subject: An Introduction to Out of Band Management [print this page] The LOM system that is most familiar is the one that uses the serial console port of a device, along with a console server or switch. The administrator can self-test hardware on a remotely accessed console server, which techniques and tools for in-band management cannot accomplish. A LOM system can also be a management system that uses an RAC. RACs possess individual microprocessors to provide access to a system bus. Although novel systems are much more effective for remote monitoring and control of a system, they are also much costlier, which is felt more keenly if a corporation is running on a tight budget. As such, the system a company uses is dependent on the money that is available, and also the network and number of servers with which a system is required to function.
Although out-of-band systems are excellent for off-site monitoring of device and data performance, qualified system administrators may also needed to monitor equipment physically. Therefore, while a business owner may save money by running his or her business off-site, he or she cannot neglect staffing costs either. Thus, a company needs a good system that facilitates the business as well as well-qualified staff to run it.
