PDUs (power distribution units) and busways are critical network infrastructure devices that control and optimize how power flows to equipment like servers, routers, firewalls, and switches. They’re difficult to manage remotely, so configuring and updating new devices or fixing problems typically requires tedious, on-site work. This difficulty is magnified in complex, distributed networks with hundreds of individual power devices that must be managed one at a time. What’s needed is a PDU remote management solution that unifies control over distributed devices. It should also streamline infrastructure management with an open architecture that supports third-party power software and automation.
The problem: PDU management is cumbersome for large, distributed networks
PDUs and busways are deployed across remote and distributed locations beyond the central data center, including edge computing sites, automated manufacturing plants, and colocations. They typically aren’t network-connected and do not come with up-to-date firmware at deployment time, requiring on-site technicians for maintenance. Upgrading and managing thousands of PDUs and busways requires hundreds of work hours from on-site IT teams who must manually connect to each unit.
The current solution: PDU remote management with jump boxes or serial consoles
Since most PDUs and busways can’t connect to the network, the only way to remotely manage them is to physically connect them via serial (a.k.a., RS-232) cable to a device that can be remotely accessed, such as an Intel NUC jump box or a serial console.
Unfortunately, jump boxes usually aren’t set up to manage more than one serial connection at a time, so they only solve the remote access problem without providing any centralized management of multiple PDUs or multiple sites. Jump boxes are often deployed without antivirus or other security software installed and with insecure, unpatched operating systems containing potential vulnerabilities, leaving branch networks exposed.
On the other hand, serial consoles can manage multiple serial devices at once and provide remote access, but they often don’t integrate with PDU/busway software and only support a few chosen vendors, which limits their control capabilities and may prevent remote firmware updates. They’re also usually single-purpose devices that take up valuable rack space in remote sites with limited real estate and don’t interoperate with third-party software for automation, monitoring, and security.
The Hive SR + ZPE Cloud: A next-gen PDU remote management solution
The Hive SR is an integrated branch services router from the Nodegrid family of vendor-neutral infrastructure management solutions offered by ZPE Systems. The Hive automatically discovers power devices and provides secure remote access, eliminating the need to manage PDUs and busways on-site. The ZPE Cloud management platform gives IT teams centralized control over power devices and other infrastructure at all distributed locations so they can update or roll-back firmware, configure and power-cycle equipment, and see monitoring alerts.
In addition to integrated branch networking capabilities like gateway routing, switching, firewall, Wi-Fi access point, 5G/4G cellular WAN failover, and centralized infrastructure control, the Hive SR and ZPE Cloud also deliver vendor-neutral out-of-band (OOB) management. ZPE’s Gen 3 OOB solution creates an isolated management network that doesn’t rely on production resources and, as such, remains remotely accessible during major outages, ransomware infections, and other adverse events. This gives IT teams a lifeline to perform remote recovery actions, including rolling-back PDU firmware updates, power-cycling hung devices, and rebuilding infected systems, without the time and expense of an on-site visit.
The Hive and ZPE Cloud have open architectures that can host or integrate other vendors’ software for PDU/busway management, NetOps automation, zero-trust and SASE security, and more. Administrators get a single, unified, cloud-based platform to orchestrate both automated and manual workflows for PDUs, busways, and any other Nodegrid-connected infrastructure at all distributed business sites. Plus, all ZPE solutions are frequently patched and protected by industry-leading security features to defend your critical branch infrastructure.
Download our Automated PDU Provisioning and Configuration solution guide to learn more about vendor-neutral PDU remote management with Nodegrid devices like the Hive SR. Download
Download our Centralized IT Infrastructure Management and Orchestration solution guide to learn how ZPE Cloud can improve your operational efficiency and resilience. Download
Data center deployments require careful planning and execution. The sheer complexity makes it easy tostumble into common pitfalls that can compromise uptime, security, and scalability. After talking with hundreds of customers, we’ve compiled the top five data center mistakes organizations often make during deployments, with tips on how to avoid them.
1. Overlooking Isolated Management Infrastructure
In the data center, the focus is bringing production infrastructure online, including power, cabling, racks, servers, and network gear. But many project managers and architects say they wished they’d given more attention to setting up proper management infrastructure. This oversight usually leads to business challenges down the line, especially when management access relies on the production infrastructure. When a device fails or goes offline, there’s no choice but to go on-site to manually troubleshoot and recover. Many professionals admit to making this data center mistake and wish that they had consideredthis early in the planning process. Incorporating something called Isolated Management Infrastructure from the start can avoid this challenge, since it provides a dedicated management plane through which teams can access production gear without relying on the production network.
Tip: Make management infrastructure a priority in your initial planning stages. This proactive approach can prevent complications later.
2. Neglecting Automation for Configuration and Scaling
Many data center implementors focus heavily on the “rack and stack”initialsetup, butfail to automate processes for configuration and scaling operations. This data center mistake often leads to days’ or weeks’ worth of manual, repetitivework, while also exposing the organization to human error. A lot of people we talked to wish they’d invested just a few weeks into automating essential tasks such as switch setup, VLAN configurations, and IP address assignments, which would have saved them lots of time later on and likely helped to prevent errors. Additionally, if rearchitecting is needed, automated systems allow for quick reimplementation, minimizing the time and complexity involved.
Tip: Dedicate time to automating routine processes. This investment will pay off in enhanced operational efficiency and reduced human error.
3. Inadequate Out-of-Band Management
When people think of out-of-band (OOB) management, a common misconception is that it is solely about Ethernet switches. However, it’s crucial not to overlook the importance of having management access to your entire device stack. Low-level access can be essential for system recovery and management. The recent CrowdStrike outage is a perfect example – when the failed devices needed to be reimaged, typical out-of-band management solutions were inadequate at providing this type of low-level access.Generation three out-of-band serial consoles, like the Nodegrid Net SR, give Ethernet, serial, and USB access, allowing teams to remote-in at the BIOS level to revive failed devices. Using this kind of comprehensive out-of-band – on a fully isolated management plane – helps teams remotely recover and confidently automate processes.
Tip: Ensure that your OOB strategy includes robust serial console access to enhance system reliability and recovery capabilities.
4. Ignoring Security Best Practices
Zero trust security is no longer just advisable, it’s essential. The typical approach is to establish direct connectivity to devices to configure, troubleshoot, upgrade, etc. But this comes with unnecessary risks, often exposing management ports to the Internet and leaving you at risk of attack. Without a fully isolated management plane and zero trust security controls, how would you recover if you were ransomware’d? This is why it’s essential to implement security controls likerole-based access and multi-factor authentication, and ensure complete separation of management and production networks.
Tip: Prioritize security by adopting a zero-trust approach and implementing rigorous access controls to safeguard your data center.
5. Cutting Corners on Out-of-Band Management
In the race for implementing AI, it’s crucial to invest in AI data center infrastructure.But organizations oftencut corners on their ability to manage the underlying infrastructure that powers AI.Managementaccess should not stop at ethernet switches; it should extend to encompass serial console access, PDUs, jump boxes, 5G connectivity, routing, WAN links, and a centralized cloud hub with secure tunnels to colocation sites. Using a comprehensive and centralizedplatform like Nodegridconsolidates many management devices into one while giving remote control to optimize AI’s underlying infrastructure. Aside from enhancing efficiency, this approachminimizes waste and energy consumption, which addresses environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns.
Tip: Avoid the partial out-of-band management deployment. A complete system not only supports resilience and security but also contributes to sustainability goals.
Addressing these common data center mistakes can significantly enhance operational efficiency, security, and scalability. By prioritizing management infrastructure, automating processes, ensuring adequate out-of-band access, implementing robust security measures, and investing wisely in management systems, organizations can build resilient data centers equipped to meet the demands of today and the future.
Senior Sales Engineer Marcel van Zwienen gives you a hands-on demo of ZPE Cloud in this video. Watch Marcel take you from signing in to gaining remote access for troubleshooting, to showing how to apply configuration changes automatically across device fleets. Watch now at the link below.
Our blueprint shows how to deploy an isolated management infrastructure, which gives you secure remote access to recover from outages and automate operations. Download now for the complete guide.
Perle offers two console server solutions for out-of-band (OOB) management of data center infrastructure: the IOLAN SCG and the IOLAN SCR. The SCG is available in both fixed and modular form factors, while the SCR comes in four models with different combinations of 56 managed ports, allowing companies to choose the OOB management hardware that best suits their environment. Unfortunately, IOLAN solutions suffer from hardware and software limitations that can curb scalability and limit agility. This guide discusses Perle console server replacement options that enable streamlined growth through automation capabilities and vendor freedom.
Perle IOLAN SCG appliances offer out-of-band console server management for up to 48 devices in a fixed or modular form factor. Perle IOLAN SCR console servers come with four different managed port configurations for added flexibility.
Perle console servers offer some automation capabilities, like auto-discovery and zero-touch provisioning, as well as comprehensive firewall functionality. However, their underpowered hardware and closed management software prevent Guest OS hosting or third-party infrastructure automation and orchestration.
The Nodegrid platform from ZPE Systems overcomes these limitations with robust CPU, RAM, and storage, as well as vendor-neutral software. It enables data center scalability by providing high-density serial port configurations and supporting 3rd-party automation.
Nodegrid can also run networking, security, edge computing, AIOps, and more, consolidating the data center tech stack and improving operational efficiency.
Perle IOLAN console server overview
Perle IOLAN SCG console servers provide out-of-band management for up to 48 infrastructure devices. Fixed-form-factor models use copper Ethernet for networking and OOB, while the modular version has options for Wi-Fi, cellular, and dial-up. The modular series also has three expansion bays that support any combination of 16-port RS-232 or USB serial modules.
Perle IOLAN SCR console servers come in four different models with up to 56 managed serial, USB, and Ethernet ports, as well as optional cellular integration.
Click here to compare Perle console server tech specs.
Perle console servers have automatic LLDP (Link Layer Discovery Protocol) discovery and can extend zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) to end-devices. They come with an embedded firewall, OpenVPN and IPSec VPN, and AES encryption. The PerleVIEW cloud-based management software provides centralized monitoring and control of all connected data center infrastructure.
Why consider Perle console server alternatives
IOLAN console servers have an underpowered 500 MHz core 32-bit ARM processor, 4GB of flash storage, and 1GB RAM. This hardware may be sufficient for basic infrastructure management workflows and ZTP, but it prevents Guest OS hosting and more advanced automation. The Perle platform also doesn’t integrate with any third-party automation or orchestration solutions.
An inability to fully automate infrastructure management workflows – or to orchestrate those tasks that can be automated – ultimately limits operational efficiency and data center scalability. Consequently, IT teams can’t effectively support the needs of the growing business, adapt to strategy changes, or focus on revenue-driving innovations like artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML).
What’s needed is an open platform that can manage any device, automate any workflow, and work with third-party software to provide a fully integrated infrastructure orchestration experience.
Perle console server replacement options from ZPE Systems
Nodegrid is a family of vendor-neutral console server solutions from ZPE Systems. It comes in four models:
The Nodegrid Serial Console Plus (NSCP) is a robust platform offering up to 96 managed serial ports in a 1U rack-mounted form factor for hyperscale data centers and cloud service providers.
The Nodegrid Serial Console S Series provides up to 48 auto-sensing ports to unify management of legacy, modern, and multi-vendor data center environments.
The Nodegrid Net Services Router (NSR) is a modular solution that can be customized with a range of serial, networking, storage, and compute cards to adapt to any use case.
Nodegrid devices come with Intel x86-32 bit processors, robust (and upgradable) internal storage and RAM options, and a Linux-based Nodegrid OS. The NSCP, S Series, and NSR support Guest OS and Docker containers for third-party applications. That means they can directly host infrastructure automation and orchestration (like Ansible, Puppet, and Chef), security (like Palo Alto’s next-generation firewalls), and much more. Plus, it can extend this automation to legacy and mixed-vendor devices that otherwise wouldn’t support it.
All Nodegrid models can use a wide range of USB environmental monitoring sensors to help remote teams maintain optimal conditions in the data center. Nodegrid hardware protects the control plane with advanced security features like BIOS protection, UEFI Secure Boot, self-encrypted disk (SED), Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, and a multi-site VPN using IPSec, WireGuard, and OpenSSL protocols. The Nodegrid OS and the ZPE Cloud management software are also Synopsys-validated as achieving industry-leading security.
Which Nodegrid serial console is right for you?
Use Cases
Serial
Network
CPU
Guest OS
Docker Apps
Storage
RAM
Wi-Fi
Cellular
Power
Data Sheet
Nodegrid NSCP
Hyperscale data centers and cloud service providers
Perle console servers deliver unified, out-of-band management of remote data center infrastructure with some basic automation capabilities, but their closed architecture and underpowered hardware limit extensibility and scalability. Nodegrid improves upon outdated console server solutions with a vendor-neutral platform that supports unlimited innovation and growth with less management complexity.
To learn more about Perle console server replacement options, schedule a demo of the vendor-neutral Nodegrid platform.
Perle IOLAN console server tech specs
Use Cases
Serial
Network
CPU
Guest OS
Docker Apps
Storage
RAM
Wi-Fi
Cellular
Power
IOLAN SCG (Fixed)
Data centers
16 / 32 / 48
1 ETH
ARM 32-bit 500MHz single core
0
0
4GB Flash
1GB
No
No
Single AC
Use Cases
Serial
Network
CPU
Guest OS
Docker Apps
Storage
RAM
Wi-Fi
Cellular
Power
IOLAN SCG (Modular)
Multiple
Up to 50
2 SFP or 2 ETH
ARM 32-bit 500MHz single core
0
0
4GB Flash
1GB
Optional
Optional
Dual AC
Dual AC
Use Cases
Serial
Network
CPU
Guest OS
Docker Apps
Storage
RAM
Wi-Fi
Cellular
Power
IOLAN SCG (Modular)
Large data centers
24 / 32 / 40 / 56
2 SFP (SCR256)
2 SFP & 2 ETH (SCR226, 242, 258)
ARM 32-bit 500MHz single core
0
0
4GB Flash
1GB
Optional
Optional
Dual AC
Ready to replace your outdated Perle console server?
We know that replacing outdated, EOL devices takes a lot of effort. That’s why ZPE now offers a complete package of budget-friendly products and engineering services to help streamline the process.
Click here to see how we make it easy to upgrade to next-gen out-of-band management.
Network outages are extraordinarily expensive and disruptive to business, with recent EMA research finding that outages cost an average of $14,056 per minute in 2024. While these outages have numerous possible causes, two of the largest and most preventable are human error and configuration issues. Enterprise networks keep growing bigger and more complicated, with factors like network decentralization, the use of network automation solutions, and the constant threat of cybersecurity breaches contributing to management complexity and the risk of costly mistakes.
Oxidized is an open-source network configuration backup and change management tool that can help prevent human errors and malicious actors from disrupting network services. It also accelerates recovery from equipment failures and ransomware attacks without increasing network complexity. This guide explains how Oxidized network backups can improve resilience, or the ability to withstand adversity and continue business operations with minimal disruption.
What is Oxidized, and how does it work?
Oxidized is a lightweight tool that automatically backs up network device configurations and tracks changes. It supports more than 130 operating systems and easily integrates with third-party network management tools like LibreNMS.
Oxidized uses REST APIs to pull configurations from network devices and send them to a Git repository or network management platform. Administrators can configure it to make backups according to a specific schedule, and it automatically pulls a new version (called a diff version) whenever a device’s configuration is changed. Teams can view diff versions in the Oxidized web UI as well as whichever Git repository or management platform the backups are being sent to.
Viewing diff versions in the Oxidized web UI. Source
How Oxidized network backups improve resilience
Network resilience is the ability to minimize business disruptions when adverse events occur, such as ransomware attacks, botched updates, natural disasters, and equipment failures. Oxidized network backups improve resilience in numerous ways. For example:
Administrators can easily roll-back device configurations to a previous version if a change causes problems. This significantly shortens the duration of outages or service degradations.
Teams can quickly deploy known-good configurations to replacement devices when equipment failures or ransomware breaches happen, significantly accelerating recovery times.
Configurations can be monitored with version control to prevent unauthorized changes from proliferating unnoticed, helping teams stop ransomware and other malicious actors in their tracks.
Enhancing network resilience with out-of-band management
Network backups are crucial, but they’re only one piece of the resilience puzzle. Another best practice for minimizing business disruption is to isolate the network control plane with out-of-band (OOB) management. OOB moves all network management and infrastructure control functions to an entirely separate network that runs parallel with the production (or in-band) network but doesn’t rely on any of the same infrastructure or services. It allows teams to perform management, troubleshooting, backup, and recovery workflows remotely on a dedicated connection, such as secondary Fiber or cellular LTE, that remains available even if the in-band network goes down from an equipment failure, ISP outage, or ransomware attack.
By isolating management interfaces and workflows on a separate network, OOB management helps prevent malicious software or people from accessing them from a breached production system. For example, running Oxidized backups on the OOB network ensures that teams can safely deploy configs to new or rebuilt equipment without risking ransomware reinfection, speeding up recovery times and reducing financial impacts.
Minimize business disruption with Oxidized + Nodegrid
OOB management network isolation with the Nodegrid platform.
Nodegrid’s open architecture and extensible management software allow you to integrate, host, and run your choice of third-party services and solutions. You can use it to deploy network automation, run next-generation firewall software, host recovery tools, or even deliver services while the primary network or systems are down. With the combination of Oxidized network backups and Nodegrid OOB, you can minimize the impact of adverse events without driving up costs or complexity.
Deploying Oxidized network backups with Nodegrid OOB helps reduce the duration, expense, and hassle of downtime. Schedule a Nodegrid demo to learn more.
Serial console redirection involves sending a server’s keyboard and video signals through the serial port as well as the normal endpoints (USB and video), allowing them to be used in headless mode. It gives administrators remote access to pre-boot functions, such as the BIOS menu, that are typically unavailable to them with software-based remote access solutions. This is important because it allows remote teams to install new operating systems, troubleshoot hung servers, and perform other critical hardware management tasks without costly on-site visits. It also means administrators can control remote servers with out-of-band (OOB) serial consoles, devices that streamline remote infrastructure management and improve network resilience.
Why enable serial console redirection?
The primary reason to redirect keyboard control over the serial port is to gain remote access to pre-boot menus and functions. Typically, systems administrators remotely manage servers using a software-based remote access client that only works while the OS is running. While this is sufficient for most remote administration workflows, it means that admins can’t do anything with the server until it has booted to the operating system, which poses several problems:
Administrators cannot remotely install the OS on a new or recovered server without someone on-site to physically enter commands and select options with a keyboard and mouse. This is especially problematic when the OS needs to be reinstalled after a crash or ransomware breach, because it forces companies to send teams on-site or pay for expensive managed services, driving up the cost and duration of outages.
Remote teams are powerless to intervene if the server hangs during a reboot or update. Again, they have to either travel on-site or pay for managed services just to press a few keys or access troubleshooting tools.
Remotely installing new UEFI/BIOS versions or making any configuration changes can be tricky. Many server vendors provide software utilities that allow admins to push out BIOS updates over the network, but it can be very difficult to troubleshoot any problems that arise. In multi-vendor environments, teams may also find it tedious to coordinate updates across multiple tools with different interfaces and commands.
There are also IPMI-based (intelligent platform management interface) remote management tools that provide full remote control but add another component to the tech stack that must be maintained and secured, creating additional complexity.
Serial console redirection and out-of-band management
Another major advantage of serial console redirection is that it enables out-of-band (OOB) management. OOB creates an entirely separate network that runs parallel with your production (or in-band) network but doesn’t rely on the same network infrastructure or services. OOB management allows administrators to remotely manage servers and other infrastructure on a dedicated connection, such as secondary fiber or cellular LTE, that will remain available even if the in-band network goes down from an equipment failure, ISP outage, or ransomware attack.
OOB serial consoles
The Nodegrid Serial Console Plus provides unified serial console management for many servers and infrastructure devices.
Serial console redirection also allows teams to manage servers with serial consoles, also known as console servers, console server switches, or terminal servers. One of these devices can be used to manage several pieces of data center equipment, so sysadmins don’t need to connect to each server individually.
The management interface for the Nodegrid Serial Console Plus allows admins to manage many servers and infrastructure devices from one convenient location.
The management interface for the Nodegrid Serial Console Plus allows admins to manage many servers and infrastructure devices from one convenient location.
Serial consoles also create an OOB network without the need to deploy a bunch of redundant devices and services. Solutions like the Nodegrid Serial Console from ZPE Systems provide additional functionality like power control, giving remote teams the ability to power-cycle a hung device or turn systems back on after a power failure. OOB serial consoles help improve management efficiency and overall resilience without driving up costs or complexity.
Learn more about serial consoles and OOB management:
Serial console redirection is typically configured in the server’s UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) or BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) settings. As such, it’s important to consult the vendor-provided documentation for instructions on how to enable it for your server hardware.
Serial console redirection enabled in BIOS. Source: ASRock Rack
Additionally, some Windows and Linux-based operating systems need to be configured for serial console management. It’s best to look up the OS-specific instructions on the vendor’s website, but here are a few links to get you started:
Configuring serial console redirection is relatively straightforward, and it allows sysadmins to remotely control and troubleshoot servers even when the OS isn’t available. It also enables the use of OOB serial consoles like the Nodegrid solution from ZPE Systems, which streamlines remote management workflows and reduces the business impact of system failures.
Nodegrid consolidates a sysadmin’s entire management tech stack into a single appliance for greater operational efficiency.
Nodegrid consolidates a sysadmin’s entire management tech stack into a single appliance for greater operational efficiency.
Nodegrid is a Gen 3 out-of-band management platform that provides vendor-neutral control over mixed-vendor infrastructure. It can integrate or directly host third-party applications for automation, security, and much more, consolidating an entire tech stack into a single, cost-efficient solution.
Serial console redirection with Nodegrid improves operational efficiency and network resilience. Schedule a demo to see a Nodegrid Serial Console in action!
The serial console port on a Linux device allows administrators to manage the machine via the command line interface (CLI), without a keyboard, mouse, or monitor attached. Serial console management is useful for performing administrative tasks on headless Linux servers (meaning, those without ports for a keyboard or monitor) and embedded Linux systems like routers and storage devices.
While it’s possible to directly connect a laptop or Intel NUC jump box to the serial console port on a Linux device with a serial cable, this only allows you to manage one machine at a time, so it’s inefficient at scale. A serial console server (also known as a serial console or console server) provides multiple managed serial ports that administrators can connect to Linux machines, as well as many other devices. It unifies the management of all connected machines so administrators can control them all from one place, significantly streamlining infrastructure workflows.
Enterprise serial consoles for Linux provide additional capabilities like out-of-band (OOB) management, infrastructure automation, and embedded security. This guide compares the best solutions to help you choose the right console server for your enterprise.
How to use the serial console port on a Linux device
The Linux kernel does not support serial console capabilities by default, so it must be configured to output console messages to the serial port first. This involves modifying the bootloader to specify new kernel options, formatted like so:
console=device,options
device: tty0 for the foreground virtual console
ttyX for any other virtual console
ttySx for a serial port
lp0 for the first parallel port
ttyUSB0 for the first USB serial device
options: depend on the driver. For the serial port this
defines the baudrate/parity/bits/flow control of
the port, in the format BBBBPNF, where BBBB is the
speed, P is parity (n/o/e), N is number of bits,
and F is flow control ('r' for RTS). Default is
9600n8. The maximum baudrate is 115200.
For more information on configuring the Linux serial console, read guides from docs.kernel.org, RedHat, or Ubuntu.
Comparing the best serial consoles for Linux
ZPE Nodegrid
Opengear CM8100
Perle IOLAN SCG LWM
Lantronix LM83X
Vertiv Avocent ACS8000
Cellular OOB
✔
✖
✔
✔
✔
ZTP for End Devices
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Guest OS
✔
✔
✖
✖
✖
3rd Party Automation
✔
✔
✖
✖
✖
Embedded Firewall
✔
✔
✔
✖
✔
3rd Party Security
✔
✖
✔
✖
✖
All of these solutions provide remote out-of-band management and consolidated control for Linux infrastructure. They also offer automation capabilities via zero-touch provisioning (ZTP), automatically deploying configurations over the network as soon as new devices come online. Some important differentiating features include cellular capabilities for OOB and failover, advanced security features like an embedded firewall and VPN support, and the ability to host and integrate third-party automation tools.
1. Nodegrid Serial Console
Nodegrid is a family of serial console server solutions from ZPE Systems. Nodegrid provides up to 96 managed serial ports while only taking up a single unit of rack space (Patent No. 9,905,980), significantly reducing the number of management devices needed to control large data center deployments. The Nodegrid Serial Console Plus (NSCP) comes with built-in 4G/5G LTE and Wi-Fi for failover and OOB management, while the S Series has auto-sensing serial ports for mixed legacy/modern environments. The NSCP-Core Edition is a low-cost alternative for break-fix deployments that provides Gen 3 security and OOB serial console management.
The Nodegrid platform runs on the open, Linux-based Nodegrid OS and uses Intel x86 processors, allowing it to natively run VM and Docker applications for other vendors’ software. That means you can host third-party NetOps automation solutions like Ansible and Chef, and even extend that automation to legacy equipment. Nodegrid also provides device auto-discovery and ZTP.
Nodegrid serial consoles include an embedded firewall with a multi-site IPsec VPN and advanced authentication support to protect the OOB network. It also comes with unique hardware security features like geofencing, BIOS protection, and UEFI Secure Boot to prevent malicious actors from hijacking the management network with a stolen device.
Pros:
Up to 96 managed serial ports in a 1U appliance
Fast OOB with 4G/5G LTE and Wi-Fi options
2 Ethernet and 2 10GB SFP+ ports (NSCP) or 2 Ethernet and 1 1GB SFP+ (NSCP-Core)
Intel x86 CPU and lots of RAM for 3rd-party Docker and VM apps
The Opengear CM8100 serial console has up to 48 ports in a 1U model or 96 ports in a 2U model. It only uses Ethernet for failover and OOB, without any options for cellular or Wi-Fi. It runs an embedded Linux operating system that is programmable and extensible with third-party integrations.
With an upgraded “Automation” edition of its Lighthouse software, Opengear console servers gain ZTP, RESTful APIs, Docker containers, and Python scripts for infrastructure automation capabilities. The CM8100 comes with a stateful firewall that provides IP filtering and port forwarding. It supports IPsec & OpenVPN and advanced authentication, but not 2FA or SAML 2.0.
Pros:
Programmable and extensible
Gateway router features
Stateful firewall
2 Ethernet ports (16 & 32 port models) or 2 Ethernet or 2 SFP+ (48 & 96 port models)
Cons:
Automation and ZTP require software upgrade
No support for 2FA or SAML 2.0
No cellular or Wi-Fi access
Perle IOLAN SCG
The Perle IOLAN SCG serial console supports up to 48 managed serial ports. While its fixed-form-factor models only support copper Ethernet for networking and OOB, the SCG also has a modular version with options for Wi-Fi, cellular, and analog modem.
IOLAN SCG console servers contain an underpowered 500 MHz core 32-bit ARM processor and little storage or memory headroom for automation, though Perle’s management software can extend ZTP to end devices. The solution does include a robust embedded firewall and support for two-factor authentication.
Pros:
Programmable and extensible
Gateway router features
Stateful firewall
Cons:
Automation and ZTP require software upgrade
No support for 2FA or SAML 2.0
No cellular or Wi-Fi access
Lantronix LM83X
The Lantronix LM83X serial console is a modular solution with three expansion bays, supporting up to 104 managed serial ports. It has versatile options for 4G LTE, analog modem, fiber, DSL, or satellite for OOB and failover.
The LM83X’s ARM CPU architecture prevents it from running VMs and Docker containers for automation or third-party software. The Lantronix Control Center software does not support any third-party integrations, though it does provide some built-in automation and playbook capabilities. The LM83X offers some advanced authentication support and IP filtering but lacks an embedded firewall or VPN.
Pros:
Manages up to 104 serial devices with expansion cards
Flexible OOB and failover options
Robust device monitoring tools
Cons:
Can’t run Guest OS or 3rd-party apps
No support for 3rd-party integrations
No embedded firewall
Vertiv Avocent ACS8000
The Vertiv Avocent ACS8000 provides up to 48 managed serial ports, with faster-than-average minimum port speeds of 1200 bps. It uses 4G LTE for OOB and failover and has an updated Linux operating system.
While the ACS8000 has ZTP for end devices, its ARM architecture does not support VMs, Docker apps, or third-party automation and orchestration. The proprietary DSViewTM software offers some automation capabilities for event logging and notifications but is not extensible with third-party integrations. The ACS8000 has an embedded firewall and IPSec VPN support, but lacks advanced authentication features.
Pros:
Fast minimum port speeds
4G cellular for OOB and failover
Environmental sensor port
Cons:
No support for Docker or third-party orchestration
Software is not extensible
Lacks advanced authentication features
How to choose the best serial console for your Linux environment
These solutions all provide remote out-of-band management and consolidated infrastructure control for Linux devices. However, Nodegrid goes above and beyond by offering a truly vendor-neutral platform that supports third-party integrations and direct hosting of other vendors’ automation and orchestration software. Plus, only Nodegrid secures the automated control plane with robust on-board hardware security protection and a full suite of firewall, encryption, and authentication features like 2FA and SAML.
Ready to replace your outdated console servers?
We know that replacing outdated, EOL devices takes a lot of effort. That’s why ZPE now offers a complete package of budget-friendly products and engineering services to help. Click here to see how we make it easy to upgrade to the best serial console for Linux.
Which Nodegrid serial console is right for you?
NSCP
S Series
NSCP-CE
NSR
Use Cases
Hyperscale data centers and cloud service providers
Mixed legacy, modern, and multi-vendor environments
Break-fix solution for data centers, colocations, and branches
ZPE Systems delivers innovative solutions to simplify infrastructure managment at the datacenter, branch, and edge.
Learn how our Zero Pain Ecosystem can solve your biggest network orchestration pain points.
