Secure Datacenter Server Management from your iPad
One of the biggest complaints I hear about the possibilities of using tablet devices as remote management tools is the apparent lack of security. IT folks often look at these devices as simply adding another potential vector for attack on their domains, and are leery of the potential problems. But for IT shops already using a remote KVM model Raritan has introduced mobile access for their secure KVM-over-IP solutions.
In this case, the security is handled by Raritan's Dominion KX II KVM switch; the tablet web client is basically an advanced web interface into the switch, not directly into any server or network device that can be controlled from the KVM-over-IP switch. Raritan is a long-time provider of KVM devices and their experience in delivering their services in a platform agnostic way is clearly demonstrated with their client support choices.
Their client solutions have included Windows and Java clients that downloaded automatically to the clients requiring access, while their new web client downloads nothing to the client access devices. This makes it more suitable for a wide range of tablet and smartphone devices, though the official announcement only talks about iPads and iPhones as access devices.
With this approach and the high-level of security that is provided by the KVM switch itself, the potential for this type of access to become a security issue is severely mitigated. Properly configured, the tablet can't be used to actually upload data to the servers via this access path, and proper access control methodologies that would be used in any secure environment would limit who can view and control the servers accessible via the KVM-over-IP device.
Granted, if you aren't already using the Raritan KVM switch this product release is of limited utility to you, but if you are planning for wider deployment of tablets as management tools within your infrastructure it gives you a good reason to look at this access and management model for your datacenter servers.