Best Practices for Secure Remote Power Management
Using SSL & SSH for Remote Power Management
Best Practices for Secure Remote Power Management
Network Security Key Features:
- SSHv2 Secure Shell Encryption for secure remote terminal sessions.
- SSLv3/TLSv1 Secure Sockets Layer-encrypted Web server.
- Active Directory with LDAPv3 user management and configuration directory.
- MD5 digest hashing.
- SNMP MIB & Traps for overcurrent power conditions, power outlet status changes, temperature & humidity variances, equipment cabinet door.
- 16-Character usernames & passwords.
- Individual user accounts with restricted access rights.
- Secure Global Modem.
Physical Security Key Features:
- True RMS Power Monitoring of the aggregate load on the power circuit (amps) prevents users from overloading the circuit.
- Power-Up Sequencing of outlets prevents a power in-rush from overloading the circuit.
- Wake Last feature returns outlets to their last controlled state (“On” or “Off”) after a power loss & restart.
Encrypted Security Protocols for Protecting Remote Management Sessions
Maintaining maximum 99.99% uptime of devices in the data center is imperative for today’s distributed networks. A Remote Power Management (RPM) solution provides maximum uptime by isolating individual locked-up components and independently rebooting that device.
Direct TCP/IP access to each RPM device on the network is the fastest and most direct method to reboot an individual server or router, but also presents the greatest security risk to the network. Non-secure network traffic can be penetrated and sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords, can be intercepted.
To prevent such an attack, the RPM solution must provide encrypted security solutions for network traffic. True access security is provided only when utilizing one of the commonly used security protocols, such as Server Technology, Inc.’s Sentry Remote Power Managers that integrate SSLv3 and SSHv2 SSL security protocols. Both of these protocols provide for the strongest encryption of the entire session.
SSL: Securing Web GUI Sessions
Sentry’s SSL-secured HTTPS interface prevents hackers from intercepting or sniffing open text across a network. Sensitive information such as user accounts and passwords are protected from outside observers. 128-bit SSL, included with Sentry products, enables the world's strongest SSL. The Sentry products’ SSL Certificate enables the user to verify the Sentry’s authenticity and communicate with it securely, which protects confidential information from interception and hacking.
SSH: Secure Remote Terminal Sessions
Secure Socket Shell (SSH) is a command interface and protocol for securely accessing a remote computer. SSH is integrated into Sentry’s Ethernet interface to provide strong encryption, robust authentication and data integrity for Sentry products throughout the enterprise. Use of SSH virtually eliminates the risk of remote management as all session data is encrypted using strong ciphers with keys exchanged dynamically using RSA/DSA public key algorithms. SSH is intended as a replacement for telnet among other protocols.
Secure Shell protects against:
- IP spoofing, where a remote host sends out packets, which pretend to come from another, trusted host.
- IP source routing, where a host can pretend that an IP packet comes from another, trusted host.
- DNS spoofing, where an attacker forges name server records.
- Interception of clear text passwords and other data by intermediate hosts.
- Manipulation of data by people in control of intermediate hosts.
Console Ports: Secure Communication through SSH
Also use Sentry’s SSH connection to securely connect to the serial console port of an attached data center device as if you were sitting in front of it and aggregate the serial console ports for several devices into the one SSH connection. For instance, by launching an SSH session directly to the serial console port of a Unix server through the Sentry connection, the network manager accesses the Command Line Interface (CLI) of the server itself.
MD5
SSH and SSL represent the strongest security protocols available for communicating and managing an RPM device via TCP/IP network. If for reasons that make it unpractical for an enterprise to utilize either SSL or SSH, Server Technology also provides MD5 digest for security and validation of the username-password.
Active Directory
Among the many management tasks that an enterprise faces with the deployment of large numbers of internetworking equipment are assigning network configuration settings (e.g. IP address), assigning usernames and passwords, configuration of access rights, security configuration, SNMP configuration, and configuration specific to the device. Not only does the configuration need to be setup initially, it must be updated on a periodic basis for security reasons.
Sentry includes support for Active Directory (AD), a component of the Windows 2000 & 2003 Server architecture,; AD presents organizations with a directory service designed for distributed computing environments. By acting as a central repository for information, the redundancy of management tasks is eliminated. For example, instead of changing a user’s password in hundreds or thousands of individual devices, or changing it in multiple devices’ management software, the change need only occur in one place – the directory. Active Directory supports multiple protocols for this purpose. The most common network protocol for accessing directory services access is the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). A secure version of LDAP over SSL (LDAP/S) can also be used with Sentry.
User Accounts
Server Technology provides the ability with Sentry products to create multiple user accounts with limited access rights to each Remote Power Manager. Only an administrative-level user may create/remove user accounts and command privileges, change passwords and display outlet and user information. An administrator may also view the status of and control power to all outlets. Usernames and passwords may contain from 1-16 characters.
Proactive Management: SNMP Traps
The Sentry family of products supports the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). This allows network management systems to use SNMP requests not only to control power to the Sentry’s individual outlets, but also to retrieve information about the power and environmental conditions.
Following is a list of the key SNMP traps for monitoring the availability of the Sentry and its functions. In particular, the Change Trap is a very valuable security tool for network administrators as it generates a notification every time an outlet is changed from its on/off status, thereby alerting the administrator of a potentially unauthorized action.
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Tower Status Trap
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Generated when communication to the Sentry has been lost, (i.e., the network connection).
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Infeed Status Trap
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Generated when power infeed to the Sentry is supposed to be available, but no current is sensed.
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Outlet Status Trap
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Generated when current is not sensed at the outlet level.
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Change Trap
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Generated for all outlet status changes between any on/off conditions.
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Heat and power continue to be two critical factors affecting the performance of the data center. SNMP Traps designed to monitor these environmental elements and prevent unnecessary damage from them have also been included in the Sentry SNMP MIB. Following is a list of the environmental conditions that Sentry monitors via SNMP.
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Load Trap
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Generated whenever the total input load on an infeed exceeds a min or max threshold.
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Temperature Trap
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Generated whenever ambient temperatures decrease or exceed minimum or maximum defined thresholds (low or high).
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Humidity Trap
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Generated whenever relative humidity exceeds defined thresholds (low or high).
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Water Trap
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Generated when water is detected.
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Contact Closure Trap
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Generated when error conditions occur to the status of a contact closure (e.g., an equipment cabinet is opened).
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The Sentry MIB can be compiled by a third-party SNMP management system such as HP Openview, Tivoli Enterprise Manager and What’s Up Gold among others, allows the network manager to obtain SNMP trap information.
Secure Modem
Server Technology’s Global Security Modem is used to provide secure out-of-band dial-up access to certain models of Sentry Commander, Sentry Administrator, Sentry Switch, and Sentry Power Tower products. The modem is based upon a customized modem that provides V.92/56K communication in-compliance with Telecom requirements nearly globally. In addition to the basic functions of a high-speed modem, the Global Security Modem also supports Callback Security.
Callback security protects against unauthorized access by forcing users to be at a pre-defined location in order to establish a dial-up session to the Sentry. When callback security is enabled, all callers are requested to enter a password. If a valid password is received, the modem hangs-up and returns the call by dialing a phone number that is stored with the password. The user’s modem must be connected to the telephone line that is being called back, and the user’s modem must be set to answer the call. Once the callback is complete, the user is challenged to enter the password a second time in order to establish a connection and proceed with Sentry’s own 16-character Username and 16-character Password authentication.
Physical Security: Wake Last & Power-up Sequencing
Due to power in-rush, an entire rack of equipment booting-up at once could cause a failure to the circuit. To prevent a power-in rush, the Sentry products utilize Power-Up Sequencing. Power sequencing staggers the individual loads, eliminating the potential of a blown fuse or circuit breaker due to excessive in-rush current and allows circuit support for operating load capacities in the range of 80-90 percent.
Additionally, after a power loss and recovery, Sentry’s Wake Last directs the outlets to return to their last controlled position to prevent additional power output capability on an already-maxed power circuit.
With True RMS power monitoring, the Input Current Monitor reports an accurate, real-time display of the aggregate load (in amps) on the circuit.
About Server Technology
Server Technology, Inc., designs and manufactures intelligent power distribution products for enterprise data centers, service providers and branch office locations. Founded in 1984, Server Technology is recognized as a leader in innovative Remote Power Management solutions. The company’s line of Sentry™ power products eliminates unnecessary trips to remote locations and minimizes the impact of locked-up internetworking equipment on business critical networks, combining intelligent power distribution, remote management and power measurement. Server Technology is located in Reno, Nevada and can be reached at (800) 835-1515, or on the Web at www.servertech.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: High-resolution images are available for publication. Please email Calvin Nicholson at calvin.nicholson-at-servertech.com for more information.