How to Manage Industrial Computers Remotely | Captec Industrial ...

Ever since the first computers we?re deployed in a business situation, the need to be able to remotely manage them has been ever present. Whether its assisting a desktop user with an error message, fixing more serious faults or maintaining a population of user-less computers such as industrial computers or servers, the reason for the need is simple, calling out IT engineers to spend time trudging to the stricken computer wastes time, and time costs.

Servers for the enterprise over the years have pioneered various methods of remote management, one of the most common practices for enterprise management is using Microsoft?s built in remote desktop protocol (RDP) or VNC. Both are hosted by the operating system, and allow management whilst its working, but when its not, or the system reboots, you are left blind, often resulting in a local visit to the computer in question anyway.

To overcome this short coming, within the server world there is a variety of technologies such as ?LOM? (Lights out management) ?ILO? (Integrated Lights Out) or OOB (Out of Band), which rarely permeate in the industrial world. Put simply, they all ofter varying degrees of remote computer management, even when the system in question isn?t even turned on, meaning even serious faults can be reviewed and even fixed remotely.

However, despite the specialist nature and location of many embedded and industrial computers, they have often not featured the technology to remotely manage ?Out of Band?, often making that ?trudge? not just a waste of time, but one that has many other implications ? gaining local access to a computer embedded within a larger machine, or within a restricted hazardous zone can prove extremely challenging.

Until now, Captec?s newest range of Industrial Computers, Rail Certified Computers and Embedded Servers, all feature built in technology, to not only enable full out of band management, enabling the status of the computer to be checked, powered on, off, or even booted from a remote boot image! Add to this hardware based KVM over VNC control, allowing the system to be controlled remotely, regardless of the OS state, even permitting BIOS access. Over my next few blogs, I?ll be taking a look at exactly what this technology is capable of, and what it means for managing industrial computers remotely.

woody guthrie benson henderson 2012 dunk contest edgar vs henderson berkshire hathaway ufc 144 james jones