Raritan Introduces Virtual Appliance Version of CommandCenter Secure Gateway for Centralized, Secure Access and Control of IT Equipment

SOMERSET, N.J., Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Raritan announced today a virtual version of its CommandCenter® Secure Gateway (CC-SG) appliance that provides centralized, secure access to IT equipment to help data centers remotely diagnose and resolve IT equipment issues quickly and reduce server management costs.

Leveraging VMware technology, the new virtual management solution delivers all the functionalities of CommandCenter Secure Gateway's hardware-based appliances that enable IT administrators to manage entire IT infrastructures using a single Web-browser interface.  The comprehensive solution serves as a centralized gateway for managing both virtual and physical servers, embedded service processors, serial devices (such as routers, firewalls and Ethernet switches) and power management devices.

"Server virtualization has gained ground in data centers because of its success in reducing hardware costs and related expenses.  We added a virtual model to our CommandCenter Secure Gateway portfolio to enable customers to take advantage of their existing servers in order to save money and space," said Derek Finch, Product Manager at Raritan.  "Our CC-SG solution, whether deployed as a virtual or hardware appliance, delivers unparalleled performance, scalability and flexibility in managing IT resources without leaving the CC-SG GUI."

CC-SG provides unified visibility and a single point of secure access and control to all types of IT equipment -- at the application, operating system and BIOS levels.  Users can easily choose the type of remote access most useful to them for the task at hand -- including in-band and out-of-band KVM, Serial, embedded or in-band software applications.  

Virtual Appliances Deliver Cost and Operational Benefits

For IT groups that have moved to a virtual environment -- or are moving in that direction -- deploying virtual appliances, instead of dedicated rack-mount solutions, means added convenience and lower costs.  In many cases, server space is available -- meaning that additional hardware, cabling and network setup is not needed.  And, because there is no hardware, the Virtual CC-SG solution includes a lower starting price.  Administrators can also leverage the flexibility of virtual solutions; physical deployment, failover options and other choices allow for a more customized implementation.  Even further costs are saved by using virtual failover features, instead of buying two dedicated hardware appliances and related licensing.

Both Hardware and Virtual CC-SG Models Excel at Managing Virtual Servers

The fluidity of moving applications among virtualized servers has added extra management complexity -- requiring data centers to assess how best to access servers, and handle security and authorization.  In many cases, managing a virtual server may require several management tools.  In order to deliver accurate, real-time IT infrastructure views, CC-SG keeps tabs on the migration of data between virtual and physical machines.  For more on managing virtual environments, visit www.raritan.com/virtual-cc/.

Availability

Virtual CommandCenter Secure Gateway (Virtual CC-SG) is available starting today.  Virtual CC-SG runs on VMware vSphere version 4.0.  Basic license configuration for Virtual CC-SG starts at 128 nodes, and add-on licenses are available.  A free evaluation version is available at http://www.raritan.com/download/cc-sg.

About Raritan

Raritan is a proven innovator of power management, infrastructure management, KVM and serial solutions for data centers of all sizes.  In more than 50,000 locations worldwide, Raritan's award-winning hardware and software solutions -- including intelligent PDUs, energy management software, KVM-over-IP and Serial-over-IP access products -- provide IT and facility directors, managers and administrators with the control they need to increase power management efficiency, improve data center productivity and enhance branch office operations.  

Based in Somerset, N.J., Raritan has offices worldwide serving 76 countries.  For more information, visit Raritan.com.  Raritan is an active member of the Green Grid, Climate Savers Computing Initiative, and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design associations.  The company has been recognized by the EPA for its contribution to the agency's data center initiative.  Raritan's power management solutions have won five key industry awards this year.

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SOURCE Raritan