Uplogix allows admins to script KVM responses

Cisco Live 2014: Why fix a problem when the box can do it for you?

Uplogix LogoUplogix has done something interesting with their out-of-band remote management solution, added smarts. The idea is simple enough to describe, the benefits are a bit more interesting.

Starting with the Uplogix 500, a 4 device out-of-band KVM+, and going up to the 5000, a 20 device unit, the idea is the same. Instead of the normal in-band devices, even those on a separate network, these boxes are out-of-band. By that I mean cellular, POTS, or a few other methods, the Uplogix devices don’t need any data center services.

Uplogix 500 smart KVM

Uplogix 500, those are serial ports, not ethernet

While this may seem to be a compelling feature, the real benefit to these boxes is the smarts they contain. Instead of a normal KVM via serial port, Uplogix added some compute capabilities, a bit more than normal. This allows them to potentially short-circuit trouble calls and shorten time to service.

When things go bump in the night, the smarts in the Uplogix boxes come in to play. The software they provide allows an admin to script fixes for various common issues and run them automatically. If something crashes, locks, or otherwise deviates from the norm, instead of sounding an alarm and waiting for a human to take over, it will theoretically fix them. Uplogix claims that it can cut service times down from hours to minutes, a fair claim if there is a scripted fix.

While this whole idea isn’t conceptually amazing, Uplogix seems to be the first to combine these features. Larger data centers will have staff and infrastructure in place to deal with the problems Uplogix can fix already in place. For remote offices and smaller networks, these boxes could save a lot of hassle, or at least save a lot of infrastructure cost and lower downtime. At that the Uplogix devices could come in really handy.S|A

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Charlie Demerjian

Roving engine of chaos and snide remarks at SemiAccurate
Charlie Demerjian is the founder of Stone Arch Networking Services and SemiAccurate.com. SemiAccurate.com is a technology news site; addressing hardware design, software selection, customization, securing and maintenance, with over one million views per month. He is a technologist and analyst specializing in semiconductors, system and network architecture. As head writer of SemiAccurate.com, he regularly advises writers, analysts, and industry executives on technical matters and long lead industry trends. Charlie is also available through Guidepoint and Mosaic. FullyAccurate