Out-of-Band Management
Alternate channels for network nodes are required when the network is down and no traffic is flowing. If network traffic goes down, you need a secure, remote emergency network access method to manage and troubleshoot your device. In-band management tools are inadequate for critical networks. OOB refers to management through an independent dedicated channel. OOB allows access if an alternate path to a network node is required. The following diagram shows out of band management (OOB).
The following is the comparison between In-Band and Out-of-Band Management Access:
Parameter | In-band Management | Out-of-band Management |
---|---|---|
Access | Telnet/SSH is used for in-band access. | Consoles are used for OOB access. |
Connection Speed | In-band connection speed is fast. | OOB connection speed is slow. |
Depends on | In-band relies on the IP address and Telnet/SSH port number. | OOB relies on the IP address and port number specified in the OOB template. |
Synchronous / Asynchronous | In-band is synchronous. | OOB is asynchronous. |
Works | When a network link is active, in-band technology operates. | OOB is a backup method when a network is unavailable. |
Connectivity | Use Putty or Secure CRT to establish in-band connectivity. | Terminal Access to establish out-of-band connectivity. |
Compare In-Band and Out-of-Band Management Access
Both in-band and out-of-band management traffic are mapped to the management plane. There are two main methods of network management:
- In-band network management
- Out-of-band management (OOB).
In-band management is performed by connecting to the router via Telnet/SSH or using SNMP-based tools. In-band management is the most common method of network management, allowing actual data/production and management traffic to use the same path to communicate with different network nodes. In-band network management is inadequate for large-scale or mission-critical networks. When the network goes down, it compromises the reachability of network devices and poses a significant risk to your business and its operations. Out-of-band management (OOB) provides an alternative or secondary access method to avoid problems or get to the root cause of problems.
Contact Us