| Physical Differences
OutPost has console devices that support 32,16, 8 and 4
ports individually and can manage thousands of devices using
OPS Command Center. The OutPost ENS-16
and 32 port console devices have many more system resources
and much more memory and computing power than other products.
The individual ports are eight times faster - 115 Kbps vs.
921 Kbps bi-directional speeds for the ENS-16 and 32. The
ENS cevices also have FIFO registers
that are twenty (20) times larger. This results in better
data integrity with fewer errors or over-runs. Many do not
offer a DC power option whereas the ENS devices do provide
this option.
Ethernet Support
Competative products have only one 10/100 Ethernet port.
The ENS-16 and 32 port devices have two 10/100/1000 Ethernet
ports for high speed and dual networks. The ENS units can
monitor and report to a redundant network or to two separate
networks such as a public and private network at a remote
location. Also, if one of the ports were disabled (ESD or
unplugged) it would continue to operate. It also has the
ability automatically establish an out of band communication
via modem or frame should the network method fail.
Additional Port Support
The competitors do not provide USB or wireless connectivity
and it does not provide in rack console ports or a dedicated
OBM (Out of Band Management) port. The ENS-16
and 32 port units allow in rack KVM and Console access
and if plugged into a KVM port allows the display of 32
consoles over a single KVM port. The dedicated OBM and USB
ports allow enable mission critical access and even wireless
communication and automated fail over communications. In
addition, the USB support allows the OutPost devices to
support memory sticks for saving configuration information
and loading files into the device such as new versions of
the software or configuration information.
Console Management Software
The software differences are too numerous to illustrate
fully in this short summary. They include things like competitors
limiting total licensed users to 64 with each user requiring
a license. OutPost does not limit the number of users that
can access the system. Avocent does not allow simultaneous
access to the console ports for troubleshooting. OutPost
provides for an unlimited number of users to simultaneously
access the same ports enabling users to effectively collaborate.
The competitors have smaller or no non-connect port buffers.
They do not have audit trails and do not enable automatic
streaming of the buffer contents to a database. If they
lose power the buffer contents are lost resulting in no
audit trail. A disgruntled or incompetent employee could
easily cover their tracks by rebooting the system.
For many there is no DHCP client. This means that you must
manually enter IP addresses and that it will not work on
a network where IP addresses are dynamically allocated.
The ENS operates in either environment utilizing either
static IP addresses or DHCP server assigned IP addresses.
Just plug it in and go! The ENS accommodates
many more users and better defines the rights and privileges
of each user or group. It automatically streams the buffer
contents to a database for storage and provides a real time
audit trail for all device activity. The ENS does more than
collect the console messages in a buffer. It can scan all
the console messages in the buffer and is capable of reacting
(automated response) to every message. This means the ENS
can operate in a true lights out facility utilizing less
power.
Notification
Many provide no SNMP reporting or only in network SNMP reporting.
This defeats the entire purpose of OBM (Out of Band Management).
The OutPost products delivers monitoring and reporting in
both in and out of band so the devices are always monitored
and available for access. The ENS provides optional SNMP
reporting and in addition provides heart beat monitoring.
The ENS monitors carrier to tell you if the box is connected
and if the power is present or has been interrupted. If
someone accidentally bumps or pulls the plug on a device
you know instantly with an ENS. If a console cable on a
device is pulled when connected and monitored by a competitors
box you never know it.
Most do not even mention emailing or paging. The ENS allows
email notification with “Hot Links,” paging
and even SNPP paging. The ENS also has customizable event
triggers not found in other product. This allows customized
actions to specific devices and error messages. The ENS
can see an Error such as “Link Down” and reboot
that router automatically without human intervention and
start additional processes including paging and emailing
someone or cold starting another device. They assumes the
network is always operational and must wait for someone
in the NOC (only) to try and manually respond to an SNMP
trap.
You cannot exclusively rely upon the network and SNMP for
notification as they do. If the network fails how will you
be notified? How will you know what happened? How will you
keep the other processes running? Single point of failure
seems to be a reoccurring theme for the them. If you can
find one that integrates the management (KVM, console access
and power strips) they rely on a single box or point of
failure. If that one NT box goes down and you lose access
and visibility to that one off site box, then you lose access
and visibility to all your networks and all your devices.
The ENS and the OPS Command Center are completely distributed.
This means that you may have almost an unlimited number
of computers functioning as your NOC, complete with access
and display. In addition, The ENS units are self-aware and
you will see if there is a problem with one of the ENS units
on the OPS Command Center display.
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