5 Ways to Automate Out-of-Band Management

5 Ways to Automate
WTI Out-of-Band
Management

Build a repeatable automation lifecycle for deployment, configuration, monitoring, alerting and recovery - even when the production network is unavailable.

WTI CPM Series Console Server + PDU

Challenge

Distributed branch offices, edge locations and data centers often depend on manual out-of-band configuration. That approach is slow to scale, difficult to standardize and vulnerable to configuration drift.

  • Primary-network failures can also cut off traditional automation tools.
  • Remote sites may lack dedicated on-site IT resources.
  • Recovery frequently requires repetitive troubleshooting or a truck roll.

Solution

WTI CPM Series Console Server + PDU hybrids combine serial console access and remote power control. Integration with the WTI Ansible Collection and RESTful API brings those capabilities into existing automation workflows.

  • Standardize configuration with reusable Ansible playbooks.
  • Query status and initiate approved actions through RESTful requests.
  • Integrate API status and webhook events with Splunk for centralized monitoring.
  • Preserve an independent path to managed equipment during outages.

One Simple Automation Strategy

Connect all five capabilities into one operational workflow:

1Deploy
Zero Touch
Provisioning
›
2Configure
Ansible playbooks
›
3Control
REST API actions
›
4Monitor
Streaming telemetry
›
5Alert
Event WebHooks

A resilient OOB platform stays available when the production network fails while also participating in everyday deployment, monitoring and recovery processes.

Deploy and configure remote sites

1

Deploy Remote Sites with Zero Touch Provisioning

Use case: Deploy many WTI units without manually configuring each device before shipment.

The WTI unit boots, receives provisioning information from DHCP Option 43, downloads its XML configuration and optional firmware from a file server, then becomes ready for management.

1New WTI Unit
Boot at remote site
2DHCP Option 43
Locate provisioning
3Config / Firmware
Download XML + image
4Ready to Manage
Continue with Ansible / REST
WHY IT HELPSFaster branch deployment, consistent configurations and less technical work at the remote location.

WTI KB: Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP)

2

Automate Configuration with Ansible

Use case: Manage many WTI units without logging into each unit individually.

Install the WTI Ansible collection, add WTI units to inventory and use playbooks to automate users, ports, SNMP, firmware, status and switched power.

AAnsible Control
Inventory + playbooks
WWTI Unit Fleet
Console servers + PDUs
CConsistent Config
Repeatable site settings
WHY IT HELPSFaster deployment, fewer manual errors and repeatable configuration across remote sites.

WTI KB: Ansible 2.8 and WTI

Automate recovery and centralize monitoring

3

Automate Monitoring and Recovery with the REST API

Use case: Let applications monitor WTI units and perform approved recovery actions automatically.

An application can call the WTI REST API to check status, retrieve alarms, manage configuration or reboot equipment connected to a switched outlet.

1Failure Detected
Monitoring trigger
2WTI REST API
Query status + alarms
3Approved Action
Reboot outlet if needed
4Verify Device
Confirm service restored
WHY IT HELPSOut-of-band functions become programmable and integrate with existing monitoring and automation systems.

WTI KB: RESTful API Introduction

4

Send OOB Data to Splunk with Streaming Telemetry

Use case: Monitor WTI information from a central observability platform instead of checking individual units.

Configure continuous telemetry to send JSON data through the Splunk HTTP Event Collector. Supported datasets can include power, current and temperature.

WWTI Unit
Power + environment
JStreaming JSON
Continuous telemetry
SSplunk HEC
Central ingestion
DDashboard / Alert
Observe + notify
WHY IT HELPSOOB, power and environmental information appears alongside the rest of the network's operational data.

WTI KB: Telemetry & Webhook - Splunk HEC and /TEL configuration

Send real-time alerts and orchestrate the lifecycle

5

Send Real-Time Alerts with WebHooks

Use case: Send WTI alarms directly to the tools the operations team already uses.

Configure event-based telemetry to send a JSON WebHook when an alarm or selected event occurs. Destinations can include Webex, Slack, Splunk, Elasticsearch, Syslog and compatible webhook endpoints.

1WTI Event
Alarm or selected event
2JSON WebHook
Event-driven delivery
3Ops Platforms
Splunk / Slack / Webex
4Operations Team
Immediate response

WTI KB: Telemetry & Webhook  |  WTI Event-Based Telemetry - Slack Endpoint

INTEGRATION OPTIONS

Route event notifications to collaboration, observability and log-management platforms while preserving the WTI unit as an independent out-of-band control point.

WHY IT HELPSThe NOC receives important events immediately without constantly watching another dashboard.

Bring automation to your out-of-band infrastructure.

Explore Ansible, RESTful API, Splunk telemetry, WebHooks, Python, SNMP, Syslog and ZTP resources for WTI console servers and power management products.

wti.com/pages/wti-devops

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"Best part is it just works out of the box. The serial ports work great with the Cisco gear with no config changes from the factory default."

Jack Kinney — Lincare Network Operations