There are many different service processors being used in different servers. Added to the list of SP’s supported by the MergePoint family are Sun’s ILOM and Dell’s DRAC 5, and service processors found in the IBM BladeCenter. The open standard IPMI (versions 1.5 and 2.0) and proprietary Dell DRAC 4, HP iLO, IBM RSA II and Sun ALOM technologies have been supported since the MergePoint was introduced. Avocent is the first company to enable IT administrators to manage multiple service processors in Windows, Linux and Unix servers from a single console via Avocent’s centralized management software.
The MergePoint appliances help reduce the complexity as well as the cost of leveraging service processor technology and can enhance security as follows:
Service processors that require a dedicated Ethernet port come with a high operating cost — which end users say start at $200 and can go as high as $1,000 per year, per Ethernet port — that often makes their overall deployment cost prohibitive. The MergePoint 5224 and 5240 appliances consolidate service processor Ethernet ports, requiring only a single external IP address and Ethernet switch port for all connected devices, significantly reducing deployment costs.
Service processors’ lack of built-in security support can also be a significant barrier to adoption, but the MergePoint appliances’ authentication, authorization, and auditing (AAA) security features allow integration with existing security infrastructures and compliance with corporate security policies.
Servers embedded with IPMI (intelligent platform management interface), an open standard service processor, are usually shipped with IPMI disabled for security reasons. MergePoint appliances simplify the provisioning of IPMI by automating and streamlining the process of enabling and configuring this technology across multiple servers at once. Avocent also develops IPMI implementations and works with leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to pre-integrate IPMI capabilities into server product lines.
MergePoint appliances also feature auto discovery of service processors for faster deployment and direct action links to access virtual KVM and virtual media functions so that the process of logging into the service processor and navigating through its interface to get to those functions is transparent.
The Avocent MergePoint 5200 family of appliances, DSR® KVM over IP switches, ACS console managers and PM power devices can all be centrally managed via DSView® 3 software, simplifying the management complexity of heterogeneous IT environments.
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