Black Box leS1108a, LES1116A, LES1148A User Manual

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Value Line Console Servers
Secure, remote console access that‘s very affordable.
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» Enable you to use a single user interface to
manage multiple serial console ports and devices.
» Accessible in band (Ethernet or secure Web
tunnel) or out of band via a dialup modem link.
» For high availability, support 10-/100-Mbps auto
failover setup through an alternate dial-in or out­of-band broadband path.
» Protect data over a public network with 256 -bit
encryption, SSH tunneled serial bridging, SSH tunneling for TCP/ UDP, and IP packet filtering.
» Offer off-line data logging, on-line data buffering
and logging, plus port sniffing for multiple users per port.
» Easy to restore configurations. For easy rollback,
you can store multiple local boot images locally.
»
Support up to 50 concurrent sessions (SDT tunnels ).
» No limit on the number of clients who can access
one gateway or the number of hosts accessed concurrently through one tunnel.
» Robust LAN console port management with
secure Serial over L AN (SoL) access and Secure Remote Desktop access to Windows
®
XP/2003.
» On the LAN por t, each gateway can port forward
to an unlimited number of locally networked hosts (computers or routers) .
» Authentication protec tion. Also enable you to
restrict access by IP address, password, or account.
» Cascadable ports. Cluster multiple units so up to
1000 serial ports can be accessed via one IP address and be managed at one location.
» Embedded with open-source Linux
®
based OS.
PC compatible.
» Flexible system management options (including
SNMP, HTTPS, HTTP, CLI in Linux Shell, Nagios
®
distributed monitoring, and ARP- PING).
»
Embedded DHCP server for managing LAN devices.
» NTP, TCP/IP, and UDP/IP network compatible. »
Firmware upgradable.
»
RoHS compliant.
OVERVIE W
With Black Box® Value Line Console Servers, there’s no need to
spend a lot for efficient, remote console server management.
Available in 8 -, 16-, and 4 8-port versions, these versatile devices give you out- of-band serial console port control in a secure platform that fits the budget of small to medium-size businesses as well as cash-strapped educational, healthcare, and government institutions.
With Value Line Console Servers, you can get access to data center systems for reliable 24/ 7 uptime without sacrificing security, flexibilit y, and interoperability with your current server environment.
Use a Value Line Console Ser ver as a gateway to remotely access servers, virtual ser vers, and similar network IT equipment. You can also reach routers, switches, firewalls, PBX systems, and many other network infrastructure devices—as well as UPS and RPS power systems!
Another benefit: The Value Line Console Servers provide easy access to service processors. Many pricier console servers don’t, which can be a real shor tcoming if you want to connect to today’s newer s ervers that include ser vice processor cards or sideband interfaces by default.
Even better, the Value Line Console Servers use the Linux
®
OS platform, so there’s no dealing with proprietary protocol issues when you want to cus tomize it to your specific requirements (a developer kit is included to help you get started). Use this open-source platform to reach por ts on Linu x, Windows, Sun
®
, HP®, and IBM® servers. In addition, the console ser vers come with Nagios network monitoring plug-ins to centrally manage servers and other resources distributed across an application.
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Value Line Console Servers come with a GUI and embedded tools for remotely managing power devices for UPS/RPC monitoring, graphing, and alarms.
Reach multiple server console ports and a LAN remotely with the affordable Value Line Console Server
A simple browser­based interface gives you an easy, intuitive way to consolidate the management of hundreds of ports and UPS systems over a single IP connection.
Diagram Format
Rule Size: 0.013
Internet
PSTN
Modem
Remote Dial -In with
Modem At tached
to Serial Po rt
Modem
VoIP PBX Power Strip o r UPS
Linux
®
, Solaris®,
Windows®, UNIX®
Servers
Switch, Router,
or Firewall
RS-232 Cable s
Ethernet Sw itch
Remote Management
Station
Local Management
Value Line
Console Server
(L ES110 8A )
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APPLICATIONS
In the data center, use Value Line Console Servers to: » Simplify the management of computer,
telecommunications, and power equipment, especially in large centers (those occupying an entire floor or multiple floors in a building) .
» Establish in-band and out-of-band management
that meets the entire data center's local and remote management needs.
» Better control power dissipation and make better
use of equipment space, especially in processing­centric centers with row after row of racked server clusters.
» Rigorously control access privileges, while
monitoring and logging all access events to better enforce enterprise security policies.
In the SMB server room, use them to: » Simplify the control of servers and gear racked
in a single room, especially in limited-staff offices dealing with an expanding server count.
» Set up a single integrated gateway to locally
and remotely manage all serial- and network­connected devices, particularly newer servers with embedded service processors and baseboard management controllers (BMCs).
» Set up encrypted authenticated access for local
and remote access.
» Enact better strategies for disaster avoidance.
IN DEPTH
Reach equipment out of band securely.
In addition to remote in-band access through its 10BASE-T/ 100BASE-TX TCP/IP port, Value Line Console Ser vers suppor t out-of-band access to your critical equipment and vital ass ets.
Just attach an external dialup modem to control and manage your distributed network of servers and other devices with the latest in console access. Typically, you do this via Telnet soft ware, using an SSH tunnel through the console server to communicate securely with serial port-connected devices over the Internet or any other public network. But you can Telnet through the console server to the serial device several other ways, too. (See “L AN Console Port Management” and “Serial Console Port Management” in the Tech Specs on page 4.)
Value Line Console Servers come with an SDT Connector applic ation. Through this open-source SSH Java client, you auto-load your console server’s configurations and, to ensure secure connectivity with attached network and serial devices, set up SSH tunnels for port-forwarding communications through the console server. The s ame SDT Connector tool is also used for setting up a 10-/100- Mbps auto failover route to a remote, out-of-band gateway. This can be through an alternate dial-in path or out-of-band broadband path.
Robust advanced encryption keeps all connection communications secure. In addition, the console servers give you a choice of filtering and access logging facilities, which you can archive off-line. Store offline logs for serial ports, available networks, and more. And to protect against unauthorized access, the system enables you to restrict access by IP address, password, or account.
Set up to scan the serial stream and send alerts.
To help ensure maximum uptime, Value Line Console Servers proactively scan the serial stream on console por ts, searching for specific errors and phrases.
The console servers support SNMP and SMTP alerts /traps for serial ports and hosts. Simply set the trigger condition for each port, and the console ser ver monitors port traffic for your defined character stream pattern or phrases. If they’re detected, the console server sends SMS text or an e-mail to you or an SN MP server (or to a central Nagios server, if it’s used ). This alerts feature can be enabled on any and all serial por ts or connected hosts.
Also, the console server informs you of its operating status. An LED on the back of the unit flashes a “heartbeat” periodically, and its “heartbeat monitor” agent can trigger dial-back or a redundant path during network outages. The heartbeat monitor checks that the console server is indeed on- line and operating as it should, that it’s clear to send alerts and alarms, and is accessible by remote users. In addition, you can set it up so if the heartbeat falters, it can automatically dial up a remote site to raise an alarm, or switch to and ac tivate a failover link.
Hotkey power on a PDU or an RPS.
A Value Line Console Server is also the ideal solution for situations where you need out-of-band access to a “dead” communications device— one that’s entirely locked up in a frozen condition.
Using a hotkey from the command line interface via SSH or Telnet, you simply launch the console server’s remote power control ( RPC) menu, through which you can turn power on (or off) , power cycle, or just check the power status of a particular device. Or you activate power status control and monitoring through SN MP. Value Line Console Servers support thousands of PDU or RPS units, for both serial- and SNMP-connected control.
Through a serial connection, you can access the Value Line Console
Server’s RPC menu to select your type of serial RPC device. The console
servers support most popular network and serial PDUs. And if your PDU
isn’t on the default list, then you can add support directly.
Both administrators and users can access and control serial- and network-
attached PDU power strips. You can initiate the action you want to take by outlet, whether it’s turning it on or off, cycling, or checking its status.
LES1116A
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Item Code
Value Line Console Servers 8-Por t
LE S1108A
16- Port
LE S1116A
48-Port
LE S1148A
Tech SpecS
Complianc e — FCC Part 15 A, UL® 1950, TUV, C-Tick, RoHS CPU Proce ssor — 166 MHz ARM ( Micrel KS8695P) LAN Con sole Port Managem ent — Secure SSH tunneling (TCP/ UDP); Secure
Remote Deskto p access to Windows
®
XP®/2003; Secure VNC access to Sun, Windows, Linux computers; s ecure HTTP(S) acces s to browser-controlled appliances; N ative IPMI 1.5/ 2.0 (RM CP/RMCP+) sup port for BMC and s ervice processor access and control; Se cure SOL to BIOS, EMS, ACS data; se rvice processor access (IPMI, ILO, LOM); access to KVM built in to service processors (DRAC, RSA); secure Telnet access; limit user access by LAN device and SDT ser vice for device; embedded DHCP server
Memor y — LES1108A: 16 MB SDR AM, 8 MB embedded flas h; LES1116A, LES1148A: 6 4 MB SDRAM , 16 MB embedded flash
Networ k Protocols —
NTP, TCP/IP, UDP/ IP; Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, P PP, RS-232
Operatin g System — Linux w ith source code acces s (custom develo pment kit
included); PC compatible
Securit y and Authentication — S ecure Shell (SSH -2, SSH-3) ; TACACS+,
RADI US, LDAP, PAP/CHAP (dialu p); dial-b ack support; local authenticat ion; system event s yslog; SSH port and IP forwarding suppor t; IP packet filtering
Serial Con sole Port Management — SSH tunneled serial bri dging; Window s
2003 Server ACS and EMS support; Sun /Solaris
®
ready (no inad vertent breaks) ; Break over SSH suppor t; port triggers with SMNP and e-mail alerts; off-line data l ogging (Syslog, NFS, CIFS); on-line data buf fering and logging; access by TCP port; Telnet /unauthenticated Telnet SSH /Raw TCP connect; RFC 2217 port redirection; Windows Remote Desktop or VNC over serial support; p er serial port u ser access lists
CE Approval — Yes Connec tors — Serial: LES1108A: (8) R J-45 (RS-232);
LES1116A: (16) RJ-45 (RS-232); LES1148A: ( 48) RJ-45 ( RS-232); Local consol e and modem serial p ort: (1) DB9 F (R S-232);
Network: (1) RJ-45 (10BASE-T/100BASE-TX ) Operatin g Environment — Temperature: 41 to 122º F (5 to 50º C); Humidity: 5 to 90%, nonco ndensing Power — LES1116A, LES1148A: 100–240 VAC, 50 –60 Hz, internal AC;
LES1108A: 10 0–240 VAC, 50– 60 Hz, external DC; Consumption: All: Less than 20 W
Size — LES1108A: 1.2"H x 8.2"W x 4.9"D (3 x 20.8 x 12.4 cm);
LES1116A, LES1148A: 1.75"H (1U) x 17"W x 8.5"D (4.4 x 43.1 x 22 cm)
Weight — LES1108A: 3.7 lb. (1.7 kg);
LES1116A, LES1148A: 8.5 l b. (3.9 kg)
What’s included
LE S1108A :
(2) CAT5 cables (1) DB9 F–RJ -45S
straight connector
(1) DB9 F–RJ -45S
crossover connector
5-VDC, 2-A power supply
with IEC socket and AC power cable
Rackmount kit Quick Start Guide and
user manual on CD-ROM
LES1116A and LES1148A:
(2) CAT5 cables (1) DB9 F–RJ -45S
straight connector
(1) DB9 F–RJ -45S
crossover connector
IEC AC power cord Rackmount kit Quick Start Guide and
user manual on CD-ROM
Types of users supported
Value Line Console Servers support two classes of users:
 • Administrative users, who are authorized to configure and
control the console server, and to access and control all the connected devices. An administrator can access and control the console server using the config utility, the Linux command line, or the browser-based management console. By default, the administrator has access to all services and por ts to control all serial connected devices and network-connected devices ( hosts).
 •Membersoftheusers group, who are only authorized to
perform specified controls on specific connected devices. When authorized, they can access serial or network devices and control these devices using the specified ser vices, for example, Telnet, HTTP S, RDP, IPMI, Serial over LAN (SoL), power control. An authorized user also has a limited view of the management console and can only access authorized configured devices and review port logs.
Supports GNU bash shell script.
Some produc ts in today’s market use proprietary protocols for communications. In contrast, Value Line Console Ser vers give you access to the Linux core, including bash. This makes them ideal for industrial control applications where you need to remotely manage proprietary equipment with custom protocols.
Through the Linux kernel, you can write custom scripts that can run manually or automatically. This way, you proactively create self-healing solutions for cycling power on a router or switch on PING failure.
You can write custom scripts so they run each time a par ticular alert triggers. For example, you can set it up to power cycle on a managed device when a specific alert event occurs or to send multiple notification e-mails when an alert triggers.
MORE APPLICATIONS
In branch offices, use Value Line Console Servers to: » Simplify the control of distributed office server
rooms or wiring closets containing ser vers, UPSs, PDUs, and net work devices.
» Set up a centralized in-band and out-of-band
management gateway for local and remote serial port management—especially for satellite offices with little or no IT staff on-site.
» Ensure maximum system uptime for sales offices,
the customer-facing points crucial to the bottom line of many business enterprises.
» Give off-site techs 24/7 access to integrated small
business server applications, those that branch offices often depend on for e-mail, printing, file storage, Web access, and more.
In smaller service provider applications, use them to: » Better serve the IT needs of clients in different
offices by keeping servers and equipment up and running on a continuous basis.
» Support new services while at the same time
reducing the need for on-site service calls and increasing profitability.
» Avoid the need for numerous high-priced
management devices (dedicated power switch controllers, service processor management units, KVMoIP switches, etc.) at the client site.
» Proactively diagnose client-side equipment
problems, setting up notification alarms and alerts to notify you of pending IT disasters.
LES1108A
Need more redundancy, accessibility, and storage?
See our Advanced Console Servers (LES1208A /1216A/1248A), offering:
• Dual10/100Ethernetports
• DualACpowersupplies
• Abuilt-InV.92modem
• 2GBofUSBflashmemor y
• ”Rolled”st yleportsforeasy
connections to Cisco
®
devices
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