Cell-based OOB management devices
Hi all, I am looking at cellular-based devices as a higher speed alternative to dial-up backup access methods for out of band management during emergencies. I was wondering if anyone had experiences with such devices they could share? Devices I've found include Sierra Wireless AirLink Raven X, Digi's ConnectWAN 3G or 4G and Opengear's ACM5004-G. I have no experience with any but they all appear to support the Sprint network which I assume would be ideal due to not having usage caps on data (currently). The Opengear device runs linux and has four serial ports, a usb port for additional storage and ethernet, so it seems to have some small advantages over the others since it could double as an emergency self-contained management station you can SSH into and run diagnostics from. All appear to have VPN/gateway support. What none of them are clear on is how you would connect to it over cellular since I assume you're just paying for a typical data plan and it will randomly obtain IP addresses. Maybe some type of dynamic dns service so you can easily figure out your device's current IP? How stable is the access to the device? Any idea if any of them can do ipv6? Thanks! David
On Nov 7, 2011, at 1:14 PM, David Hubbard wrote:
Hi all, I am looking at cellular-based devices as a higher speed alternative to dial-up backup access methods for out of band management during emergencies.
Some of the lower-end Cisco routers have '3G' interfaces available as an option, I believe. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Roland Dobbins <rdobbins@arbor.net> // <http://www.arbornetworks.com> The basis of optimism is sheer terror. -- Oscar Wilde
On 11/6/11 10:14 PM, David Hubbard wrote:
Hi all, I am looking at cellular-based devices as a higher speed alternative to dial-up backup access methods for out of band management during emergencies. I was wondering if anyone had experiences with such devices they could share?
Devices I've found include Sierra Wireless AirLink Raven X, Digi's ConnectWAN 3G or 4G and Opengear's ACM5004-G. I have no experience with any but they all appear to support the Sprint network which I assume would be ideal due to not having usage caps on data (currently). The Opengear device runs linux and has four serial ports, a usb port for additional storage and ethernet, so it seems to have some small advantages over the others since it could double as an emergency self-contained management station you can SSH into and run diagnostics from. All appear to have VPN/gateway support.
What none of them are clear on is how you would connect to it over cellular since I assume you're just paying for a typical data plan and it will randomly obtain IP addresses. Maybe some type of dynamic dns service so you can easily figure out your device's current IP? How stable is the access to the device? Any idea if any of them can do ipv6?
With the Cisco 3G WIC cards they'll do a static IP or a tunnel. I'd presume something similar can be done with other options if you ask. ~Seth
On Nov 6, 2011 10:15 PM, "David Hubbard" <dhubbard@dino.hostasaurus.com> wrote:
Hi all, I am looking at cellular-based devices as a higher speed alternative to dial-up backup access methods for out of band management during emergencies. I was wondering if anyone had experiences with such devices they could share?
Devices I've found include Sierra Wireless AirLink Raven X, Digi's ConnectWAN 3G or 4G and Opengear's ACM5004-G. I have no experience with any but they all appear to support the Sprint network which I assume would be ideal due to not having usage caps on data (currently). The Opengear device runs linux and has four serial ports, a usb port for additional storage and ethernet, so it seems to have some small advantages over the others since it could double as an emergency self-contained management station you can SSH into and run diagnostics from. All appear to have VPN/gateway support.
What none of them are clear on is how you would connect to it over cellular since I assume you're just paying for a typical data plan and it will randomly obtain IP addresses. Maybe some type of dynamic dns service so you can easily figure out your device's current IP? How stable is the access to the device? Any idea if any of them can do ipv6?
Another good question is if the 3g modem is firewalled by the mobile provider so that incoming connections are blocked. Cb
Thanks!
David
On Nov 6, 2011 10:15 PM, "David Hubbard" <dhubbard@dino.hostasaurus.com> wrote:
Hi all, I am looking at cellular-based devices as a higher speed alternative to dial-up backup access methods for out of band management during emergencies.
I've used the Digi devices for Clearwire site OOB and in many retail situations where they are use for backup connection and for when the wire line hasn't been delivered yet. They do come with a static IP address if you request (and pay?) for it. They can come from the shared mobile IP range (RFC 2002) so that you can keep the static IP as you move between tower sites. You can also get them "piped" right in to your net via a VPN, although I suspect that is only affordable for a very large install base. Real world 3G bandwidth is about 1Mb/s down and 300Kb/s down. RTT (ping) is around 185ms to a local IXP (which kinda sucks for terminal support, but still better than a POTS modem.) -- Joe Hamelin, W7COM, Tulalip, WA, 360-474-7474
David, a Sprint aircard can be had with a static-ip, so that should ease remote connectivity requirements. Or, you can opt for the Datalink (private VPN) service, which separates your aircard traffic from other customers within a VRF, obviating the need to run a separate VPN client. -RC ---- David Hubbard <dhubbard@dino.hostasaurus.com> wrote:
Hi all, I am looking at cellular-based devices as a higher speed alternative to dial-up backup access methods for out of band management during emergencies. I was wondering if anyone had experiences with such devices they could share?
Devices I've found include Sierra Wireless AirLink Raven X, Digi's ConnectWAN 3G or 4G and Opengear's ACM5004-G. I have no experience with any but they all appear to support the Sprint network which I assume would be ideal due to not having usage caps on data (currently). The Opengear device runs linux and has four serial ports, a usb port for additional storage and ethernet, so it seems to have some small advantages over the others since it could double as an emergency self-contained management station you can SSH into and run diagnostics from. All appear to have VPN/gateway support.
What none of them are clear on is how you would connect to it over cellular since I assume you're just paying for a typical data plan and it will randomly obtain IP addresses. Maybe some type of dynamic dns service so you can easily figure out your device's current IP? How stable is the access to the device? Any idea if any of them can do ipv6?
Thanks!
David
A very flexible solution can be done with the Mikrotik family of routers....see this as an example for more details.. http://mum.mikrotik.com/presentations/BR09/3G_Applications.pdf Faisal On Nov 15, 2011, at 6:34 AM, <rcheung@rochester.rr.com> wrote:
David, a Sprint aircard can be had with a static-ip, so that should ease remote connectivity requirements. Or, you can opt for the Datalink (private VPN) service, which separates your aircard traffic from other customers within a VRF, obviating the need to run a separate VPN client.
-RC
---- David Hubbard <dhubbard@dino.hostasaurus.com> wrote:
Hi all, I am looking at cellular-based devices as a higher speed alternative to dial-up backup access methods for out of band management during emergencies. I was wondering if anyone had experiences with such devices they could share?
Devices I've found include Sierra Wireless AirLink Raven X, Digi's ConnectWAN 3G or 4G and Opengear's ACM5004-G. I have no experience with any but they all appear to support the Sprint network which I assume would be ideal due to not having usage caps on data (currently). The Opengear device runs linux and has four serial ports, a usb port for additional storage and ethernet, so it seems to have some small advantages over the others since it could double as an emergency self-contained management station you can SSH into and run diagnostics from. All appear to have VPN/gateway support.
What none of them are clear on is how you would connect to it over cellular since I assume you're just paying for a typical data plan and it will randomly obtain IP addresses. Maybe some type of dynamic dns service so you can easily figure out your device's current IP? How stable is the access to the device? Any idea if any of them can do ipv6?
Thanks!
David
participants (7)
-
Cameron Byrne -
David Hubbard -
Dobbins, Roland -
Faisal Imtiaz -
Joe Hamelin -
rcheung＠rochester.rr.com -
Seth Mattinen