NetBrain R12: Revolutionizing Network Automation

by Nigel Hickey Feb 10, 2025

For two decades, NetBrain has empowered IT teams with the industry’s most comprehensive network observability and automation platform. At the core of our solution is dynamic network mapping, enabling unparalleled visibility into complex, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments. By creating a “Digital Twin” of your network, NetBrain provides the foundational context for troubleshooting, change management, and compliance. 

With the release of NetBrain Next-Gen R12, we have elevated these capabilities, introducing advanced AI, enhanced observability, and proactive change management features that address the ever-evolving challenges of modern IT environments. Building on the strength of our core competencies, NetBrain R12 enables teams to seamlessly transition from reactive problem-solving to proactive, scalable network operations. 

This blog explores the key features and benefits of R12, highlighting how NetBrain is setting new standards for network automation.

NetBrain R12 – Key Features and Updates 

AI Co-Pilot: Transforming Troubleshooting and Automation

The GenAI-powered AI Co-Pilot is one of the most transformative features introduced in NetBrain Next-Gen R12. Designed to simplify and streamline network troubleshooting, the AI Co-Pilot allows users to interact with their network through natural language queries like never before. This breakthrough eliminates the need for specialized coding or scripting knowledge, making advanced diagnostics accessible to all members of your team.

When a network issue arises, users can type their questions or commands into the AI Co-Pilot, and it advises engineers on what to do, automates the execution of necessary actions, and then summarizes and interprets the results, all in real-time.

Key Benefits Include:

• Natural Language Interaction – Ask the Co-Pilot questions like, “What caused this application slowdown?” and receive detailed diagnostic insights in seconds.
• Automated Diagnostics & Execution – The AI doesn’t just analyze; it takes action by orchestrating troubleshooting, running assessments, and validating changes on demand.
• Human-Readable Summaries – Results aren’t just raw data—they’re interpreted, contextualized, and presented as actionable insights via dashboards, tables, and dynamic maps.

How It Works in Action:

Imagine a network engineer troubleshooting an application slowdown. Instead of manually hunting through logs and CLI commands, they simply ask the AI Co-Pilot, “Why is this application running slowly?” The AI immediately:

1. Advises – Recommends the most relevant diagnostic checks based on historical data, design intents, and real-time network conditions.
2. Automates – Triggers a series of real-time tests, mapping relevant devices, analyzing traffic flows, and identifying anomalies.
3. Interprets & Summarizes – Delivers the findings in an intuitive, human-readable format, complete with visualizations and suggested next steps.

By combining AI-driven advice, automation, and intelligent interpretation, the AI Co-Pilot dramatically reduces MTTR, empowers less experienced engineers, and ensures consistent, repeatable troubleshooting across your team.

For example: 

• A network engineer troubleshooting QoS packet loss could type their query into the Co-Pilot. The AI would map relevant devices, analyze traffic flows, and identify anomalies, presenting the findings in a format the engineer can immediately act upon. 

By shifting the focus from manual troubleshooting to guided, AI-driven workflows, our AI Co-Pilot reduces Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) and empowers even junior team members to resolve issues effectively. Meanwhile, senior engineers can focus on strategic initiatives, driving greater value for the organization. 

 

Golden Engineering Studio (GES): Enforcing Network Integrity 

The Golden Engineering Studio (GES) is a powerful addition to NetBrain R12, setting a new standard for network integrity and compliance. By reverse-engineering existing network configurations into actionable “Golden Configurations,” GES enables teams to uncover design rules and ensure consistent network performance. 

Without tools like GES, organizations often face risks from undocumented configurations or ad-hoc changes that can cause drift from the original design intent. GES eliminates these risks by providing a centralized, automated way to maintain and enforce design standards across your entire network. 

Key Capabilities of GES: 

• Reverse Engineering: Automatically discover network configurations and transform them into Golden Configurations that serve as the baseline for compliance. 
• Day 1 Issue Detection: Identify misconfigurations via forward engineering which refers to the proactive definition and enforcement of network design rules before deployment, ensuring that new configurations meet operational standards before they go live
• Day 2 Drift Prevention: Continuously monitor for deviations from the Golden Configurations, Golden Intents, and Golden Templates, alerting teams to unauthorized changes and enabling automated remediation.

How GES Works: 

• Discover: Golden Engineering Studio (GES) scans your network to capture existing configurations and detect undocumented changes. 
• Define: Teams can create Golden Configurations based on best practices or organizational requirements, ensuring a uniform standard across all devices. 
• Enforce: Once established, GES monitors for drift and automatically suggests or implements fixes, maintaining compliance without manual intervention. 

For example: 

• A network team using GES can reverse-engineer configurations across thousands of devices to establish a consistent “golden” baseline. If any device falls out of compliance due to manual changes or unintended errors, GES can trigger automated remediation, ensuring that the network remains aligned with design standards. 

 

By codifying design rules and automating their enforcement, GES reduces the impact of undocumented changes, enhances security, and ensures consistent network performance. Whether addressing compliance requirements or supporting operational excellence, GES is a cornerstone of NetBrain R12. 

 

Triple Defense Change Management: Reducing Risk 

Managing network changes is one of the most critical—and potentially disruptive—tasks for IT teams. With Triple Defense Change Management, NetBrain R12 introduces a robust framework to safeguard against errors and ensure that every change is implemented securely and effectively. By automating Before, During, and After change validations, this feature mitigates the risks associated with misconfigurations, application downtime, and security vulnerabilities. 

Why It Matters: Change is inevitable in dynamic network environments, whether due to scaling, upgrades, or troubleshooting. However, poorly managed changes can lead to outages, non-compliance, or degraded performance. NetBrain’s Triple Defense Change Management ensures that every modification is deliberate, tested, and risk-free. 

How Triple Defense Works: 

1. Pre-Change Validation: 
   • Analyze existing configurations and identify potential conflicts or risks before any changes are made. 
   • Test new rules against design requirements to ensure compatibility with security, application performance, and connectivity needs. 
2. During-Change Monitoring: 
   • Validate the impact of changes as they’re implemented. 
   • Detect anomalies in real-time, providing instant feedback to prevent potential disruptions. 
3. Post-Change Assessment: 
   • Compare new configurations against Golden Configurations to detect any drift. 
   • Automate rollback processes in case of unintended consequences, ensuring rapid recovery. 

 

Key Benefits of Triple Defense Change Management: 

• Error Prevention: Reduce human error with automated testing and validation steps at every stage of the change lifecycle. 
• Security Assurance: Proactively identify and mitigate risks that could expose vulnerabilities during the change process. 
• Compliance Tracking: Maintain consistent adherence to organizational and regulatory standards by validating changes against predefined rules. 

For example: 

• Imagine deploying a configuration update across multiple devices. Before implementation, Triple Defense analyzes the planned changes, ensuring they meet design requirements. During the rollout, it monitors for unintended side effects, and after the update is complete, it compares the final configuration to the Golden Baseline. If any drift is detected, Triple Defense triggers automated remediation or rollback processes. 

By integrating this rigorous change management approach, NetBrain R12 empowers teams to make changes with confidence, minimizing downtime and enhancing overall network reliability. This level of precision is essential for organizations managing hybrid and multi-cloud environments, where the stakes are higher than ever. 

 

Enhanced Observability with Geo-Location Dashboards 

In today’s complex network environments, observability is more than just monitoring—it’s about having actionable insights to proactively manage performance and mitigate risks. NetBrain R12 raises the bar by introducing enhanced network observability capabilities paired with Geo-Location Dashboards, enabling teams to visualize and manage their networks in ways that were previously unimaginable. 

Why Enhanced Observability Matters: Modern IT environments are hybrid, distributed, and multi-vendor, which makes achieving end-to-end visibility a significant challenge. Traditional monitoring tools often leave gaps, forcing teams to rely on manual efforts to piece together network performance. With R12’s enhanced observability, NetBrain provides a unified, real-time view of network health, ensuring no issue goes unnoticed. 

Key Features of Enhanced Observability: 

Real-Time Network Health Insights: 

• Monitor critical metrics such as security status, performance, and compliance across the entire network. 
• Access a holistic view of the network at a company-wide, regional, or device-specific level. 

Geo-Location Dashboards: 

• Map network activity geographically to pinpoint the impact of issues on specific regions. 
• Enable rapid localization of problems, facilitating faster decision-making and resolution. 

Dynamic Mapping Integration: 

• Combine observability insights with NetBrain’s dynamic maps to visualize dependencies, flows, and potential bottlenecks in real-time. 

Practical Applications: Imagine a global enterprise facing intermittent outages in a specific region. Using the Geo-Location Dashboard, IT teams can instantly identify affected devices and traffic paths, correlating the issue to its root cause. This capability dramatically reduces the time and effort required to isolate and resolve regional problems, improving both user experience and operational efficiency. 

Benefits of Enhanced Observability: 

• Proactive Management: Identify deviations from baseline performance before they escalate into major incidents. 
• Targeted Diagnosis: Use location-specific insights to address localized issues with precision. 
• Informed Decision-Making: Gain a complete understanding of network dependencies and impacts, enabling data-driven responses to problems. 

With these observability enhancements, NetBrain R12 empowers IT teams to move from reactive firefighting to proactive network management. Whether you’re ensuring seamless application delivery or mitigating potential disruptions, this feature offers the tools needed to maintain peak network performance in even the most complex environments. 

 

Why NetBrain R12 Matters to Your Organization 

NetBrain Next-Gen R12 is not just an update; it is a strategic enabler for modern network operations. Built on the foundation of NetBrain’s proven network observability platform, R12 empowers organizations to tackle the challenges of hybrid and multi-cloud environments with confidence. By adopting its advanced capabilities, organizations can: 

• Reduce downtime through AI-driven troubleshooting, ensuring faster resolution of issues and improved service reliability. 
• Improve compliance and security with proactive change management that prevents configuration drift and mitigates risks before they impact operations. 
• Enhance visibility and performance across complex, hybrid networks, providing actionable insights that drive smarter decision-making. 

With NetBrain R12, your network becomes not just a support system but a critical driver of business success. 

 

What’s Next? A Deeper Dive into NetBrain R12 

Over the first half of 2025, we’ll take a closer look at the most impactful features of NetBrain Next-Gen R12, diving into how they deliver real-world value and transform network operations. Upcoming posts will include: 

• AI Co-Pilot: How GenAI simplifies troubleshooting and boosts productivity by shifting left and enabling junior administrators. 
• Golden Engineering Studio: The power of reverse engineering & a real-time Digital Twin to maintain network integrity. 
• Triple Defense Change Management: Ensuring secure, error-free changes before, during, and after, at scale. 

Each post will explore these features in action, demonstrating their ability to reduce downtime, enhance compliance, and empower your IT team to tackle network challenges with confidence. Be sure to check back for insights that can help you fully leverage the power of NetBrain Next-Gen R12. 

  

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