Avocent ACS1 Manual

OVERVIEW
FastWeb is one of Italy's fastest growing Internet Service Providers (ISPs). It is part of
e.Biscom, which offers an alternative to traditional telephone networks in the main
metropolitan areas of Italy (Milan, Rome, Turin, Genoa, Venice, Padua, Bologna,
Naples and Bari) and in several surrounding cities. In providing its telecom-
munications networks and services, e.Biscom has two objectives – to offer customers
virtually unlimited bandwidth and to maximize the efficiency of its infrastructure
investment. Out-of-band management products by Avocent help FastWeb
accomplish the latter.
An integrated, out-of-band management system, with Cyclades®AlterPath Manager
E2000 appliance at its heart, allows FastWeb IT professionals to access, diagnose,
monitor and restore networked hardware, including routers, servers and other IT
equipment over an alternate (out-of-band) path that works even when normal
network connections are not available. The system eliminates the need for FastWeb
to individually monitor and attend to each piece of equipment. Not only does this
reduce operational costs, but it also frees operations staff from routine installation
and maintenance activities to focus on keeping the production network fully
operational.
CHALLENGE
To remotely access, monitor and restore data center assets quickly and efficiently for
decreased operational costs and reduced downtime
FastWeb, which has built its business by developing advanced technology (fiber
optics and xDSL networks), knows that data center management is increasingly
more complex in regards to the types and number of devices in use across multiple
remote locations. The IT equipment in FastWeb's nine data centers throughout Italy
must be installed, configured and maintained continually.
FastWeb uses traditional systems management software to monitor and manage its
IT infrastructure. But this application relies on the very network it is suppose to
monitor as the only means of communications. If a server or switch fails and
network connectivity is lost, communications between the managed device and the
management workstation are cut off. In the absence of an alternate way to access the
disconnected device, a site visit is necessary to diagnose the problem and restore
network connectivity. To close this window of vulnerability left open by existing
systems and to have the ability to access and address IT hardware and operating
systems incidents, FastWeb sought an out-of-band management solution. This
solution needed to meet FastWeb's immediate incident management needs, yet have
the flexibility to evolve as its network grows.
PROFILE
Company
FastWeb
Type of business
Internet Service Provider
Corporate headquarters
Milan, Italy
Web site
www.fastweb.it
Applications
Integrated IT infrastructure management
“We wanted products that could
meet our key requirements:
security, reliability, and flexibility
in configuration and with a
centralized management feature.
Furthermore, these products
had to be designed to fit into
our existing data center racks
and include comprehensive
support from the vendor’s
technical staff.”
Riccardo Montanaro
Director of IT Operations
FastWeb
CASE STUDY – Internet
FastWeb Deploys Out-of-Band Management Tools
to Remotely Manage its Data Centers

SOLUTION
Out-of-band management tools by Avocent
The AlterPath Manager appliance, combined with Cyclades ACS console servers, lets
FastWeb more easily access and monitor its 900+ UNIX and Linux servers along
with other IT equipment from a single appliance. In addition to incident resolution
capabilities, out-of-band management tools by Avocent provide FastWeb with
increased IT asset visibility, which includes the ability to constantly monitor devices
and alert staff to incidents.
IMPLEMENTATION
Out-of-band management tools by Avocent save FastWeb time and money
FastWeb purchased the AlterPath Manager E2000 appliance as a central point from which
IT professionals can log in to securely view, access and manage Cyclades ACS advanced
console servers. It is used in conjunction with existing systems management applications
as part of a comprehensive system that provides complete access to networked assets,
even when they are disconnected from the network.
The AlterPath Manager's data logging and event handling features provide remote
incident diagnosis and resolution while its change and configuration feature enables
automated updates to managed out-of-band management equipment, including Cyclades
ACS console servers. The AlterPath Manager's integrated authentication, authorization
and accounting (AAA) security policies, along with SSH/SSL encryption, restrict access to
authorized users while providing a single sign-on and complete audited session
capabilities.
"Console logging provides us with information that would otherwise be inaccessible," said
Riccardo Montanaro, Director of IT Operations, whose organization oversees the
management of 1,500 servers and the applications running on them. "This is especially
useful when dealing with hardware problems and system crashes. Having the
information at hand to analyze the problem and the ability to remotely access the
equipment replaces the need to travel to data centers, saving us time and money."
ABOUT AVOCENT
Avocent Corporation is the leading supplier of connectivity solutions for enterprise data
centers, service providers and financial institutions worldwide. Branded products include
switching, extension, intelligent platform management interface (IPMI), remote access
and video display solutions. Additional information is available at www.avocent.com.
RESULTS
• Centralized IT infrastructure management
• Reduced incidents through proactive
monitoring
• Labor and travel cost savings
“ FastWeb’s services must be
available 24/7. With out-of-band
management products by Avocent
we have added protection against
unplanned downtime and
more opportunities to reduce
data center and branch
office operational costs.”
Riccardo Montanaro
Director of IT Operations
FastWeb
Corporate Headquarters
4991 Corporate Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805
TEL [phone] FAX [phone]
www.avocent.com
Avocent, the Avocent logo, The Power of Being There and Cyclades are
registered trademarks of Avocent Corporation or its affiliates. All other marks
are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright © 2006. Avocent Corporation. All rights reserved.
1006-FW-CS