A new server management standard pushed by four data center giants

The Intelligent Platform Management Interface was introduced in 1998 and quickly became the go-to solution for managing autonomous computer systems. IPMI utilized an out-of-band approach to make system management more flexible and gave data center managers an opportunity to expand system functionality through remote console servers. The interface was upgraded just recently, but industry experts have expressed concerned that the recently updated legacy system is still insufficient for the management needs of modern data centers. HP, Intel, Emerson and Dell have responded to this gap by introducing and backing Redfish, a new management interface designed to become the industry standard.

The Redfish advantage
Intel and its partners are pushing Redfish as the natural evolution of IPMI and tout the system as a modern solution to all of IPMI's lingering problems, says IT World. Redfish's updated interface, for example, reflects recent trends in user behavior and now incorporates the ability to seamlessly integrate script-based programming methods into their {{ambiguous pronoun}} workflow. In addition, several Redfish features have been decoupled from one another and can be updated on their own.

Several of Redfish's features are responses to recent advances in technology. For example, servers of the past were managed by 8-bit microcontrollers, and today's IPMI systems are held back by this dated standard. Today's microcontrollers are 32-bit and can manage a much larger volume of data. Likewise, Redfish has been updated to meet the scalability needs of expanding business. The program is equally adept at managing multiple racks as it is capable of monitoring a handful of nodes.

Redfish is ideal for those data centers looking to match their high-end equipment with a modern management interface, notes ARN. Another important advantage that Redfish has over its predecessor is security. The new interface was designed to work in conjunction with the latest security strategies and keep pertinent files protected. All of these features help to boost productivity for the data center while ultimately reducing the costs of security and IT.

Perle's wide range of 1 to 48 port Perle Console Servers provide data center managers and network administrators with secure remote management of any device with a serial console port. Plus, they are the only truly fault tolerant Console Servers on the market with the advanced security functionality needed to easily perform secure remote data center management and out-of-band management of IT assets from anywhere in the world.