ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine

ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine enables organizations to scale quickly with firmware and configurations across third-party networking devices, reducing lengthy and error prone manual onboarding and updates. With a linear licensing subscription-based model, the cost is predictable and tasks like deploying new locations or expanding existing ones are easily accomplished.

ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine provides actionable business insights from the end-to-end network with granular details into the performance of applications and the network through application telemetry and deep packet inspection (DPI). ExtremeAnalytics for ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine speeds up troubleshooting by separating network from application performance so you can quickly identify root causes. It monitors shadow IT, identifies and reports malicious or unwanted applications, and helps with security compliance.

The Analytics Engine within ExtremeAnalytics extends application visibility from wired and wireless devices all the way through the campus to the data center. With deep packet inspection, network administrators can see and analyze network traffic across multiple layers for real-time accurate information analysis. Additionally, integration with AWS, GCP, and Azure provides a unique capability of a single analytics tool set that covers campus, data center, and cloud instances. For additional information regarding ExtremeAnalytics, refer to the ExtremeAnalytics for ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine Data Sheet.

The ExtremeCloud – IQ Site Engine provides cross domain work flow automation capabilities via an intuitive graphical approach to easily automate network tasks. Built-in automation and work flow tools as well as support for common scripting languages (such as Python) enables their combination to form work flows. These capabilities assist in the reduction of command line interface-based management while helping to alleviate the burden on IT personnel and the impacts of unintended down-time. A work flow can be triggered by any event like threshold reached, syslog message or trap received, user action, or even an external API call. The work flow can reconfigure the network or interact with third-party solutions. For example, if the reboot of the device is detected, technical logs and details can be gathered, and a help desk ticket can be created by the work flow itself. If a high CPU utilization is detected, the work flow can automatically gather additional information about running processes. The ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine can change a 3:00 AM wake-up call to a 10:00 AM follow-up.

IT leaders look to deliver on the promise of the Infinite Enterprise – an organization whose network is distributed to meet users wherever they are, delivers a consumer-centric experience where technology revolves around the user’s needs, and enables that experience at scale. ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine allows for the transition to cloud network management at their pace, while having the flexibility to manage their network in a local mode and transition to the cloud when ready. ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine supports the Infinite Enterprise through simplified cloud-based management extended to a greater set of infinitely distributed devices and end users. As a result, ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine cloud enablement pathway is ideally suited to fulfill the promise of the Infinite Enterprise. This solution enables end consumers to be more proactive with the management of their network by providing them the right tools to make data-driven, informed decisions wherever they are.

ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine is integrated with key enterprise platforms to streamline business processes, enable more robust data analysis, and deliver seamless user experiences. ExtremeConnect offers integration with major enterprise platforms for network security, mobile management, analytics, cloud, and data center solutions. In addition, a comprehensive suite of open APIs is offered from Extreme’s network infrastructure portfolio of switches and wireless APs. This includes the classic integration methods like SNMP, Syslog, and more efficient integration methods like REST-based APIs. Additional information is available at the ExtremeCloud IQ API webpage.

From a single screen, ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine provides end-to-end management of the wired and wireless network edge to the data center and across multivendor devices. It supports the full lifecycle of network management from the initial deployment planning stage via configuration templates to predefine site, port, service, reference firmware, and fabric attributes, to the deployment stage with Zero Touch Provisioning Plus (ZTP+) (enabling the automated deployment of a new switch via templates and workflows), to the final stage when daily and on-demand operations (such as adding new services and VLANS) is simplified and maintenance-related tasks (such as RMAs and service maintenance windows) can be implemented.

ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine provides a granular view of users, devices, and applications with an easy-to-understand dashboard inventory and network topology for efficient management. Policies and new services such as bring your own device (BYOD) can be enabled through the integrated graphical user interface and enforced at the network point of entry through ExtremeControl for ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine. To enhance the management of third-party networking devices, the dashboard shows their topology and discovery.

Topology maps provide non-fabric and fabric visualizations. Non-fabric visualizations enable, for example, the visibility of VLAN presence, or the link status of the primary and secondary paths within an Ethernet Automatic Protection Switching (EAPS) scheme of an Ethernet ring architecture. Users can visualize the state of link aggregation groups (LAG) and multi-switch link aggregation groups (MLAG) and determine which devices participate in the link aggregation. Users can visualize a bridge port extender (BPE) topology and determine what control bridges are used, what BPEs are present, and the state of the topology.

With support for fabric management capabilities built natively into ExtremeCloud IQ - Site Engine, time to service is greatly reduced. Users benefit from flexibility via the ability to automatically change the switch OS persona from the factory default to the Fabric Engine OS while deploying the Fabric network. Other capabilities include the configuration and customization of fabric topology, as well as configuration of fabric services ( L2 VSNs, L3 VSNs, Service ID, Name and Type), distributed virtual routing (DVR) element (Leaf, Controller, and Router) properties, router redundancy protocols (VRRP, RSMLT, DVR), and port templates.

Fabric-specific visualizations help users more easily monitor fabric-related parameters such as fabric areas and Fabric Connect links to locate where IS-IS areas are present and determine which links are part of the fabric. Also, users can visualize primary and secondary paths between two fabric switches in the network, and where in the network a specific fabric service is present and ascertain its main attributes (L2 VSN vs L3 VSN, VRF assignment). These key visibility capabilities assist users to monitor and validate their non-fabric and fabric and combined deployments and troubleshoot more easily when required.

The ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine enables the security of an organization’s wired and wireless networks to be unified and provides in–depth visibility and control over its users, devices, and applications. With monthly security updates provided, Extreme Networks complies with the security requirements that today’s networking infrastructures demand.

With the ExtremeControl application available as part of ExtremeCloud IQ - Site Engine, access security is enabled via a role-based network access control (NAC) for all devices including third-party networking devices. The application securely enables BYOD, guest access, and loT control to protect the network against external threats and protect corporate data by proactively preventing unauthorized users and compromised endpoints from network access. One can centrally manage and define granular policies to meet compliance obligations, locate, authenticate, and apply targeted policies to users and devices.

It is integrated with major enterprise platforms including solutions for network security, enterprise mobility management, analytics, cloud, and data center. In addition, it offers an open northbound API for customized integrations to key enterprise platforms. For additional information regarding ExtremeControl, please refer to the ExtremeControl for ExtremeCloud IQ – Site Engine Data Sheet.