The Infoblox product line is based on the vendor's Infoblox Network Services appliances, which are offered in several configurations targeted to small enterprise/branch office through data center core or service provider deployments. The appliances, in turn, are themselves all based on the vendor's NIOS operating system software.

NIOS is a security-hardened, RTOS that includes a built-in DB and can be extended by multiple software modules; providing capabilities including DNS services, DHCP services, IP address management (IPAM), Network Access Control, RADIUS authentication, TFTP and HTTP file transports, NTP, and logging (via Syslog). These software modules are themselves grouped and sold as specific software packages by the vendor (more below). Other key modules provide extended capabilities for a base Infoblox appliance, including the the Grid module, which enables multiple appliances to be linked together (with SSL protected communications between them) such that they can be centrally managed and share a common distributed DB; and high availability services, which are based on VRRP and provide DB synchronization and failover features. The software itself can be accessed by external applications via an included API that allows for the importation/exportation of data, and the reading and modification of data in the Infoblox DB. Toolkits are provided by the vendor specifically for interacting with the Infoblox API.

New features available in the latest NIOS release include support for object-level permissions (the ability to assign rights to individual entities such as specific devices or zones), support for staged upgrades (the ability to schedule upgrades across grids by geography, divisions, or other classifications), and the The Infoblox Grid Connector for Microsoft AD, which automatically syncs user and group information from AD to the Infoblox grid master (which can then, in turn, update the info in all the grid members) for use in RADIUS policies.

As mentioned, several software packages are offered by the vendor that combine the available modules for the Infoblox appliances into groupings targeted to specific tasks. Some of these software packages include:

- DNSone: Includes the DNS, DHCP, IPAM, and base services modules (base services include TFTP, HTTP, NTP, Syslog, and RADIUS proxy). A DNSone package is also available with Grid capabilities.

- Network Services for Authentication: Includes the full RADIUS module, as well as the Grid component, the base services, and an Active Directory agent.

- Network Services for VitalQIP, which includes the base services and Grid component as well as a VitalQIP module that integrates the Infoblox's core services with Alcatel-Lucent's VitalQIP IP address management software.

- Network Services for VoIP, which include the DHCP, IPAM, Grid, and base service modules.

- Network Services Suite, which includes all of the above modules with the exception of the VitalQIP integration module.

- IPAM WinConnect, which includes an IPAM module specifically targeted to the management of IP addresses in Microsoft DNS and DHCP environments.

Most of the packages are available on all of the Infoblox appliances; though some are restricted to a subset.

Visit the Infoblox Web site for further details.

product submission by EITPlanet Staff

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