Men & Mice Suite for Microsoft based networks
The best solution for Microsoft Windows and Active Directory networks
The Men & Mice Suite is the best available IP Address Management solution for addressing the scalability, manageability and troubleshooting issues which arise in large Microsoft based networks.
The Suite works on top of the existing Microsoft DNS and DHCP servers, and integrates well with Active Directory.
While the default Microsoft tools are well suited for one-on-one management, they were not designed to provide the kind of scalable and secure DNS, DHCP and IP address management capabilities that are necessary for larger environments.
When it comes to handling tens or even hundreds of DNS and DHCP servers, professional management using the only default tools simply breaks down. In particular, the default Microsoft tools provide no means of maintaining a chronologically correct audit trail; no easy way to delegate the authority for network updates; and in general no unified up-to-date view of the IP address space.
Benefits of deploying the Men & Mice Suite in large Microsoft based environments
Non-intrusive, stepwise deployment
Keep your existing DNS and DHCP servers, Active Directory Domain Controllers, and their configuration. The Men & Mice Suite simply adds a management layer on top of them.
Clear and integrated view
The Men & Mice Suite brings order to the chaos. Instead of manually administering tens or hundereds of DNS and DHCP Servers, with no clear overview of the IP address space, work with a intuitive interface which provides one logical and unified view of the network infrastructure.
Easy and secure task delegation
The Men & Mice Suite allows network senior adminstrators to define fine-grained and flexible subdivisions of the IP address space, and grant specified users and user groups limited priviliges to perform well defined tasks, such as adding a new device to the network. These users get an easy-to-use browser based "sandbox” interface where they can easily perform their allowed tasks.
Here are problems that large enterprises have experienced
Common problem situation for enterprises deploying multiple Microsoft DNS servers and Active Directory integrated zones:
Typically, a large organization uses dynamic DNS updates (DDNS) and the Microsoft DHCP server to allocate IP addresses. However the allocation blocks of IP addresses as well as the configuration of static IP addresses and DNS entries is done manually. This results in:
Inefficient use of costly resources. The best (most expensive) engineers are spending substantial time on routine DNS, DHCP and IP address updates. They are regularly making changes to DNS records, allocating IP addresses to individual departments or users, troubleshooting DNS records and struggling to keep up with rapidly changing organizational structures.
Long lead times. It takes days or weeks to implement and propagate static DNS changes on the network. There is a complex process for changing DNS records. Typically a user must fill out a form or send an e-mail to a central organization which then needs to approve the request and then finally make the change to the DNS records. These changes then need to be replicated to all DNS servers to be visible across the whole organization.
Limited flexibility when networks change. Administrators typically have limited options for adapting the DNS, DHCP and IP infrastructure to organizational changes, such as new organizational structures, acquisitions and divestments. Organizations need solutions which make it easy to implement mass updates to hundreds or thousands of IP addresses and DNS/DHCP records across multiple servers and geographies.
Cumbersome manual processes. IP addresses are managed manually often using a spreadsheet as a log book to track allocated address ranges and static DNS records. This results in duplicated IP addresses, inefficient use of the IP space, and inconsistencies regarding what is actually live on the network.
Errors and vulnerabilities. As a consequence of using manual processes, companies frequently experience DNS, DHCP and AD configuration errors and vulnerabilities (e.g. DNS delegation problems, missing PTR records, incorrect SRV records) that result in lost user productivity. Without the proper tools, such errors are difficult to detect and solve.