Console management involves using the console port of a device to handle basic setup and maintenance tasks. Although the console management option has been available since at least the 1970's, it is still a valuable tool that provides an efficient means for managing large numbers of networking devices from a central location.

Serial console management offers key advantages over other management methods for both industrial and commercial environments. The ability to manage both legacy and modern devices is a significant advantage, since administrators can achieve true centralized management of all their devices. Centralization not only simplifies maintenance, it also allows better control of access to prevent unauthorized or accidental configuration changes. For many devices, console management provides the advantage of boot-level access to configuration parameters, such as the BIOS settings on a PC.

In the next article, What happens when the network goes down?, we consider in more detail how console management makes "rainy days" shine.

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For many applications, management over a device console port is unnecessary during normal operation. This is because modern network peripherals offer options for management over the network that do not require console port access, such as browser-based configuration and Telnet access. For administrators of a network, the worst "rainy days" are when the network is down and the reason is unknown.

Administrators know very well that network problems can have many different roots, and it is critical to the operation of any enterprise that problems are diagnosed and resolved quickly. Possible causes of network failure include physical connection problems, router configuration, hardware failure, a sudden change in a server parameters, incompatibility between devices or protocols, and more. The problem with even the most advanced network-based management tools, such as SNMP and web-based configuration, is that they lose their usefulness when the network is down. Without console management, on a "rainy day," administrators are still forced to go on-site with testing gear and replacement units to inspect and test each connection and device.

It is fair to say that console management shines most brightly when there are network problems. With minimal equipment and configuration, console management can be easily established on a separate communication channel such as a phone line. This gives administrators powerful boot-level access to a device configuration parameters, even during "rainy days" when the network is down. From the comfort of home or from a central management station, administrators can use console management to troubleshoot each network peripheral, resetting, re-configuring, and testing as needed to identify the problem. In many cases, remote troubleshooting can eliminate the need for an on-site physical inspection. Even in those cases when an on-site visit is necessary, console management can be used to pinpoint the area of trouble and minimize the effort required.

When network problems pop up in the middle of the night at a remote site that has a sprawling network and a mixture of many legacy and modern devices, console management becomes a network administrator best friend.

For more detailed information about console management, please see the following Moxa white paper:

• Console Management—Better Network Protection for Industrial Ethernet

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MOXA's advanced serial-to-Ethernet products support console management applications with reverse terminal operation, RS-232 connectors, and varying port densities. For added security, different authentication and encryption methods are built into our secure serial device servers. Please refer to the following list for additional information on solutions for console management:

Ordering Information

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The new EDS-510A series of compact 7+3G-port gigabit managed redundant Ethernet switches are ready to ship. EDS-510A switches have 7 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports and 3 gigabit Ethernet ports.

Key Features

• 2 gigabit Ethernet ports for redundant ring; 1 gigabit Ethernet port for uplink
• Gigabit Turbo Ring and RSTP/STP for Ethernet redundancy
• QoS, IGMP snooping/GMRP, VLAN, LACP, SNMP V1/V2c/V3, RMON supported
• Rate Limiting for bandwidth management and broadcast storm protection
• IEEE802.1X and https/SSL to enhance network security

Ordering Information

Detailed product information is available on MOXA's corporate website at: http://www.moxa.com/product/EDS-510A.htm.

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MOXA is pleased to announce that three new models of the ThinkCore DA-660 Series—DA-661, DA-662, and DA-663—will be ready in mid November. The DA-660 Series of embedded computers have many excellent features, and are designed specifically for use in harsh industrial environments.

The four ThinkCore DA-660 Series models (DA-660/661/662/663) are RISC-based, ready-to-run embedded computers designed for industrial data applications. The computers feature 8 or 16 RS-232/422/485 serial ports, multiple Ethernet or fiber ports, and are based on the Intel XScale IXP-422/425 communication processors. These great features are packed into a standard 1U, 19-inch wide rack-mounted rugged enclosure. The robust, rack-mountable mechanism design provides the hardened protection needed for industrial environment applications, and lets users easily install the embedded computers on a standard 19-inch rack.

• Intel XScale IXP-422 or IXP-425 processor
• Ready-to-run embedded Linux or Windows CE 5.0 operating system
• The JFFS2 file system can log all file access data with time stamp
• Supports 100-240V AC/DC power inputs
• Standard 19-inch, 1 U and rackmount design
• 8 or 16 software-selectable RS-232/422/485 serial ports at 50 to 921.6 Kbps
• All DA-660 Series serial ports support Any Baudrate.
• 2 or 4 Ethernet ports, or 2 multi-mode fiber ports
• PCMCIA Cardbus for wireless network expansion supported
• Built-in CompactFlash and USB ports
• LCM display and keypad on the top panel for on-site configuration and troubleshooting
• Fanless, low power consumption design
• Solid 5-year warranty (2.5 times longer than the traditional 2-year warranty for industrial PCs)

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MOXA is pleased to release the official MXIO programming library for use with the ioLogik E2000 Active Remote I/O server and the ioLogik 4000 expandable I/O server. The library supports Windows/WinCE and allows programmers to access I/O data and Active I/O messages over Ethernet and TCP/IP networks. Unlike traditional solutions that require calculation of Modbus addresses, the programming library allows both digital and analog I/O status to be obtained and modified using the IP address and I/O channel number.

Supported Operating Systems

• WindowsXP/2000/2003
• WinCE 5.0 ARMV4I (Compatible with UC-7420-CE, UC-7408-CE)

Supported Languages

• Visual Basic
• Visual C++
• Borland C++ Builder
• Embedded VC (WinCE.net)

Supported Products

• ioLogik 4000 series: Expandable Remote I/O
• ioLogik E2000 series: Active Remote I/O
• ioLogik R2000 series: Serial Remote I/O

Detailed product information is available on MOXA's corporate website at: http://www.moxa.com/product/Remote_IO_Server.htm.

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In response to customer feedback, we have updated the firmware of MOXA AWK-1100 Wireless AP/Bridge/AP Client. The new version, V2.0, supports better security features than WEP, and the hardware meets the RoHS "green product" standards.

The following table shows the differences between V2.0 and V1.0 of the AWK-1100.

Detailed product information is available on MOXA's corporate website at: http://www.moxa.com/product/AWK-1100.htm.

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Manufacturing automation is one of the key issues considered by many industries when working to improve their manufacturing process and increase productivity. A semi-conductor manufacturer in Taiwan has chosen MOXA's ThinkCore IA240 RISC-based, ready-to-run embedded computer as the central controller to improve their manufacturing process. The ThinkCore IA240 has four software-selectable RS-232/422/485 serial ports, which can be used to connect equipment at the manufacturing site and handle preliminary data processing. In addition, the ThinkCore IA240 can be used as a central processing unit to manage the manufacturing process.

The ThinkCore IA240's ready-to-run, pre-installed operating system makes it easy for system integrators to deal with complex protocol conversion between the host site and the remote site, saving time on system implementation, and making it possible to automate the manufacturing process at a reasonable cost. In addition, the ThinkCore IA240 offers dual 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports and a PCMCIA slot to ensure Internet connectivity, redundancy, and promise continuous operation. The fanless, diskless, wide temperature (-40 to 75°C) design guarantees that the IA240 can be integrated into any harsh industrial environment.

MOXA's ThinkCore IA240 RISC-based, ready-to-run embedded computer provides the following benefits for manufacturing:

• Web-based configuration for easy management
• Centralized control for real-time monitoring of the manufacturing process
• Variety of protocols for implementation with different types of equipment
• Fanless, diskless, wide temperature features for a reliable architecture

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A major company in Asia has turned to Active Remote I/O to improve operations at a loading station. The company enjoyed a booming market which led to a significant increase in the number of trucks needed to load and unload raw materials. A guidance system at the loading station was needed to ensure that trucks were positioned correctly for accurate weighing. The guidance system would rely on an optical sensor and a warning light to instruct the driver when the truck was in position. The challenge was finding a simple, cost-effective way to integrate these two elements and the PC in the control room. It would be expensive and difficult to use a traditional PLC with an Ethernet communication module. A PLC would require development of a specialized ladder program, incurring additional costs for programming and maintenance. In addition, it is difficult to establish direct communication between a PLC Ethernet module and a PC.

MOXA's ioLogik E2210 Active Remote I/O server addressed each of the company's needs. The patented Click&Go Logic and built-in Active I/O messaging was designed for just this type of situation.

It was easy for system integrators to use the intuitive If-Then interface to establish the control logic on their own. The company was thus able to save on the costs of third-party programming and future maintenance that would have been required if a PLC had been used. In addition, the ioLogik E2210's Active I/O messaging feature provided instant delivery of I/O data to the control room PC, using a home-made Visual Basic program.

Advantages of ioLogik E2000 servers:

• Compact size saves space and allows installation in small areas
• User-friendly Click&Go™ Logic eliminates need for programming
• Instant Active I/O messages allow user-defined content
• VB/VC++/BCB programming library eases development for IT environment

For more information, please contact your MOXA sales representative.

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MOXA is pleased to introduce Charles Gruffy, the new regional sales manager for Southern Europe as of October 9th. Based at his home office just outside Paris, France, Charles offers the benefit of 11+ years of experience in sales management in France, Spain, and Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg). His extensive experience includes sales channel management as well as key account management.

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MOXA is happy to announce that the EDS-726 managed switch has received ABB Industrial IT approval (certificate ID: 2PAA101890_MOXA_EDS-726). The EDS-726 has been tested and certified by the ABB Group as Industrial IT Enabled™. This means that the EDS-726 is guaranteed to be of the highest quality, and that it is compatible with the family of Industrial IT certified products. All product information for the EDS-726 can be supplied in consistent electronic format, based on ABB's Industrial IT System 800xA. Installation and integration with other Industrial IT certified products is available through the 800xA platform.

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Moxa is happy to invite you to visit us at the 2006 SPS/IPC/Drives exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany, from November 28 to 30, 2006. The SPS/IPC/Drives exhibition is well-known in the automation technology market.

At this 3-day exhibition, Moxa will highlight "Ethernet Automation" solutions, which can fulfill diverse needs for industrial Ethernet network connectivity. Moxa will also present the up-to-date topics of wireless and power automation. The 2006 SPS/IPC/Drives exhibition is a wonderful opportunity for you to discover the latest technology and see Moxa's newest product offerings.

Come see us at Hall 9, Booth No. 117, at the 2006 SPS/IPC/Drives exhibition in Nuremberg.

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