Most network administrators know that the main reason for adding a console server to your network equipment rack, is to provide remote access to command functions on servers, routers, switches and other network devices. Remote access capabilities provide administrators with the ability to manage and maintain network equipment without the requirement to travel to the installation site in order to access these functions directly. But as handy as remote access is, it also presents a bit of a conundrum: a console server needs to allow authorized personnel to access command functions, while also ensuring that unauthorized personnel are kept out.
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September 2nd, 2010 | Tags: authentication, Console Server, encryption, security, SSHV2 | Category: Console Server | Leave a comment
In most applications, a serial switch is mainly used to provide secure access to command and maintenance functions on remote network devices. Although serial switches do a very good job of providing secure remote access, they can also be used to perform other important tasks in a rack environment.
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September 1st, 2010 | Tags: broadcast, Console Server, network administration, serial switch | Category: Console Server, Network Administration | Leave a comment
Most console switch products can provide network administrators with vital tools to allow management and troubleshooting capabilities for network devices at remote installation sites, but wouldn’t it be handy if your console switch could also automatically notify you when a network device ceases to function? WTI console switch products include a heartbeat feature, which when used in conjunction with our “Lost Communication” alarm, can immediately notify you when compatible devices, hang, fail, crash, or just stop working.
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August 26th, 2010 | Tags: Console Server, Console Switch, heartbeat feature, lost communication alarm, ping failure alarm, remote management | Category: Console Server, Network Administration | Leave a comment
WTI RSM and TSM serial switch products include a power cycle alarm, which can be used to provide notification when power to the serial switch is interrupted for any reason. This may go without saying, but in most cases, when power to your serial switch has been interrupted, this generally means that power to your other rack mount network equipment has been interrupted too.
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August 25th, 2010 | Tags: Console Server, email, power cycle alarm, rack temperature, remote management, serial switch, snmp trap, syslog | Category: Console Server, Network Administration | Leave a comment
SNMP MIB support provides a crucial element for console switch applications. MIB support enables the console switch to address and interpret commands issued by 3rd party software such as OpenView or Solaris, essentially allowing the console switch to accept commands and poll information via the 3rd party software.
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August 24th, 2010 | Tags: Console Server, Console Switch, MIB, MIB compatibility, serial console switch, SNMP, SNMP MIB | Category: Console Server, Network Administration | Leave a comment
SNMP based control and monitoring of remote network devices is a valuable tool for almost any network administrator. WTI Serial Console Servers and Switched PDUs provide full MIB support, allowing you to review status, change configuration parameters, edit user privileges and control operating functions at remote units via SNMP commands.
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August 18th, 2010 | Tags: Console Server, Metered PDU, remote device management, remote management, remote network management, Serial Console Server, Switched PDU | Category: Console Server, Network Administration | Leave a comment
When normal in band communication is not available, WTI’s TSM Series Serial Console Servers provide a convenient means to create secure, encrypted, outbound SSH connections to network devices via dial up. This means that even when you can’t establish a normal network connection, you can still dial into the TSM via modem and create outbound SSH connections to allow communication with devices on your secure local area network or intranet.
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August 17th, 2010 | Tags: Console Server, Out of Band, outbound ssh, Serial Console Server, serial console switch | Category: Console Server, Network Administration | Leave a comment
All servers and routers will lock up and cease to function sometimes; even top quality equipment like Cisco routers and switches.
Have you ever been woken up in the middle of night by a call from work, and then had to drive all the way to your office just to unlock or reboot an uncooperative router? Does all work at your office regularly grind to a halt every time a piece of network equipment gets a case of the hiccups? Have you ever watched helplessly as constant “truck rolls” to remote equipment sites gradually eat up your yearly budget and tie up your most valuable employees?
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August 16th, 2010 | Tags: Cisco, Console Server, Console Switch, high amp switched PDU, remote management, remote network management, Switched PDU | Category: Console Server, Network Administration, Switched PDU | Leave a comment
When a piece of LAN/WAN, telecom, or other control equipment has “locked-up” and is no longer responding to normal methods of communication, it is often necessary to perform a cold boot of the equipment. After the power has been cycled on and off, normal communications via the network can resume. This is often difficult when the site in question is either an un-manned site, or when the problem occurs after normal business hours. Even if a reboot needs to take place while personnel are on site, one must still hope that the employee is savvy enough not to reboot the wrong device.
For systems administrators, the ability to perform a power cycle or remote reboot is a means of avoiding potential communication disasters. The solution is a Remote Power Reboot Switch which can be controlled by your systems administrator to ensure correct booting sequences in the event of system failures.
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August 13th, 2010 | Tags: Console Server, high amp power reboot switch, remote network management, remote power reboot switch, Switched PDU | Category: Network Administration, Switched PDU | Leave a comment
When in-band network management paths are unable to provide network administrators with the necessary means to management remote network hardware, an out-of-band network management strategy is a valuable addition to the arsenal of any network administrator who has network elements distributed across wide area networks.
Implementation of an out-of-band management solution allows a network administrator to have full control over all the elements in wide area networks when in-band and IP based management strategies fail. A comprehensive strategy for out-of-band management is a powerful tool in the arsenal of any administrator who desires a robust remote management strategy.
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August 12th, 2010 | Tags: console manager, Console Server, Out of Band, out of band management, remote management, Serial Console Server | Category: Console Server, Network Administration | Leave a comment
