4 REASONS WHY YOU NEED THE AVOCENT
ACS800 / ACS8000 SERIAL Console Server

1. Superior Security

In addition to support for all major authentication methods, Vertiv offers one-time password (OTP) authentication for greater levels of flexibility in secure environments. The Vertiv Avocent ACS serial consoles provides the following industry-leading security features:
 

• Local and group authentication, including support for RADIUS, TACACS+, LDAP, Active Directory, NIS and Kerberos with RSA SecurID. 

• Encryption for sensitive data center management activities using SSH and IPSec VPN with NAT traversal. 

• Configurable user security profiles to provide protected access and ensure alignment with corporate policies. 

• Comprehensive port-level online and offline data logging and buffering, with time stamps for compliance and user-level audit trail with the ability to send data logs and alerts externally. 

• Utilizes secure dial-back with Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) for analog modem connectivity 

2. Better Reliability and Availability

Vertiv Avocent has a strong reputation for reliability. Many of our customers have reported up to 10+ years of continuous operation with the ACS. Customers choose us because they can “set it and forget it” until they need it. In the event of a network outage, customers can rely on the ACS to provide remote in-band and out-of-band access so they can identify the issue and keep their data center running.

• A single point of authentication and policy enforcement allows network administrators to monitor and log each management keystroke and prevent unauthorized activity. 

• Remote access via internal modem (select models), providing serial access to critical network infrastructure during network outages. 

• Automatic network failover to 4G/LTE or a secondary Ethernet for quickly ensuring network reliability at remote sites. 

• The ACS8000 has dual power, dual Ethernet and dual fiber ports. The ACS800 just has dual Ethernet. 

• Fan-less architecture with low power consumption delivers higher Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) rates. 

3. Easier Connection and Configuration 

Every data center manager must balance the cost of security, access, and availability; and one of the most expensive cost factors is personnel. The Vertiv™ Avocent® ACS serial consoles provide several ease of use features. For example, the Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) feature of the ACS 8000 is expected to reduce installation time by up to 15 minutes per console, this feature alone can save a significant amount of time and money. 

The Vertiv Avocent ACS serial consoles offers several features that help streamline in-band and out-of-band remote access. These include:

• Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) functionality that automates firmware upgrades and new installs. 

• 4G/LTE cellular providing true out of band. 

• Dual Ethernet connections with built-in 10M/100M/1G copper and 1GBE Fiber SPF. 

• Software programmable pin-out connector to reduce complexity when connecting to Cisco, Juniper, Sun and other types of devices. 

• Easy connection to any kind of device using USB ports or standard CAT5/6 cabling direct to RJ-45 interfaces (or DB9/ DB25 interfaces using adapters). 

• From 4- to 48-port models with AC/DC/single/dual power deliver high efficiency. 

• Software programmable multi-protocol serial ports. Multiple user selectable between RS-485, RS-422 or RS-232. 

• 8 USB on ACS8000; 4 USB on ACS800. 

• Sensor port (1-wire) for various environmental sensors (temperature/pressure/air-flow). 

• Digital In ports: 4 digital-in and digital-out ports to support smoke, leak, pressure and dry contact sensors. 

• Remote access and control for a wide variety of IT and network equipment, including Linux, Unix or Windows servers as well as most routers, switches, firewalls, PBXs and PDU and UPS solutions. 

• The ACS Serial Consols support power management of Vertiv™ Geist™ rack PDUs and Vertiv UPS’s, along with third party devices. 

• Shell scripting that allows standardized deployment and faster troubleshooting. 

• RESTful API and Command Line interfaces enable 3rd party tools and scripting to standardize deployment to increase efficiency, save time, and reduce workload to staff. 

• ACS 800 provides smaller form-factor for size constrained environments. 

4. Centralized Management 

Every datacenter is different and Vertiv Avocent offers tools to help customers manage their multi-vendor environment from a central location. The powerful combination of the ACS serial consoles and DSView™ 4 Management Software offers access and control of any (physically or virtually) connected device, all from a single interface. Moreover, Vertiv’s unique hub and spoke architecture helps ensure availability of critical customer resources. 

• Simplicity and standardization of processes and security with out-of-box LDAP, AD, NT domain, TACACS+, RADIUS with RSA SecurID and 2048 SSL certificate authentication. 

• Unified, secure, “hands-on” control of geographically dispersed data centers and branch office infrastructure, enabling customers to manage operations from any location. 

• When using DSView, hub-spoke architecture that allows high availability, redundancy and distributed access to achieve business continuity. 

• Access and control for other management devices including service processors (iLo, iDrac, IMM, RSA), KVM, console ports (Telnet, PuTTY or MIB) and rack PDUs. 

• Secure web access to virtual machines (VMware, Microsoft Hyper V and Citrix)