What Is Out-of-Band Management?
The term “band” refers to the communication channels that IT departments use to access and control devices via remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools. In-band management refers to managing devices over the corporate network, whereas out of band (OOB) refers to managing devices over any separate communication channel. If the primary corporate network is down, IT can use OOBM to access and remediate devices.
Devices can also be considered OOB when they are unresponsive due to hardware or operating system (OS) failure or when a remote worker uses that device while connected to a public or home Wi-Fi network.
Software-Based vs. Hardware-Based OOBM
IT departments may use either software-based or hardware-based OOBM solutions to manage enterprise PC fleets and edge devices. The key difference is that while software-based solutions operate on a software level, hardware-based solutions are enabled by dedicated hardware components in the device.
Anything that compromises the software layer, such as a nonresponsive OS or a cyberattack, can take software-based OOBM offline and render it ineffective. Hardware-based OOBM is typically more resilient against these types of outages, as dedicated hardware components give IT direct access to manage the device regardless of the state of the OS or software.
Benefits of Out-of-Band Management
No matter where people do their work, IT departments have more devices to manage in more places than ever, and service desks can’t be everywhere at once. Moreover, modern computing extends far beyond the traditional PC, and these other devices—including digital signage, warehouse robotics, and lab equipment—occasionally need service and support too.
In addition to helping IT departments manage diverse and expansive PC fleets, OOBM provides several key benefits, including:
- Efficient remote management at scale: By avoiding the need to deploy a technician on location, IT departments can service more devices while reducing the need for expensive service calls. This helps minimize downtime and disruptions, keeping devices and users at peak productivity.
- Enhanced resiliency and business continuity: Hardware-based OOBM enables remote access to PCs and devices even if the OS is down, the device is compromised by a cyberattack, or the device is powered off. This allows IT departments to restore systems fast, even during major outages or when devices are deployed in remote, isolated locations or kept behind locked doors.
- Improved data security posture: RMM solutions with OOBM give IT departments the ability to configure, patch, or wipe devices remotely. This helps limit the impact of lost or stolen PCs or edge devices vulnerable to tampering.
Challenges Addressed by Out-of-Band Management
OOBM solutions address the need to access devices that are outside the corporate network, especially as device types have become far more diverse and spread out. For example, an IT administrator may need to repair a digital signage display mounted 15 feet high in an airport. Next, they’re troubleshooting a self-service kiosk that serves hundreds of customers an hour in a busy subway station. PC-based devices can be located in harsh and hard-to-reach industrial environments, like at the top of wind turbines or in underground mines.
The enterprise PC fleet can include hundreds of thousands of these devices spread across any number of branch offices and edge locations worldwide. With OOBM, IT departments have the tools they need to onboard, manage, remediate, and retire devices—as long as they have a wired or wireless connection. This scales much more efficiently than having to manually configure or reset devices in person.
Out-of-Band Management Use Cases
OOBM supports several key use cases to help IT departments keep the enterprise PC fleet up and running:
- Remote troubleshooting: IT departments can remotely access devices to diagnose and resolve issues, provided the devices are connected to a known wired or wireless network. Many toolsets support keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) functionality so IT can interface with devices as if they were there in person. Look for capabilities such as remote power control and wake-from-sleep functionality to engage devices even if they are powered down or in sleep mode.
- Provisioning, reimaging, and updates: OOBM also supports the ability to reimage a device remotely, access BIOS settings, and apply firmware and software updates as needed. This helps IT departments keep devices up to date, patch security vulnerabilities, and maintain the overall health of the enterprise fleet.
- Monitoring and reporting: OOBM enables IT to monitor the health of devices regardless of their location and run enterprise-wide diagnostics or analysis on usage patterns. Using this data, IT can support cybersecurity and workflow optimization, all without disrupting end user productivity.
The Future of Out-of-Band Management
Recent industry analysis shows that in the event of a major outage, OOBM capabilities are essential to a speedy recovery. An organization with OOBM toolsets can remediate up to 95 percent of downed devices within the first several hours and reach full restoration by the end of the second day.1
Without these tools, an organization may recover only 10 percent of devices the first day and can take up to two weeks to achieve full restoration.1 For many enterprises, the reputation loss following an outage like this could be just as damaging as the financial loss from disrupted operations.
OOBM is critical to keeping PC fleets and expanding networks of edge devices healthy and secure. As enterprises grow and workforces become more distributed, OOBM will be the proverbial glue that holds it all together.