Bluecat Networks Enhances Proteus And Adonis IPAM

Bluecat has updated its Proteus IP Address Management to version 3.1 and its Adonis Domain Name System/Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol has been updated to version 6.1, adding new management features and increased scalability to the existing product line. IP Address Management (IPAM) is becoming a critical element that companies no longer perform manually because the consequences of errors are extreme.

IP management is becoming more critical as addresses using the IPv4 protocol run out - only 7 percent are left - and as organizations move to IPv6. IPv6 results in longer IP addresses and won't be easily managed manually. As companies transition from IPv4 to IPv6, managing both address spaces further complicates IPAM. Companies that do it wrong face the catastrophic downside of no longer being accessible by the Internet, says Ron Aitchison, author of Pro DNS and BIND, who recently joined Bluecat as a distinguished scientist.

Because Microsoft includes embedded DNS and DHCP services in its Windows Server products, the choice for many companies is whether to use that free software or pay for a product, says Lawrence Orans, research director for Gartner. Companies that choose to pay for a product typically do so either because of political issues in the company about whether the network team or the Windows team should manage IP, or because they want centralized control, improved stability, or more sophisticated IP management tools, he says. Bluecat competes in this market with Infoblox Appliances. Infoblox is bigger, but Bluecat emphasizes IP address management.

New features in Proteus 3.1 include a management interface that makes it easier to use and customize, and the ability to detect and deal with overlapping IP space, which is an issue when two companies merge their networks. In addition, the software now includes Blueprint functionality, which lets organizations migrate their DNS and DHCP infrastructure to Bluecat. The software is available now for prices ranging from $14,000 to $100,000. Blueprint will be available at the end of the month.

New features in Adonis 6.1 include the ability to manage 110,000 DNS queries per second, as well as support for disk partitioning. This means administrators can install upgrades in one partition and keep the current version in the other, which makes it easier to manage upgrades. In addition, Adonis now supports the Defense Information System Agency's Security Technical Implementation Guides best security practices, which is required by some government agencies and will be useful to organizations implementing IPv6. The software is available now for prices ranging from $2,500 to $33,000.