A Secure Console Server Can Help Bring an Entire Network Back Online
Companies today in domestic and global markets run businesses around the clock. There is no time for equipment to rest or to be down because of a network problem. Time is money and the amount of time that a network is offline can translate into a significant financial blow if not all the preventative measures are taken to protect important network equipment. Having a console server, even if it is only as a back up, is a smart investment that will end up paying off. A console server is capable of bringing an entire network back online, thus saving time and money.
A console server can be accessed in different ways, depending on connection method and server state. An important feature of a console server is to have both in- band and out- of band access to the network equipment. In band access allows access when the network is online. When the network is down however, out of band access is key. If the network is down that means that the network equipment cannot be accessed through the network IP – out of band access allows access through the modem where you can connect to a network port in order to reboot the network switches. A console server that has both console and power is ideal in this situation. An alternative to having one unit that has the ability to manage consoles remotely as well as reboot would be to have a console server and a power switch connected so that commands can be sent through the console server by dialing in through the modem to get to the power switch to trigger a reboot.
Whichever method is used– it is important to establish a console server as a part of the network equipment security to ensure that down time is minimal and money is not lost.
Western Telematic, Inc. (WTI) designs and manufactures remote device management products for IT applications. WTI’s Serial Console Server products, Remote Reboot products, Switched PDU products and A/B Fallback products are engineered to allow you to securely manage and troubleshoot rack equipment in remote locations.
