The Management Agent; In-Band Vs. Out-Of-Band - Enterasys 5G1XX Local Management User’s Manual

Overview
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Download system firmware
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Restart the system
There are three ways to access Local Management:
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Locally using a VT type terminal connected to the COM port.
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Remotely using a VT type terminal connected through a modem.
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In-band through a Telnet connection.
1.1.1

The Management Agent

The management agent is an entity within the switch module that collects statistical information
(e.g., frames received, errors detected) about the operational performance of the managed network.
Local Management communicates with the management agent for the purpose of viewing statistics
or issuing management commands. Local Management provides a wide range of screens used to
monitor and configure the switch module.
1.1.2

In-Band vs. Out-of-Band

Network management systems are often classified as either in-band or out-of-band. In-band
network management passes data along the same medium (cables, frequencies) used by all other
stations on the network. An example of an in-band network management system is the Enterasys
Networks NetSight™.
Out-of-band network management passes data along a medium that is entirely separate from the
common data carrier of the network, for example, a cable connection between a terminal and a
switch module COM port. Enterasys Networks' Local Management is an out-of-band network
management system.
A module connected out-of-band to the management agent is not connected to the LAN. This type
of connection allows you to communicate with a network module even when that module is unable
to communicate through the network, for example, at the time of installation.
1-2 Introduction