DevOps and OOB: Opengear first to market
Opengear's proposed out-of-band management solution, in addition to remotely configuring network devices, makes it possible to automate administrative processes in the headquarters network and remote locations. The manufacturer is the first to offer DevOps solutions that operate in this mode.
This mode of operation allows remote access to equipment, independent of local infrastructure and Internet connection. OOB equipment can be connected to via service ports or alternative methods such as a cellular modem. Opengear's out-of-band management makes fault diagnosis and repair remotely possible.
"Due to the fact that this way facilitates only manual work by the administrator, Opengear - the market leader in OOB solutions - decided to extend their functionality, resulting in the industry's first console servers providing remote network management in the NetOps model. The devices in the OM (Operations Manager) family are equipped with x86 processors, which was used to provide support for traditional Docker containers and Python environments. In addition to standard Smart OOB features, the equipment provides automatic port discovery and VLAN support. The infrastructure thus built is managed using Lighthouse software.
Opengear offers two series of NetOps console servers. The compact OM1200 family is designed specifically for secure deployments at the network edge. It consists of 8 models equipped with 4 to 8 serial ports and 4 to 8 Ethernet ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports for device console management and 2 USB 3.0 ports for data storage. Also installed is an LTE-A Pro cellular access module and 16 GB of internal flash memory for storing configuration files and software."
The OM2200 series was created for advanced network infrastructures, such as data centers. The sixteen-, thirty-two- and forty-eight-port configurations are optionally equipped with an LTE-A Pro module. In addition, they feature 8x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.0. The former is used for console management, while the latter is used for data storage. The amount of internal flash memory of the devices is 64GB.
Regardless of the form of a company's local network infrastructure and the way it is connected to the Internet, the out-of-band management mode allows for efficient supervision and ongoing control of IT equipment at any time.
A beacon for the network
Lighthouse software allows secure and remote access to network equipment, via a console server. This access is not dependent on how the devices are connected to the network.
"Lighthouse can run Docker containers directly on NetOps console servers and manage them at any remote location, providing access to additional functions and facilitating the automation of network operations. The tool is also very suitable for distributed enterprises, where it operates both in the data center and in branch offices - in such a situation it guarantees access to the network infrastructure, independent of the underlying methods through the production network.
Full connection security is ensured through authentication using TACACS, Radius and LDAP protocols. There is also tight control over permissions for every operation, from logging to event logging. The software is available on a subscription model, making it easy to add nodes and bill for them. Lighthouse can be hosted on the hypervisor of your choice either locally or on an Azure or AWS platform."
Opengear Lighthouse Enterprise Edition additionally features network load balancing and connection redundancy in case there is a problem at any of the locations. With this software version, network-connected devices in remote locations will configure themselves automatically.