Blackrock

Portable Ansible IT Automation and Monitoring

Blackrock Overview

Blackrock is a flexible Ansible-based IT automation platform, that reduces the time to deployment readiness by eliminating manual operations of provisioning, configuration, set-up, and testing.

Blackrock is a self-contained service that is deployable to the cloud, or at the edge for reliable IT-automation when connectivity is challenging. With Blackrock, securely deploy edge compute, networking, and connectivity nodes, as well as the hosted systems and applications with minimal effort.

Scalable Provisioning

With Blackrock’s agentless Ansible automation, simplify and standardize consistent provisioning at scale of the complete operational environment of cloud-to-edge, and applications.

Blackrock Ansible Automation
Figure: Blackrock supports optional toolchain integrations for scalable automation of cloud-to-edge operations.

Blackrock Functions and Features

Blackrock is a portable platform of Ansible automation and monitoring. With Blackrock, deliver consistent environments across development, staging, and production, while reducing manual effort and the potential for errors.

Furthermore, Integrate with source code management systems e.g. Git and external inventory sources e.g. Nautobot for enhanced scalability and flexibility.

The following are a list of key features and capabilities of Blackrock. For a comprehensive overview, please request a demo.

Category Features Overview
Ansible Automation for any networking or client device
  • Automated provisioning for consistent configuration across domains and use cases.
  • Portability, run as a self-contained platform in DDIL environments.
  • Role-based access controls for managed or self-managed automation.
  • Integration to Git and Nautobot for project, inventory and source of truth ingest.
  • Ansible agentless automation (no additional software required on device).
  • Store custom playbooks or Ansible Galaxy Collections locally.
  • Real-time logging, with auditable results and logs.
  • Secure credentials with Ansible vault.
  • Use Blackrock Organizations and Teams to ensure users only have access to the resources required for their operation.
Ansible Automation for Cloud Operations
  • Built-in Ansible cloud modules.
  • Secure credentials with Ansible vault.
  • Dynamic cloud inventory listing.
  • Template built configuration job files.
  • Role-based access controls.
Edge Provisioning
  • Deploy as a standalone edge automation platform.
  • Take any device from factory to deployment ready with pre-installed playbooks.
  • Automation of hypervisor installs such as VMware ESXi or Keel on Klas hardware.
  • Configurable and flexible provisioning bundles include - hypervisor image, firmware images, device configuration, and virtual machines.
Inventory Management
  • Internal and External inventory support.
  • Add inventory to Blackrock or alternatively use a Source of Truth such as Nautobot for inventory management.
  • View the running configuration and date of last modifications.
  • Comparison Diff Tool to compare device configuration with expected configuration.
  • View devices by location with integrated maps.
IPsec PKI Certificate Management Use Blackrock as a Certificate Registration Authority to manage IPSec PKI certificates between Klas or Cisco iOS or ASA devices and a CA.

  • Integrated support for NIAP approved certificate authority (CA) e.g. ISC Certagent.
  • Automated Certificate Signing Request (CSR), and certificate push to device.
  • Notification of expiring certificates with automatic rotation of certificates.
Learn More >
Nagios Monitoring with Grafana visualization
  • Nagios IT infrastructure monitoring.
  • Monitor and view the status of all networked devices and systems under management.
  • Drill down into unique performance stats, and view with Grafana graphs.
  • Create custom Grafana graphs as required.
360° Observability
  • Interactive dashboards and maps.
  • High level view of device status and location for GPS enabled devices.
  • Traffic light color scheme, ease of identifying assets with issues.
Secure web based service portal and API
  • Intuitive web-based user interface portal.
  • SSL based security, supports bring your own trusted certificate.
  • Role-based access control for multiple user types: Admin, User (read-write-execute) and Auditor (read-only).
  • API based on OpenAPI 3 standards. See SwaggerHub for more details.
  • Support for integration with 3rd party management and BI solutions.

Ansible Automation for any networking or client device

  • Automated provisioning for consistent configuration across domains and use cases.
  • Portability, run as a self-contained platform in DDIL environments.
  • Role-based access controls for managed or self-managed automation.
  • Integration to Git and Nautobot for project, inventory and source of truth ingest.
  • Ansible agentless automation (no additional software required on device).
  • Store custom playbooks or Ansible Galaxy Collections locally.
  • Real-time logging, with auditable results and logs.
  • Secure credentials with Ansible vault.
  • Use Blackrock Organizations and Teams to ensure users only have access to the resources required for their operation.

Ansible Automation for Cloud Operations

  • Built-in Ansible cloud modules.
  • Secure credentials with Ansible vault.
  • Dynamic cloud inventory listing.
  • Template built configuration job files.
  • Role-based access controls.

Edge Provisioning

  • Deploy as a standalone edge automation platform.
  • Take any device from factory to deployment ready with pre-installed playbooks.
  • Automation of hypervisor installs such as VMware ESXi or Keel on Klas hardware.
  • Configurable and flexible provisioning bundles include – hypervisor image, firmware images, device configuration, and virtual machines.

Inventory Management

  • Internal and External inventory support.
  • Add inventory to Blackrock or alternatively use a Source of Truth such as Nautobot for inventory management.
  • View the running configuration and date of last modifications.
  • Comparison Diff Tool to compare device configuration with expected configuration.
  • View devices by location with integrated maps.

IPsec PKI Certificate Management

Use Blackrock as a Certificate Registration Authority to manage IPSec PKI certificates between Klas or Cisco iOS or ASA devices and a CA.

  • Integrated support for NIAP approved certificate authority (CA) e.g. ISC Certagent.
  • Automated Certificate Signing Request (CSR), and certificate push to device.
  • Notification of expiring certificates with automatic rotation of certificates.

Learn More >

Nagios Monitoring with Grafana visualization

  • Nagios IT infrastructure monitoring.
  • Monitor and view the status of all networked devices and systems under management.
  • Drill down into unique performance stats, and view with Grafana graphs.
  • Create custom Grafana graphs as required.

360° Observability

  • Interactive dashboards and maps.
  • High level view of device status and location for GPS enabled devices.
  • Traffic light color scheme, ease of identifying assets with issues.

Secure web based service portal and API

  • Intuitive web-based user interface portal.
  • SSL based security, supports bring your own trusted certificate.
  • Role-based access control for multiple user types: Admin, User (read-write-execute) and Auditor (read-only).
  • API based on OpenAPI 3 standards. See SwaggerHub for more details.
  • Support for integration with 3rd party management and BI solutions.

Blackrock Use Cases

Blackrock eliminates the need to manually provision devices, and the complexity of managing, monitoring, and securing remote infrastructure using disparate systems. With integrated API support, Blackrock can be deployed as part of an into existing centralized management system, delivering insights into Klas and/or 3rd party networked devices.

Klas OS KEELBlackrock diagram v2 01
Figure: Blackrock device provisioning eliminates the dependence of a human in the middle.

Blackrock Packaging and Certification

Blackrock is available as a virtual machine image (.qcow, .ova, .vhd) file built on the secure and resilient KlasOS Keel Linux based Operating System, which is signed with a digital signature for ease of secure deployment. 

Blackrock leverages Keel FIPS certified cryptography and NIAP Common Criteria (https://www.niap-ccevs.org/Product/PINE.cfm) modifications to ensure that Blackrock software is built on a secure and hardened operating system.

Blackrock package differentiators:

  • Packaged as a single image file, with all applications integrated.
  • No need to worry about underlying OS vulnerabilities, CVEs or OS package and kernel maintenance.
  • Easy to deploy and ready to use in minutes.
  • Digitally signed package, for secure deployment and access.
  • Regular software updates, bug fixes and improvements.
  • Flexibility to manage hundreds of devices using the power of Ansible and custom Ansible playbooks.

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Discover the advantages of using Blackrock

Gain the time to be more productive by automating manual, mundane and repetitive IT tasks at the edge.

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Holistic IT Tools and Services

Reduces the burden and costs on IT teams of having to build, maintain and support IT automation systems and monitoring services in-house.

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Enhanced Security

Eliminate the need for the human-in-the-middle and  access to digital certs, deliver error free configurations for a consistent security posture.   

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Faster Deployments

Get devices production network ready in tens of minutes and not hours, giving the IT team the freedom to work on other tasks and priorities.

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