Opengear launches CM8100 Console Manager

Opengear is launching its new family of console managers, the CM8100. As the latest addition to its award-winning Smart OOBTM Console Server family, the CM8100 delivers a comprehensive solution, adding NetOps capabilities to existing Smart OOB features that simplify connectivity to IT equipment. Moreover, it provides resilient and secure remote access to infrastructure devices while enhancing security and automation for better smart out-of-band management.

Wednesday, 8th June 2022 Posted 2 years ago in by Phil Alsop

“IT infrastructure needs to be resilient and easy to manage without relying on the network to manage the network,” says Gary Marks, President of Opengear. “Whether IT teams need to bring up new devices, manage existing ones or remediate outages, they must have resilient access to the network from anywhere. Regardless of the state of the production network, Opengear’s CM8100 provides engineers with the remote and reliable connectivity they need to be successful. It is yet another milestone in our long line of solutions designed to help engineers overcome today’s challenges such as travel requirements, security restrictions, and a lack of connectivity.”

CM8100 highlights:

• Hosts up to 48 managed serial connected devices

• Hardware-based TPM 2.0 security module providing data encryption and secure boot

• Open architecture REST API based firmware supporting automation tools, Docker, and Python scripting

• Four times faster than the previous generation while maintaining power-efficient and passively cooled operation up to 50C

• Dual AC power supplies with independent monitoring and alerting

The Opengear platform and CM8100 enhance console access with modern automation capabilities. The CM8100 also helps IT personnel remotely provision, manage and remediate devices. Likewise, it enables remote access to even the most sprawling and complex infrastructure, such as switches, routers, PDUs, firewalls, and other critical data center equipment. Additionally, CM8100 appliances establish secure VPN tunnels which connect IT, staff, to remote devices. This provides local access to Ethernet and RS-232 console ports via standard UTP patch cables. The resilient connection of the CM8100 is available to either IT staff or applications to configure managed devices.

“Nearly every enterprise is familiar with the ‘3 a.m.’ call about a down server or a network device, but driving or even flying to a data center or remote site can be time-consuming and expensive,” adds Marks. “More than half of IT outages cost over $100,000, so network issues must get fixed quickly. However, if engineers can’t access the network remotely and lack visibility, they will arrive at the site without the right tools or replacement devices to be successful in one trip. With the Opengear platform, IT personnel have the visibility to ascertain the problem from afar and also the access to remediate the outage remotely, saving considerable time and resources.”