Smart DDI: Network Automation For Enhanced Business Efficiency

With the number of global internet users now reaching 3.4 billion according to Mary Meeker’s 2017 internet trends report, leading to 30.7 billion connected devices by 2020, organizations are faced with new challenges: changing the way they deliver and manage IP addresses and integrating this with their DNS/DHCP management. In short, moving to a smart DDI solution.

Many of the IP address management tools currently in use were designed for a time when the only devices you had were a computer and a printer connected together. Then, it was safe to assume IP address requirements would stay relatively stable, with perhaps modest growth, so businesses could even get away with simply using spreadsheets to manage IP addresses. The consequence now is a serious need to ramp up IP management simplicity, agility and efficiency. This leaves just one option: automation.

After taking a deep dive into how DDI can achieve greater network management visibility in our previous blog, the second entry in our series looks at how this approach – wielding increased automation for efficiency – is the only one which makes sense in today’s IP feeding frenzy.

Why DNS-DHCP-IPAM automation is the only way

• It reduces the costs and time-to-deliver for configuration tasks.
• It increases network uptime by eliminating manual errors associated with complex processes.
• It enhances team work efficiency, regardless of who is doing the work.
• It simplifies elements of network management overhead, such as releasing unused assets. This allows the resources not used any longer for a virtual environment to be used elsewhere.

How EfficientIP helps automate

By implementing our easy-to-use smart DDI solution, your organization could drive better business performance, conservatively saving between $115K and $700K according to our latest ROI survey report, thanks to four efficiencies:

1. Integration – instead of having to define the same thing (e.g. a printer) on three different network services (DNS-DHCP-IPAM), you only need to do it once with an integrated DDI solution. This plus automation can generate an ROI of up to 263%.
2. Error-free configuration – having the ability to automate key processes eliminates manual, error-prone and labor-intensive tasks, thus boosting productivity and improving operational efficiency and reliability. According to our survey, integrated DDI, device mobility tracking and historical changes save our customers 90% of time during troubleshooting.
3. Delegation – by being able to shift basic DDI processes to staff outside the central IT teams without risk, our customers have saved up to $254,560 in three years on labor and hardware cost.
4. Enforcement – by embedding your own IPAM policies in your IPAM solution, you can easily ensure users are complying with best practices.