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A Texas startup is pinning its hopes on its multivendor network device configuration tool.
AlterPoint Inc. last week launched its DeviceAuthority tool, which automates the configuration and administration of networking devices from a range of networking vendors, including Cisco Systems Inc., Nortel Networks Ltd. and Hewlett-Packard Co.
The Austin company is addressing a nascent but potentially hot market, according to Dennis Drogseth, an analyst at Enterprise Management Associates Inc., in Portsmouth, N.H.
The tool is based on Windows NT and Windows 2000 and can automate backup, restore and version control for network device configuration. It provides change management reporting, and it tracks configuration changes. It covers a range of networking devices, including switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, virtual private network concentrators and wireless access points.
It can speed problem isolation and trouble-shooting by showing a visual comparison view of any two devices. It also provides a one-click restoration of reliable configurations.
The software covers almost 90 percent of Cisco products, and it is easily extended to support other networking devices, said AlterPoint President Joe Corso.
The tool employs the administrative protocols used by the networking vendor to communicate with the devices. It supports Telnet, SNMP, HTTP and Secure HTTP.
The software can be downloaded from the Web and can be installed in less than an hour, company officials said. It costs $4,000 for 20 devices.