Have you ever faced a situation where on-site equipment suddenly crashes, and remote troubleshooting becomes impossible, forcing you to travel to the site for inspection? Imagine if there were a technology that allows you to easily manage, maintain, and even recover devices remotely—even when the system is completely unresponsive. This is no longer just a dream! This article introduces Advantech’s latest breakthrough—EdgeBMC—offering you an insider’s look at our lab’s first-hand test results and how this solution is transforming the way edge computing devices are managed!
Why Do We Need EdgeBMC?—On-Site Management Challenges and Opportunities #
With the rapid growth of smart factories, intelligent transportation, IoT, and other applications, the number of edge devices has skyrocketed, making operation and maintenance increasingly complex. Traditional remote management methods mostly rely on the operating system functioning properly. When the system crashes or the network fails, it’s like a deep-sea diver losing contact—completely helpless!
Advantech EdgeBMC (Baseboard Management Controller) was created to address this issue: it operates independently from the OS and main network, building a dedicated “management highway” that lets you monitor device status anytime, anywhere. This not only reduces the frequency of on-site dispatches but also significantly shortens mean time to repair (MTTR), making it an indispensable tool for modern edge computing management.
What is Out-of-Band Management? Explained Simply #
You can think of traditional management methods (In-Band) as calling the device—as long as the phone works, you’re fine. But if the phone is broken, administrators can’t contact the device. Out-of-Band Management (OOBM) is like having a dedicated emergency line; no matter what happens to the main system, you can still “talk” directly to the device!
EdgeBMC leverages the OOBM principle, allowing you to remotely monitor, reboot, and configure devices—even if the operating system crashes, BIOS malfunctions, or the device is powered off. As long as the device is connected to power, you can perform remote operations—completely independent of the main system.
Advantech EdgeBMC: Key Lab Experiments and Procedures #
We conducted a series of real-world scenario simulations for EdgeBMC in our laboratory. Here are our key steps and results:
1. 24/7 Uninterrupted Network Management #
- Objective: Maintain remote management and monitoring of devices even if the main network goes offline.
- Method: Integrate both In-Band and Out-of-Band subsystems. Even if the main system fails, the OOBM path can still provide device monitoring and operations.
2. Reducing Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) #
- Objective: In the event of an anomaly, enable remote inspection and maintenance at the hardware and firmware levels.
- Method: Even if the device is powered off, as long as AC power is connected, EdgeBMC still provides a remote management interface. Engineers can remotely reset, update firmware, or perform diagnostics, greatly improving maintenance efficiency.
3. Enhanced Cybersecurity Protection #
- Objective: Ensure firmware security and prevent malicious attacks or unauthorized access.
- Method: Implement Platform Firmware Resilience (PFR) technology, integrate Root of Trust, and comply with the NIST 800-193 international standard to achieve comprehensive “protect-detect-recover” security mechanisms for system firmware.
4. Seamless Integration with DeviceOn for Unified Remote Management #
EdgeBMC is perfectly integrated with Advantech’s DeviceOn platform, allowing users to directly:
- Sensor Monitoring (Out-of-Band)
- BIOS Console Redirection
- Power Management
Version 1.0 already supports the above features, and custom APIs will be available in the future to help enterprises seamlessly integrate with next-generation management platforms to meet diverse application needs.
Application Highlights and Industry Value #
So, what industry value does EdgeBMC bring? Here are the key highlights:
- Comprehensive Remote Operation & Maintenance: No matter where the device is or what state it’s in, you can easily manage it, reducing on-site maintenance labor costs.
- Guaranteed Security: Built-in, internationally certified firmware security mechanisms safeguard enterprise data and device security.
- Flexible Deployment: DeviceOn server can be deployed locally or in the public cloud. As long as the device can access the internet (Port 80/443), there are no network segment restrictions.
- Quick Start: Simple configuration—just install the SUSI driver and DeviceOn Agent, and the system automatically establishes a secure connection (TLS v1.3 encryption).
Supported Hardware Models #
EdgeBMC currently supports several popular industrial-grade motherboards and systems, including:
- AFE-E350
- AIMB-292
- ARK-1251M
- MIO-5354
- MIO-5379
- AFE-R360
- AFE-R760
For more hardware support information, please refer to the official landing page.
All-in-One Deployment Process #
- Install the SUSI driver and DeviceOn Agent on the In-Band operating system
- Connect to the DeviceOn Server; the system automatically initiates secure authentication with EdgeBMC (TLS v1.3 encryption)
- Once the device is online, the EdgeBMC icon will light up
- From then on, you can perform comprehensive remote sensor monitoring, power management, and BIOS operations
Continuous Innovation: Leading the Future of Edge Management #
The Advantech team remains committed to technological innovation, and EdgeBMC is our latest breakthrough in edge computing management. In the future, we will continue to optimize features, expand the API ecosystem, and help more enterprises achieve intelligent O&M and cybersecurity upgrades.
Want to learn more about EdgeBMC use cases or the latest technology updates? Follow us and join us in ushering in a new era of edge device management!