NCM is a network configuration management tool that allows users to discover devices, backup configurations, detect configuration changes, compare configurations, manage compliance policies, and generate detailed reports. It offers benefits such as being user friendly, easy to install and use, affordable pricing, and 24/7 technical support. NCM provides a complete solution for network configuration management.

1. NETWORK MANAGEMENT
MADE EASY
WITH
NCM V12.3

2. Why do you need NCM?
Network configuration Manager(NCM) is a tool that controls the entire
life cycle of device configuration management by managing and changing
configurations,compliances etc, in routers,switches,firewall and other
network devices.
The 5 magical words to keep your network devices under check:
CONFIGURATION
BACKUP
CONFIGURATION
CHANGE
MANAGEMENT
CONFIGLETS
MANAGING
COMPLIANCE
REPORTS
N
C
M

3. Discovering and Adding devices in
NCM
Devices can be discovered in NCM using one of the three ways:
Device Discovery,Manual Addition,Import file.
DEVICE DISCOVERY:
Devices can be discovered by giving the IP address of any
networking device.
Steps:
1.Go to settings->
Discovery,under discovery,
Add the IP address and IP
Range,then the
Devices will be discovered.
A CSV import file can also be used
while discovering.

4. Adding Devices and Applying
Credentials
It is mandatory to specify the snmp credentials for communication,in order to
discover and add devices in the inventory.

5. Manual Addition
Another way of adding device is by clicking the
Icon on the top right of inventory.This opens a box that
requires the user to add a device.
Give the necessary Hostname/IP address
to add the device.

6. Import File
Devices can be added without giving credentials,by just knowing the
device’s Host name/Ip Address and the device template name,Series
and it’s model.The file containing this can be imported.

7. Applying Credentials
Now,let us apply credentials.Credentials can be applied
By clicking on
all the devices
that needs to
be configured
after the devices get
added to the
Inventory.

8. Start managing the network devices right after the
device you discover gets added to the Inventory!

9. CONFIGURATION
BACKUP

10. WHY YOU NEED TO BACKUP?
Backing up helps to:
• Prevent Loss of data due to a disaster/Network outage
• Prevent Starting a configuration from scratch
• Compare two configurations
Backup can be done in 3 ways:
• Manual backups
• Scheduled backups
• Syslog based automatic backup
The Backup status of every configuration is updated after every backup.

11. Manual and Syslog based automatic
backups
Manual backup:
Selecting the devices and backing up the
devices manually.
Syslog based automatic backup:When
a user makes changes in a device
configuration, syslog notifications are
received for the actions performed and
backup will be taken.

12. Scheduled Backups
• NCM offers scheduled backups,where one can set up a specific time to backup
configurations
• Hourly,daily,weekly,monthly scheduled backing up is possible
• Automatically starts backing up at the given time and sends Email notifications

13. Baseline Configuration
A baseline version is the best among all configuration versions and
1.Can be used as a configuration after an unexpected network outage.
2.Can be used to compare with the latest configurations to see the
changes made and to check for difference between the baseline and
other configurations.

14. CONFIGURATION CHANGE
MANAGEMENT

15. REAL TIME CHANGE DETECTION(RTCD)
Any change made in a configuration of any network device triggers automatic
backup of that device by RTCD.
BENEFITS:
• Get notification on who made the change
• Get Time and date of change
• Immediate configuration back up after the changes are saved

16. Working of “Enabling Change Detection”
When “Enabling Change Detection” is given
• NCM tracks it when a User logs in/logs out
• Tracks the changes made and Takes a backup after the User logs out
• Compares the backup with the current version and in the event of no
change,backup gets discarded and when there is a change,a backup will be
stored in Database.
• Syslog messages are received for every action the user performs on the device

17. COMPARING CONFIGURATIONS
Comparison can be done between any type of configurations,any two
devices(working and non-working) also.
The image given below shows a comparison of all the changes made between a
running and a startup configuration.

18. ROLE-BASED ACCESS CONTROL
(RBAC)
NCM offers access to three types of users to prevent misusing of data
• Administrator:Permission to access all devices/make changes
• Rstricted admin(power user):Permission to access specific devices/make
changes,cannot add or delete other devices.
• Operator:Limited permission and should wait for approval from power user or the
admin,to upload or make changes in the device.
Editing and Uploading drafts:After the admin approves the change made by user,it
gets uploaded and backups are taken but an admin can upload them directly.

19. CONFIGLETS

20. Configlets and its Uses
Configlets are script templates that can be executed in multiple devices at one go.
BENEFITS:
• Configlets are available as templates and can be added manually
in 3 modes-File transfer,script execution,Advanced script execution modes
• Helps to fix malfunctioning devices at one go
• Helps to execute sequence of commands in many devices at one go
TEMPLATES:

21. Manual Addition of Configlets
FILE TRANSFER MODE
The advantage of using file transfer mode is,it allows the user to upload the same
configuration in many devices at one go.

22. Script Execution Mode
Helps in:
• Executing basic trouble shooting commands
• Changing passwords,banners
• Enabling/Disabling SNMP
Example:Selecting a particular network device and Executing it in script execution
mode changes the password of all the devices associated.

23. Advanced Script Execution Mode
This mode is used when:
1.There is a change of prompt after command execution
2.A command requires a prompt user confirmation
3.There is a delay in response after command execution.
Example:In the given example,the command will be executed after a particular
prompt and the timeout is also set.

24. Executing The Configlets
• After modifying the configlets,they are executed by applying the configlets on
the respective devices and execution results can be checked in the“execution
history”.
• After creating the configlets,they can be added to “snapshots” for easy
access.

25. Compliance Management

26. Why is compliance necessary?
Benefits:
• They help to avoid vulnerabilities
• Avoids loop holes in a network
• Avoids legal consequences
Default compliance policies:
Cisco IoS policy,HIPAA,SOX,PCI.

27. Custom Policies
Custom policies can be added by:
• Creating a custom rule
• Grouping the custom rules to create a rule group
• Grouping rule groups to create policies
Custom rule is added based on 3 criteria:
• Simple criteria
• Advanced criteria
• Advanced custom criteria

28. Simple Criteria with an Example
Uses of simple Criteria:
• Checking for any line in a configuration
• Should/Should not contain exact set
• The number of times the line has to appear
Example:In the given example the word
“Public” is checked .

29. Advanced Criteria with an Example
This is used to check for a particular line,in a configuration using complex
Regular expressions.
Supports:
• AND/OR
• Patterns
Example:Pattern Search
is implemented.

30. Advanced Custom Criteria with an Example
This is used when you want to run a compliance check in particular sections of
the configuration file.Along with the features of Advanced Criteria it also
supports:
1.Block criteria(specifies the beginning and ending of the block)
2.Additional block criteria
Example:In this example,we are
defining the blocks for NCM to run
the compliance check only on the
interfaces that are not “shut down”

31. Remediation Template
Remediation Templates are used when a particular rule is violated during
Compliance check.In case of violation,remediation templates are used to fix the
issue.
Eg:While checking for “public” in snmp,if it finds a word “public” in any
configuration,this remediation template can be used to fix.

32. Creating Rule groups and Policies
The custom rules are grouped into rule groups which are in turn grouped into
policies.These policies can now be associated with the selected Network devices.

33. Compliance Reports
Once you associate the policies to the devices,you can generate reports on how
compliant the devices are using compliance reports.You can also check the violated
policies and the compliant devices.

34. REPORTS

35. NCM Reports
NCM generates reports for many operations.Some
important reports are:
1.Configuration ChangesReport
2.Configuration Change Trend
3.EOL/EOS Report
4.Compliance Report
5.Configuration Analysis Report
6.Security Audit Report

36. Detailed Reports
NCM generates detailed reports in Pdf format.
Eg:Device Management status Report

37. Scheduling in NCM
• Scheduling can be done for all operations in NCM.
• Devices to be scheduled are added,Schedule time is specified.
• Notifications are turned on for that Schedule.

38. Dashboard and Inventory
Dashboard in NCM displays the status of your Network,Inventory consists of the
configuration files in a hierarchical order.

39. Settings in NCM
Settings consists of Basic,discovery and NCM settings and majority of
operations are performed through this.

40. Alarms
NCM sends an alarm when an operational activity gets violated.

41. Benefits of NCM
User Friendly!
NCM is a user friendly GUI, it makes
the configuration change
management simple and easy with
intuitive dials and graphs.

42. Simple installation and usage!
NCM is easy to install and it
manages the devices right away.

43. Transparent Pricing!
NCM comes at an affordable and
transparent pricing based on the number
of devices to be managed.

44. 24x5 Technical Support!
NCM offers 24x5 technical support,
making it easier for customers to gain the
maximum use of the product.

45. A Complete Package!
It effectively manages many network
devices thus paving way to an efficient
working platform and offers Complete
satisfaction to the clients.

46. Thank you
!