Hacked passwords, stolen credit card data, phishing mails – it seems like almost everyone has already experienced the darker side of the Internet. To avoid tapping from the start, our developers increased the security functions of our KVM matrix switch ControlCenter-Digital.
Exposed and blocked
Boot loader, operating system and firmware of the ControlCenter-Digital form a trusted computing platform to protect the system against third-party manipulations.
An integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) protects any access and configuration data against exposure with a RSA encryption process and with 2048 bit key length. Sensitive information such as login data and passwords are stored permanently with encryption. Potential firmware modifications can be detected at an early stage and lead to a cancellation of the booting process. This prevents manipulations like, for example, the installation of keyboard sniffers.
Safety through RAID
To protect sophisticated structures like rights management and configuration data, the ControlCenter-Digital mirrors their content on two independent, internal SSD storage media which are redundant through a RAID1 array system. If necessary, they can be effortlessly replaced by the responsible IT administrator. Of course, all information of the rights and configuration management are also encoded by unique cryptographic keys.
One step ahead with comprehensive monitoring
Especially for mission-critical applications, our devices prove proactive monitoring functions that can be easily integrated into the global network management. These functions include the monitoring of device statuses as well as the possibility to send messages via SNMP and Syslog.
Whenever thresholds are exceeded, i.e. when they deviate from the defined value, or if a status changes, the system sends a message or even a warning. Instead of actively querying any monitoring values, network-capable G&D devices can automatically send those values as SNMP traps. At the same time, the values can be queried at the device via SNMP-Get.
Users can view critical values in the web interface as well, because our KVM devices are in constant contact with each other, the network and, therefore, the administrator. This enables the devices to transport management information, status messages, and thus generate statistics for long-term evaluation.
When it matters most
To prevent critical failures, all existing IT installations must not only be available but also reliable at all times. Short response times and intuitive operation via ergonomic and clear interfaces have proven to make humans and IT more efficient. Therefore, it is no coincidence that our hardware is applied in public authorities, at energy suppliers, airports, and traffic control centers – basically in any sector that requires reliable IT equipment.
Editor, translator and blogger at Guntermann & Drunck.
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