Summary

Rack Power Distribution Units (RPDUs) are critical to data center infrastructure. These ensure adequate power is distributed to all servers, storage, networking, and other equipment. Much like this equipment, however, RPDUs must be configured and maintained; otherwise, outages can occur and affect the business’ bottom line.

The common practice for managing RPDUs involves manually configuring and performing frequent updates. This poses three challenges:

1. Skilled engineers need to be on-site to perform configuration tasks
2. RPDUs must be configured individually, which consumes valuable time
3. Manually configuring RPDUs can introduce human errors that may lead to catastrophic failures or compliance issues

ZPE Systems solves these challenges with its Nodegrid platform. Nodegrid enables automated deployments and centralized management, which help IT teams configure multiple RPDUs simultaneously, reduce the risk of errors, and eliminate the need for extra networking equipment. These advantages save valuable time and money by allowing efficient, hands-off data center operations.

Download the RPDU solution guide below for full details about this solution, including a wiring diagram and a step-by-step outline of how to set it up.

Most organizations rely on critical IT in order to serve their essential business functions. A reliable method to maintain critical IT is to use dedicated out-of-band (OOB) management networks, which traditionally have relied on plain old telephone service (POTS) lines or dedicated telephony circuits for remote access. However, these traditional links come with high costs, lots of complexity, and slow performance, which make them difficult to deploy and maintain.

Enter Starlink, a satellite-based Internet service that offers a cost-effective and scalable alternative for out-of-band remote access. This post discusses how Starlink solves these common problems and gives you a free guide that walks you through the setup process.

Problem: POTS and Telephony Lines Are Expensive

For decades, IT professionals have relied on POTS and telephony lines for OOB management, mainly because these lines remain operational even when the primary data network goes down. A major problem is that POTS lines are increasingly expensive to install and maintain, particularly in remote or rural areas. Additionally, 4G/5G LTE options aren’t always available due to coverage limitations or large enough data plans. The shift towards VoIP (Voice over IP) and digital communications has made POTS lines even less relevant, with many service providers phasing out support. This leaves businesses with fewer options and higher costs for maintaining these legacy systems.

Solution: Starlink is Cost-Effective

Starlink offers a much more cost-effective solution. You can use off-the-shelf routers to set up an OOB management network for a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. Starlink also has a relatively low monthly subscription fee and straightforward pricing model, which make it easy to budget and plan IT expenditures. If components fail or break, you can typically repair or replace them yourself to get back up and running quickly.

Figure 1: Starlink requires only a dish, router, and few other components, making it a cost-effective alternative to expensive POTS lines.

Problem: Traditional Lines Are Difficult To Scale

Traditional POTS-based systems are notoriously difficult to scale, often requiring significant infrastructure investments and complex configurations. Copper wiring is expensive to install and maintain, and as more connections come online, switching systems must be upgraded. On top of this, POTS lines are being phased out, which means there are fewer resources being devoted to scaling and maintaining them.

Solution: Starlink is Simple to Set Up and Scale

Starlink entirely eliminates the need for telephony lines, and is a simple and scalable solution for OOB remote access. You can find the full list of components in our setup guide below, but with a Starlink terminal, compatible router, and minimal configuration, you can scale your OOB network wherever you have Starlink coverage. This ease-of-use extends to day-to-day management as well. Starlink’s satellite service offers global coverage, meaning you can manage your network devices, servers, and other critical infrastructure from virtually anywhere in the world.

Figure 2: Starlink comes with a straightforward out-of-box experience and step-by-step instructions. You can set up an out-of-band network in about one hour.

Problem: POTS Lines Lack Performance

POTS is designed primarily for voice communication and offers extremely limited bandwidth. It can’t support modern data services (such as video or high-speed internet) efficiently. As out-of-band management advances with data and video monitoring capabilities (such as AI computer vision), POTS infrastructure just doesn’t have the bandwidth to keep up.

Solution: Starlink Meets Modern Performance Requirements

Starlink provides high-speed internet, at speeds that typically range from 50 to 200Mbps. The connection handles much larger volumes of data than POTS lines are capable of, and Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites reduce latency to as low at 25ms compared to the typical 150ms of POTS lines. Out-of-band using Starlink means that IT teams can manage more systems and data, and have a more responsive experience, whether they’re managing edge routers across their bank branches or monitoring the cooling systems in their distributed colocations.

Figure 3: Starlink provides high-speed connectivity, with speeds ranging from 50 to 200Mbps.

Get Started With Starlink Using Our Setup Guide

What is Passive Optical Networking (PON)?

Passive optical networking (PON) is a high-speed broadband technology that enables the delivery of multiple services over a single fiber optic cable. XGS-PON – 10G Symmetrical PON –  offers speeds of up to 10 Gbps downstream and 10 Gbps upstream (hence the term ‘symmetrical’), making it ideal for applications such as video streaming, online gaming, and cloud computing.

What Problems Does PON Solve for Out-of-Band Management?

PON addresses the issue of efficiency in terms of both uplink costs and bandwidth usage. Traditional POTS lines and dedicated circuits rely on legacy infrastructure that requires regular maintenance. This infrastructure must scale as more out-of-band devices are added to the network, which increases costs and energy consumption. On top of this, using a 10G uplink for a serial console’s 10K traffic is like throwing away 99% of that high bandwidth. Per Gartner’s Market Guide for Optical Transport Systems report (Published 20 November 2023) the best way to “lower cost and energy per transported bit” is by using technologies such as passive optical networking.

Because PON uses passive optical splitters that have no moving parts or powered components between the central hub and end users, PON is much more efficient for deploying serial consoles close to target assets. These out-of-band devices can be deployed in large quantities and close to the network edge, with up to 256 devices sharing one uplink. This reduces cabling and power requirements, and is ideal for MSP and campus operators, where there are many out-of-band devices distributed over long distances. 

More About PON: GPON and XGS-PON Technologies

Passive Optical Networking (PON) leverages time-division multiplexing (TDM) and different wavelengths of light to transmit and receive data on a single fiber strand. This allows efficient communication among up to 256 devices over a single fiber. Initially developed for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments, PON technology has evolved to facilitate the addition of network nodes with minimal infrastructure changes. GPON (gigabit-capable PON) and XGS-PON use different frequencies for upstream and downstream data transmission. The upstream headend, known as the Optical Line Terminal (OLT), manages and coordinates the time slots allocated to downstream Optical Network Units (ONUs) for data transmission.

GPON and XGS-PON Support on ZPE Systems’ Nodegrid SR Gateway

ZPE Systems’ Nodegrid SR appliances, which are used as out-of-band access nodes or complete branch gateways, now support GPON and XGS-PON technology (patent pending) via SFP and SFP+ ports. The Nodegrid SR family is offered in multiple form factors to be right-sized for deployments in branch offices, factories, smart buildings, and industrial environments (such as for SCADA).

Having support for GPON and XGS-PON means network engineers now have a flexible choice of high-speed uplink technologies. This versatility makes the Nodegrid SR gateway suitable for edge deployments, where it can establish an OOBI-WAN (out-of-band infrastructure WAN) link, and for data centers, where it enhances uplink efficiency. Given the low bandwidth requirements of serial console and out-of-band communications, PON technology is well-suited for these applications. A single fiber strand can be shared among hundreds of out-of-band and serial console devices using passive optical splitters. Organizations can deploy out-of-band devices close to the racks and edges of the network in a cost- and energy-efficient manner. Additionally, ZPE devices support ONU SFPs compatible with third-party OLT headends, ensuring broad interoperability and integration.

Benefits of Using XGS-PON with ZPE Systems’ Nodegrid SR Gateway

The benefits of using XGS-PON with ZPE Systems’ Nodegrid SR gateway include:

• High-Speed Connectivity: XGS-PON delivers symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gbps, making it ideal for high-bandwidth applications like video streaming, online gaming, and cloud computing. This ensures consistent and high-quality service for end-users.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Deploying XGS-PON is a cost-effective solution for delivering high-speed broadband services, especially in scenarios where upgrading existing infrastructure may be challenging.
• Scalability: The Nodegrid SR Gateway, acting as an ONU, can connect up to 256 serial consoles through a single fiber strand. PON’s use of asymmetric wavelengths and TDM enables multiple devices to share the same fiber strand efficiently. Optical splitters, which require no external power, facilitate the sharing of fiber between multiple ONUs, which makes scaling much more cost and energy efficient.
• Reliability: The Nodegrid SR gateway is proven by service providers worldwide. Its robust design and compatibility with various network configurations make it a reliable choice for delivering high-quality broadband services.

Figure 1: ZPE Nodegrid SR gateway with XGS-PON ONU support

XGS-PON Enhances Efficiency of Out-of-Band

XGS-PON is a significant advancement over traditional, copper-based uplinks. The integration of XGS-PON support in the ZPE Systems Nodegrid SR Gateway allows network architects to deploy a dedicated out-of-band ring that is not only high-speed but also cost-effective, energy-efficient, and capable of covering longer distances. PON technology, with its ability to handle the lower data rates of out-of-band transmissions, is an ideal uplink medium for serial console transmission. The combination of XGS-PON and the Nodegrid SR Gateway provides a powerful and flexible solution for modern network infrastructure.

Be one of the first to try PON on the Nodegrid SR Gateway

Set up a demo for a deeper dive into PON use cases and how it can benefit your organization.

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Summary

ZPE Cloud centralizes global fleet management under a single UI. With Nodegrid devices connected to ZPE Cloud, IT teams get a bird’s-eye view of their critical IT infrastructure, regardless of its location. This provides full remote management capabilities for data center, branch, and edge networking equipment. Here are just a few of the benefits of using ZPE Cloud:

• Fast, repeatable deployments using zero touch provisioning
• Minimize outages with instant remote access for troubleshooting and remediation
• Optimize system health using sensors and Nodegrid Data Lake

Read the full document using the button below.

See ZPE Cloud in action with this video demo

Senior Sales Engineer Marcel van Zwienen gives you a hands-on demo of ZPE Cloud in this video. Watch Marcel take you from signing in to gaining remote access for troubleshooting, to showing how to apply configuration changes automatically across device fleets. Watch now at the link below.

Summary

At ZPE Systems, we take the security of our supply chain very seriously. While we do not publicly disclose specific details about the members of our supply chain, we ensure that every step of our product lifecycle—whether it involves hardware, software, or cloud offerings—is safeguarded through a comprehensive, layered security approach. We strictly adhere to compliance with government regulations, including any restrictions on the use of technology by enterprises due to regulatory mandates.

Our value chain security is designed with the following key objectives:

• Secure Development, Manufacturing, and Deployment: ZPE Systems solutions are developed, manufactured, and deployed within securely controlled environments. We use only ZPE Systems-approved
  processes, tools, and components throughout these stages to ensure the integrity of our solutions.
• Prevention of Malware and Rogue Materials: Our processes are designed to prevent the introduction of any malware or unauthorized raw materials that could compromise the functionality of our products.
• Counterfeit Prevention: Our build and deployment processes are structured to make it extremely difficult for malicious actors to produce counterfeit solutions. By securing every stage of development, we protect our products from being altered or replicated in unauthorized ways.

Read the full 3-page guide now for a comprehensive look at ZPE’s supply chain security.