Remote Console Access and Reliable Connectivity
The history of the console server begins with the terminal server. In the 1990’s, terminal servers were used to connect RS-232 devices such as pos equipment, “green screen” text terminals and serial printers. In the late 1990’s the internet boom created demand for a massive number of SUN servers which created demand for high density terminal servers so that a system administrator could manage 48 servers through a single IP address. It was at this point that companies began marketing this new idea of console access as a console server.
In 2005-2010 there were new use cases for using console servers. Network engineers became the primary user of console servers for managing routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, and more. New specialized variants emerged for remote offices, colocations, and data centers. In 2010 the first 3G cellular out-of-band management console server was released, and in 2013 the first 4G LTE console server hit the market.
Today the console server is used for more than just remote access and is still the best way to get into a locked-up device and quickly remediate the issue. It has become a critical and essential component to a resilient network and a platform for network automation. The console port provides the most reliable connectivity to the out-of-band management network.
Gearlinx™ Console Servers. Network Resilience as a Service™. The Future of Out-of-Band Management.
The NR4400 Console Server is a Network Resilience Platform for Total OOB™ management. It ensures network resilience and remote site visibility, even when the primary network is unreachable. The NR4400 is a full-featured, complete solution of secure remote access, 4G LTE out-of-band connectivity and network failover, automation and compute, and cloud-based centralized management.
The NR4400 provides operational improvements to the business with a flexible, lower cost subscription model that leverages the Gearlinx™ ZERO cloud portal for device management, device location, serial numbers, warranty information, and subscription status. The NR4400 lowers hardware CAPEX by 40% and provides a more flexible OPEX model for remote access technology. Buy what you need, when you need it and have confidence in your network and your business.
The NR4400 brings the DevOps, NetOps, and ITOps teams together with one network resilience platform for secure remote console access, automation, application and service deployments, business continuity, and operational resilience.
Advanced NR4400 Platform features include:
- Flexible subscription options; 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, 7 years
- 16 and 48 software selectable serial ports
- Global 4G LTE Dual-SIM with auto-switching failover and carrier redundancy
- OCI Container and Virtual Machine supports for secure application deployments and business agility
- TPM 2.0 security module and ARM64 Trustzone secure boot
- Zero Touch Provisioning for automating configuration deployments
- Openconfig streaming telemetry for a more granular collection of periodic data
- Single Sign-On with OpenID (through ZERO)
- API-First Strategy to drive automation and efficiency
- Embedded Gearlinux maintained by the Gearlinx dev team for up-to-date security patches and latest features
Duckfone™ Console Servers. Network Resilience as a Service™. Failover at the Edge.
The Duckfone™ Console Server is a cellular gateway platform, designed with a network forward approach to keep branch and edge locations connected and available. It was built from the ground up to provide secure and reliable connectivity, that is simple and sophisticated. Powerful and efficient, the Duckfone™ 4G LTE gateway always gets you to your “thing”, so you can troubleshoot and remediate an infrastructure issue remotely, by simply signing into ZERO.
The Duckfone™ platform is purpose built for low cost, high availability, reliable console access and 4G LTE failover. It provides practical console server functionality and easy, straight through console port connectivity to Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Checkpoint, Palo Alto, and others. Remote sites with existing infrastructure can cellular enable any device. Physical connectivity to network infrastructure ensures network uptime and simplifies business continuity.
Advanced Duckfone™ features include:
- Flexible subscription options; 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, 7 years
- Hosts up to 4 RJ45 Cisco straight serial ports
- 1 x 10/100/1000 gigabit ethernet
- Power over Ethernet (POE+)
- Global 4G LTE Dual-SIM with auto-switching failover and carrier redundancy
- Failover IP Passthrough