Config Backup / Inventory

[Joshua Eyres <joshua.eyres () gmail com>]

Hi,

I am looking for a bit of advice around configuration backup / inventory. We
currently have a large multi-vendor network which is currently managed
through two separate tools (rancid - http://www.shrubbery.net/rancid and ns4
- http://www.noodles.org.uk/ns4.html). Both tools do the job very well, but
management have asked that we look for commercial alternatives that have a
proper support organisation looking after them.

IP Service Activator has been mentioned as something which can fit this
role, but I haven't had any experience and I haven't heard a lot of good
things about it. We are looking for a tool which is flexible that allows
configuration backup to textual form for easy restoration as well as the
ability to deploy scripted changes to the network quickly.

Do people generally use free tools for network management or are there
viable commercial alternatives?

Thanks,
Josh