Remote Data Center

– Rick Stevenson, CEO, Opengear, says:

Today’s data centers and remote facilities contain infrastructure made up of critical network, power and server products from an array of vendors. This can make things difficult to manage. Enterprises need solutions that help them leverage their existing equipment and tools securely and efficiently, without a myriad of logins and complicated procedures when accessing multiple devices.

Here at Opengear, we explored how to best introduce convenience to remote management of data center racks, and came up with the CM7100 console server. The CM7100 is based on our Smart OOB™ solution, which offers a unique combination of out-of-band access and monitoring capabilities with auto-response and remediation for a wide range of IT infrastructure devices. Opengear’s CM7100 delivers wide compatibility and support for the multi-vendor equipment that’s out there. It’s a 16-48 port serial console server able to streamline the out-of-band remote management of network and server consoles. With the CM7100, network administrators can securely and efficiently manage sprawling and complex infrastructure of switches, routers, PDUs, firewalls, servers, UPSes and other critical data center equipment from a variety vendors. The CM7100 lets you keep in place your existing tools and workflow, improve your fault detection and diagnosis to reduce your average time to repair, and command your entire rack infrastructure out-of-band with a single appliance.

The CM7100 features Cisco straight cabling for easy connectivity to Cisco networks (no adapters necessary). Proactive, consolidated monitoring connected to email or SMS alerts keeps watch over network equipment, server status, PDU load and UPS battery charge.  Other key features include enterprise-grade security with FIPS 140-2 certified encryption and security protocols, dual LAN ports for main and secondary networks, and audit/trail logging to 4GB local storage or a remote log server, dual AC power supplies, and dual USB ports. Administrators have immediate access to consoles through their preferred SSH client or integrated HTTPS AJAX web terminal. Ultra low power consumption ensures less heat dissipation and that critical battery power is used in keeping important infrastructure running longer during power failures. Additionally, the optional EMD5000 environmental monitoring device module allows administrators to keep an eye on temperature, humidity, and even when the cabinet is opened.

Easily integrated, the CM7100 fits effortlessly into top-of-rack and end-of-row configurations. As an all-in-one solution, the console server makes devices such as media converters unnecessary. Using Opengear Lighthouse central management, this infrastructure management solution can scale to connect with up to 5,000 Opengear appliances from a single pane of glass. Our Smart OOB solution provides increased access, monitoring, management, control, and decision-making.

Get more information about the Opengear CM7100 here.

Rick Stevenson is CEO of Opengear, a company that builds remote infrastructure management solutions for enterprises.