Increase Productivity Archives

Automated Infrastructure Management for Network Resilience

by Jordan Baker | May 3, 2024 | Data Center Management, Increase Productivity, Monitoring & Reporting, NetDevOps, Network Automation, Out of Band Management, Remote Network Management, Streamline Deployments, Vendor Neutral Platform

Clients and end-users expect 24/7 access to digital services, but threats like ransomware and global political instability make it harder than ever to ensure continuous business operations. However, human error remains one of the biggest risks to business continuity, as illustrated by a misconfiguration that caused a recent McDonald’s outage. Despite the risk, many organizations must make do with lean IT teams and limited technology budgets, increasing the likelihood that an overworked engineer will make a mistake that brings down critical services.

Automated infrastructure management reduces human intervention in workflows such as device configurations, software updates, and environmental monitoring. Automation improves network resilience by mitigating the risk of errors and making it easier to recover from failures.

How does infrastructure automation improve network resilience?

Network resilience is the ability to withstand or recover from adversity, service degradation, and complete outages with minimal business disruption. Automated infrastructure management improves resilience in three key ways:

It reduces the risk of human error in configurations and updates,
It catches environmental issues missed by human engineers, and
It accelerates recovery by streamlining infrastructure rebuilds after failures and attacks

Let’s examine some of the infrastructure automation components and best practices that boost business resilience.

Improving Network Resilience with Automated Infrastructure Management
Technology / Best Practice	Description
Zero-touch provisioning (ZTP)	Reduces human error by enabling automatic device configurations
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)	Further mitigates human error by codifying VM and container configurations
Automatic configuration management	Prevents security vulnerabilities and configuration mistakes from proliferating in production by monitoring and updating in-place configs
Gen 3 OOB serial consoles	Ensure 24/7 management access, isolate the control plane from the data plane, and provide a safe recovery environment
Environmental monitoring	Automatically detects and notifies administrators of environmental issues that might affect device health
Vendor-neutral orchestration platforms	Unify infrastructure automation and management workflows to reduce complexity and ensure complete coverage

Zero-touch provisioning (ZTP)

Zero-touch provisioning (ZTP), also known as zero-touch deployment, uses software scripts or definition files to automatically configure new devices over the internet. ZTP allows teams to create and test a single configuration file, and then use it repeatedly to deploy new infrastructure. ZTP reduces the tediousness of new deployments, which in turn decreases the chances of errors. It also provides an opportunity to validate new configurations so any errors can be corrected before they’re deployed to production.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Infrastructure as code (IaC) uses software abstraction to decouple infrastructure configurations from the underlying hardware. Similar to ZTP, IaC configurations are written as scripts or definition files, but they’re used to automatically provision virtual machines (VMs) and containers. Also like ZTP, IaC improves resilience by reducing human intervention in what is otherwise a tedious manual process. IaC also facilitates automatic configuration management.

Automatic configuration management

Automatic configuration management solutions continuously monitor in-place configurations to ensure they don’t drift away from documented standards. When necessary, they automatically install updates or roll back any unauthorized changes to prevent security vulnerabilities or configuration mistakes from bringing down the network.

Gen 3 out-of-band (OOB) serial consoles

Out-of-band (OOB) serial consoles manage other infrastructure devices over a serial connection, separating the control plane from the data plane on a network dedicated to managing, troubleshooting, and orchestrating infrastructure. All OOB serial consoles improve network resilience by providing an alternative path to remote infrastructure that’s unaffected by issues on the production network. Gen 3 serial consoles go a step further by enabling vendor-neutral automation over the OOB connection. Gen 3 OOB serial consoles support third-party automation scripts and solutions and extend that automation to legacy and mixed-vendor infrastructure devices that are otherwise unsupported.

Additionally, Gen 3 OOB enables isolated management infrastructure (IMI), which prevents attackers on the production network from commandeering crown-jewel assets and vital business infrastructure. The OOB network also provides a safe environment where teams can recover from ransomware attacks without risking reinfection. Plus, a Gen 3 serial console can host all the tools teams need to automatically provision, test, and deploy new systems, accelerating recovery efforts for improved resilience.

See how Gen 3 OOB serial consoles stack up to the competition with our feature comparison chart.

Environmental monitoring

Environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, and air quality have a significant impact on the performance and lifespan of network infrastructure. That infrastructure is often housed in off-site data centers and branch offices, which means administrators may not know there’s an environmental concern until it’s already caused an error or outage. An environmental monitoring system uses sensors to collect data about conditions in remote facilities and automatically notify administrators of issues so they can respond before failures occur.

Vendor-neutral orchestration platforms

An automated network infrastructure comprises many moving parts and can be very complex to manage, especially if they don’t interoperate. Complexity increases the workload on IT staff that’s already stretched too thin, making mistakes more likely. A vendor-neutral orchestration platform unifies all the automation and management workflows behind a single pane of glass. Teams can use the automation tools they’re most comfortable with, decreasing errors while ensuring complete coverage of mixed-vendor and legacy infrastructure. Plus, using vendor-neutral management hardware like Nodegrid Gen 3 serial consoles allows teams to consolidate network functions, automation, security, and service hosting with a single device, further reducing complexity and boosting operational efficiency.

Automated infrastructure management is easier with Nodegrid

Infrastructure automation improves an organization’s ability to withstand and recover from adverse events by reducing human error, catching environmental issues before they cause outages, and accelerating recovery from ransomware and other failures. The Nodegrid platform from ZPE Systems provides Gen 3 out-of-band management, vendor-neutral hosting for automation and other third-party software, and unified orchestration for remote, mixed-vendor, and legacy infrastructure. Nodegrid simplifies automated infrastructure management for improved network resilience.

Ready to start your Automated Infrastructure Management for Network Resilience?

Learn more about boosting network resilience with automated infrastructure management by downloading ZPE’s Network Automation Blueprint.

Cyberthreats are Soaring: ZPE Systems Urges Immediate Action with Gen 3 Console Servers to Thwart Breaches

by Jordan Baker | May 3, 2024 | Data Center Management, Improve Network Security, Increase Productivity, Minimize Impact of Disruptions, News & Announcements, Press Releases, Remote Network Management, Simplify Branch Infrastructure, Streamline Deployments

Press Release Complete EOL replacement solution

Organizations using end-of-life console servers must reduce their vulnerability exposure and secure their infrastructure comprehensively by using ZPE’s console servers, installation services and configuration engineering.

Fremont, CA, May 2, 2024 — As cyberattacks continue to rise, ZPE Systems, a leader in network management infrastructure, recently acquired by Legrand, is urging organizations to transition to Generation 3 console servers as part of their security strategies. With other well-known infrastructure providers discontinuing support for serial consoles already in use within data centers, communication networks and other commercial and industrial environments, the need to upgrade is paramount.

Console servers are the backbone of remote IT management, providing essential access to network devices and servers. However, using discontinued console servers poses significant security risks. Outdated firmware may contain known vulnerabilities that enable cyber attackers to infiltrate critical systems, causing costly data breaches and operational disruptions.

Despite these substantial risks, many organizations hesitate to replace their outdated infrastructure, citing budget constraints, labor costs and concerns about infrastructure disruption. Arnaldo Zimmermann, cofounder of ZPE Systems, highlights this dilemma, saying, “Organizations face financial constraints when considering hardware upgrades, especially when existing infrastructure seems to be working fine. When you consider the capex, labor costs and time it takes to physically install and configure new equipment, it’s easy to see why organizations say, ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.’”

To address these challenges, ZPE Systems now offers a comprehensive solution designed to alleviate budgetary concerns and streamline the replacement process:

1. New Cost-Effective Replacement Options

ZPE’s Nodegrid devices enable organizations to secure their management infrastructure with new budget-friendly, Gen 3 console servers. These range in cost from premium options to small yet powerful, budget-friendly units.

2. New Professional Installation & Recycling Services

As needed, ZPE Systems offers solutions for physical installation process and recycling of old equipment, minimizing downtime and ensuring environmental responsibility. ZPE connects organizations to a network of trusted partners including ByteBridge, Mirapath, Trace3, and others.

3. New Tailored Configuration Services

ZPE’s engineers provide customized configuration services to transfer the old configuration to new systems and optimize the performance and security of the new console servers.

“There’s a lot of friction in upgrading,” adds Koroush Saraf, VP of Products and Marketing at ZPE Systems. “We’ve heard of customers using outdated devices for years, who won’t replace because they just don’t have the time, money or manpower. Our goal is to remove that friction, streamlining the transition process and empowering organizations to enhance their security posture without the added burden.”

By utilizing Gen 3 console servers from ZPE, customers benefit from 3rd party security validated firmware that addresses Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) as well as hardware security features designed to mitigate cybersecurity threats. Organizations can safeguard their assets, protect sensitive data, and maintain operational continuity in an increasingly volatile digital landscape.

Explore this comprehensive solution using the link below

Explore the hardware options, trusted partner network, and configuration services by clicking the link. You can also get hands-on with this solution at RSA Conference next week. Click the link for details and to get ZPE’s special code that unlocks your free pass.

Explore Solution

Cisco ISR 4431 EOL Replacement Guide

by Jordan Baker | May 2, 2024 | Actionable Data, Application Hosting, Consolidation, Monitoring & Reporting, Network Automation, Out of Band Management, Remote Network Management, Simplify Branch Infrastructure, Streamline Deployments, Vendor Neutral Platform, Virtualization, Zero Trust Security

The Cisco ISR 4431 is an enterprise branch services router from Cisco’s Integrated Services Router product line. The ISR 4431 integrates with the Cisco DNA infrastructure management platform and the Catalyst SD-WAN (software-defined wide area networking) solution. Its modular design also makes the ISR 4431 extensible with Cisco’s Network Interface Modules (NIMs) to add storage, Ethernet switching, out-of-band (OOB) console server management, and other capabilities.

Cisco announced end-of-sale and end-of-life (EOL) dates for select ISR 4400-series models, including the ISR 4431. Its Cisco-recommended replacement option is the Catalyst C8300, which offers some improvements over the ISR but still suffers from some management, automation, and scaling limitations. However, there are other options on the market that fill these gaps with secure, vendor-neutral, all-in-one branch networking solutions. This guide compares Cisco ISR 4431 EOL replacement options and discusses the advanced features and capabilities offered by Cisco alternatives.

Click here for a list of ISR 4431 EOL products and replacement SKUs.
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Upcoming Cisco ISR 4431 EOL dates

November 6, 2024 – End of routine failure analysis, end of new service attachment
August 31, 2025 – End of software maintenance releases and bug fixes
February 5, 2028 – End of service contract renewal
November 30, 2028 – Last date of support

Looking to replace a different Cisco EOL model? Read our guides Cisco ISR EOL Replacement Options and Cisco 4351 EOL Replacement Guide.

Cisco ISR 4431 EOL replacement options

	Cisco ISR 4431 (EOL)	Cisco Catalyst C8300	Nodegrid NSR
Out-of-band (OOB) management	Gen 1 OOB	Gen 2 OOB	Gen 3 OOB
Extensibility	Integrates with Cisco partners only	Integrates with Cisco partners only	Supports virtualization, containers, and integrations
Automation	• Policy-based automation • Cloud-based automated device provisioning (ZTP) • Automated deployment of network services (Cisco DNA)	• Policy-based automation • Cloud-based automated device provisioning (ZTP) • Automated deployment of network services (Cisco DNA)	• Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) via LAN/DHCP, WAN/ZPE Cloud, USB • Auto-discovery via network scan and custom probes • Integrated orchestration and automation: ◦ Puppet ◦ Chef ◦ Ansible ◦ RESTful ◦ ZPE Cloud ◦ Nodegrid Manager
Security	• Intrusion prevention • Cisco Umbrella Branch • Encrypted traffic analytics • IPSec tunnels • DMVPN • FlexVPN • GETVPN • Content filtering • NAT • Zone-based firewall	• Intrusion prevention • Cisco Umbrella Branch • Encrypted traffic analytics • IPSec tunnels • DMVPN • FlexVPN • GETVPN • Content filtering • NAT • Zone-based firewall	• Edgified, hardened device with BIOS protection, TPM 2.0, UEFI Secure Boot, Signed OS, Self-Encrypted Disk (SED), Geofencing • X.509 SSH certificate support, 4096-bit encryption keys • Selectable cryptographic protocols for SSH and HTTPS (TLSv1.3) • SSL VPN (Client and Server) • IPSec, Wireguard, support for multi-sites • Local, AD/LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+, and Kerberos authentication • SAML support via Duo, OKTA, Ping Identity • Local, backup-user authentication support • User-access lists per port • Fine grain and role-based access control (RBAC) • Firewall - IP packet and security filtering, IP forwarding support • Two-factor authentication (2FA) with RSA and Duo
Hardware Services	• Serial console ports • USB console ports • IP management ports • Voice functionality • Compute module	• Serial console ports • USB console ports • Voice functionality	• Serial console ports • USB console ports • IP management ports • PDU management • IPMI device management • (Optional) Compute module • (Optional) Storage module
Network services	• Cisco SD-WAN software • WAN optimization • AppNAV • Application visibility and control • Multicast • Overlay Transport Virtualization (OTV) • Ethernet VPN (EVPNoMPLS) • IPv6 support	• Cisco SD-WAN software • WAN optimization • AppNAV • Application visibility and control • Multicast • Overlay Transport Virtualization (OTV) • Ethernet VPN (EVPNoMPLS) • IPv6 support	• IPv4 / IPv6 Support • Embedded Layer 2 Switching • VLAN • Layer 3 Routing • BGP • OSFP • RIP • QoS • DHCP (Client and Server)
Operating System	Cisco IOS	Cisco IOS	Nodegrid OS
CPU	Multi-Core processor	Multi-Core processor	Intel x86-64 Multi-Core
Storage	4GB-8GB Flash memory	16GB M.2 SSD storage	32GB FLASH (mSATA SSD) (Upgradeable) Self-Encrypted Drive (SED)
RAM	4GB-8GB DRAM	8GB DRAM	8GB DDR DRAM (Upgradeable)
Size	2RU	2RU	1RU

The Cisco Catalyst C8300

The Cisco ISR 4431 suffers from numerous limitations, such as its large physical size and closed ecosystem. Cisco’s recommended replacement option, the Catalyst C8300, has the same problems.

Both devices are 2RU, making them too large to easily install in cramped branches and edge computing sites that may not have a dedicated IT space. Both the ISR 4431 and the Catalyst C8300 are closed platforms, only supporting integrations with Cisco’s third-party partners like ThousandEyes. This prevents teams from utilizing all the security, automation, and monitoring solutions they’re most familiar with (or that work best for their specific use case), increasing the difficulty and complexity of branch network operations. Cisco’s OOB management modules and DNA software are also mostly limited to controlling other Cisco devices, leaving administrators with critical coverage gaps or multiple management solutions to deal with. Overall, these limitations reduce the efficiency, resilience, and scalability of branch network operations.

The Nodegrid Net SR (NSR)

The Nodegrid platform from ZPE Systems addresses many of Cisco’s limitations with vendor-neutral branch services routers (SRs). The Nodegrid Net Services Router (NSR) is a 1RU replacement for Cisco ISR 4431 EOL devices and features advanced branch networking capabilities.

Want to see how Nodegrid stacks up against Cisco’s ISR 4431 EOL replacement options? Click here to download the services routers comparative matrix.

The NSR provides branch gateway routing and switching, vendor-neutral VNF (virtual network function) hosting, and out-of-band management in a single, 1RU device. The NSR’s expansion modules add capabilities like PoE+, cellular/Wi-Fi, edge compute, and additional serial console management ports.

Nodegrid solutions are vendor-neutral, supporting Guest OS and Docker containers for third-party software. Teams can use their favorite tools for monitoring, automation, and security, and even extend these capabilities to legacy and mixed-vendor infrastructure. Organizations can use Nodegrid to create a custom-tailored, all-in-one branch networking solution with all the apps and services needed to deploy, manage, troubleshoot, and recover branch operations. Plus, Nodegrid creates an isolated management plane where teams can recover from ransomware, deploy resource-intensive automated workflows, and ensure 24/7 branch operations, improving resilience and supporting efficient scaling.

Ready to replace your Cisco ISR 4431 EOL products?

The Nodegrid platform delivers vendor-neutral branch network management for improved efficiency, resilience, and scalability. See our Cisco ISR 4431 EOL replacement SKUs below or contact ZPE Systems for help choosing the right Nodegrid solution for your business.

Explore our full products and services package to replace your Cisco ISR 4431

We know that replacing EOL devices takes a lot of effort. That’s why ZPE now offers a complete package of budget-friendly products and engineering services. Visit our page to see how we make it easy to replace discontinued devices like the Cisco ISR 4431.

Cisco ISR 4431 replacement SKUs

Cisco ISR 4431 EOL Product SKUs	In-Scope Features	Nodegrid Replacement Product SKUs
ISR4431-AX/K9 ISR4431-AXV/K9 ISR4431-DNA ISR4431-PM20 ISR4431-SEC/K0 ISR4431-V/K9 ISR4431-VSEC/K9 ISR4431/K9	Serial Console Module, Routing, 16 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 1 x 16 port serial module 1 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN
ISR4431-AX/K9 ISR4431-AXV/K9 ISR4431-DNA ISR4431-PM20 ISR4431-SEC/K0 ISR4431-V/K9 ISR4431-VSEC/K9 ISR4431/K9	Serial Console Module, Routing, 32 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 2 x 16 port serial module 2 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN
ISR4431-AX/K9 ISR4431-AXV/K9 ISR4431-DNA ISR4431-PM20 ISR4431-SEC/K0 ISR4431-V/K9 ISR4431-VSEC/K9 ISR4431/K9	Serial Console Module, Routing, 48 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 3 x 16 port serial module 3 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN
ISR4431-AX/K9 ISR4431-AXV/K9 ISR4431-DNA ISR4431-PM20 ISR4431-SEC/K0 ISR4431-V/K9 ISR4431-VSEC/K9 ISR4431/K9	Serial Console Module, Routing, 60 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 4 x 16 port serial module 4 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN
80 serial port option – no Cisco equivalent	Serial Console Module, Routing, 80 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 5 x 16 port serial module 5 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN

Cisco 4351 EOL Replacement Guide

by Jordan Baker | Apr 26, 2024 | Application Hosting, Edge Computing, Network Automation, Network Edge Orchestration, Remote Network Management, SD-WAN, Simplify Branch Infrastructure, Streamline Deployments, Zero Trust Security

A photo of the NSR, ZPE’s replacement option for the Cisco ISR 4431 EOL models.

The Cisco 4351 comes from the Integrated Services Router (ISR) product line of enterprise branch WAN solutions. The ISR 4351 works with Cisco’s software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) solution and the Cisco Digital Network Architecture (Cisco DNA) infrastructure management platform. It has a modular design that uses removable Network Interface Modules (NIMs) to extend its capabilities, for example, adding out-of-band (OOB) serial console management for up to 60 devices. Cisco announced end-of-life (EOL) dates for the entire ISR 4300 product line in 2022, and the 4351 is already past the end-of-sale and last ship dates. This guide compares Cisco 4351 EOL replacement options and discusses the innovative features and capabilities offered by modern, Gen 3 branch networking solutions. Click here for a list of Cisco ISR 4351 EOL products and replacement SKUs.

Upcoming Cisco ISR 4351 EOL dates

November 6, 2024 – End of routine failure analysis, end of new service attachment
August 31, 2025 – End of software maintenance releases and bug fixes
February 5, 2028 – End of service contract renewal
November 30, 2028 – Last date of support.

Looking to replace a different Cisco EOL model? Read our guides Cisco ISR 4431 EOL Replacement Guide and Cisco ISR EOL Replacement Options.

Cisco 4351 EOL replacement options

	Cisco ISR 4351 (EOL)	Cisco Catalyst C8300	Nodegrid NSR
Out-of-band (OOB) management	Gen 1 OOB	Gen 2 OOB	Gen 3 OOB
Extensibility	Integrates with Cisco partners only	Integrates with Cisco partners only	Supports virtualization, containers, and integrations
Automation	• Policy-based automation • Cloud-based automated device provisioning (ZTP) • Automated deployment of network services (Cisco DNA)	• Policy-based automation • Cloud-based automated device provisioning (ZTP) • Automated deployment of network services (Cisco DNA)	• Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) via LAN/DHCP, WAN/ZPE Cloud, USB • Auto-discovery via network scan and custom probes • Integrated orchestration and automation: ◦ Puppet ◦ Chef ◦ Ansible ◦ RESTful ◦ ZPE Cloud ◦ Nodegrid Manager
Security	• Intrusion prevention • Cisco Umbrella Branch • Encrypted traffic analytics • IPSec tunnels • DMVPN • FlexVPN • GETVPN • Content filtering • NAT • Zone-based firewall	• Intrusion prevention • Cisco Umbrella Branch • Encrypted traffic analytics • IPSec tunnels • DMVPN • FlexVPN • GETVPN • Content filtering • NAT • Zone-based firewall	• Edgified, hardened device with BIOS protection, TPM 2.0, UEFI Secure Boot, Signed OS, Self-Encrypted Disk (SED), Geofencing • X.509 SSH certificate support, 4096-bit encryption keys • SDLC validated by Synopsys to eliminate CVEs and vulnerabilities from third-party integrations • Selectable cryptographic protocols for SSH and HTTPS (TLSv1.3) • SSL VPN (Client and Server) • IPSec, WireGuard, strongSwan with support for multi-sites • Local, AD/LDAP, RADIUS, TACACS+, and Kerberos authentication • SAML support via Duo, Okta, Ping Identity • Local, backup-user authentication support • User-access lists per port • Fine grain and role-based access control (RBAC) • Firewall - IP packet and security filtering, IP forwarding support • Two-factor authentication (2FA) with RSA and Duo
Hardware Services	• Serial console ports • USB console ports • IP management ports • Voice functionality • Compute module	• Serial console ports • USB console ports • Voice functionality	• Serial console ports • USB console ports • IP management ports • PDU management • IPMI device management • (Optional) Compute module • (Optional) Storage module
Network services	• Cisco SD-WAN software • WAN optimization • AppNAV • Application visibility and control • Multicast • Overlay Transport Virtualization (OTV) • Ethernet VPN (EVPNoMPLS) • IPv6 support	• Cisco SD-WAN software • WAN optimization • AppNAV • Application visibility and control • Multicast • Overlay Transport Virtualization (OTV) • Ethernet VPN (EVPNoMPLS) • IPv6 support	• IPv4 / IPv6 Support • Embedded Layer 2 Switching • VLAN • Layer 3 Routing • BGP • OSPF • RIP • QoS • DHCP (Client and Server)
Operating System	Cisco IOS	Cisco IOS	Built-in x86-64bit Linux Kernel Nodegrid OS
CPU	Multi-Core processor	Multi-Core processor	Intel x86-64 Multi-Core
Storage	4GB-8GB Flash memory	16GB M.2 SSD storage	32GB FLASH (mSATA SSD) (Upgradeable) Self-Encrypted Drive (SED)
RAM	4GB-8GB DRAM	8GB DRAM	8GB DDR DRAM (Upgradeable)
Size	2RU	2RU	1RU

The Cisco Catalyst C8300

Cisco recommends replacing the 4351 with the Catalyst C8300, but this platform does not go far enough to improve upon the limitations of the EOL model. For instance, both the ISR 4351 and the Catalyst C8300 replacement models are 2RU devices, making them too large for some branch and edge deployment use cases where space is limited. Additionally, while both platforms integrate with some of Cisco’s third-party partners (like ThousandEyes), Cisco is a closed ecosystem that may not support all the management, automation, and security tools needed to support an enterprise branch. Additionally, Cisco’s DNA software may not be able to control mixed-vendor infrastructure, leaving critical coverage gaps.

The Nodegrid Net SR (NSR)

ZPE Systems offers a range of enterprise branch network management solutions called Nodegrid that serve as an upgrade to Cisco 4351 EOL models. In particular, the Nodegrid Net Services Router (NSR) makes an ideal 4351 replacement due to its modular design, which can be extended with expansion modules for functionality like edge compute, PoE, USB OCP debug, and third-generation (or Gen 3) out-of-band management. Gen 3 OOB allows teams to deploy third-party automation and orchestration workflows over the OOB network to streamline branch provisioning, management, and recovery. Gen 3 OOB ensures 24/7 remote access to branch infrastructure even during network outages, provides a safe environment to recover from ransomware and other breaches, and keeps resource-intensive management workflows from bogging down the production network.

Want to see how Nodegrid stacks up against Cisco’s 4351 EOL replacement options? Click here to download the services routers comparative matrix.

All Nodegrid solutions are completely vendor-neutral, integrating with or even directly hosting third-party software and extending complete visibility and control to legacy and mixed-vendor infrastructure. Nodegrid is essentially a branch-in-a-box, allowing companies to deploy infrastructure automation, network orchestration, branch security, and more on a single device that’s 1RU or smaller. Plus, this entire toolkit is available on an isolated, out-of-band network, ensuring remote teams have 24/7 access to keep business operating even during outages and ransomware attacks for superior network resilience.

Ready to replace your Cisco 4351 EOL solutions?

Nodegrid delivers vendor-neutral, branch-in-a-box solutions that streamline remote infrastructure management while improving network resilience. See our Cisco 4351 EOL replacement SKUs below or contact ZPE Systems for help choosing the right Nodegrid solution for your business.

Cisco 4351 EOL replacement SKUs

Cisco 4351 EOL Product SKUs	In-Scope Features	Nodegrid Replacement Product SKUs
ISR4351-AX/K9 ISR4351-DNA ISR4351-PM20 ISR4351-SEC/K9 ISR4351/K9 ISR4351-V/K9 ISR4351-VSEC/K9	Serial Console Module, Routing, 16 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 1 x 16 port serial module 1 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN
ISR4351-AX/K9 ISR4351-DNA ISR4351-PM20 ISR4351-SEC/K9 ISR4351/K9 ISR4351-V/K9 ISR4351-VSEC/K9	Serial Console Module, Routing, 32 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 2 x 16 port serial module 2 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN
ISR4351-AX/K9 ISR4351-DNA ISR4351-PM20 ISR4351-SEC/K9 ISR4351/K9 ISR4351-V/K9 ISR4351-VSEC/K9	Serial Console Module, Routing, 48 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 3 x 16 port serial module 3 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN
ISR4351-AX/K9 ISR4351-DNA ISR4351-PM20 ISR4351-SEC/K9 ISR4351/K9 ISR4351-V/K9 ISR4351-VSEC/K9	Serial Console Module, Routing, 60 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 4 x 16 port serial module 4 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN
80 serial port option – no Cisco equivalent	Serial Console Module, Routing, 80 serial ports	ZPE-NSR-816-DAC with 5 x 16 port serial module 5 x ZPE-NSR-16SRL-EXPN

Opengear Alternatives for the OM2200 and OM1200

by Luiz Barbieri | Apr 15, 2024 | Failover Connectivity, Improve Network Security, Increase Productivity, Micro-segmentation, Minimize Impact of Disruptions, Out of Band Management, Remote Network Management, Serial Consoles, Simplify Branch Infrastructure

The Opengear Operations Manager is a series of NetOps console servers providing out-of-band remote access to manage remote network infrastructure in data center, edge, and branch deployments. There are a few reasons to consider alternative options, including a lack of 3rd-party integrations, 5G support, and gateway routing capabilities. This blog goes over the pros and cons of the Operations Manager solutions before discussing Opengear alternatives that provide greater automation, orchestration, and security features as well as all-in-one branch networking capabilities.

- Executive summary

- Reviewing the Opengear Operations Manager platform

- Opengear Operations Manager limitations

- Opengear alternatives from ZPE Systems

- Key takeaways

- Product SKUs

Executive summary

Opengear’s Operations Manager (OM) appliances are NetOps console servers providing out-of-band (OOB) management for remote network infrastructure.
While OM appliances provide some automation capabilities, especially with the upgraded Automation Edition, they offer limited third-party integrations and end-device automation features.
The OM2200 and OM1200 both lack integrated branch gateway functionality and have limited security features overall.
The Nodegrid platform from ZPE Systems overcomes these limitations with vendor-neutral OOB serial consoles and branch services routers.
Nodegrid enables end-to-end automation through end-device ZTP and unlimited third-party integrations with leading tools like Ansible and Chef.
Nodegrid also consolidates data center and branch networking functionality like gateway routing, 5G cellular failover, and security to provide all-in-one solutions.

Reviewing the Opengear Operations Manager platform

Operations Manager (or OM) is Opengear’s line of NetOps console servers. OM appliances come with Smart OOBTM for out-of-band management, including automated port discovery and VLAN support. Opengear’s x86 Lighthouse platform supports Python scripts and Docker container deployments for NetOps automation. Lighthouse also supports over 100 power vendors’ equipment, allowing it to monitor and control UPS batteries, PDU outlets, and power load balancing. It’s important to note that, while the standard (Enterprise) edition of Lighthouse supports Python and Docker, customers must upgrade to the Automation edition for zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) or other third-party automation integrations. Additionally, OM solutions do not support 2FA or SAML authentication.

Opengear OM2200

The Opengear OM2200 Operations Manager model is designed for data center and high-density use cases. It features 16, 32, 48 serial and 24 serial/Ethernet mixed port configuration options, with an optional global LTE-A Pro cellular module. The OM2200 provides five regional options for dual AC power as well as a dual DC power cord model.

Click here to see a complete Opengear OM2200 Operations Manager product SKUs list.

OM2200 Pros:

Plenty of RAM and storage space
Many options for power and serial port configurations
Uniquely broad support for 3rd-party power equipment
Some NetOps automation capabilities

OM2200 Cons:

Requires upgraded software licenses for ZTP and most 3rd-party automation
No 2FA or SAML 2.0 support
No managed USB serial ports
No 5G support

Opengear OM1200

The Opengear OM1200 Operations Manager model is meant for small edge deployments. The compact chassis supports 4 serial, 8 serial, and 8 serial/8 Ethernet port combinations. It provides OOB and failover access via dual Ethernet (SFP Fiber is available on the 4E and 8E models) as well as an optional global LTE-A Pro cellular module.

Click here to see a full list of Opengear OM1200 Operations Manager product SKUs.

OM1200 Pros:

Compact size
Cost-effective range of port configurations
Supports 3rd-party power equipment, Docker, and Python

OM1200 Cons:

Requires upgraded software licenses for ZTP and most 3rd-party automation
No 2FA or SAML 2.0 support
It doesn’t have gateway routing/SD-WAN capabilities
No 5G support

Opengear Operations Manager limitations

Both the OM2200 and OM1200 models suffer from similar limitations regarding automation, especially with the base version of the Lighthouse software. Even the upgraded Automation Edition, which unlocks ZTP and RESTful APIs, doesn’t provide much automation for end devices beyond running Python playbooks. This limits operational efficiency, slows down new deployments, and impedes the team’s ability to quickly rebuild core infrastructure after a failure or ransomware attack. Another issue with the OM1200, in particular, is that while its compact size will save space in your edge data center and branch office rack, it’s still a single-purpose device. That means you still need to purchase separate solutions for gateway routing, switching, and/or edge compute. These additional devices take up space, cost extra money, and require time to configure and manage.

Opengear alternatives from ZPE Systems

ZPE Systems provides an alternative option for NetOps-enabled OOB console servers called the Nodegrid solution. All Nodegrid devices run on the open, Linux-based, x86 Nodegrid OS which supports VMs and Docker containers to run your choice of third-party automation, software-defined networking/SD-WAN, and security applications. Nodegrid’s robust, onboard security protects lost or stolen devices with features like TPM 2.0, encrypted SSD, UEFI BIOS, secure boot, and geofencing. Nodegrid can also extend ZTP and other automation to legacy and mixed-vendor end devices for end-to-end network infrastructure automation. Try ZPE’s product selector to see which of Nodegrid’s serial consoles or integrated branch routers is right for your deployment. Below, we review the two models that serve as direct replacements for the Opengear OM1200 and OM2200 solutions.

Nodegrid Serial Console Plus (NSCP)

The Nodegrid Serial Console Plus (NSCP) is an alternative to the OM2200 for data center and high-density deployments. The NSCP connects 16, 32, 48, or 96 (Patent No. 9,905,980) serial devices, all in a standard 1U rackmount chassis. Dual SFP+, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and optional Wi-FI and 4G/5G LTE modules provide secure Gen 3 OOB management access and failover, ensuring blazing fast speeds and high performance. Plus, the NSCP comes with two managed USB 3.0 ports for additional flexibility.

Click here to see a complete list of Nodegrid NSCP product SKUs.

Nodegrid Net Services Router (NSR)

The Nodegrid Net Services Router (NSR) is an alternative to the OM1200 for edge data center and branch office use cases. The NSR is a modular, compact device that can deliver gateway routing, switching, serial console, and compute capabilities all in a single appliance. Gen 3 OOB and network failover are provided out of the box via dual SFP+ and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, with optional modules for WiFi and dual-SIM 5G/4G LTE. Additional NSR modules include:

16-port GbE Ethernet
Storage
16-port Serial (for console server capabilities)
16-port USB serial
Compute
8-port PoE+
M.2 Cellular/Wi-Fi/SATA
16-port GbE Ethernet SFP
8-port Ethernet SFP+

Click here to see a complete list of Nodegrid NSCP product SKUs.

Key takeaways:

While the OM1200 and OM2200 provide OOB management with some automation, they have serious limitations that negatively impact operational efficiency. Nodegrid is an Opengear alternative providing a vendor-neutral OOB management platform that delivers unlimited automation, enhanced security, and all-in-one networking for ultimate operational efficiency.

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Opengear OM2200 – Product SKU’s:

OM2216 16 x Serial, 8GB RAM, 64GB SSD, 8 x USB 2.0, 2 x GbE/SFP Fiber
OM2216-AU	Dual AC – Australian power cord
OM2216-EU	Dual AC – European Union power cord
OM2216-JP	Dual AC – Japanese power cord
OM2216-UK	Dual AC – United Kingdom power cord
OM2216-US	Dual AC – United States power cord
OM2216-DDC	Dual DC power
OM2216-L-AU	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – AU power cord
OM2216-L-EU	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – EU power cord
OM2216-L-JP	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – JP power cord
OM2216-L-UK	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – UK power cord
OM2216-L-US	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – US power cord
OM-2216-DDC-L	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual DC power

OM2224-24E 24 x Serial, 24 x GbE, 8GB RAM, 64GB Flash
OM2224-24E-AU	1 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – Australian power cord
OM2224-24E-EU	1 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – European Union power cord
OM2224-24E-JP	1 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – Japanese power cord
OM2224-24E-UK	1 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – United Kingdom power cord
OM2224-24E-US	1 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – United States power cord
OM2224-24E-DDC	1 x GbE/SFP, Dual DC power
OM2224-24E-L-AU	1 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – AU power cord
OM2224-24E-L-EU	1 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – EU power cord
OM2224-24E-L-JP	1 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – JP power cord
OM2224-24E-L-UK	1 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – UK power cord
OM2224-24E-L-US	1 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – US power cord
OM2224-24E-DDC-L	1 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual DC power
OM2224-24E-10G-AU	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – AU power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-EU	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – EU power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-JP	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – JP power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-UK	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – UK power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-US	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – US power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-DDC	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual DC power
OM2224-24E-10G-L-AU	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – AU power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-L-EU	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – EU power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-L-JP	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – JP power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-L-UK	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – UK power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-L-US	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – US power cord
OM2224-24E-10G-DDC-L	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual DC power

OM2232 32 x Serial, 8GB RAM, 64GB SSD, 2 x GbE/SFP Fiber
OM2232-AU	Dual AC – Australian power cord
OM2232-EU	Dual AC – European Union power cord
OM2232-JP	Dual AC – Japanese power cord
OM2232-UK	Dual AC – United Kingdom power cord
OM2232-US	Dual AC – United States power cord
OM2232-DDC	Dual DC power
OM2232-L-AU	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – AU power cord
OM2232-L-EU	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – EU power cord
OM2232-L-JP	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – JP power cord
OM2232-L-UK	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – UK power cord
OM2232-L-US	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – US power cord
OM2232-DDC-L	Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual DC power

OM2248 48 x Serial, 8GB RAM, 64GB SSD
OM2248-AU	2 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – Australian power cord
OM2248-EU	2 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – European Union power cord
OM2248-JP	2 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – Japanese power cord
OM2248-UK	2 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – United Kingdom power cord
OM2248-US	2 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – United States power cord
OM2248-DDC	2 x GbE/SFP, Dual DC power
OM2248-L-AU	2 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – AU power cord
OM2248-L-EU	2 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – EU power cord
OM2248-L-JP	2 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – JP power cord
OM2248-L-UK	2 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – UK power cord
OM2248-L-US	2 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – US power cord
OM2248-DDC-L	2 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual DC power
OM2248-10G-AU	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – AU power cord
OM2248-10G-EU	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – EU power cord
OM2248-10G-JP	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – JP power cord
OM2248-10G-UK	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – UK power cord
OM2248-10G-US	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual AC – US power cord
OM2248-10G-DDC	10 x GbE/SFP, Dual DC power
OM2248-10G-L-AU	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – AU power cord
OM2248-10G-L-EU	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – EU power cord
OM2248-10G-L-JP	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – JP power cord
OM2248-10G-L-UK	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – UK power cord
OM2248-10G-L-US	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual AC – US power cord
OM2248-10G-DDC-L	10 x GbE/SFP, Global 4G LTE-A Pro cellular module, Dual DC power

Opengear OM1200 – Product SKU’s

OM1204	4 x Serial, 2GB RAM, 16GB Flash, 1 x GbE
OM1204-L	4 x Serial, 2GB RAM, 16GB Flash, 1 x GbE, Global 4G LTE
OM1204-4E	4 x Serial, 4 x GbE, 4GB RAM, 16GB Flash, 1 x GbE SFP
OM1204-4E-L	4 x Serial, 4 x GbE, 4GB RAM, 16GB Flash, 1 x GbE SFP, Global 4G LTE
OM1208	8 x Serial, 2GB RAM, 16GB Flash, 1 x GbE
OM1208-L	8 x Serial, 2GB RAM, 16GB Flash, 1 x GbE, Global 4G LTE
OM1208-8E	8 x Serial straight X2 pinout, 8 x GbE switch, 4GB RAM, 16GB SSD, 2 x USB 2.0, 2 x GbE/SFP Fiber
OM1208-8E-L	8 x Serial straight X2 pinout, 8 x GbE switch, 4GB RAM, 16GB SSD, 2 x USB 2.0, 2 x GbE/SFP Fiber, Global 4G LTE

Nodegrid Serial Console Plus – Product SKU’s

Nodegrid Serial Console Plus (NSCP) 4-Core Intel CPU, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 32GB SSD, 2 x SFP+, 2 x GbE, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Console
NSCP-T16R-STND-SAC	16 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Single AC power
NSCP-T16R-STND-DAC	16 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Dual AC power
NSCP-T16R-STND-DDC	16 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Dual AC power
NSCP-T32R-STND-SAC	32 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Single AC power
NSCP-T32R-STND-DAC	32 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Dual AC power
NSCP-T32R-STND-DDC	32 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Dual DC power
NSCP-T48R-STND-SAC	48 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Single AC power
NSCP-T48R-STND-DAC	48 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Dual AC power
NSCP-T48R-STND-DDC	48 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Dual DC power
NSCP-T96R-STND-SAC	96 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Single AC power
NSCP-T96R-STND-DAC	96 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Dual AC power
NSCP-T96R-STND-DDC	96 x Cisco Rolled Serial, Dual DC power

Nodegrid Net SR – Product SKU’s

Nodegrid Net Services Router (NSR) Multi-Core Intel CPU, On-board Switch, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 32GB MSATA, Hot-Swappable Fans, 2 x SFP+, 2 x GbE
NSR-TOP1-DAC	Dual AC power, 5 Slots support
NSR-BASE-DAC	Dual AC power, 3 Slots support
NSR-TOP1-SAC	Single AC power, 5 Slots support
NSR-BASE-SAC	Single AC power, 3 Slots support
NSR-TOP1-SAC-POE	Single AC and PoE, 5 Slots support
NSR-BASE-SAC-POE	Single AC and PoE, 3 Slots support
Expansion Cards
NSR-16ETH-EXPN	16 x GbE Ethernet expansion card
NSR-8ETH-POE-EXPN	8 x GbE Ethernet with PoE+ expansion card
NSR-16SRL-EXPN	16 x RJ45 Serial Rolled expansion card
NSR-16USB-EXPN	16 x USB Type A expansion card
NSR-8SFP-EXPN	8 x 10GbE SFP expansion card
NSR-DISK-EXPN	Storage expansion card
NSR-COMP-EXPN	Compute 4-core, 8GB DDR4, 32GB SATA expansion card
NSR-M2-EXPN	M.2/SATA Expansion Card

SD-WAN Leaders Analysis Report

by Jordan Baker | Apr 3, 2024 | Application Hosting, Edge Computing, Network Automation, Remote Network Management, SD-WAN, Simplify Branch Infrastructure

Logos for the six SD-WAN leaders with a vs. in the middle

Gartner’s most recent Magic Quadrant for SD-WAN identified six vendors as leaders in the market. These vendors qualify as leaders due to numerous factors, including their influence in the market, a demonstrated ability to adapt to changing customer requirements and innovate to anticipate future needs, and solid SD-WAN product offerings that serve most use cases and verticals. This report uses Gartner’s Magic Quadrant and independent analysis to compare the six SD-WAN leaders based on their features, security, versatility, and other key factors.

Comparing SD-WAN leaders

Leading SD-WAN Vendor	Key Takeaways
Cisco	Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN (formerly Viptela) and Cisco Meraki SD-WAN products include SD-WAN appliances, integrated security, and centralized management and orchestration Cisco has a proven track record of aligning its SD-WAN feature roadmap with the ever-changing needs of enterprise customers Catalyst and Meraki are different products with entirely separate management platforms, reducing scalability and versatility
Fortinet	Fortinet Secure SD-WAN includes physical and virtual NGFW appliances, multi-cloud on-ramp access, and centralized orchestration Fortinet’s SD-WAN offering is extensible with the addition of AI-powered security bundles for a single-vendor SASE solution Fortinet’s limited support for third-party integrations creates vendor lock-in and prevents companies from deploying a unified, multi-vendor SASE solution
HPE (Aruba)	HPE’s Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN and Aruba EdgeConnect SD-Branch products include physical and virtual appliances with centralized management and orchestration Aruba SD-WAN offerings include performance optimization, cloud on-ramping, and enhanced operational capabilities SD-WAN and SD-Branch offerings target different use cases, which could cause confusion, though both are managed by the same Aruba Central platform
Palo Alto Networks	Palo Alto Network’s Prisma SD-WAN includes Instant-On Network (ION) edge appliances and centralized orchestration, while the PAN-OS branch firewall can be upgraded with limited SD-WAN capabilities Prisma provides robust SD-WAN features like cloud on-ramp access and autonomous digital experience management Each product is managed separately and comes with limitations to either security or SD-WAN functionality
Versa Networks	Versa Networks offers the on-premises Secure SD-WAN and cloud-based Versa Titan products, which include physical or virtual appliances and centralized orchestration Versa Networks offers a robust SD-WAN feature set, including strong routing and application steering, cloud on-ramping, and integrated security Versa’s high price point and limited geographic presence make it unsuitable for customers in certain regions
VMware	VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN includes edge appliances, optional gateway points of presence (POPs), and a cloud-based orchestrator VeloCloud SD-WAN integrates with VMware’s SASE platform as well as other products for cloud security and AIOps VMware SD-WAN lacks native SD-Branch functionality and offers fewer integrated security features for the standalone SD-WAN product

Cisco

Cisco offers two different SD-WAN products: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN (formerly Viptela), which targets enterprise customers, and Cisco Meraki SD-WAN, which targets mid-size organizations with lean IT operations. Each product is an entirely separate offering managed by different software platforms, making it difficult for a customer to mix-and-match products to adapt to new use cases or start with Meraki and then scale up to Catalyst during an aggressive growth period.

Catalyst SD-WAN is an advanced solution with integrated security, support for cloud on-ramp access, and integrations with ThousandEyes for monitoring and analytics as well as Cisco SSE products for a single-vendor SASE solution. Meraki SD-WAN is a more streamlined option, offering unified management of Meraki infrastructure with integrated security, zero-touch provisioning, and support for machine learning analytics.

Cisco SD-WAN - Pro's

Catalyst SD-WAN offers advanced features like multi-cloud on-ramp access and SSE integrations

Meraki SD-WAN provides a more streamlined experience with features like zero-touch provisioning to simplify lean IT operations

Cisco’s SD-WAN feature roadmap typically aligns with the current and future needs of enterprise customers

Cisco SD-WAN - Con's

Catalyst and Meraki are separate products with different management platforms, making it more challenging to use both

Based on Gartner’s reported client interactions, Cisco’s customer experience rating is lower than other vendors in this category

Fortinet

Fortinet’s Secure SD-WAN solutions run on FortiGate physical and virtual NGFW (next-generation firewall) appliances, tightly integrating networking and security in a consolidated platform. In addition to a centralized orchestrator, Fortinet SD-WAN includes zero-touch provisioning and multi-cloud on-ramp access. It also enables single-vendor SASE with the addition of optional, AI-powered security bundles. However, Fortinet’s limited third-party integrations create vendor lock-in and prevent customers from building a unified, customized, multi-vendor SASE solution.

Fortinet SD-WAN - Pro's

Fortinet combines SD-WAN functionality with NGFW appliances for a tightly integrated, consolidated experience

Fortinet offers zero-touch provisioning and multi-cloud on-ramp access to further streamline SD-WAN operations

Fortinet enables single-vendor SASE with options for AI-powered security bundles

Fortineet SD-WAN - Con's

Fortinet has limited integrations with third-party SSE vendors, preventing customers from unifying their multi-vendor SASE deployment

Gartner reports that Fortinet’s customer experience rating is below average compared to other SD-WAN vendors in the Magic Quadrant

HPE (Aruba)

HPE (Aruba) has two SD-WAN offerings: EdgeConnect SD-WAN, which is a standalone SD-WAN product, and EdgeConnect SD-Branch, which builds upon the SD-WAN platform by adding software-defined management for wired and wireless branch LANs. Both products run on physical and virtual NGFW appliances for integrated security functionality, and both are managed by the same central orchestrator. Additional features include multi-cloud on-ramp access, unified management of Aruba networking solutions, and integrations with Aruba SSE products for single-vendor SASE.

It’s notable that HPE (Aruba) is one of only two vendors named as Gartner SD-WAN leaders for all six years of the SD-WAN Magic Quadrant’s existence – the other is VMware.

HPE (Aruba) SD-WAN - Pro's

Aruba offers two tightly integrated products combining SD-WAN and NGFW functionality for converged networking

Aruba’s SD-Branch solution extends software-defined control and zero-trust security to wired and wireless branch LANs

Aruba’s products include multi-cloud on-ramp access and integrations with Aruba SSE for single-vendor SASE

HPE (Aruba) SD-WAN - Con's

Aruba’s two different SD-WAN offerings may confuse customers who are unfamiliar with SD-Branch technology

Gartner noted that Aruba’s geographic strategy lacked details, so it may not reach customers in all locations

Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks offers a dedicated SD-WAN product called Prisma SD-WAN, as well as an SD-WAN upgrade for its PAN-OS branch NGFW solution.

Prisma SD-WAN is part of Palo Alto’s Prisma SASE platform, which was one of the industry’s first complete, single-vendor SASE solutions. The SD-WAN component uses Palo Alto’s Instant-On Network (ION) edge appliances that include integrated, cloud-delivered security, AIOps, SD-Branch, cloud on-ramp access, and autonomous digital experience management (ADEM).

Palo Alto’s SD-WAN plugin integrates with PAN-OS branch firewalls to provide an SD-WAN overlay with centralized orchestration. It uses separate management software (called Panorama) from the Prisma platform. Essentially, each SD-WAN product targets different use cases and has different limitations. Prisma offers more advanced SD-WAN functionality but weaker on-premises security features (though this can be addressed by hosting Prisma on hardened third-party devices), whereas the PAN-OS platform offers strong branch security features but a more basic SD-WAN overlay.

Palo Alto Networks SD-WAN Pros

Prisma SD-WAN offers advanced features like cloud-delivered security, AIOps, SD-Branch, cloud on-ramp access, and ADEM

Palo Alto’s SD-WAN plugin for PAN-OS provides a simpler upgrade path for existing NGFW customers

Based on Gartner’s reporting client interactions and Peer Insights data, Palo Alto has an above-average customer experience rating

Palo Alto Networks SD-WAN Cons

Palo Alto customers must choose between robust SD-WAN with limited branch security or advanced on-premises security functionality with limited SD-WAN

Gartner clients reported that Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN has higher pricing compared to other vendors

Versa Networks

Versa Networks provides two SD-WAN options, Versa Secure SD-WAN and Versa Titan, which are entirely separate platforms with different orchestrators. Versa Secure SD-WAN offers a fully-featured SD-WAN overlay including advanced features such as multi-cloud on-ramp access, AIOps, a wide range of integrated security functionality like CASB and NGFW, and automated zero-touch provisioning.

Versa Titan is a cloud-managed, single-vendor SASE platform for leaner IT operations, providing a basic SD-WAN overlay that’s tightly integrated with cloud-based security features. Titan is an entirely separate product offering and platform targeting an entirely different use case. It offers a more streamlined experience, and it’s more affordable than Versa Secure SD-WAN, according to Gartner analyst assessment and Peer Insights data.

Versa Networks SD-WAN Pros

Versa Secure SD-WAN is packed with advanced networking and security features like multi-cloud on-ramp access, AIOps, integrated security, and application steering

Versa Titan offers a streamlined, unified SASE platform with a basic SD-WAN overlay for lean IT operations

Gartner is optimistic about Versa Networks’ product roadmap and ability to meet changing customer requirements

Versa Networks SD-WAN Cons

Based on information from Gartner analysts and Peer Insights data, Versa Secure SD-WAN has a higher-then-average price point in the industry

Versa Networks lacks a strong global presence and may not reach customers in all regions or countries

VMware

VMware offers the VeloCloud SD-WAN product, which includes edge networking appliances (physical and virtual), optional gateway points of presence (POPs), and a centralized, cloud-based orchestrator. The VMware Edge Cloud Orchestrator software also integrates with other VMware products like VeloCloud Web Security and the VMware Edge Intelligence AIOps platform. VMware’s SD-WAN offering is also part of VMware’s VeloCloud SASE solution, which uses security functionality from Symantec (owned by Broadcom, the same parent company as VMware).

However, the VeloCloud SD-WAN product itself lacks many of the advanced features natively available in competing solutions, such as integrated security and SD-Branch. Despite these limitations, VMware is the only other vendor besides HPE (Aruba) to achieve Gartner SD-WAN leader status for six consecutive years.

VMware SD-WAN Pros

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN includes optional features like gateway POPs and integrations with other VMware products for security and AIOps

VeloCloud SD-WAN is part of VMware’s VeloCloud SASE solution that uses Symantec security features to deliver unified SASE

VMware has a strong customer experience rating based on Gartner client interactions and Peer Insights data

VMware SD-WAN Cons

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN lacks many of the advanced features natively offered by competing vendors, such as multi-cloud on-ramp access and SD-Branch

The standalone VeloCloud SD-WAN product has limited integrated security functionality unless expanded with additional services

A peek into the future of SD-WAN

Gartner’s SD-WAN Magic Quadrant predicted that by 2026, 60% of new SD-WAN purchases will be part of a single-vendor SASE solution, an increase of 45% from 2023. However, extensibility and vendor choice still factored into Gartner’s ratings of current SD-WAN leaders. Closed ecosystems with limited integrations prevent organizations from adapting to new use cases and changing requirements with the speed and agility needed to stay competitive.

Companies can avoid vendor lock-in by deploying vendor-neutral edge infrastructure that supports third-party SD-WAN and SASE solutions. For example, the Nodegrid platform from ZPE Systems provides powerful, consolidated branch networking functionality that integrates (or even directly runs) other vendors’ software for SD-WAN, security, AIOps, and more. Plus, Nodegrid provides out-of-band (OOB) management to ensure 24/7 remote management access and network resilience.

Deploy SD-WAN leaders with Nodegrid

Nodegrid provides a powerful, vendor-neutral foundation to simplify SD-WAN deployment and enable unlimited extensibility, future-proofing branch network operations. Request a free Nodegrid demo to see how it works with your chosen SD-WAN solution.

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Opengear Alternatives for the OM2200 and OM1200

Table of contents

Executive summary

Reviewing the Opengear Operations Manager platform

Opengear OM2200

Opengear OM1200

Opengear Operations Manager limitations

Opengear alternatives from ZPE Systems

Nodegrid Serial Console Plus (NSCP)

Nodegrid Net Services Router (NSR)

Key takeaways:

Trade in to get a discount on Opengear alternatives

See Nodegrid’s Opengear Alternatives in action

Opengear OM2200 – Product SKU’s:

Opengear OM1200 – Product SKU’s

Nodegrid Serial Console Plus – Product SKU’s

Nodegrid Net SR – Product SKU’s

SD-WAN Leaders Analysis Report

Comparing SD-WAN leaders

Cisco

Fortinet

HPE (Aruba)

Palo Alto Networks

Versa Networks

VMware

A peek into the future of SD-WAN

Deploy SD-WAN leaders with Nodegrid