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Network Infrastructure Management

Challenge: Constant threat of virus in a multi-site campus environment that experiences a high turn-over of contractors between sites.

Solution: Ensure network integrity. Improve network uptime and regulatory compliance by providing IP address/links to physical location.

iTRACS Products: iTRACS Physical Layer Manager with iTRACS iDiscover

Details: A large multi-campus energy company used contractors to help control costs. One downside to the constant outsourcing was the high turnover of contractors and lack of control of the laptops that were on the network at any given time. Literally thousands of contractors were given weekly access to the network. Because the contractors used their own laptops and traveled between sites, it was difficult to ensure that each individual box was compliant with the network rules and guidelines.

A contractor's laptop caused serious network disruption issues on one of the campuses. This occurred late in the afternoon and the contractor left the site before the energy company was able to track down the source of the problem. It was not until a week later (and another campus) that they were finally able to track and get the device off the network.

After this happened, the company decided they needed a better way to document where network devices were located at any given time. After several months of review, iTRACS emerged as the best fit for their organization.

They used the iDiscover module with iTRACS Physical Layer Manager to relate IP and switch port information to a physical location. This drastically reduced the amount of time necessary to track down viruses, where unauthorized network traffic was originating, and the location of unauthorized machines. This improved uptime and allowed the department to resolve several regulatory compliance issues.

They highly recommend iTRACS to any organization that wants to improve their ability to locate IP devices in their network infrastructure.