‍Introduction

Modern enterprise networks span hundreds or thousands of devices—routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless controllers—often from different vendors. As infrastructure grows, so do the challenges of maintaining configuration consistency, avoiding outages, ensuring compliance, and managing operational risk.

Misconfigurations account for a significant share of network outages and security incidents. IT teams operate in the dark without automated backups, version control, and change tracking, increasing downtime and audit failures.

That’s where Network Configuration and Change Management (NCCM) tools step in. These platforms automate backups, enforce policies, enable rollback, and monitor network changes across multi-vendor environments. This guide explores the top 10 NCCM tools helping organizations manage change workflows, boost compliance, and secure critical network infrastructure in 2025.

What Is NCCM and Why Does It Matter?

Network Configuration and Change Management (NCCM) maintains and monitors configurations across your network infrastructure. It encompasses:

• Automated configuration backups

• Change detection and logging

• Version control and rollback

• Compliance enforcement and policy monitoring

Key challenges that NCCM addresses:

• Configuration drift: Device configurations gradually diverge from baselines.

• Human error: Manual CLI changes cause mistakes and outages.

• Visibility gaps: No centralized view of device states or change logs.

By automating config tracking and aligning changes with policy rules, NCCM platforms help ensure uptime, accelerate root cause analysis, and prepare organizations for PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and NERC CIP audits.

Key Features to Look for in NCCM Tools

When selecting a NCCM platform, prioritize these features:

• Multi-vendor device support (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Fortinet, etc.)

• Automated backup and version control

• Real-time change detection and alerts

• Compliance mapping for PCI-DSS, NIST, HIPAA

• Role-based access control (RBAC)

• Rollback and restore options

• Policy enforcement for security standards (SNMP, SSH, password complexity)

• Integration with ITSM, SIEM, and vulnerability scanners

Top 10 Network Configuration and Change Management (NCCM) Tools

1. SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager (NCM)

Overview: SolarWinds NCM automates configuration backups, monitors changes, and ensures policy compliance across multi-vendor environments.

Pros:

• Excellent multi-vendor support

• Powerful policy compliance templates

• Easy rollback and version control

Cons:

• High price point

• UI can be dated

User Ratings:

G2 Rating: 4.3/5 with 782 reviews

Gartner Rating: 4.5/5 with 95 reviews

Screenshot:

2. ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager

Overview: ManageEngine’s NCCM tool enables automated backups, policy compliance, and configuration comparisons at a lower cost.

Pros:

• Affordable for SMBs

• Intuitive UI and visual config diffing

• Strong reporting features

Cons:

• Limited advanced automation features

• Slower performance on large networks

User Ratings:

G2 Rating: 4.5/5 with 20 reviews

Gartner Rating: 4.4/5 with 65 reviews

Screenshot:

3. rConfig

Overview: rConfig is a free and open-source NCCM solution for CLI-driven device management, offering enterprise modules for support and automation.

Pros:

• Free and open-source core

• CLI automation friendly

• Strong for Linux-savvy teams

Cons:

• Requires scripting knowledge

• Limited vendor support out-of-the-box

User Ratings:

G2 Rating: 4.2/5 with 50+ reviews

Screenshot:

4. Cisco DNA Center

Overview: Cisco DNA Center is an advanced network controller for Cisco-first shops, with telemetry, analytics, and integrated change management.

Pros:

• Deep Cisco integration

• AI-driven insights

• Full-stack network visibility

Cons:

• Cisco-only environment

• Steep learning curve

User Ratings:

G2 Rating: 4.3/5 with 51 reviews

Gartner Rating: 4.6/5 with 430 reviews

Screenshot:  

5. Infoblox NetMRI

Overview: NetMRI enables automated policy enforcement, configuration compliance, and change logging across complex networks.

Pros:

• Strong dashboarding and reporting

• Built-in compliance audit tools

• Broad device support

Cons:

• Steep licensing cost

• The learning curve for custom policies

User Ratings:

G2 Rating: 4.6/5 (23 reviews)

Gartner Rating: 4.6/5 (37 reviews)

Screenshot:

6. BackBox

Overview: BackBox offers NCCM with a security-first approach, emphasizing firewall backup automation and compliance verification.

Pros:

• Ideal for firewall configuration management

• Automated recovery and rollback

• Real-time change alerts

Cons:

• Focused more on firewalls than switches

• Lacks broader ITSM integrations

User Ratings:

G2 Rating: 4.5/5 with 126 reviews

Gartner Rating: 4.7/5 with 36 reviews

Screenshot:

7. Device42

Overview: Device42 combines configuration management with IT asset discovery, mapping, and dependency tracking.

Pros:

• Unified visibility across devices

• Built-in network topology mapping

• Discovery-first architecture

Cons:

• Higher learning curve

• Requires ongoing tuning

User Ratings:

G2 Rating: 4.7/5 with 49 reviews

Gartner Rating: 4.3/5 with 10 reviews

Screenshot:

8. Tufin Orchestration Suite

Overview: Tufin helps enterprises manage firewall policies, segment networks, and control access with real-time visibility.

Pros:

• Best-in-class policy visualization

• Supports segmentation for compliance

• Works across hybrid environments

Cons:

• Expensive licensing

• Requires dedicated training

User Ratings:

G2 Rating: 4.4/5 (95 reviews)

Gartner Rating: 3.2/5 (9 reviews)

Screenshot:

9. HP Intelligent Management Center (IMC)

Overview: HP IMC offers comprehensive lifecycle management for large distributed networks, including NCCM, performance monitoring, and alerts.

Pros:

• Scalable for large networks

• Built-in modules for monitoring

• Multi-vendor support

Cons:

• Less modern UI

• Limited out-of-the-box templates

User Ratings:

G2 Rating: 3.8/5 (4 reviews)

Gartner Rating: 4.5/5 (14 reviews)

Screenshot:

10. RedSeal

Overview: RedSeal complements NCCM tools by providing network visualization, risk analysis, and continuous compliance monitoring across hybrid infrastructures.

Pros:

• Visualizes network topology and access paths

• Assesses vulnerabilities in network configurations

• Provides security modeling for audit readiness

Cons:

• Not a direct NCCM replacement

• More focused on risk than daily config management

User Ratings:  

G2 Rating: 4.0/5 (1 review)

Screenshot:

Comparison Table

‍

Best Practices for Network Configuration and Change Management

• Schedule nightly backups for critical devices

• Use version control with approval workflows for all configuration changes

• Implement policy baselines like SNMP community strings, ACLs, and password complexity

• Monitor for unauthorized changes using real-time alerts

• Conduct regular compliance audits and use NCCM-generated reports for evidence

• Track SaaS access drift with complementary tools like CloudNuro.ai

FAQs

Q1: Can NCCM tools detect unauthorized config changes in real-time?

Yes. Tools like SolarWinds NCM and BackBox offer real-time detection and alerting.

Q2: Are these tools only for routers and switches?

No. NCCM platforms also manage firewalls, wireless controllers, load balancers, and more.

Q3: How do NCCM tools help with compliance?

By retaining audit trails, mapping to regulatory frameworks, and enforcing approved configurations.

Q4: How does CloudNuro.ai complement NCCM?

It extends governance beyond infrastructure by monitoring SaaS app usage, access, and license optimization.

Why CloudNuro.ai Complements NCCM Tools?

While NCCM tools govern infrastructure devices, CloudNuro.ai focuses on SaaS platforms—giving IT complete visibility into app usage, license allocation, and access governance.

Together, they provide:

• Infrastructure + application layer change governance

• Unified policy enforcement across hardware and software

• Compliance readiness across the network and SaaS stack

Conclusion + CTA

Enterprises can’t afford configuration chaos. Misconfigurations lead to outages, data breaches, and non-compliance penalties. These 10 NCCM tools bring much-needed structure, automation, and visibility to your network management workflows.

➡️ Want similar control over your SaaS applications? CloudNuro.ai gives you real-time insights into app access, license waste, and policy misalignment.

📅 Book a Free Demo and gain full-stack IT governance—from network devices to cloud apps.

‍