Network Glue

Network Glue is a IT management concept centered on automated network discovery, documentation, and diagramming as a unified glue between devices, identities, and configurations within IT ecosystems, notably via IT Glue's Network Glue offering and related network automation products formerly branded as Glue Networks (now gluware).

Trend Decomposition

Trigger: The need to maintain accurate, real time network documentation across heterogeneous devices and platforms drove adoption of automated discovery and diagramming tools.

Behavior change: MSPs and IT teams increasingly run automated network maps, integrate directory services and cloud identities, and rotate credentials with centralized visibility.

Enabler: Cloud based IT documentation platforms, agentless/discovery agents, and integrations with AD, Entra ID, M365, and network devices lowered manual effort and error rates.

Constraint removed: Manual, error prone network mapping and documentation silos; centralized, repeatable network visibility became feasible.

PESTLE Analysis

Political: Enterprise IT standards and security governance drive adoption of centralized network documentation to support audits and compliance.

Economic: Reduced operational costs from automated documentation; faster onboarding and incident response improve ROI for MSPs and IT departments.

Social: IT teams increasingly rely on cross functional collaboration and transparent network maps to communicate with stakeholders and clients.

Technological: Advances in automation, APIs, and integration ecosystems enable seamless network discovery, mapping, and diagramming at scale.

Legal: Privacy and data protection considerations shape how device inventories and access data are collected, stored, and shared.

Environmental: Cloud hosted documentation platforms reduce local hardware needs and support greener IT operations through centralized tooling.

Consumer Trend canvas

Basic Need: Accurate, accessible network documentation.

Drivers of Change: Demand for better security posture, faster remediation, and scalable IT ops.

Emerging Consumer Needs: Real time visibility, automated discovery, and easier cross team collaboration.

New Consumer Expectations: Comprehensive, up to date diagrams with minimal manual inputs and strong integration support.

Inspirations / Signals: Increased vendor focus on network automation and unified documentation interfaces.

Innovations Emerging: Agentless discovery, integrated credential management, and cloud first documentation ecosystems.

Companies to watch

• IT Glue (Network Glue) - IT Glue's Network Glue automates network discovery, documentation, and diagramming for devices and identities.
• Gluware (formerly Glue Networks) - Gluware provides network orchestration and automation, evolved from Glue Networks with cloud native SDN automation.
• Datto (IT Glue family) - Datto branding around IT glue offerings; ecosystem supporting network documentation and MSP tooling.
• Auvik - Auvik automates network topology discovery and documentation for MSPs and IT teams.
• N-able (formerly SolarWinds MSP) - Offers IT management and network visibility tools complementary to network documentation workflows.
• ManageEngine - IT management suite with network discovery and documentation capabilities aligning with Network Glue use cases.
• Kaseya - MSP platform with IT documentation and network management integrations overlapping with Network Glue workflows.
• Pulse Secure (network visibility arms) - Network visibility and policy management tools used alongside documentation pipelines.
• Cisco Meraki - Cloud managed networking with inventory/diagram capabilities that integrate into broader Network Glue like workflows.
• Aruba Networks (HPE Aruba) - Network management and visibility features that feed into centralized documentation ecosystems.