Network Configuration Approval Workflows - rConfig V8 Forge

Change Forge: Approval Workflow Control

Change Forge introduces structured approval workflows for network configuration changes, completing rConfig’s closed-loop change management system. By requiring review and approval before changes are implemented, Change Forge prevents unauthorized modifications and creates complete audit trails linking planned changes to actual deployments.

What is Change Forge?

Change Forge is the approval and control layer of Change Manager, working in conjunction with Change Pulse’s visibility features to provide comprehensive change governance.

Core Capabilities (Planned)

Approval Workflows: Multi-stage review processes with configurable approval chains, role-based routing, and automated stakeholder notifications.

Automated Validation: Pre-deployment checks including syntax validation, policy compliance verification, impact analysis, and dependency checking.

Controlled Deployment: Orchestrated change implementation with scheduled deployment windows, phased rollout capabilities, automated rollback on failure, and deployment verification.

Change Pulse Integration: Automatic correlation between approved changes and detected modifications, unapproved change alerting, and complete audit trails from request through verification.

How It Works

The Approval Flow:

Request Submission: Administrator submits change request describing proposed modification and target devices
Automated Validation: System validates syntax, checks policy compliance, analyzes impact
Approval Routing: Request routed to appropriate reviewers based on change type and risk level
Stakeholder Review: Reviewers assess change and approve or reject with comments
Scheduled Deployment: Approved change queued for implementation in maintenance window
Pulse Correlation: Change Pulse detects modification and correlates with approval record
Audit Trail: Complete documentation from request → approval → deployment → verification

For detailed workflow scenarios and integration examples, see the Change Manager Overview.

Planned Dashboard Metrics

When Change Forge launches in Q1 2026, the dashboard will display:

Pending Approvals: Number of change requests awaiting review and approval decision.

Average Review Time: Mean time from change submission to approval, helping identify workflow bottlenecks.

Auto-Approved Changes: Count of changes automatically approved based on predefined low-risk criteria.

Rejected Changes: Number of change requests denied during review process.

Key Features (Q1 2026 Release)

Change Request Management

Submit change requests via web interface
Describe proposed modifications and business justification
Attach configuration snippets or templates
Select target devices and deployment timeline
Track request status in real-time

Approval Workflows

Configurable multi-stage approval chains
Role-based reviewer assignment
Automated routing based on change risk level
Email and in-app notifications
Approval/rejection with comments

Integration with Change Pulse

Automatic correlation of approved changes with detected modifications
Unapproved change alerts when Pulse detects modifications without approval records
Complete audit trails linking approvals to actual deployments
Compliance dashboards showing governed vs ungoverned change ratios

For comprehensive integration details and closed-loop change management scenarios, see the Change Manager Overview.

Development Roadmap

Q1 2026: Initial Release

Core approval workflow engine
Basic change request submission
Manual approval routing and notifications
Change Pulse correlation
Audit trail generation

Q2 2026: Enhanced Automation

Automated validation rules engine
Impact analysis capabilities
Template-based change requests
API for programmatic submissions
Advanced approval routing logic

Q3 2026: Advanced Features

Automated deployment integration
Phased rollout orchestration
Rollback capabilities
Advanced analytics and reporting
External ticketing system integration

For complete roadmap details and long-term vision, see Change Manager Overview - Roadmap.

Preparing for Change Forge

Recommended Preparation Steps

While Change Forge is in development, organizations can prepare for its launch:

Document Current Processes: Map existing change approval workflows to inform Change Forge configuration when available.

Identify Stakeholders: Define who needs to approve different change types (technical reviewers, managers, security team).

Define Auto-Approval Criteria: Identify low-risk change types that can be automatically approved to reduce workflow overhead.

Establish Maintenance Windows: Define approved change windows for scheduling deployments.

Plan API Integration: If using automation tools, prepare for API-based change request submission.

Current Alternative: Manual Process

Until Change Forge is available, maintain change governance using existing processes:

Use external ticketing systems for change requests and approvals
Document approved changes in tickets with device and timeframe details
Use Change Pulse to verify changes were implemented as approved
Manually correlate ticket approvals with Change Pulse detected changes
Investigate any changes detected by Pulse without corresponding tickets

This manual approach provides governance while waiting for Change Forge’s automated integration.

Change Forge Access (When Available)

Access Point: Config Tools → Change Manager → Change Forge (available Q1 2026)

Expected Interface

Dashboard View:

Pending approvals requiring your review
Your submitted change requests and their status
Recent approval activity
Workflow performance metrics

Submission Interface:

Change request creation form
Template selection for common change types
Device and deployment schedule selection
Attachment and documentation upload

Approval Interface:

Change request details and justification
Automated validation results
Impact analysis summary
Approve/reject with comments

Video Tutorial (Coming Soon)

Complete Change Forge walkthrough from request submission through approval correlation with Change Pulse (available Q1 2026)

Change Manager Overview - Comprehensive Change Manager vision and integration details
Change Pulse User Guide - Historical change visibility and analysis
Configuration Backup Implementation - Understanding backup workflows
Configuration Diffs - How diffs enable change detection

Stay Updated

Release Notifications

To receive updates about Change Forge development and release:

Product Updates: Monitor rConfig release notes and product announcements Documentation: Check this page for updates as features are finalized Community: Join rConfig community forums for early access and beta testing opportunities Support: Contact rConfig support for enterprise planning assistance

Enterprise Planning

Quick Reference

Status

Availability: Q1 2026 (In Development)

Current Alternative: Manual change approval via ticketing systems with manual Change Pulse correlation

Planned Core Features

Change request submission and tracking
Multi-stage approval workflows
Automated validation and impact analysis
Change Pulse integration and correlations
Complete audit trail generation

Preparation Checklist

Document current change approval processes
Identify approval stakeholders and routing logic
Define auto-approval criteria for low-risk changes
Establish maintenance windows for deployments
Plan API integration approach (if applicable)

Key Benefits

Prevention: Stop unauthorized changes before they occur
Visibility: All stakeholders see and approve changes
Automation: Reduce manual approval coordination overhead
Compliance: Complete audit trails for regulatory requirements
Integration: Seamless correlation with Change Pulse detections

Summary

Change Forge, launching Q1 2026, will complete rConfig’s Change Manager by adding approval workflow control to complement Change Pulse’s visibility capabilities. Together, these features create closed-loop change management where every configuration modification is both visible (Pulse) and governed (Forge).

What Change Forge Provides:

Structured approval workflows for all configuration changes
Automated validation preventing misconfigurations
Stakeholder visibility and review processes
Integration with Change Pulse for complete audit trails
Compliance documentation from request through verification

Until Change Forge is Available:

Continue using existing approval processes (ticketing, email)
Leverage Change Pulse for change visibility and detection
Manually correlate approvals with detected changes
Document processes for easy migration to Change Forge

For complete understanding of how Change Forge integrates with Change Pulse to create unified change management, see the Change Manager Overview.