The configuration and management of these devices is currently done manually, one at a time, by operations personnel. This practice is not conducive to profitable operations because it is prone to human error, thus creating service outages. The ability to replace these manual configuration practices with automated ones will be critical as ISPs seek to make the evolutionary transition from infrastructure buildout to profitable operation. Those that can find ways to efficiently configure and control their network infrastructures will be able to roll out new services faster and manage existing ones better, giving them a distinct competitive advantage over ISPs clinging to current manual configuration management practices. This article addresses the critical need for ISPs to adopt automated configuration management tools and techniques, in order to foster profitable operations.
Network complexity grows On the one hand, their networks are evolving at an extremely rapid pace.
At the same time, their networks are looking more and more like those of their competitors. In this environment, where network infrastructure is rapidly approaching commodity status, the ability to roll out and manage complex services in an efficient and profitable manner will become the most important core competency of ISP operations. However, the management tools required to derive acceptable profits from these services are not yet widely available. This is especially true in the case of configuration management tools, which only now are beginning to reach the marketplace. As a result, rolling out and managing these services continues to be a complex and labor-intensive process.