WTI – Western Telematic Inc.
SNMP based control and monitoring of remote network devices is a valuable tool for almost any network administrator. WTI’s 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.
It can be a real pain in the wallet when single power supply hardware loses voltage and shuts down. It can cost a fortune to replace single cord devices with redundant dual power supplies or worse, to change the backup power configuration for your entire network. An automatic transfer switch can provide automatic power redundancy to your single power supply network equipment without the crazy cost or hassle.
WTI’s console server products are often used in -48VDC powered central office applications. Historically, these products have often been used by the Telco industry for communication with network elements via console or craft ports. In addition to our console server products, WTI also manufactures a line of dial-up, rack mount, -48VDC powered modems which are also ideal for central office applications.
When one looks at the incredible variety of different applications for network based technology, it’s not surprising that there are also an incredible variety of differing security needs for network equipment. And since a console switch is designed to provide secure, remote access to a variety of different types of network equipment, it follows that a console server should also be compatible with a variety of different types of security measures.
In most network management applications, a console server may have many different users. In addition to allowing access by IT Administrators, it’s not uncommon for console servers to provide access to other users who may be responsible for a specific network device or collection of devices; in some cases, an individual department might have its own, lower-level IT techs, who also need access to console server functions too. This multiplicity of users presents an interesting challenge for the IT Administrator: how do you provide different levels of access for different level users, while still assuring that critical configuration functions remain secure?
Typically, a serial switch is used to provide remote access to command functions on network equipment such as servers, routers and firewalls. Remote access is an important capability for any network administrator, in that it allows problems at far-away installation sites to be addressed and solved without physically traveling to the site. Many modern network applications would be economically unfeasible without a serial switch and the ability to access command functions on remote devices that a serial switch provides.
Yet even so, as important as a serial switch is, it would be practically useless without proper security measures in place to protect sensitive command functions from unauthorized users.
The ability to accurately record the time and date is a vital feature for console switch products. When reviewing alarm records or scheduling actions, it’s extremely important to know that the console switch has accurately and reliably recorded the correct time and date. Without the correct date and time, much of the data that is recorded by a console switch can often be rendered more or less useless; if you don’t know exactly when a recorded event took place, it’s difficult to use that data for troubleshooting or scheduling purposes.
When a console switch is used to manage multiple devices in a data center, it’s common that many different users are allowed to access command functions on the switch. This allows each department or work group to be responsible for the maintenance of their own rack mount devices, while also preventing departments from accessing equipment that belongs to another department or division. Typically, an individual account will be defined for each user. This account will define which ports and command functions will be available to each user, effectively providing access to some devices, while denying access to others.
In most cases, the purpose of a serial switch is to provide on-demand, remote access and/or out of band access to command functions on network equipment located at distant locations. However, there are also cases where a serial switch is configured to run command scripts, in order to perform upgrades, stress tests or other functions. In these cases, where scripts are used to control serial switch functions, it’s often helpful to be able to configure the serial switch to conform with scripts that may have been written for another platform.
Console switches can be deployed in many different applications. In most cases, the purpose of the console switch is to provide remote communication and control capabilities for network equipment located in far-away places. An intelligently designed console switch allows you to save money and cut costs by eliminating the need for on-site tech personnel and costly service calls to remote IT installations. There are a multitude of different popular applications for console switches, and our sales staff is constantly talking to customers who have created their own, unique console switch applications too.
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