Flying blind is dangerous. Lack of a comprehensive, enterprise wide view of network port usage and end device identification leads to the following challenges:

1. Switch port capacity wastage – With no visibility into port usage patterns, IT departments routinely overestimate capacity requirements making unnecessary capital expenditures on switch purchases. The high costs of purchasing and managing switch ports can significantly increase the network TCO.
2. Security enforcement and audits are difficult – Lack of location information for end point devices makes it hard to enforce security when an offending device is identified. In addition, there is no audit trail for where a device connects on the network. This makes it difficult and expensive to investigate security incidents.
3. Troubleshooting requires locating devices manually – Troubleshooting network incidents require identifying and locating devices on the network. Manual locating procedures are labor intensive and may reduce IT effectiveness by increasing resolution times. A recent survey revealed that average time taken to trace a device to its switch port is approximately 30 minutes.
   

The Infoblox PortIQ appliance provides complete visibility into switch port usage for port capacity planning, security audits and ease of troubleshooting. With PortIQ appliances, network administrators can instantly identify the location of all connected devices and get reports on how often network ports are used. With this kind of unparalleled visibility, IT departments can make more intelligent switch purchase decisions. In addition, the ability to quickly locate where devices are connected increases security and eases troubleshooting efforts.

PortIQ appliance enhances Infoblox IPAM data and reports on switch capacity utilization

The Infoblox PortIQ appliance replaces time consuming and unreliable, manual procedures by tracking where devices connect to your network. The Infoblox PortIQ appliance scans your network infrastructure and quickly collates and displays information to provide comprehensive insight into what is connected to your network and where. This insight enables network managers to make informed business decisions and reduce operational overhead and port wastage while enhancing network availability and security.

As a standalone system, the PortIQ appliance can automatically inventory routers and switches and gather data to provide detailed reports on ports in use, activity level and other information that enables better use of existing capacity and saves money.

Infoblox IPAM data showing PortIQ discovered fields e.g. switch, port and VLAN

Connected to an Infoblox Grid, the PortIQ appliance adds valuable data about device location, switch, port, VLAN etc. into the Infoblox IPAM system. Armed with this additional information, network engineers can quickly associate an IP address with a VLAN and switch port to pinpoint trouble spots and resolve problems. This has many applications, including quickly shutting infected devices off the network when virus or worm attacks occur and quickly locating and removing an unauthorized device from the network when discovered by the Infoblox discovery process.

PortIQ switch view report shows discovered switches and utilization levels for a specified period

Visibility into port usage is a must for controlling costs and securing networks properly. Most IT departments do not have this visibility due to a lack of tools and technologies for this purpose. The Infoblox PortIQ appliances fill this void by providing unparalleled visibility into switch port usage – essential for port capacity planning, security investigations, and ease of troubleshooting.

To learn more about implementing PortIQ™ Appliance solutions, contact us at info@infoblox.com or call +1.408-625-4200.