Cables connect the MegaRAC to motherboard jumpers to support remote reset and power cycling for USB over IP. There's also a custom Y-cable that provides VGA input to the card to support KVM-IP and console redirection of desktops with resolutions as high as 1,280x1,024. The system also supports virtual CD-ROM and floppy media as well as USB-based flash drives or hard disks.
Priced at about $500, the MegaRAC G4 may seem a little expensive, but it just might be one way to breathe new life into an aging system that's difficult to replace.
MergePoint Fuses Port Aggregation, Multiplatform Support
Almost every modern server offers some sort of integrated system-management processor. But aside from providing access to standardized protocols like SNMP, IPMI and SMASH, most of these systems use substantially different APIs for security, user management and access to higher-level system features. The challenge for system administrators in heterogeneous environments is how to simplify the management of this alphabet soup of user interfaces. As a result of its 2006 purchase of Cyclades, Avocent is now marketing MergePoint, which combines a 24- or 40-port switch for service-port aggregation with a unified, secure user interface for managing system processors from multiple vendors.
With many server companies adding a dedicated 10/100-Mbps Ethernet port for use by the integrated system processor, the number and associated cost of additional network ports could increase by 50 percent in a typical installation. The MergePoint 5240 we examined in our Green Bay, Wis., Real-World Labs® could reduce the number of ports needed for system management from 40 to a single port and Ethernet address, which could then be assigned to a separate subnet or dedicated management network. For OBM purposes, there is the option of serial- or modem-based connectivity. The MergePoint's security environment is virtually identical to that of Avocent's KVM-IP setup and offers support for both internal and external security protocols. It also delivers granular user control over specific system-management features within Avocent's integrated management interface or through its DSView 3 software.
By combining resources and expertise, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium will offer a blueprint for how industries can adapt to an AI-dominated future.
IT leaders should heed the guidance of cybersecurity insurance providers who think businesses should prioritize security education, incident preparedness, regular internal audits, and ongoing vulnerability scanning and patching.
There are many network courses that can address your present job's priorities and help you gain the needed skills to keep pace with industry changes and new technologies.
