Network management inbound and OOB

[s0chia-kevin]

Hello,

I still didn't understand how to realize a network management in a Campus. I have some ideas:

using a switch (only for MGMT network 192.168.x.x./24) for each building and at the end a router to route the network trough to remote center building company.

Please share your idea.

[pieterh]

in short: your suggested setup will work, where possible use separate cabling to the central building

OOB (out of band) suggests you are designing a network that is separated from your data network

as such you can design it like any other network based on requirements and budget.

- The number of connected devices will be smaller, as only management ports of network devices are connected,

- you may decide to have limited redundancy,

   it need not be a "single point of failure" day-to-day management can be done over the data-network

unless..... you want ALL the management over the OOB?

then this network may become as important as your campus network and also needs some redundancy.

[s0chia-kevin]

Hi Peterh,

I need to see also a physical connectivity view in a diagram because for me is not clear how to realize the two version of it

1. In-Band

2. OOB

Thanks

[pieterh]

look at Figure 9-1 Out-of-band and In-band Management Design

this picture uses management using serial console ports

but same design goes for devices with a dedicated ethernet management port 

e.g. CIMC on UCS servers iDRAC on DELL, ILO on HP, and switches with a dedicated ethernet management port.

[s0chia-kevin]

I got your point but move this topic on a Campus... should I use a L3 switch for each building and connect/patching all the switch on the console port or ethernet port?

[pieterh]

I al ready mentioned the design depends on your other requirements.

Yes if you have the budget a L3 switch in each building is a good start.

if there are not many connections, and you have sufficient cabling available you can do with only a L2 design.

if the number of ethernet connections grows, a L3 design scales better because of separate collision domains, just as in the campus network

I think you misunderstand the function of the console port

a console port is needed when you do not have TCP/IP connectivity to the device.

using the console port you can configure the device without/before  it having a management-IP-address 

a consoleport is a serial connection (RS-232 or such), you cannot connect this directly to a network switchport! 

no matter L2 or L3 switch,  you need a special device ( ethernet-to serial-converter serial-terminal-server or console-server) 

then again, there are devices that have both, a serial console port and a ethernet network-management poort which can be connected to a switchport.

Figure 1-13 Catalyst 3650 Switch Rear Panel (ports 2 and 3)