Brocade Integrates IronView Network Manager with Microsoft Forefront Stirling

Networking solution provider Brocade announced the integration of its Brocade IronView Network Manager (INM) with Microsoft (News - Alert) Forefront “Stirling.”

 

The integrated tool, according to Brocade (News - Alert) officials, acts as the Forefront “Stirling” gateway for Brocade switches, routers, and wireless LAN (WLAN) products. With this tool, network operators can effectively track and perform configuration changes and software updates, identify and resolve network failures, and address network security breaches from a centralized location.

 

“Stirling,” an integrated security suite, features a single management console that configures security policies and provides visibility across organizations. It delivers comprehensive protection across endpoints, application servers, and edge solutions integrating industry-leading detection technologies

 

Software, hardware, and services vendors can share and use security event information across the Forefront “Stirling” environment and through products developed by other members of the extensive partner ecosystem.

 

Brocade INM is built on the sFlow traffic monitoring capabilities used in Brocade IP networking solutions. With advanced network management capabilities, it simplifies network protection, provisioning, diagnostics, and problem resolution to provide critical visibility across endpoints, messaging, collaboration servers, and Brocade IP products, officials said.

 

The integrated INM-Stirling tool delivers added network layer security. It communicates and analyzes security status with Microsoft Forefront “Stirling” products and management console, providing real-time network behavior visibility.

 

Ben Taft, senior director of strategic alliances for Brocade, said that their association with Microsoft enables the company to empower network operators with the tools needed to centrally secure broad networks while making it easier to manage and coordinate security across the IT Infrastructure.

 

“Microsoft is pleased to work with Brocade to develop interoperability between Forefront ‘Stirling’ and INM in order to give our customers more comprehensive and responsive security across the enterprise,” said John Chirapurath, director in the identity and security business group at Microsoft, in a statement.

 

“Microsoft is committed to collaborating with top industry vendors and providing solutions that help organizations more effectively achieve their business goals. We call this ‘business-ready security’,” Chirapurath added.  

 

Brocade recently announced an end-to-end Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)-based solution that brings the Fibre Channel (FC) standard and Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE) together. As part of the announcement, Brocade introduced two new products that support FCoE: new Brocade 8000 Switch and Brocade 1010/1020 Converged Adapters, officials said.