Itential - Detailed Review
Networking Tools
Itential - Product Overview
Itential Overview
Itential is a leading provider of network automation and orchestration solutions, specifically designed to streamline and automate network management tasks for enterprise organizations.Primary Function
The primary function of the Itential Automation Platform is to automate the configuration, orchestration, and management of network resources. This includes ensuring network compliance, reducing manual operations, and simplifying network management across both physical and cloud networks.Target Audience
The target audience for Itential’s solutions are large enterprise organizations, particularly those in need of scalable and efficient network automation. This includes network teams, IT departments, and service providers looking to deliver high-quality services faster and maintain security with standardized configurations.Key Features
Itential Automation Gateway (IAG)
IAG acts as a gateway to integrate popular network automation tools such as Ansible, Nornir, Netmiko, and Terraform. It provides a simple REST API and a standardized inventory model, enabling the incorporation of assets from various systems into larger automation scenarios. This gateway also supports integration with Git repositories to ensure version control and up-to-date assets.ServiceNow Integration
The Itential ServiceNow App streamlines the integration of ServiceNow with the Itential Platform. This app allows ServiceNow users to run Itential workflows directly within ServiceNow, enabling self-service network orchestrations and embedding network services into IT processes without the need for custom code.Data Federation/Broker Layer
This layer ensures consistency in data models across different adapters, creating a unified view of resources and data from connected systems. It maintains a set of brokers for common object types, such as devices and services, making it easier for workflow engines to interact with connected entities.Workflow Engine
The workflow engine consumes aggregated data from existing tools and applies business logic for network automation. Automations can be published as micro-services available through an open API, allowing network-specific actions to be triggered and managed. Workflows can be initiated manually, by events, API calls, or other orchestration flows.Closed-Loop & Event-Driven Capabilities
The platform supports closed-loop and event-driven operations through event triggers. These triggers initiate orchestration actions based on predefined events from various sources, including message buses, NETCONF messages, and API calls. The system also supports data transformation to ensure the correct format for triggered orchestration flows.Configuration Management
Itential’s Configuration Manager ensures network security and reliability by standardizing configurations across both physical and cloud networks. This includes using Golden Configurations to maintain compliance.Low-Code Automation
The Itential Automation Platform is a low-code, cloud-native SaaS solution that simplifies network automation. It offers pre-built automations for common network tasks, such as software upgrades and VIP creation, making it easy to get started with network automation.Conclusion
In summary, Itential’s platform is a comprehensive solution for network automation and orchestration, offering a range of features that enhance productivity, mitigate risk, and accelerate service delivery for enterprise organizations. Itential - User Interface and Experience
User Interface of the Itential Automation Platform
The user interface of the Itential Automation Platform is crafted with a strong focus on ease of use, accessibility, and a seamless user experience, particularly in the context of networking tools and AI-driven operations.Ease of Use
The Itential Platform is built on a low-code paradigm, which makes it accessible to a wide range of users, regardless of their development or network engineering skills. The platform’s Design Studio is a key component of this ease of use, offering a drag-and-drop environment where users can quickly and easily design, build, and visualize orchestrations and automations. This intuitive interface allows users to automate network changes and activities without needing to write extensive code, reducing the learning curve and making it more inclusive for engineers of all skill levels.Visual Representation and Workflow Builder
The workflow builder experience has been significantly enhanced, particularly with the release of version 23.1. This update includes a modernized workflow canvas, enriched workflow builder capabilities, and improved automation execution visualization. Users can visually render workflows as they are executed, with real-time status updates highlighting the execution status of each task. This visual rendering helps in identifying the overall path and execution status, making it easier to manage and monitor automation processes.Accessibility
Itential places a strong emphasis on accessibility. The platform ensures consistent use of components and predictable navigation, making it easier for all types of users to interact with the interface. The company welcomes feedback on accessibility and is committed to improving the product experience for all users.Centralized Management and Integration
The Itential Automation Gateway provides a consolidated visual representation of all script types, Ansible playbooks, Terraform plans, and devices across network deployments. This centralized view allows users to manage all types of CLI automations from a single location, enhancing the overall user experience by streamlining access to various automation assets. The platform also supports dynamic discovery of CLI automation assets and allows users to enhance these automations for easier consumption.Authorization and Security
The platform includes robust authorization features, enabling granular control over who can view and run automations. It also provides detailed audit logs for every script execution and secure API interfaces with input validation, ensuring a secure and controlled environment for automation and orchestration.Event-Driven and Closed-Loop Operations
Itential supports closed-loop and event-driven operations through its event triggers capability. Users can create and edit triggers to respond to specific conditions or messages, and these triggers can be applied to any type of orchestration flow. This feature adds flexibility and power to the user experience, allowing for more automated and responsive network operations.Conclusion
In summary, the Itential Automation Platform offers a user-friendly interface that is easy to use, highly accessible, and visually intuitive. It is designed to support a broad range of users, from network engineers to automation engineers, and ensures that automation and orchestration processes are both efficient and secure. Itential - Key Features and Functionality
Key Features of The Itential Platform
The Itential platform, focused on network automation and orchestration, boasts several key features that integrate AI and ML to enhance efficiency, reliability, and scalability. Here are the main features and how they work:Unified Device Management and Real-Time Visibility
Itential provides a centralized directory that correlates and manages devices from multiple network domains. This is achieved through real-time data ingestion from southbound systems, creating a global, up-to-the-minute directory of all network devices and infrastructure. This feature ensures that the network view stays current with dynamic updates on new deployments or device decommissioning.Data Federation and Broker Layer
The Federation/Broker layer ensures consistency in data models between various adapters, creating a unified, abstracted view of resources and data. This layer maintains brokers for common object types like devices, services, and topologies, allowing workflow engines to interact with connected entities more easily. This simplifies the management of multiple systems and data models.Workflow Engine
Itential’s workflow engine is a robust method for consuming aggregated data from existing tools and applying business logic involved in network automation. Workflows can be initiated manually, by events, API calls, or other orchestration flows. The engine does not create copies of data, ensuring that the systems of record remain the source of truth, thus mitigating data quality issues and synchronization errors.Closed-Loop and Event-Driven Capabilities
The platform supports closed-loop and event-driven operations through event triggers. These triggers initiate orchestration actions when predefined events occur, such as messages from message buses, NETCONF messages, API calls, or service assurance systems. Event triggers can be customized to respond to specific conditions and can attach data transformation objects to the event payload for proper formatting.Integration with AI/ML
Itential integrates seamlessly with AI/ML tools to enhance operational capabilities. Here are some key aspects of this integration:Northbound Integration Layer
This layer acts as the interface between external consumers like NLP systems and AIOps platforms, translating high-level intents into actionable workflows. AI/ML systems can request Itential to execute automated workflows, ensuring changes are implemented safely following established rules and policies.Orchestration Layer
Within this layer, AI/ML insights are applied to improve efficiency, reliability, and scalability. AI/ML can optimize platform performance, error management, and system health. For example, AI can predict resource saturation and allocate additional processing nodes, detect and auto-remediate platform-level errors, and predict potential system failures for preventive maintenance.Southbound Resources Layer
AI/ML tools optimize resource utilization at this layer. For instance, AI can dynamically monitor real-time network conditions and redistribute resources to address emerging demands, optimize the routing of data flows, and scale resources proactively to reduce operational expenses. Additionally, AI can enhance energy efficiency by consolidating workloads onto energy-efficient devices and shutting down or idling unused equipment.Dynamic Response to Network Changes
Itential automatically detects and updates changes in the network, such as new deployments or device decommissioning. This ensures the network view remains current and accurate, facilitating proactive and adaptive network management.Flexible Northbound Exposure Model
The platform provides a single, aggregated API for self-service network access, enabling other IT teams to easily consume network services. It also integrates with CI/CD pipelines, allowing developers to incorporate Itential’s workflows into their pipelines, delivering self-service network capabilities to IT teams.Zero Touch Automation
Itential allows workflows to be triggered automatically through applications, events, alarms, IT systems, BPMN, or manual user actions. This automation reduces the time to complete new requests and rapidly delivers services to end users.AI-Driven Decision Orchestration
AI/ML systems can use their insights to request Itential to execute automated workflows, ensuring changes are implemented safely and following established rules and policies. This integration enables AI to analyze the network and identify when changes are desirable, while Itential orchestrates the complex dependencies and sequences required for safe network operations. By integrating these features, Itential transforms traditional network operations into intelligent, adaptive systems that align technical achievements with broader business objectives, ensuring a direct link between innovation and ROI. Itential - Performance and Accuracy
Performance
Itential’s platform is built to handle the demands of hybrid and multi-cloud network environments. Here are some performance highlights:Scalability
Itential’s architecture supports dynamic scaling, making it suitable for environments with fluctuating demands. This ensures that the platform can adapt to the needs of growing or changing networks.Integration and Orchestration
Itential seamlessly integrates with various AI/ML tools, telemetry systems, and network resources. This integration enables cost-effective and scalable cross-domain operations, which is crucial for managing complex network infrastructures.Automation and Orchestration
The platform automates and orchestrates workflows across IT and network systems, ensuring that changes are implemented safely and efficiently. This includes managing change orders, enforcing compliance, and ensuring the reliability of network changes.Accuracy
Accuracy in Itential’s AI-driven solutions is enhanced through several mechanisms:Validation and Testing
Itential allows users to build workflows that integrate AI systems with testing, validation, and sources of truth. This helps improve the accuracy of AI decision-making by ensuring that changes are validated before implementation.Domain-Specific Knowledge
While AI/ML systems are excellent at analysis, they often lack the domain-specific knowledge to execute complex network changes safely. Itential’s orchestration platform fills this gap by ensuring that changes are executed in accordance with established rules and policies.Closed-Loop Automation
The integration with tools like Kentik enables closed-loop automation, where automations can respond to alerts in real-time, remediate issues, and notify teams. This closed-loop process helps in maintaining accuracy and reliability in network operations.Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Despite its strengths, there are some challenges and areas that require attention:Data Security and Privacy
One of the major barriers to AI adoption in networking is data security and privacy. Itential must ensure that its integrations and workflows adhere to strict security standards to protect sensitive data.Handling Distributed Network Environments
Distributed and fragmented infrastructure poses a significant challenge for AI deployments. Itential needs to continue improving its ability to source large amounts of data from multiple sources and integrate AI solutions across complex, multi-domain environments.Reengineering Processes
Simply inserting AI into existing processes may not be effective. Itential encourages reengineering entire end-to-end processes to maximize the impact of AI, which can be a time-consuming and challenging task for organizations. In summary, Itential’s performance is strong in terms of scalability, integration, and automation, while its accuracy is enhanced through validation, domain-specific knowledge, and closed-loop automation. However, addressing data security, handling distributed networks, and reengineering processes remain key areas for ongoing improvement. Itential - Pricing and Plans
The Pricing Structure of Itential
The pricing structure of Itential, a networking automation and orchestration solution, is segmented into several plans, each with distinct features and benefits.
Teams Plan
- Monthly Cost: $750
- Features:
- Execute Python, Ansible, and OpenTofu automations.
- Share services with other teams via Itential Cloud.
- REST API integration with Infrastructure as Code.
- Git integration for centralizing automations.
- Distribute Gateways for optimal execution.
- Includes 120 automation minutes.
- Usage charges apply at $1 per additional minute.
Advanced Plan
- Monthly Cost: $2,000
- Features:
- All features from the Teams plan.
- Integration with single sign-on systems (Okta, Azure, etc.).
- Support for bringing your own certificates.
- Extended data retention policies for audit and analysis.
- Includes 120 automation minutes.
- Usage charges apply at $3 per additional minute.
Platform Plan
- Pricing: Custom, requires contacting sales.
- Features:
- Unlimited integrations to all third-party systems.
- Unlimited access and use of pre-built assets in the Itential Marketplace.
- Design studio for building orchestrated workflows.
- Configuration management for all devices.
- Operations catalog for delivering self-service infrastructure automations.
- Multiple environments for development and production.
On-Prem Deployment
For organizations preferring on-prem deployment, the pricing scales based on the deployment architecture, applications, and the number of devices onboarded. This includes options like high availability and non-production servers, with associated support costs. For example, an Itential Application Server with high availability can cost $75,000, plus annual support fees.
Free Trial
Itential offers a free trial for 30 days with full access, requiring no credit card. This allows users to test the automation service without any initial commitment.
Subscription and Cancellation
- Subscriptions are monthly and auto-renew unless cancelled.
- Cancellations are effective at the end of the monthly billing cycle, with no prorated refunds for mid-month cancellations.
- Additional usage charges are billed at the end of each monthly period.
This structure allows organizations to choose a plan that best fits their automation and orchestration needs, whether they are just starting out or require more advanced enterprise features.
Itential - Integration and Compatibility
Integrating Itential with Various Tools
Integrating Itential with various tools and ensuring compatibility across different platforms and devices is a key aspect of its functionality, particularly in the context of network automation and AI/ML integration.Integration Layers and Ecosystem
Itential integrates with AI/ML technologies through a structured three-layer model: the Northbound Integration Layer, the Orchestration Layer, and the Southbound Resources Layer. The Northbound Integration Layer acts as the interface between external systems like NLP and AIOps platforms, translating high-level intents into actionable workflows. The Orchestration Layer is where workflows are executed, and AI techniques are applied to improve performance and throughput. The Southbound Resources Layer focuses on resource optimization, leveraging AI/ML to align resource utilization with performance goals and cost constraints.Compatibility with Third-Party Tools
Itential is highly compatible with a variety of third-party tools and systems. For instance, it supports integration with Cisco Network Services Orchestrator (NSO), where Itential ensures that the supported NSO versions are tested and verified for each version of the Itential Platform. This integration is crucial for network orchestration and management, and Itential addresses any errors or flaws affecting the integration of supported NSO versions.Multi-Domain Orchestration
Itential’s platform is designed for multi-domain orchestration, allowing it to integrate seamlessly with diverse network environments. This includes integration with telemetry and analytics tools, enabling the platform to provide actionable insights that optimize network performance and resource utilization. Itential’s adaptability and scalability make it an ideal foundation for incorporating AI/ML into network automation strategies.Real-Time Collaboration Tools
Itential also integrates with real-time collaboration platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams. This integration enables real-time messaging and updates during automated processes, keeping the network team informed and ensuring issues are quickly addressed. This capability enhances automation visibility and improves the overall efficiency of network management.Operating Systems and Dependencies
The Itential Platform and Itential Automation Gateway (IAG) are supported on various operating systems, including Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Rocky Linux. The platform also has specific dependencies on software such as MongoDB, RabbitMQ, and Redis, which are thoroughly tested and certified to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.Vendor-Agnostic Integration
Itential’s Automation Platform is API-first, allowing it to connect to a wide range of systems, including controllers, orchestrators, and network management tools. The Itential Adapters simplify integration across complex, diverse, and multi-domain environments, enabling network automation and maximizing the ROI on existing investments.Conclusion
In summary, Itential’s integration capabilities are extensive and flexible, allowing it to work seamlessly with a variety of tools, platforms, and devices. This ensures that organizations can leverage AI/ML insights, real-time collaboration, and multi-domain orchestration to enhance their network operations efficiently. Itential - Customer Support and Resources
Itential Customer Support Overview
Itential offers a comprehensive suite of customer support options and additional resources to ensure their networking tools and AI-driven products meet the needs of their users effectively.Customer Success Program
Itential’s Customer Success Program is specifically designed for SaaS customers and is built around several key pillars:Enablement
The program educates and guides teams on deploying and operationalizing the Itential SaaS platform, ensuring automation aligns with best practices and transforms company execution.Adoption
Itential helps customers deliver against their top use cases, ensuring rapid ROI and proper use of the platform through planned Customer Success sessions.Support
Customers have access to a dedicated support portal with interactive video troubleshooting. This support is available globally and covers automation needs, integration issues, and routine maintenance.Value Attainment
Customer Success Managers work to connect product usage with business needs and value-based outcomes, ensuring measurable value is achieved.Support Desk and Ticket System
For specific issues or inquiries, customers can access the Itential Service Desk through the Customer Portal. Here, they can generate product support tickets categorized into areas such as general questions, reporting problems, or common requests. This system ensures that issues are addressed systematically and efficiently.Interactive Resources
Itential provides various interactive resources to support network operations teams:Customer Support Portals
These portals offer software support and triage for automation and integration needs, as well as routine maintenance.Interactive Video Troubleshooting
This feature helps in resolving issues quickly and effectively.Documentation and Guides
Itential offers extensive documentation and guides, including white papers and FAQs, to help customers understand and utilize their products. For example, the white paper on integrating Itential with AI/ML provides detailed insights into how the platform can be used to operationalize AI/ML insights into network actions.Training and Enablement
The Customer Success Program includes educational components that enable teams to deploy and operationalize the Itential platform effectively. This involves guiding teams according to proven best practices to ensure automation is integrated smoothly into their operations. By providing these comprehensive support options and resources, Itential ensures that its customers can maximize the benefits of their networking tools and AI-driven products, achieving their automation and orchestration goals efficiently. Itential - Pros and Cons
When considering Itential as a networking tool with AI-driven capabilities, here are the main advantages and disadvantages based on the available information:
Advantages
Scalability and Flexibility
Itential allows infrastructure teams to automate and orchestrate hybrid networks, making it highly scalable for managing diverse network environments, including cloud platforms and legacy systems.
Standardization and Automation
The platform enables the standardization of automation across the infrastructure, supporting various automation tools like Python, Ansible, and Terraform. This helps in securing, organizing, sharing, and executing automations efficiently.
Orchestration of Workflows
Itential facilitates the orchestration of workflows across IT and network systems, integrating multiple domains and ensuring that changes are implemented safely and in compliance with established rules and policies.
Integration with AI/ML
Itential seamlessly integrates with AI/ML tools, enabling the operationalization of insights into safe and effective network actions. This integration helps in proactive error detection, dynamic resource management, and enhanced decision-making.
Network Assurance and Validation
When integrated with tools like IP Fabric, Itential provides network verification, validation, and assurance features. This ensures that network configuration changes do not have unintended consequences and that the network operates according to the desired intent.
Efficiency and Productivity
Itential has helped various organizations reduce manual effort significantly, accelerate service delivery, and improve the efficiency of network operations. For example, S&P Global reduced manual effort by 80-90% and completed tasks much faster.
User-Friendly Interface
The platform abstracts the complexity of automation, allowing network engineers to create impactful automations without needing to be proficient programmers. This makes it easier for teams to build and execute workflows quickly and effectively.
Disadvantages
Dependence on Integration
While Itential offers strong integration capabilities with AI/ML tools and other network systems, its effectiveness can be heavily dependent on the quality and compatibility of these integrations. This might require additional setup and maintenance.
Learning Curve for Advanced Features
Although Itential simplifies automation for non-programmers, leveraging its full potential, especially with advanced AI/ML integrations, may still require some technical expertise and time to fully understand and utilize all its features.
Cost Considerations
Implementing and maintaining a comprehensive platform like Itential could be costly, especially for smaller organizations. The investment in the platform, training, and potential customizations might be a significant factor to consider.
Change Management Challenges
While Itential helps in managing change orders and ensuring compliance, the process of adopting and integrating such a platform into existing network operations can be challenging. It may require significant changes in workflows and operational practices.
In summary, Itential offers substantial benefits in terms of scalability, standardization, and integration with AI/ML, but it also comes with some challenges related to integration, learning curves, and potential costs.
Itential - Comparison with Competitors
Unique Features of Itential
Itential distinguishes itself through its comprehensive orchestration capabilities, which are crucial for integrating AI/ML insights into actionable network changes. Here are some key features:Orchestrating AI/ML-Driven Decisions
Itential enables AI/ML systems to request and execute automated workflows, ensuring changes are implemented safely and in compliance with established rules and policies. This is particularly important in environments that require strict change management protocols.Multi-Domain Orchestration
Itential seamlessly integrates with AI/ML tools, telemetry systems, and network resources across diverse network environments. This integration simplifies cross-domain operations and hides the complexity of different network technologies, allowing AI systems to focus on operational data streams rather than complex configuration syntax.Compliance and Change Management
Itential’s native orchestration capabilities enforce compliance, manage change orders, and ensure the reliability of network changes. Workflow designers can embed business and technical rules into workflows, which can be applied across various use cases.Federated Inventory View and Data Federation/Broker Layer
Itential maintains a real-time list of connected assets through its Federation/Broker Layer, ensuring consistency in data models between various adapters. This layer creates a unified view of resources and data, making it easier for workflow engines and orchestration flows to interact with connected entities.Integration with Various Tools
Itential’s Automation Gateway (IAG) allows integration with popular network automation tools like Ansible, Nornir, Netmiko, and Terraform, providing a standardized inventory model and secure access to assets. This extends the reach of the Itential Platform and supports a wider range of systems.Potential Alternatives
Juniper Networks AI-Native Networking Platform
Juniper’s platform is notable for its unified AI engine and the Mist Marvis Virtual Network Assistant (VNA). It has been trained on seven years of insights and data science development, ensuring reliable, measurable, and secure connections for all devices, users, applications, and assets. This platform can reduce networking trouble tickets by up to 90%, lower OpEx by up to 85%, and reduce incident resolution time by up to 50%.Nile AI Services Platform
Nile offers an AI services platform that automates network design, configuration, and management. The platform includes AI-based network design, automated network deployment, and AI-powered network monitoring and operations. It integrates security, cloud-native service delivery, and AI-powered closed-loop automation, making it a strong alternative for enterprises looking to reimagine their network operations.LogicMonitor, Auvik, and NinjaOne
These tools focus more on AI-driven network monitoring rather than orchestration:LogicMonitor
Known for its AI-driven insights in anomaly detection and predictive analytics, LogicMonitor automates troubleshooting and improves network performance.Auvik
Auvik uses AI to automate tasks like network mapping, device discovery, and configuration backups. It also provides anomaly detection and predictive analytics for proactive maintenance.NinjaOne
NinjaOne integrates AI for automated anomaly detection, real-time monitoring, and proactive issue resolution. It automates routine tasks such as network discovery, device monitoring, and patch management.Key Differences
Orchestration vs. Monitoring
Itential is primarily focused on orchestrating network changes and ensuring compliance, whereas tools like LogicMonitor, Auvik, and NinjaOne are more centered on AI-driven monitoring and anomaly detection.Integration and Scalability
Itential’s ability to integrate with a wide range of AI/ML tools, telemetry systems, and network resources makes it highly scalable and adaptable. Juniper’s AI-native platform and Nile’s AI services platform also offer strong integration capabilities but are more specialized in their approach.Compliance and Change Management
Itential stands out in its robust compliance and change management features, which are essential for environments requiring strict adherence to change management protocols. Other platforms may not offer the same level of compliance enforcement and change order management. In summary, while other AI-driven networking tools excel in specific areas such as monitoring and predictive analytics, Itential’s unique strength lies in its ability to orchestrate complex network changes safely and in compliance with established rules, making it a valuable choice for organizations needing comprehensive network automation and orchestration. Itential - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Itential
What is Itential’s Design Studio and how does it help in network automation?
Itential’s Design Studio is an application that allows network practitioners, even those with no programming experience, to quickly build powerful end-to-end workflows for network automation and orchestration. It uses a low-code, drag-and-drop canvas, enabling users to create workflows without extensive coding knowledge. The studio also provides access to a library of over 300 pre-built use cases, adapters, and transformations, which helps teams to run their first workflows within days rather than months.
How does Itential expose network automations to other departments and allow specific roles to execute tasks?
Workflows built in Itential’s Design Studio can be published and made available through the Operations Manager. Here, teams can define which users and groups can run or manage a workflow and schedule it to run once or on a recurring basis. This ensures that specific roles can execute certain tasks, start/stop workflows, or schedule recurring workflows, enhancing role-based access and control.
How does Itential support automation with CLI-based network devices?
Itential supports both traditional CLI-based networking devices and API-based networking services. Workflows can be built across either type of device using the same methodology in Design Studio. For CLI-based devices, Itential has support for a variety of devices from vendors like Cisco, Juniper, Arista, F5, A10, and Aruba. Users can also add additional device types using the Extensible Device Support Wizard.
Does Itential provide pre-existing automations that customers can use in the platform?
Yes, Itential provides a freely available library of assets that cover a variety of popular use cases for both traditional networking and cloud networking. These assets include modular workflows, example use cases, integrations, and transformations, all of which are available from the Itential Automation Marketplace and integrated into the platform. This library helps customers get started quickly with network automation tasks such as software upgrades, VIP creation, and load balancer management.
How does Itential integrate with AI/ML tools to enhance network operations?
Itential integrates seamlessly with AI/ML tools to deliver enhanced operational capabilities. The platform allows AI/ML systems to use their insights to request Itential to execute automated workflows, ensuring changes are implemented safely and in compliance with established rules and policies. Itential orchestrates complex dependencies and sequences required for safe network operations, enabling AI/ML systems to focus on analyzing the network and identifying desirable changes.
What is the Itential Automation Gateway (IAG) and what does it do?
The Itential Automation Gateway (IAG) is a component that can be deployed with the Itential Platform to provide additional functionality and integration flexibility. IAG acts as a gateway to popular network automation tools such as Ansible, Nornir, Netmiko, Python, Terraform, and others. It enables users to incorporate assets from these systems into larger orchestration and automation scenarios, simplifying integration and providing a standardized inventory model and secure access to connected assets.
How does Itential support self-service automation?
Itential supports multiple methods of providing self-service capabilities for workflows. Any workflow created in Design Studio can be published in Operations Manager, where teams can define the individuals and groups who can manage or run a workflow. For self-service capabilities outside the platform, workflows can also be accessed through a RESTful API, allowing integration into other systems and processes.
How does Itential ensure compliance rules for network configurations?
Itential provides compliance features that support any configuration type, including strictly ordered lists of items such as Access Control Lists (ACLs), route filters, or policy-based routes. These features can be used for both CLI and API (JSON) configurations, ensuring that any proposed changes adhere to previously defined configuration standards before they are implemented.
How does Itential integrate with ServiceNow?
The Itential ServiceNow Application streamlines the integration of ServiceNow with the Itential Platform. This certified app allows ServiceNow admins to download, install, and configure it in their ServiceNow instance. It enables the dynamic generation of a list of self-service network orchestrations that can be run by authorized ServiceNow users. Published workflows are exposed through a GUI portal within ServiceNow and can also be embedded in ServiceNow flows, coordinating IT processes and exposing end-to-end outcomes to end users.
How does Itential facilitate network discovery and assurance with IP Fabric?
Itential integrates with IP Fabric to provide a robust solution for network automation and assurance. IP Fabric offers a network source of truth, providing a complete and accurate network baseline. Itential facilitates the rapid design and deployment of orchestrated workflows, and together, they ensure that network configuration changes are validated and verified against the desired network state. This integration includes features like network verification, validation, and assurance, ensuring that changes do not have unintended consequences.
Itential - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of Itential in the Networking Tools AI-Driven Product Category
Itential stands out as a comprehensive and versatile platform in the networking tools AI-driven product category, particularly for organizations seeking to integrate AI and ML into their network operations.
Key Benefits and Capabilities
- Orchestration and Automation: Itential’s core strength lies in its ability to orchestrate complex network changes, ensuring compliance and reliability. It integrates seamlessly with AI/ML tools, telemetry systems, and various network resources, simplifying cross-domain operations and hiding the complexity of different network technologies.
- Integration with AI/ML: The platform bridges the gap between AI/ML analysis and the operationalization of insights. It enables AI/ML systems to request automated workflows, ensuring changes are implemented safely and in accordance with established rules and policies.
- Scalability and Flexibility: Itential is designed for dynamic scaling, making it suitable for environments with fluctuating demands. It supports hybrid networks, cloud, and legacy systems, allowing for efficient and scalable infrastructure operations.
- Security and Compliance: The platform enforces compliance, manages change orders, and ensures the reliability of network changes. It also provides granular control over who can view and run automations, along with detailed audit logs.
- Event-Driven Orchestration: Itential supports closed-loop and event-driven operations, initiating orchestration actions based on predefined events from various sources such as message buses, NETCONF messages, and API calls.
Who Would Benefit Most
- Large Enterprises: Organizations with complex, distributed infrastructure will benefit significantly from Itential’s multi-domain orchestration capabilities and its ability to integrate with various AI/ML tools and network resources.
- Network Automation Teams: Teams responsible for automating and orchestrating network operations will find Itential’s workflow engine and automation gateway particularly useful, as they enable the creation, iteration, and scaling of automations without significant dependencies.
- IT and App Dev Teams: These teams can leverage Itential’s self-service access to network resources, eliminating bottlenecks and boosting agility in service delivery.
Overall Recommendation
Itential is highly recommended for organizations looking to leverage AI and ML in their network operations while ensuring strict compliance and reliability. Its flexibility, scalability, and comprehensive integration capabilities make it an ideal choice for managing complex network environments.
Key Considerations
- Ease of Deployment: Itential offers quick deployment and easy scaling, with pre-built integrations and workflows that accelerate automation initiatives.
- Cost-Effectiveness: The platform’s consumption-based pricing and ability to extend existing automation investments make it a cost-effective solution.
- User Experience: Itential provides a user-friendly interface and visual representation of automation assets, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.
In summary, Itential is a powerful tool for any organization aiming to enhance their network operations with AI and ML, ensuring efficient, compliant, and reliable automation across diverse network environments.