When it comes to Network Configuration Management (NCM), the field is filled with various solutions. Yet, many network professionals still grapple with common challenges: lack of real-time visibility, escalating costs, cumbersome manual tasks, and the nightmare of compliance issues. Among the top solutions for network configuration management are SolarWinds NCM and ManageEngine, but who is SIFF? Great question! SIFF is not just another solution in the crowded NCM landscape; it’s a transformative platform designed to modernize NCM, bring it to the Cloud-Native era, and directly address these pain points. With a focus on change visibility, cloud scalability, config policy, and automation, SIFF is a strategic partner to ensure more secure and efficient network management. In today’s blog, we’ll walk you through key differentiators that make SIFF your go-to choice for all things NCM.
Core Functionalities
SIFF provides real-time visibility into configuration changes across IT environments. It serves three key sectors—Managed Service Providers (MSPs & MSSPs), Communications Service Providers (CSPs), and Enterprises—each with unique core functionalities designed to meet the needs of these diverse target audiences.
The SIFF Advantage: Key Differentiators
SaaS Solution
While many NCM solutions still rely on on-premises deployments, SIFF adopts a cloud-native approach. This means no more dealing with cumbersome installations, server maintenance, or upgrades. It’s all handled seamlessly in the cloud, allowing your IT team to focus on more strategic tasks.
Cloud-Native Scalability
Unlike on-premise NCM solutions, SIFF auto-scales the required capacity and storage automatically for you. You don’t need to set up multiple instances to handle your growth or deal with having sufficient “backups for your backups.” SIFF allows you to focus your time on your network and not the administration of the NCM tool.
Per-Device Licensing
Traditional NCM solutions come with hefty up-front costs. Not only the server(s) and administrative costs, these solutions often also require additional third-party licenses for the operating system and database licenses. SIFF introduces per-device licensing, a cost-effective model where you pay only for what you actually need. This is ideal for businesses scaling rapidly or those running lean operations. As your required device coverage changes, your cost model adjusts accordingly.
Configuration Change Activity
More than 80% of all incidents are caused by configuration changes. Yet most monitoring solutions do not provide visibility to change activity throughout your environment. Traditional NCM solutions only back up your configuration on a daily basis. They do not monitor for config changes, let alone whether it was a planned or unauthorized change.
Unified Configuration Monitoring
Config change monitoring should not be limited to just networks. SIFF goes beyond just network configs to include all aspects of your IT infrastructure, including servers, applications, cloud, VMs, and containers. Now you have the information needed to troubleshoot complex incidents across all silos.
Configuration Policy and Compliance
Security regulations and audits require that configuration changes are tracked. A Change Mgmt process however only identifies planned changes. What about unplanned, ad-hoc, or unauthorized changes that frequently occur in every environment? Configuration changes monitored by SIFF are automatically evaluated against Policy Rules to ensure security and config best practices are implemented.
Automation Capabilities
In an age where efficiency is king, SIFF’s robust automation capabilities stand out. You can schedule automation tasks or perform manual tasks on a single or multiple devices. The best part? No coding expertise is required. This simplifies complex tasks and frees your team to focus on strategic initiatives.
Centralized Data Repository
Juggling multiple instances to manage data in large IT environments? SIFF eliminates this complexity by offering a centralized, unified configuration data repository. This means whether you’re a Managed Service Provider or a large enterprise, all your crucial configuration data is stored in one place, making it easier to manage, analyze, and audit. Unlike traditional CMDBs, SIFF actually contains searchable raw configuration data that can respond to your daily IT questions and challenges.
Multi-Tenancy Support
In a world where data security and access controls are paramount, SIFF offers multi-tenancy features to separate views of the data while allowing shared processes and automation. This allows Managed Service Providers (MSP), or even larger organizations with diverse departments, to create sub-organizations with unique data and user access controls, all within a single SIFF environment.
Community Collaboration Built-in
Content for monitoring, config policies, automation, and reports can be directly enabled right from the web UI. No plugin download or installation is needed. SIFF users can share helpful definitions to the SIFF community which is reviewed and made available to other SIFF users.
The SIFF Difference
What sets SIFF apart is its cloud-based, scalable, and unified configuration monitoring approach to Network Configuration Management. SIFF not only adapts to the specific needs of MSPs, CSPs, and Enterprises but also offers cost-effective solutions with no hidden charges. With a user-friendly interface and robust features for monitoring, security compliance, and automation, SIFF stands as an unparalleled choice in the NCM landscape.
When evaluating Network Configuration Management solutions, it’s crucial to look beyond the basics. SIFF delivers a comprehensive, agile, and cost-effective solution that meets the diverse needs of modern IT environments. Don’t just take our word for it—see for yourself how SIFF’s capabilities stack up against the competition. Whether you’re an MSP, a CSP, or an enterprise, we’re confident that SIFF is the right choice for your Network Configuration Management needs.
Sign up for free now and give it a test drive.
