Raritan has introduced a flexible "neighborhood" configuration and other features to its CommandCenter Secure Gateway for managing IT equipment in data centers and branch offices. With the new neighborhood feature, multiple CC-SG units and the IT equipment connected to them can be managed through one portal. This enables quick access and control across multiple local and/or remote data centers and to all types of IT equipment.

CC-SG manages virtualized servers, physical servers, blade systems, networking equipment, and intelligent power management devices, such as Raritan's Dominion PX PDU that gathers detailed, outlet-level metering information on servers plugged into its power strip.

The new CC-SG Release 4.1 software enables the creation of neighborhoods consisting of up to 10 CC-SG units working together, so that multiple data centers can be managed from one portal. The neighborhood configuration also improves access performance by distributing IT access among CC-SG units. Device and node access can be distributed across CC-SG units within a data center, regionally or organizationally.

CC-SG eliminates time-consuming multiple logins and the need to open multiple interfaces in order to reach IT equipment. From the CC-SG portal, users can 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.

CC-SG does not require complex database replication schemes that consume network overhead unnecessarily. There also is no single point of failure. Neighborhoods do not require a 'super-unit,' 'hub,' or other single point of system management, therefore a local failure will not impact the entire neighborhood.

The flexible neighborhood architecture enables CC-SG units to be deployed to best match an organization's IT infrastructure needs. For example, administrators can assign specific servers, device types or business units to a single CC-SG, or allocate multiple CC-SG units across departments, data centers or regions. Multi-national organizations, companies with a large number of remote offices, or those that simply desire the enhanced flexibility to structure their IT access solution based on a large number of variables will benefit.

Another key enhancement in CC-SG 4.1 is support for blade server access, when used with Raritan's Dominion KX-II KVM-over-IP solution. Access to blade solutions from Dell, IBM and HP is supported. CC-SG provides multiple views of blade servers, including a device view that shows blade servers organized by chassis. Custom views enable customers to view and organize blade servers by a variety of dimensions, such as site, rack, application or organization.