IFXmanager - infrastructure management system

We are pleased to present the new IFXmanager software for infrastructure management.

It, like our other new products, is based on the “core” COREmanager 5, which allows you to use a graphical interface to install it and ensures compatibility with our other software products, multithreading, speed and stability of work.

Using IFXmanager allows you to control equipment and monitor the status of all network nodes, receiving and processing information from both servers and network devices, and from telemetry devices, such as temperature sensors, power supplies, alarms.
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The IFXmanager software (the Essential version is currently released) will be available in three editions: Essential, Progressive and Enterprise.

The Essential version includes a basic set of features such as equipment accounting, automatic installation of operating systems, and traffic statistics.

The Progressive version adds the ability to automatically search and add new equipment, statistics on power consumption and virtual network management (VLAN).

The IFXmanager Enterprise version adds engineering infrastructure monitoring functions, building a datacenter map for mapping server and network equipment locations.

IFXmanager features when used in a datacenter

As a rule, in a data center there is a need to automate processes such as expanding infrastructure and transferring services to the user. There is also a need to automate the management of network equipment, power supply, statistics collection and monitoring of various systems.

Using IFXmanager in the data center network allows you to manage the following types of infrastructures:

Information infrastructure - it includes server equipment that provides data storage and processing.

The accounting and automatic server search functions in the IFXmanager infrastructure management system make it possible to maintain a single database of users, configurations, operating systems, and equipment placement.

The hardware testing capabilities that are included in IFXmanager ensure that the hardware configuration matches the stated parameters and allows you to detect hardware problems, such as hard disk and RAM errors.

The IFXmanager system includes the functionality of automatic installation of operating systems on dedicated servers through network boot mechanisms using PXEboot protocols.

Telecommunications infrastructure - this type of network equipment. It provides data transfer between data center elements and users.

The IFXmanager software product supports network equipment management, it is possible to manage the port configuration and VLAN configuration, monitor network activity.

Engineering infrastructure - includes equipment that ensures the normal functioning of the main systems, such as power distribution equipment, climate control systems, fire extinguishing systems.

In IFXmanager, there are functions of power management and reading information from various sensors, for example, a temperature monitoring system, which allows you to be confident in the operation of uninterruptible power supplies and air conditioning equipment.

To work with the equipment, IFXmanager uses the protocols SNMP, Telnet, SSH, NetConf, IPMI, which provides support for the equipment Cisco, Juniper networks, APC, HP, SuperMicro. In addition, it is possible to add custom handlers.

In IFXmanager, there is a two-level system of separation of access rights in the web interface, which allows users to issue user rights to clients who place their equipment in the data center for independent management (installation of operating systems, remote reboot).

The monitoring system in IFXmanager allows you to record events that have arisen in the course of work, and inform the data center personnel about existing problems.

IFXmanager includes integration with IPmanager’s IP address allocation system and BILLmanager billing system.

Using IFXmanager to provide dedicated server services

As a rule, to provide services for the sale of dedicated servers, automation is needed to install and configure the operating system, that is, you must provide the client with a ready server with an installed operating system or a preinstalled software set (for example, a web server, hosting control panel).

It is also necessary to keep track of such issues as putting a new server into operation, shutting down old servers, rebooting servers, and testing hardware.

Using the IFXmanager infrastructure management system, you can reduce the life cycle of a server to the following steps:

Add new server

The data center engineer installs the server in the rack, connects the power supply and network connection to the switch, turns on the network boot in the BIOS.

IFXmanager automatically finds and registers this server, performs hardware diagnostics and adds network connections to the configuration.

It will be enough for the administrator to confirm the addition of the server in the panels for its commissioning. If you use the BILLmanager billing system, then with the configured integration the server will be automatically added to the list for sale.

The screenshot of the IFXmanager control panel shows the dedicated server management module.

Install the operating system

After transferring the server to the client, IFXmanager will automatically install the operating system. Also, your customers will be able to independently install operating systems on the server, reboot the server and restore the operating system.

The recovery procedure is the server load over the network into the operating system (recovery template is similar to the LiveCD), which includes diagnostic and recovery tools.

To install the systems, DHCP / TFTP / NFS protocols are used. Servers on which the operating system is installed must support booting using the PXE protocol to enable the network installation of the operating system. IFXmanager prepares DHCP / TFTP / NFS configuration and operating system templates for installation.

Such operating system installation mechanisms as kickstart and preseed are supported (supported by installation programs of popular Linux distributions based on a question-answer file) or the ability to install from a modified image.

When performing the task of installing the operating system, the server to which the installation is being made is restarted, and the server is loaded from the remote server via the network, as a result of which the installer of the operating system is launched. After successful installation, IFXmanager receives a command to complete it and disables the installation process.

Server release and diagnostics

Suppose the client has not renewed the server rental. In this case, a diagnostic program will be launched on the server, which will allow to detect the absence of hardware problems and compliance with the stated configuration. After successful testing, the server returns to the list of free servers and waits for its new user. If the diagnostic procedure reports errors, the administrator will be informed about the problems and the server will not be issued to new users.

Using the IFXmanager system allows you to quickly introduce new services and automate many common infrastructure management tasks, provides tools for monitoring and registering problems with equipment, and assists in solving them.
Documentation and additional information are available on our official website.