Microsoft partners with Brocade’s IronView Network Manager for its 'Stirling'

Brocade Communications Systems Inc. announced Thursday the integration of Brocade IronView Network Manager (INM) with Microsoft Forefront “Stirling”. This allows network operators to effectively track and perform configuration changes and software updates, identify and resolve network failures, and address network security breaches from a centralized location.

The Brocade INM tool acts as the Forefront “Stirling” gateway for Brocade switches, routers, and wireless LAN (WLAN) products. INM leverages the sFlow traffic monitoring capabilities embedded in Brocade IP (Internet Protocol) networking solutions, and combines advanced network management capabilities to expand the functionality of Forefront “Stirling” to Brocade IP devices. It further simplifies network protection, provisioning, diagnostics, and problem resolution to provide critical visibility across endpoints, messaging, collaboration servers, and Brocade IP products.

Forefront “Stirling” is an integrated security suite that delivers comprehensive protection across endpoints, application servers, and edge solutions with benefits that include comprehensive protection and integration of detection technologies, a single management console for configuring security policies and visibility across organizations, and part of multi-layered defense that works with existing Microsoft infrastructure.

Microsoft Forefront “Stirling” enables software, hardware, and services vendors to share and use security event information across the Forefront “Stirling” environment and through products developed by other members of the extensive partner ecosystem. As a result, partners can enhance the effectiveness of their security technologies and better protect customer IT environments.

The benefits of integrating Brocade INM with Microsoft Forefront “Stirling” are acting as the Forefront “Stirling” gateway for all Brocade IP devices, delivering added network layer security, communicating and analyzing security status with Microsoft Forefront “Stirling” products and management console, providing real-time network behavior visibility, and simplifying Brocade IP networking and Microsoft Forefront “Stirling” network modifications from a centralized point to adapt to changing business demands.

“This integration enhances and simplifies the user experience for our customers,” said Ben Taft, senior director of strategic alliances for Brocade. “Through our strategic relationship with Microsoft, we’re empowering network operators with the tools needed to centrally secure broad networks while making it easier to manage and coordinate security across the IT Infrastructure.”

“Microsoft is pleased to work with Brocade to develop interoperability between Forefront ‘Stirling’ and INM in order to give our customers more comprehensive and responsive security across the enterprise,” said John Chirapurath, director in the identity and security business group at Microsoft Corp. “Microsoft is committed to collaborating with top industry vendors and providing solutions that help organizations more effectively achieve their business goals. We call this ‘business-ready security.’”