RAAD: REMOTE ADMINISTRATION, AUTOMATION, & DELEGATION
RAAD provides everything you need to automate, administrate, and execute any IT related task in a secure, controlled environment. RAAD combines the benefits of automation with the security of access control to simplify complex IT processes, remove the interdependencies of specialized personnel, and streamline your existing workflow for faster delivery.
Use our customizable modules to automate anything from a single IT process to the most complicated data centers. Then remove the interdependence of IT without violating security protocols or compliance by using our web-based solution to delegate executable tasks and access using the “least privilege” security model.
Our agentless/clientless solution is platform agnostic, self-contained, scalable, easy to integrate. and configures to adapt to your IT Operation.
AUTOMATION WITH DELEGATION: HOW THE RAAD SOLUTION WORKS
Distribute tasks, multiply efficiency, add security, reduce costs and maximize IT performance.
Admins create customizable user
profiles that implement the “Least Privilege”
security model
A RAAD user logs into the application
in order to use the privileges
assigned to their profile
IT processes are delegated directly
to the individuals authorized to use them, thereby maintaining internal security
protocols and compliance.
Example User Profiles & Common IT Scenarios
As much as IT has changed in the last 40 years, there are some things that have always stayed the same. IT personnel have lived with the same problems for so long, it can be hard to see them for what they really are. This section highlights some of the common everyday scenarios that slow down IT productivity. Once you realize how much of the day is wasted, it’s easy to see How RAAD can drastically increase the productivity and efficiency of your IT teams.
Sample Operations Profile
- Start the Development ServerRun processes sequentially and/or parallel on multiple servers;
- Monitor processes and services on multiple platforms;
- Run similar processes (e.g. start/stop) for different products on multiple platforms;
- Scheduled execution of programs, code, and content.
Common Operations Scenarios
WITHOUT RAAD
- As an operator, I need to execute a complicated script that requires me to manually enter many parameters on 20 different servers.
- We have applications running on Oracle data base, MySQL and Sybase, and I have to remember a different command for booting and shutting down each of them.
- I need to reboot every instances of an application, on each server, across all of our data centers.
- Development personnel are constantly asking me to bounce their Web or Applications servers. This is hindering the Production Schedule (OPS).
WITH RAAD
- RAAD provides tools to automate all of these tasks and many more.
- E.G. The operator can create a single Script and use RAAD to execute it on all the servers in every data center at the same time.
- RAAD is able to DELEGATE specific tasks to Development without giving elevated access or breaking any security rules.
Development:
- Start the Developer Server;
- Stop the the Development Server;
- Bounce the Development Server;
- Promote a build to the quality assurance;
- Monitor the Development Server;
- Pull the LOG file from the Production Server.
Common Development Scenarios
WITHOUT RAAD
- I need to restart the test application server that only runs my application, but the OPERATOR is busy with a severity 1 issue.
- I need to deploy my application to our test environment, but the ADMINISTRATOR has other priorities.
- My Application is failing in production and I need to see the web, application, and database log to determine the root cause.
- A problem in processing failed to remove the lock file of my application, and now it cannot run its normal cycle
- I need to see the application files in production to validate the version.
WITH RAAD
- RAAD is able to DELEGATE all the necessary permissions for Developers to perform these tasks without giving them elevated access. This removes the interdependency between Devs and Ops without breaking security rules.
Sample Administrator Profile:
- Run installation scripts on multiple servers;
- Implement deployment and provisioning workflow;
- Create, store, and restore snapshots of infrastructure configurations.
- Run distributed processes;
- Grant access to unstructured data;
- (e.g. log files, applications properties,etc.).
Common Administrator Scenarios
WITHOUT RAAD
- Every day I need to make application deployments that are executed on various servers, in each of our three DataCenters, for many different environments.
- The Development team is asking me to rebuild the test environment.
- The Developers are always asking me to download Log files from properties, reports, etc.
- I need to install ten instances of this software on each of the 60 servers distributed across three Datacenters.
- I need to check this parameter on all instances that run an application, on every server, in each datacenter.
WITH RAAD
- The Admin can use RAAD to delegate all these tasks directly to the Developers without breaking compliance or security rules.
- RAAD can automate these tasks, so they can be executed quickly and easily.
Security Features
- Mandatory Access Control;
- Customizable role based permissions;
- Individualized profile views
- Use your own authentication;
- Single Sign On – Multi tier;
- Doesn’t require elevated access (root);
- Leverage your underyling security.
Common Security Scenarios
WITHOUT RAAD
- Administrators require root access to setup systems, but Security needs to keep a controlled environment.
- Developers need to access the production logs on the servers that run their applications, so security has to tie over permissions.
- We need to control, track, and audit who has access to each function in every system.
- We need to implement Sarbanes/Oxley (SOX) compliance and still ensure personnel productivity.
WITH RAAD
• RAAD implements a mechanism that allows these functions to be delegated in a secure and controlled way that doesn’t break compliance or security rules.
• These are resources natively implemented in the RAAD tool.
RAAD Functionality & Related IT Scenarios
This section highlights some of the most exciting functionalities of RAAD and highlights common IT scenarios where the functionality really shines.
Remote Files Management Features
- Platform agnostic;
- Distributed access;
- Non-blocking access;
- Virtual access via web;
- Email notifications;
- Audit trails/logging.
Scenarios for File Management
WITHOUT RAAD
- Access to production log files for debugging purposes.
- Access to configuration files in Production for validation and/or troubleshooting.
- Access to reports and/or application related files required by the end user.
- Access control can be filtered by profile to select which files a user can see and how they can interact with them.
WITH RAAD
- RAAD provides a clear way to address all of these requirements with a graphical interface that is agnostic to the underlying system.
- Requirements are audited by the Administration module.
Remote Execution Features:
- Execute files, scripts, & programs remotely;
- Simple and agile administration;
- Ad-hoc and scheduled execution;
- Run sequentially or in parallel;
- Online and batch execution.
Scenarios for the Remote Execution
WITHOUT RAAD
- A command needs to be run to reset a flag in a file on an application that runs on a remote server (e.g “del my_flag_file”).
- A service that runs on multiple servers needs to be re-started sequentially (one server at a time).
- Information needs to be analyzed and action taken on a large number of servers. (e.g. certificate expiration and renewal).
- Files need to be extracted from multiple servers and consolidated into a single location for analysis.
WITH RAAD
- The Commands and Scripts that you already use to execute these functions can be transferred to RAAD and remotely executed whenever needed.
Deployment Features:
- Customizable deployment execution;
- Define multiple environments and deploy them independently;
- Set authorization requirements for each environment;
- Ad-hoc and scheduled deployment;
- Promote between enviroments;
- Version backups;
- Email notification;
- Audit trails/logging.
Scenarios for Deployment
WITHOUT RAAD
- I need to deploy my application in our test environment, but the system administrator has another priority.
- The deployment of my application needs to be done on the application server and the web server.
- My code deployment requires another resource to be deployed at the same time. (e.g. a table created in a database).
- This application runs on 6 servers inside of 3 Datacenters. So each time I have to deploy a new update, it takes 18 deployments.
WITH RAAD
- The deployment module can implement an authorization/promotion workflow and use the remote execution to allow RAAD to address all these scenarios in a very flexible way.
- All those functions can be delegated to different people that perform different roles.
Orchestration and Integration:
- Orchestrate and integrate different products, technologies, and functionalities that do not natively work with each other.
Scenarios for the Integration
WHITOUT RAAD
- Investment has already been made in a series of tools, but these tools need to be integrated and/or automated.
- Products on the market require either a “fat” client or significant virtualization infrastructure to run in a browser.
- Existing products only partially automate the DevOps+ cycle, we need our existing tools to work together in an orchestrated way to implement a complete solution.
WITH RAAD
- RAAD can orchestrate the usage/operation of different products that do not naturally integrate with one another.
- The integration, automation, and orchestration of different products is a central concept of RAAD. We take all your existing/deployed solutions and make them accessible in RAAD’s unified web desktop graphic interface.
- As an additional benefit, RAAD adds its functionality to any integrated tools our clients already own.
Scheduler
– Scheduled execution of scripts and commands.
– Web-based URL execution.
– Supports job paramaters.
URL Access Control
– Create content filters and limit user access to predefined URLs.
– Control access to micro-services
– Audit URL access of users.
Chat Room
– Predefined and dynamic room support.
– Supports direct chat.
– Simplifies communication.
Unique Architectural Advantages of RAAD
- Delegation-centric system design.
- Agentless and clientless architecture.
- A modular solution that configures to your business.
- Operating system agnostic.
- Horizontal scaleablility for performance.
- Tools for DevOps+ toolchain and process automation.
- Executes scripts and codes in any language.
- Native operating system security integration.
- Uses “Least Privilege” access model.
- Web-based application for mobility.
- Automated reporting, logging, and email notifications.
