BlueCat Networks Tuesday announced it had equipped its IP address management platform with the ability to manage Microsoft Windows DNS and DHCP servers.

The vendor added Windows DNS/DHCP server integration to its enterprise appliance, Proteus IPAM Version 2.1. The integration, BlueCat says, will allow customers to maintain their investment in Windows DNS and DHCP servers and offer them centralized management capabilities. While Windows provides reliable DNS and DHCP services, BlueCat says Proteus works on top of the Windows servers to provide centralized management capabilities.

"Our technology layers on top of Windows servers to give Windows enterprise customers the ability transform their existing investments," said Michael Hyatt, co-founder and CEO of BlueCat Networks.

Proteus is an enterprise-scale IP address-management appliance that combines name services, dynamic IP assignment and IP inventory. The appliance handles IP address inventory control, DNS management and DHCP provisioning. It has built-in auditing and reporting capabilities as well as centralized policy management. It has a back-end relational database that supports all of its activities.

Industry watchers say that appliances from the likes of BlueCat and Infoblox provide the security, reliability and scalability enterprise companies need to adequately address IP address, DNS and DHCP management today. Competitor Infoblox also this week announced a product around Windows server management.

"You should dedicate appliances to the task," said Forrester Research senior analyst Robert Whiteley in a recent report. "They overcome the reliability, scalability and security woes that plague most foundational network infrastructure. Look to BlueCat and Infoblox, which both supply top-notch integrated appliances."

Proteus IPAM Version 2.1 is generally available, and pricing starts at US$995 for individual appliances and US$37,500 for 50 agents. BlueCat Networks will be demonstrating its capabilities next week at Interop New York 2007.