Serial Switch - Establish Secure Connections with Serial Ports on Remote Devices
Even the most well thought-out network application needs a little tweak from time to time. Your network configuration might be perfect for the way you run your business today, but what about tomorrow? Reconfiguring a server or router is no problem if that device is located down the hall, but what if it's located miles away, in an equipment cabinet on top of a building or at the end of a long, bumpy road?
Communicating with serial ports on remote network equipment is a breeze if your network includes an out of band management solution and a WTI Serial Switch. A WTI Serial Switch allows you to establish a secure connection with a remote serial port without even leaving your desk, allowing you to quickly access command functions and change configuration parameters without actually traveling to the site in person.
WTI offers three serial switch product lines; RJ45 Port Serial Switches (TSM Series), DB9 Port Serial Switches (RSM Series) and RJ45 Serial Switch + Power Control Hybrids:
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RJ45 Port Serial Switches (TSM Series)
8, 24 or 40 serial RJ45 ports for connection to console ports on network devices. Dual power supply models for failsafe redundancy.
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DB9 Port Serial Switches (RSM Series)
8, 16 or 32 DB9 ports for connection to console ports on network devices.
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RJ45 Serial Switch + Power Control Hybrids
Hybrid units combine the console port access capabilities of our Serial Switch products, with the power control capabilities of our switched PDU products. Available with either IP/modem remote access, or dial-up remote access. Includes eight RJ45 ports and either four or eight switched AC outlets.
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Secure Serial Switch Access to Serial Ports on Remote Network Devices
- 8, 24 or 40 RJ45 or DB9 Ports for Connection to Remote Serial Ports
- Remote Command Access to Serial Ports on Network Devices
- SSH/Telnet/Raw-Socket TCP Connection
- Reverse/Outbound SSH
- SSHv2 Encryption
- Embedded Validated FIPS 140-2 Cryptographic Module
- HTTPS/SSL Secure Web
- LDAP/Kerberos/RADIUS/TACACS+ Authentication
- SNMP Control, Monitoring and Configuration
- Full MIB Support
- Supports Both IPv4 and IPv6
NTP for True Server Sync
WTI Serial Switch products include a real time clock and calendar, with NTP support for true server synchronization. NTP (or network time protocol), allows network administrators to make certain that all of the devices in their network are synchronized to the same time value. When enabled, NTP compatible devices will download the current time from an NTP server, ensuring that all devices are set to the same time. NTP compatibility allows the Serial Switch to time stamp event records, alarm records and other logged data with complete assurance that the time shown on the logged record matches the NTP time value.
Buffer Threshold Alarm
When a serial port is configured for Buffer Mode, the serial switch will collect and store error messages, status messages and data received from the attached device. When a connected device crashes or fails, this buffered data can be very helpful to network administrators who are trying to determine the cause of the device failure. In order to allow prompt collection or review of buffered data, WTI Serial Switch products include a Buffer Threshold Alarm which can be configured to notify operators when a serial port buffer fills to a user-defined "percent full" level. When the Buffer Threshold alarm is triggered, the serial switch can notify administrators via Text Message, Syslog Message, Email or SNMP trap.
Save Serial Switch Parameters to File
After you have finished configuring the WTI Serial Switch to fit the requirements of your individual application, configuration parameters can be easily saved to a simple, ASCII format text file. Once configuration parameters have been saved, this allows quick recovery in the event that configuration parameters are changed, and also enables rapid set-up, when two or more serial switch units will be configured with similar parameters.
Five Year Warranty
WTI Serial Switch units and other products are covered by an impressive five year warranty, which provides some of the best warranty coverage in the business. WTI's five year warranty covers five critical points: parts, labor, support services, firmware upgrades and replacement service. This means that when you buy a WTI product, you can count on years and years of reliable service, without worries about repair and replacement costs.
Accept or Reject Break Commands
Each serial port on a WTI serial switch can be set to accept or reject break commands that are received from attached devices. A parameter in the serial port configuration menu is used to enable or disable break command blocking for each individual serial port. When break command blocking is enabled, the serial switch will reject all break commands, and any electronic noise that might be mistaken for a break command, and will not pass break characters along to another connected serial port. This feature is very helpful when the serial switch is used in conjunction with a Sun server, because break commands will often cause a Sun server to reboot. The ability to reject break commands allows the WTI serial switch to ensure that user access to the server is not needlessly interrupted and also avoids unnecessary delays due to accidental server reboot.
Power Cycle Alarm - Lets You Know When Power has been Lost and Restored
WTI serial switch products include a unique Power Cycle Alarm function that will provide prompt notification whenever the switch detects that its input power has been lost and then restored. After power is restored, the Power Cycle Alarm can notify network administrators via SNMP Trap, email, text message or Syslog message. This allows administrators to know when a power outage has occurred, enables better planning for future power outages and also provides an opportunity to diagnose and address the cause of the temporary power outage.
Display System Status and Port Status
In order to allow network administrators to keep track of conditions and events at remote network installations, WTI serial switch products include a comprehensive array of status screens that can be easily accessed by users with appropriate command privileges. WTI serial switch products can display Network Diagnostics screens, Network Status screens, Port Status screens, Port Parameters screens and a Product Status screen to provide detailed information regarding communication conditions as well as the status of the serial switch itself. When network administrators need information about recent events and conditions at a remote network site, WTI Serial Switch products can also display an assortment of event logs, which allow administrators to review rack temperature history, alarm events and user activity.
Broadcast Mode - Send Commands or Data to Several Units at Once
WTI Serial Switch products include a convenient Broadcast Mode that enables network administrators to send the same data or commands via two or more user-selected RS232 serial ports in one simple operation. Configuration commands, unit status requests and other commands and data can be sent out via several user-specified serial ports, without transmission to other serial ports that are set for Modem Mode or Buffer Mode. In addition, the Broadcast Mode also checks to make sure that broadcast data is not sent via any serial switch port that has currently established a connection to another port on the serial switch unit.
Supports Both IPv4 and IPv6
In order to prepare for the upcoming switchover to IPv6 protocol, all WTI Serial Switches now provide full support for both IPv4 and IPv6 (the intended successor to IPv4.) This helps to ensure that WTI Serial Switches purchased today will be fully compatible with the planned IPv6 internet environment, and will not be rendered obsolete when the IPv6 protocol eventually becomes the new worldwide standard for network communications.