The latest version of the Uplogix Local Management Software (LMS) is now available with new functionalities that make Uplogix Local Managers (LMs) even more secure, easier to establish virtual connections, and expands the options for device and power management. The release also builds on the advanced features for managing Cisco IOS/IOS-XE and NX-OS devices. Improvements in the Uplogix Control Center (UCC) include new options for encrypting dial-in traffic from the UCC to a modem in an LM, easier power control, and bundled VM Tools to improve virtual UCC performance and manageability.
Local Manager Updates
Local Manager Secure Tunneling to UCC
A Local Manager can now be configured to establish a reverse SSH tunnel back to the UCC over in-band or out-of-band connections that will carry SSH terminal connections with the UCC acting as a proxy. This overcomes network address translation (NAT) and other issues that can make LMs unreachable when initiating a SSH session to it. When configured to use reverse SSH tunneling, the LM has the option of no longer listening to port 22 for SSH connections. This eliminates a potential threat vector and is just one more in the long list of security features for the Uplogix platform.
Virtual Ports
SSH-VTY virtual ports establish secure connections to managed devices such that Uplogix monitoring and automation will use the port configured credentials to access the managed device, whereas anyone else (without the permission “use system auth”) must use their own credentials when accessing these managed devices.
Connectionless virtual ports were added to simplify management for devices like service processors where users simply desire to use the SSH TCP port-forwarding feature to forward the GUI and other application ports without making an actual SSH or telnet virtual connection to the device.
Power Controllers and ports
From our start, Uplogix has managed power controllers, key to a time-honored problem solving process: “turn it off and then turn it back on… does it work now?” With the release of v5.4, multiple switched power controllers can be managed by a single Local Manager on any port, including virtual ports. In addition, port 1/6 on the Uplogix 500 and Uplogix 5000 LMs is a generic device management port like the other serial ports. It can be configured to manage any supported device make and OS, including switched power controllers.
Cisco Support
Uplogix is a longtime Cisco Solution Partner and the v5.4 release expands functionality for Cisco IOS/IOS-XE and NX-OS products. Uplogix can validate the current OS referenced by the boot variable on a managed device and send an alarm if the OS image is missing on the device. SFTP is now an option for file transfer when backing up and restoring config and OS images between the Local Manager and the managed device. This boosts speed and efficiency of moving potentially large files while also improving security.
OS policies for IOS devices can now be defined at the supervisor level. Previous releases only identified managed devices to the level of chassis model number, which limited users to one OS policy per given chassis model. It is possible for some device models to deploy with different supervisor engines that run different code versions. The Local Manager now recognizes and includes Cisco supervisor engine information in the device type when applicable, allowing users to define a policy based on the supervisor engine in a given platform.
Uplogix Control Center Updates
SSH Added to Dial Applet
When dialing into a Local Manager modem from the UCC, SSH was added as an encryption choice to the dial applet. This makes it easy and secure to connect to LMs from the UCC.
Power Controller Visibility & Outlet Mapping
Now it is easy in the UCC to see which device ports are connected to power controllers and which ports are mapped to power controller outlets on the LM device summary page. The port/device cards in the ‘Devices’ section on the LM summary page include a lightning bolt icon in the upper right corner if the device is a managed power controller, and a universal power button icon is present when the managed device is mapped to one or more managed power controller outlets.
Additionally, all power outlet to device port mappings for a given power controller are now shown at the top of the power controller port summary page in the ‘Outlets’ section. If a device is mapped to a power controller outlet, the device summary page will indicate the power controller port on the LM that is providing power control for it.
VMware Tools now bundled with Virtual Control Center
Beginning with v5.4, Uplogix is bundling VMware tools with the virtual UCC software in order to improve VM performance and manageability.
And much, much more!
Of course there are many other specific improvements and changes in the v5.4 release. For more information, please read the v5.4 Release Notes available on the Uplogix Support Site. The v5.4 software will ship on all new Local Managers and the Uplogix Control Center. For more information and customers wishing to upgrade, visit Uplogix Support at support.uplogix.com.