HCL Tech teams up with NetBrain to offer network automation services

Software services company HCL Technologies Ltd has tied up with US-based network automation services provider NetBrain Technologies Inc. to offer a product called NetBot that will allow IT teams of enterprises to offer more network visibility and help automate it.

According to HCL, there is a huge need for enterprises to be able to automate and visualise the network as businesses move towards digital transformation.

Kalyan Kumar, corporate vice president and CTO of IT services at HCL, said in a statement the partnership was a key step in scaling HCL’s network automation offering.

“HCL continues to invest in skills and developing partnerships for next-generation services, addressing transformational needs for customers where the network becomes a key enabler,” Kumar said.

HCL NetBot, housed under HCL's emerging tech division called DRYiCETM, will look to automate the complete lifecycle of network devices, from provisioning to policy-based change management, compliance and security administration. 

“By leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation, we intend to consistently deliver quality services and insights to our customers," Kumar said.

Lingping Gao, CEO and chairman at NetBrain, said the partnership will include collaborative go-to-market strategies, joint R&D exercises as well as strategic business initiatives.

HCL Technologies has been investing in emerging technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain. In August, the software services exporter had said that it was opening two labs in Seattle and Noida aimed at helping companies collaborate over IoT solutions.

Called IoT Collab, each centre would let Fortune 500 companies bring together tech experts, partners, financial advisers and other stakeholders to take advantage of what is expected to be a $1 trillion market by 2021, HCL Tech had said at the time.

The same month, the company said it had developed an artificial intelligence-based automation testing platform for communication service providers, where they can assess their service offerings swiftly and in a less expensive manner.

Communication service providers include telecom, Internet, cable, satellite and managed services businesses.

Called HCL Turbo, the new platform integrates with existing testing tools and equipment. The platform allows Internet bots to use analytics and AI to automate the testing lifecycle, the statement added.

In May, HCL Technologies had said it would join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), a group of more than 200 companies examining how best to use the digital ledger technology behind bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the transport industry.