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Introduction to Forward Enterprise

Forward Enterprise is a network modeling platform that collects, analyzes, and computes network behavior across on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments.

Forward Digital Twin

It builds a vendor-neutral digital twin of the network, allowing organizations to validate behavior, analyze security exposure, and understand the operational impact of changes before they are deployed.

Data Collection​

Forward Enterprise collects network data using APIs and CLI show commands only. Configuration changes are never made by the platform. Access is performed using read-only credentials.

The platform collects:

  • Device configuration and control-plane state from switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, access points, SD-WAN devices, and encryption platforms
  • Cloud networking abstractions from providers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM Cloud
  • Performance counter data
  • Network device vulnerability information from authoritative sources such as NIST and vendor disclosures
  • Host vulnerability data from scanners such as Tenable Security Center and Rapid7
  • Optional structured and unstructured business metadata

Forward Support

The platform supports networks ranging from dozens to tens of thousands of devices.

The Network Digital Twin​

The collected data is used to construct a complete and consistent model of the network, also referred to as a network digital twin. This digital twin is a software-based representation of the production network that models forwarding behavior and protocol interactions.

The Network Digital Twin is:

  • Vendor-neutral
  • Behaviorally accurate
  • Deterministic
  • Mathematically derived from collected state

Rather than relying on inferred or sampled data, the digital twin is computed from the actual configuration and protocol state of the infrastructure.

The digital twin enables users to:

  • Determine whether traffic is allowed or denied between endpoints
  • Identify the specific devices and rules affecting traffic flow
  • Validate security policy enforcement
  • Assess the impact of configuration changes
  • Identify reachable vulnerabilities based on actual network exposure

All results are available through both the user interface and the API.

Scope of Analysis​

The platform supports:

  • Layer 2–Layer 7 path analysis
  • Hybrid and multi-cloud environments
  • Configuration validation and compliance checks
  • Vulnerability exposure analysis

The analysis is based on the deterministic model of the network rather than live traffic observation.

Forward AI (Coming Soon)​

Forward AI is a new capability within the Forward Enterprise platform that brings trusted, mathematically grounded AI-assisted operations to network management. It is built on the digital twin of the network, and enables users and automated systems to ask complex questions, validate outcomes, and safely automate workflows with confidence.

Key Characteristics​

  • AI grounded in verified network state: Unlike general-purpose AI, Forward AI uses the deterministic digital twin as its foundation so every answer and recommendation is backed by real network data and formal analysis, not guesswork. 
  • Natural language interaction: Users can interact with the platform in a conversational way to get answers about network behavior, connectivity, security, and changes without deep manual analysis. 
  • Validated, evidence-backed answers: Each response includes underlying reasoning and evidence from the network model, so teams can inspect and trust the output before acting. 
  • Accelerates operations: Forward AI helps reduce manual analysis, reliance on tribal knowledge, and the need for deep expertise by delivering high-confidence insights that shorten troubleshooting, change validation, and incident response. 

Forward AI

What's Next​

Choose the path that best matches your role and where you are in your Forward Enterprise journey:

  • Platform Capabilities: Review the core capabilities of the Forward Enterprise platform, including network search, path analysis, intent verification, vulnerability analysis, and more.
  • Deployments Models: Review the available Forward Enterprise deployment options and understand the differences between SaaS and Self-Hosted models.
  • Forward TestDrive: Explore Forward Enterprise in a guided, preconfigured environment. TestDrive provides hands-on experience with the network digital twin and core platform capabilities.
  • Guided Network Setup: Once your deployment is ready, Org Admins can use the Guided Network Setup to fully onboard the platform. This includes installing a Collector, adding device credentials, discovering your network, collecting data across your infrastructure, and building your digital twin.
  • Network Collections: Learn how to create your first network collection and generate the initial model of your infrastructure.
  • Application: Explore the Forward Application in detail. Become familiar with core workflows such as topology visualization, path search, security analysis, checks, and advanced queries. Understanding these features will help you navigate the interface and interpret results effectively.
  • API: If you’re ready to automate workflows or integrate Forward Enterprise with external systems, review the API documentation to begin building programmatic interactions.
  • Self-hosted Deployments: If you plan to deploy Forward in your on-premises environment, review system requirements, connectivity considerations, and installation and upgrade procedures.
  • Release notes: Stay informed about new features, enhancements, and bug fixes in the latest releases.