When an important network element located at an off-site data center or remote equipment rack suddenly locks up and refuses to communicate, the last thing you want to do is send a tech team off on a service call, merely to reboot the uncooperative network device or change a few communication parameters. A service call might seem like the obvious solution, but service calls are expensive, and the entire time that you’re waiting for the service team to reach the remote network equipment site, that important network device still refuses to communicate.
Posts Tagged ‘remote network management’
The Console Manager – Vital Help for Remote Network Equipment Sites
Monday, December 12th, 2011A Console Terminal Server Should do More than Just Provide Out of Band Management
Monday, August 29th, 2011Most network administrators are fairly familiar with the concept of using a console terminal server to provide secure, reliable out of band management capabilities for offsite data centers and remote network equipment racks. It’s widely accepted that the out of band communication capabilities provided by a console terminal server can help to maximize uptime and cut maintenance costs for remote network equipment, but in addition to providing an avenue for out of band management, a full featured console terminal server product that includes monitoring and alarm capabilities can also help administrators to be kept better informed regarding conditions at distant network equipment installation sites.
The IP Power Switch – Remote Problem Solving for Offsite Network Equipment
Thursday, August 25th, 2011Network administrators who are responsible for managing offsite data centers and remote equipment racks are often faced with two common challenges: a lack of information regarding conditions and events at the remote equipment site, and the inability to deal with problems at the remote site without traveling there in person or sending a service team. When vital network elements such as servers and routers are located at an offsite facility, often the only way to really get one’s hands on a problem at the remote site is to travel there in person; an effective solution, but often also an expensive, time-consuming solution.
A Network Power Switch Simplifies Power Management at Remote Network Equipment Racks
Wednesday, July 20th, 2011In remote network equipment management applications, a network power switch can quickly prove itself to be an extremely valuable tool. In addition to providing network administrators with a simple, secure means to reboot malfunctioning network devices at remote equipment racks and off-site data centers, a network power switch also enables network administrators to cut power costs by switching off nonessential network devices during periods of the day/week when those devices are less likely to be needed.
Console Servers Make It Easier to Deal with Problems at Remote Network Equipment Racks
Friday, June 10th, 2011When a minor problem with network element brings down your main network, often all it takes to correct the situation is a few diagnostic and troubleshooting commands issued via the console port on the device that caused the problem. If the troublesome network element is located nearby, then it’s no problem to simply walk over to the device, connect to a console port and start issuing commands, but if the device that brought the network down is located miles away, then even a minor problem can halt network communication for hours while a service team travels to the remote site to deal with the problem in person. The best way to avoid network shutdowns caused by minor flukes at remote network equipment sites, is to implement an out of band management solution that includes a console server unit at the remote site.
An Out of Band Management Solution Based on a Server Console Switch
Friday, May 6th, 2011The task of keeping remote network equipment up and running at all times can sometimes prove to be quite a challenge. When a firewall or a server at a remote network equipment site decides to crash, right when you need it the most, network administrators need to have a back-up plan to get those troublesome devices back on line again, without waiting for a service team to travel to the remote site. In cases like this, a server console switch provides the quickest and most economical means for out of band management; allowing administrators to diagnose and troubleshoot remote network devices without the need for a long, expensive service call to a network equipment rack located two states away.
A Serial Console Server with Power Fallback Capabilities Improves Out of Band Management
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011In an out of band management application, a serial console server (http://www.wti.com/c-48-serial-console-servers.aspx) performs an extremely critical function; serial console severs provide out of band access to console port command functions on remote network elements. Given the importance of this function, it’s mandatory that the serial console server is up, running and ready to use when you need it. With this in mind, it’s absolutely vital to choose a serial console server that provides dual power inlets and power fallback capabilities in order to ensure that a minor power outage will not deprive administrators of out of band access to crucial network elements in the event of a network outage.
A Console Server Management Unit with a Multi-Level User Directory Provides Unique Capabilities to Each User
Wednesday, April 13th, 2011Sometimes, a console server management unit can almost be too useful for its own good. In many cases, once network administrators have installed a console server management unit as a part of an out of band management solution, other network professionals within the organization will discover that they could use out of band access to remote network elements too. A typical console server management unit can easily handle the extra user load, but then administrators are faced with the problem of restricting these additional users to appropriate devices and command capabilities. The most practical solution to this problem, is to choose a console server management unit that includes a multi-level user’s directory.
Power Fallback – A Vital Capability for Remote Console Servers in Mission Critical Applications
Tuesday, April 5th, 2011Most network administrators who are responsible for the management remote network equipment sites are already familiar with the value and convenience of a remote console server. Considering the importance of the out of band management capabilities that are provided by a remote console server, it makes perfect sense to ensure that the remote console server is always ready to use when it’s needed the most. One way to improve the reliability of an out of band management solution, is to make certain to choose a remote console server unit that includes dual power inlets and power fallback capabilities.
Out of Band Management Units for Both DB9 and RJ45 Environments
Monday, April 4th, 2011Adding an out of band management solution to an existing remote network equipment installation doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to re-cable an entire equipment rack in order to provide compatibility with a newer out of band management unit. In order to simplify the process of adding out of band management capabilities to an existing network application that uses older DB9 format cables, some modern out of band management products are available in both DB9 and RJ45 format.
