Data Centre Hardware

HP Networking DCM Controller

The HP Netwroking DCM (Data Centre Connection Manager) Controller is a software appliance designed to formalize the workflow process between network and server IT teams for application provisioning, and help organizations control costs by providing policy-based automation of networking and server resources in the Data Centre. DCM maintains policy connection states for physical as well as virtual servers wherever they connect in the data centre, and provides detailed compliance information linking applications to their infrastructure dependencies. DCM is standards based and enables better capacity management and troubleshooting through the use of a connection inventory database.

Data centre optimized

• Automated policy-based provisioning: DCM Controller automates the provisioning of resources in the data centre, including servers, edge network, and core network devices based on predefined connection policies.
   
• Formalizes data centre workflow activities:
  • DCM Controller automates and formalizes workflow process: Network and server IT teams utilize a specialized GUI for application and server provisioning activities.
  • Eliminates repetitive, manual provisioning processes: Servers can be deployed without waiting for a network service request.
  • Enables easy capacity management: DCM Controller's Connection Inventory provides an instant view of available connections and maintains status on subscribed connections.
     
• Virtualization-compatible policies: Policies follow virtual machines (VMs) and servers dynamically if they move from port to port or switch to switch, without requiring manual intervention.
   
• Eases troubleshooting and compliance in a virtualized environment:
  • Links VMs to physical infrastructure: Creates an authoritative, single source for linking network topology and configuration to servers and VMs.
  • Maintains state of server and VM connections: Allows network administrators to document, define, and check server connection policies for status and compliance.

Management

• Remote configuration and management: Provided through a secure Web browser interface.
   
• Network, server, and operator privilege levels: Different types of administrators are granted different access levels depending on requirements and job-specific activities. Operator allows read-only access to the Connection Inventory for compliance and troubleshooting.
   
• HP Networking Manager: central management through HP Networking Manager Plus for discovery, logging, and status management.
   
• Flexible logging and messaging engine for administrator communications: DCM Controller can communicate logging information and state changes of connections in the database via e-mail, SNMP, syslog, or through script calls to HP Network Automation software (formerly Opsware).

 
Device support

• Supports multivendor equipment configuration:
  • Configures edge switches: any standards-based, RADIUS-compliant edge switch can be configured by DCM Controller policies.
  • Configures servers and VMs: DCM ONE policies can manage network and IP settings for any standards-based server or VM.
  • Configures centralized data centre devices: Used with HP Network Automation software, DCM Controller policies can affect changes on a wide range of data centre devices, including load-balancers and firewalls.

 
Product Architecture

• Flexible data structure: Policies are defined using a flexible data structure that easily maps to existing organizational structures and roles and responsibilities.
   
• Pod-based data structure design: DCM Controller utilizes a pod-based data structure that allows it to flexibly map policy structure to logical boundaries in data centres, from physical rack-based pods or departmental boundaries to organizational-level pods in an outsourcing environment.
   
• Integration with HP Network Automation software (HP NAS): As part of its connection policies, DCM Controller can call specific HP NAS scripts to automate the configuration of centralized data centre devices. Script calls can be made based on state changes in the database of individual connections.

 
Technical features

• RADIUS-based policy enforcement: RADIUS-based authentication of servers and VMs when they connect provides consistent policy delivery anywhere in the data centre. Configuration parameters are delivered to the edge device through standard RADIUS attributes.
   
• IEEE 802.1X and MAC authentication identification: Servers and VMs are identified and associated with a connection policy in DCM Controller when they connect to the network through an IEEE 802.1X token or by transparent MAC authentication. MAC authentication does not require any client-side software or action in order to participate in DCM Controller's provisioning automation.
   
• Flexible DHCP configuration options: As part of the automation process, DCM Controller performs flexible Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) operations that can match existing processes for server addressing. DCM Controller supports fully manual or automated addressing options when configuring connection policies.
   
• Dynamic MAC addressing options: Servers are associated to DCM Controller's connection policies through MAC identification. DCM Controller provides extensive options for configuring MAC addresses as part of connection policies, from fully dynamic and automated by DCM Controller to manually entered addresses when the server in provisioned.