Wake-Up on Failure for Cellular Out-of-Band

Wake-Up on Failure for Cellular Out-of-Band

Challenge

A cellular modem can provide a particularly attractive solution for Out-of-Band communication in applications that involve managing network elements at remote equipment sites. When security protocols such as IPSec, OpenVPN and IP Tables are effectively employed, an LTE cellular connection can provide Out-of-Band access which complies with the same security standards found in your typical wired LAN/WAN environments.

In spite of the convenience and cost savings provided by secure out-of-band cellular solutions, many administrators are uncomfortable with the idea of having an active cellular modem available at a remote site or branch office. In these cases, the presence of a live cellular modem connected to vital network elements simply adds an additional point of entry to an already prolific number of network access nodes available to external threats.

In order to eliminate these concerns, network engineers need a means to automate the process of switching the cellular modem off when wired Ethernet communication is available, and then switching the cell modem back on whenever the wired Ethernet connection is down and cellular communication is needed.

Solution

When a WTI Out-of-Band Rescue solution includes the W4G LTE Cellular Modem Option, the convenient “Wake-Up on Failure” feature can automatically activate or deactivate the Cellular Modem, ensuring that the modem is only available when needed.

Wake-Up on Failure for Cellular Out-of-Band

This means that the Cellular Modem will essentially be put to sleep when a wired Ethernet connection is available, and woken only in the event that communication via wired Ethernet is down. Later if the wired Ethernet connection is restored, the Wake-Up on Failure feature will put the Cellular Modem back to sleep, and the unit will resume communication via the wired Ethernet port.

This effectively minimizes the amount of time that the cellular modem is active, while ensuring that cellular communication is always available when needed.

Results

When communication via wired Ethernet is interrupted, the WTI device’s 4G LTE Cellular Modem will automatically wake to allow communication via 4G LTE Cellular, allowing continued OOB access to vital console port command and power switching and reboot functions during wired Ethernet outages. Likewise, when the wired Ethernet connection comes back to life, the WTI device’s Cellular Modem will be put to sleep again. 

The Wake-Up on Failure feature ensures that the modem is only active when needed, providing secure, reliable Cellular Out-of-Band access to remote network elements and assuring that the cellular modem is put to sleep when not needed.