ControlPoint will collect, analyse and report on data from F5's application optimization, availability and security devices. The deal means ControlPoint customers will be able to use Microsoft System Center Operations Manager to monitor and manage a mixed environment of Windows and non-Windows devices from a single console.
The appliance will also be able to respond automatically to error conditions and take corrective action.
"F5's goal is to help our customers proactively manage their increasingly dynamic application environment by giving them a way to gain deeper insights into this vital part of their network operations," said Dan Matte, senior vice president of marketing at F5.
"This agreement certainly makes sense for both Microsoft and F5, and plays well into the growing customer need for greater insight into the performance and availability of their application delivery infrastructure," said Tim Grieser, vice president of system management software research at IDC.
"ControlPoint will provide expanded visibility into the network infrastructure by leveraging F5's strategic placement and Microsoft's end-to-end service view. The end result is actionable information to identify and help address issues hindering application service quality and performance," he added.
ControlPoint is scheduled for introduction by the end of 2007.
