consistent tools and organized backup files. A single platform for the team to operate, with a single location to easily find any backup file for any device.

Manual “Stare and Compare.” Too much time is wasted when you must manually compare a live configuration with a backup config.

Automatic configuration diffs across any backup. Quickly select any device in the federated inventory and execute a live comparison between the running configuration and any backup file, even backup files from different devices.

Unable to effectively manage secure access to tools. Multiple tools for multiple users leads to chaos in the network. Managers need insight on what tools are available to which users, and accountability when they are used.

Complete RBAC control. Secure access to a platform that provides the right people with the right tools with access to the right devices or services in the network. Integration with AAA systems and logging for every action executed.

Trusting a “Copy and Paste” for config changes. Configuration changes and rollbacks are accomplished manually, which can introduce errors and take far longer than needed.

Intelligent configuration updates and rollback. Automation of configuration changes and rollback based on robust pre-check and post-check policies reduces errors and ensures maximum network uptime.

How to Automate Config Diffs & Rollbacks with the Itential Automation Platform

Itential’s configuration management capabilities make it easy to quickly navigate to a list of previous backup configuration files and compare them to the live, running configuration on any network device. Differences in the two files are highly visible and easy to understand and if changes are detected, the Itential Automation Platform can provide an intelligent rollback to the configuration standard.

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