Managing Network Services via the Cloud

Managing distributed networks has always been a pain in the proverbial node. But with the advent of cloud computing, new approaches that promise to relieve many of the headaches of managing distributed computing are on the way.

Pareto Networks, for instance, is rolling out a new cloud computing service that makes it easier to centrally monitor and manage a distributed network. The service works by deploying either a physical or virtual appliance at the remote location, which is in turn linked back to the cloud computing service provided by Pareto.

Through this service, IT organizations can control and provision the network services that are being delivered to various branch offices. According to Pareto Networks CEO Matthew Palmer, the company will make available an application programming interface that will make it easier to integrate a variety of third-party products and services into the Pareto Networks service.

Pareto Networks is really taking a concept that has been applied in the security sector and applying it more broadly to networking services in general.

Whether the network link to the remote office is established via Ethernet, Wi-Fi or 3G/4G networks is immaterial, said Palmer. What matters, says Palmer, is that IT organizations will have a much simpler way to remotely deliver network services in a way that allows them to guarantee quality of service without having to dispatch IT people every time a network service needs to be updated.