Abstract

Out-of-band Management, or Lights-out Management, is an important tool to manage devices like servers, core routers, and switches. This is facilitated by a secondary card in the device that has an IP address assigned to it and it typically accessible over the network via a web browser even if the device it powered down, assuming of course that the power plug is connected to an electrified outlet. This functionality is very important for a WAN environment. Without this ability to control these devices remotely, the company would either have to employ a resource in the local offices or spend a large amount of time and money on technician travel. This is therefore a cost saving measure as well as a management tool and strategy. In initially pitching and gaining approval for projects, cost savings is often the larger selling point for management. In addition to and as an add-on to the Lights Out management, I also like monitoring the systems though SNMP, using a tool like What's Up. The Lights Out system is very valuable, but you also need a system that informs you when systems go down, and when they are responding to ping again after a restart. Network performance is very much related to network monitoring, however, monitoring is a task that we perform in service to performance, among other things.