On Mon, Nov 05, 2001 at 04:47:31PM -0500, Sean Donelan reportedly typed:
A few (very few) providers have a dedicated out-of-band management network. Generally a frame-relay circuit to a management hub/router connected to the async terminal server and low-speed (10 meg) ethernet port on some routers. One problem with high-end routers, it is either expensive (lost opportunity cost) or impossible to connect low-speed circuits to high-end routers.
The Cisco 3640 makes for a nice console server to hook up to your out of band network. It supports a 32port Async module as well as 10/100 ethernet and T1 WIC (supports Frame Relay, of course). It also supports E1 for your non-domestic sites.
Carrier/facility based providers tend to use their own facilities. Yep, facility based providers have cut their own facilities in the past, including one provider which took their own NOC off-line for most of a day.
It's always good to have a backup, even for your management netowrk. When the Frame Relay network fails, there's always the OOB modem/POTS. Dave -- Dave Siegel HOME 520-877-2593 dave at siegelie dot com WORK 520-877-2628 dsiegel at gblx dot net Director, IP Engineering, Global Crossing